by Jasmine Walt
“Hera, please,” Demeter begged. “Stop this.”
But Hera didn’t. She struggled beneath her sister, kicking and screeching like a banshee. Demeter grabbed for the dagger. She held it over Hera’s eyes.
Hera stopped struggling. A manic glint lit her glowing eyes. “Do it,” she challenged.
Demeter’s hand trembled under the slight weight of the blade. Her eyes watered as she gazed down at her sister. She took a deep, ragged breath and raised the dagger. Her brothers and sister came and stood at her back. None of them stepped in to stop her.
Beneath us, the ground cracked open. The columns around the temples shook, forming a backbone as a god wrestled himself from the underworld. The blade fell from Demeter’s hand as she stared, transfixed.
Two blank eyes pulled up from the ground and glared at her. A hand reached up from a boulder, flexing its fingers. The hand rose.
Hera rolled out from under Demeter’s hold. “Father, it’s me,” she called, sounding every bit the toddler who stood on the doorstep waiting for her dad to come home from work.
I grabbed for Demeter and pulled her away. It was just in time. The hand reached out and closed around Hera. It brought her into the air. From below the blank eyes, a mouth of black hollowness opened.
“Father?” Hera’s voice wobbled. “Father, no.”
But Cronus did not heed his child’s plea. Hera’s body dropped closer and closer until it was just inside the black hole that was the father she’d missed so desperately. Before Hera could be consumed, a lightning bolt struck the right eye of the Titan.
Zeus swooped in, another lightning bolt in one hand. The other he wrapped around Hera’s waist and pulled. “Let the people go, Hera.”
He flung the second bolt at his father’s left eye. The head of the Titan reared back. He crashed to the ground, knocking us off our feet. Still, Cronus did not release his daughter from his hungry grip.
“Hera, let them go,” Zeus shouted as he pulled her to him. “It’s the only way he’ll release you.”
“I’d rather go with him than stay here with the lot of you,” was Hera’s reply. She shoved against Zeus’s chest, but he didn’t release her. Neither did Cronus.
The large hand pulled downward, bringing Hera and Zeus closer to his mouth, which opened wider. I felt the wind kick up, but it had nothing to do with air pressure. It was Cronus sucking the life out of the two youngest Olympians.
Zeus let Hera go. Without him tethering her to this world, she descended faster into Cronus’s mouth. Hera shrieked and covered her eyes as her father began sucking out the souls she’d stolen And then she shrieked again as she fell and impacted the ground.
Zeus stood over her, a lightning sword in his grip. His father’s disembodied hand was at his feet. But Cronus was not done.
He’d gotten a taste of life and looked eager for more. Another hand reached up from the earth. But this hand did not belong to Cronus.
Rhea’s head poked out of the earth. Rich soil and flowers caked her blonde hair. There was still light in her golden eyes. With a surprisingly strong grip, she reached for her husband and wrapped her hand around his chin. She opened her mouth, as though she were going to kiss her lover. But instead, she sucked the lives out of him.
When the life had left Cronus’s eyes, she pulled his body down into the mound where they rested. It looked as though she were taking the green grass as a comforter and covering them up for the night. Before she laid her head down, she looked out at her children.
Her gaze rested on each in turn. No words passed between Rhea and her offspring, just lingering gazes, soft, sad smiles, and quiet tears. Her gaze came to Hera last, and Rhea lifted an eyebrow.
I didn’t have a mother, but I still knew that look. It clearly stated, You’re in big trouble, missy.
Hera was still on the ground. She’d proper herself on her elbows, but her eyes were downcast. She chewed at her lower lip and nodded. Then she lifted her head and opened her eyes wide.
A surge of energy went out into the night as hundreds of souls were returned to their original owners. The humans collapsed onto the ground with the force. The silence that followed was eerie as hundreds of human bodies littered the ground like bugs after a fumigation.
Rhea gave an approving nod and prepared to sink back into the earth. As she did, she found my gaze. A small smile tilted her lips as she acknowledged me. I could do nothing but stare as the ground closed over her and her husband. Though Rhea clearly had enough energy to walk the earth, she chose to stay in slumber with her murderous, infanticidal, possibly psychotic husband. And Loren called Zane and my relationship codependent. Pfft.
Demeter was the first to move. She rose and took a few steps toward her fallen sister, who was still crumpled on the ground.
“Don’t you touch her,” Zeus demanded, coming to stand protectively over Hera. “You would’ve killed her.”
“Zuzu,” Demeter began, “what she did—”
“Don’t come any closer,” he ground out, another bolt flashing into his hand.
The ground still rumbled beneath our feet, but it was tiny tremors. The human bodies that littered the ground shuddered. I didn’t have my full faculties, but I knew something like this could never happen again. We couldn’t just let Hera run wild on an earth filled with billions of souls she could one day wake up and decide to give to the father she missed. I started to take the few steps to come to Demeter’s side.
“You have a beautiful body, Tisa,” Zeus said. “One I’m sad I have yet to partake of. But I will rip it to shreds if you lay a hand on my wife.”
The venom in his sweet words called me up short. I stopped my advance and stood next to Demeter, who also stood impotent. Neither of us dared to cross the line toward them.
Zeus bent down to lift Hera into his arms.
“Let me go,” Hera screeched. She wrenched her body away from him. “Don’t touch me. I hate you.”
“I know.” Zeus locked his arms around her. “I’ve got you.”
“Let me go,” she sobbed, but the fight had gone out of her.
“No,” he whispered. “I can’t.”
“I hate you,” Hera whispered.
“I can’t stand you either.” He rubbed the hair away from her face and placed a kiss there.
“Wow,” Loren whispered from behind my shoulder. “It’s like a live version of Jerry Springer.”
I had nothing to say. I watched as the acrid venom that had persisted between the two allowed for something deeper to rise. After a while, Hera stopped fighting and rested her head on Zeus’s chest, in the space just below his chin and between his pecs where I imagined his heart beat.
25
No one died that night. The revelers were bruised and beat up. A few of the injuries were major but none life-threatening. People awoke hours later, exclaiming it had been the best party of their lives and wanting to do it again sooner rather than later.
I sat on the terrace of the Olympian Hotel, staring at the Parthenon. Poseidon came up and sat beside me. His long brown legs stretched out before him, and his dark locks lay limp on his shoulders. He looked exhausted, like he’d just washed up on the shore.
“Did you find him?” I asked.
By him, I meant Baros. He’d disappeared in the melee after he’d rolled down the hill when the Titans woke up. He’d left not a trace behind.
“No,” Poseidon replied. “But I’m sure your brother will have an eye out for him now that Leonidas is no longer under our protection.”
I was so exhausted I didn’t bother telling him Bet and I weren’t related. I wondered if Bet would stick his neck out for me the way these six did for one another. And that included Zeus literally putting his life on the line to save Hera after the senseless destruction she’d caused.
“Can’t Zeus do anything about it?” I asked. “Since he holds Baros’s soul?”
“My brother is preoccupied at this time.”
Zeus had disappeared with Hera,
despite my objections that she was a danger to humanity.
“Like your family isn’t screwed up,” the golden god had thrown at me before spiriting away with a subdued Hera. They, too, had not left a trace as to their whereabouts, and no one seemed concerned that an immature Lothario and a petulant sociopath were out unsupervised.
Demeter entered with Loren at her side. “Here’s your girl,” Demeter said. “I trimmed the edges around her personality a bit to make her more obedient.”
Loren glowered at the goddess. When she did, it was with her blue eyes and not the dark, fathomless depths she’d had to sport last night.
Demeter ignored Loren’s glare and focused on me. “Now that she’s housebroken, you two could stay a while.”
I reached out and grabbed Loren’s forearm. Though Demeter was a goddess, Loren was a force to be reckoned with. I had no desire to be in the middle of another knock-down, drag-out battle.
I shook my head as I leaned into Loren. She crossed her arms and kept her glower, but she also took on some of my weight.
“Loren and I are going sailing. She’s lost a yacht; I mean, a lover. So I figured I’d get her on top of another one. It’s what besties do when a douchebag stomps on one of their hearts.”
“I thought I was your bestie?” Demeter sounded sulky. Her full cheeks turned sullen and her bright eyes dimmed.
The despondent look tugged at my heartstrings, but I stood my ground. “If we’re going to remain friends, which I think I’d like, you can’t keep secrets from me anymore.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but I held up my hand.
“Regardless of whether I forget what happened,” I said. “If you’d been honest with me when I first got here, I may have been able to help sooner.”
Demeter pursed her lips, but then she nodded. “I screwed up. By not telling you, but also by neglecting my own sister. I think it’s clear we’re all paying attention now. Nia, please trust me when I say that we will take care of this.”
“I believe you, Demi.”
“So maybe you won’t be such a stranger for the next millennium?”
I smiled. “I’ll be around. Especially now that I know where to get devotional discounts on designer dresses.”
I embraced her. She wrapped her arms around me tightly. We held on for what felt like an eternity until finally we released each other. That part felt too familiar—the letting go of a friend after we’d faced tragedy.
Before I headed out, I embraced the other Olympian gods as well. Poseidon wrapped me up in his big arms, the scent of the ocean wafting from his locks. Hades slipped another gem into my hand before letting me go. Even Hestia came in for an awkward pat on the back.
“Don’t be a stranger,” she said. “I’m a decent sister, but I’m not so good in the whole friend department.”
I nodded my agreement. Then I headed to the elevator with Loren. Our bags were packed and in the lobby. With no adventure left, it was time to depart Greece.
“Are you sure you don’t want immortality?” I asked Loren as we descended.
“If I did want to live forever, it would have to be for myself. I couldn’t be beholden to another entity like that. I think that bitch moved my organs around.”
I chuckled. The doors of the elevator opened, spilling us into the lobby. “I’m sorry about Baros.”
Loren shrugged. “It was too good to be true. My own Spartan in shining armor. I’m not meant for that.”
“Every girl deserves to be swept off her feet occasionally.”
“I like to stand on my own, thank you very much. Men make you wobbly.”
“Wanna stop in the restaurant for some ice cream?” I said. “To help with the breakup.”
“Who needs ice cream when we could go have another adventure? What do you say, wanna swing by Egypt and raid a pharaoh’s tomb? Or sail to Scotland and fish for the Loch Ness monster?”
I chuckled. I just wanted some quiet time on a boat. No adventure. No artifacts. And definitely no mythical creatures.
“Nessie is gonna have to wait.” Loren smirked. “It looks like a knight is sweeping into our girl time. Sexy beast incoming.”
I felt the tickle at my throat then. I hadn’t been paying too much attention because Bet was still upstairs with Demeter. When I turned and looked in the direction Loren faced, I saw Tres.
“I’m going to grab a drink at the bar,” Loren said.
She dashed away before I could latch onto her. It took everything I had to hold still while Tres made his way to me. I hadn’t called or texted him since I’d gotten back from my little excursion to Rome. I hadn’t had time to think about what I’d say to him.
I took a deep breath and lifted my chin. Either my eyes were weary from the less-than-restful sleep I’d had last night, or Tresor Mohandis had gotten even dreamier since the last time I’d seen him. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt that set off his honey-brown coloring. His jacket was off, slung over his left shoulder. The dress shirt was rolled up past his elbows, showing off his defined forearms and hinting at the corded biceps beneath. He wore a grin on his face that didn’t look annoyed or put out with me in the slightest for not getting back to him. It had only been two days, after all. We’d been apart for hundreds of years.
“You look awful,” he said when he reached me.
I felt my face tighten with annoyance, balling my fists instead of running my fingers through my hair like I self-consciously wanted to. But then, Tres pulled me into him and ran his fingers through my hair himself. Though he’d insulted me, his eyes took me in like he wanted to muss me up even more.
“Did I miss the adventure?” he asked with a grin. His fingers came to rest just above my ear.
“You did. It was one for the storybooks.”
“Can I offer you another one?” Those dark eyes gleamed with invitation.
“What kind of adventure?” My lips stayed parted after I spoke. They had to. My nostrils were too busy flaring to take in oxygen.
“Me, on a boat, in the middle of the ocean, with lots of wine.” He leaned down, cupping his hand around my ear and whispering as though he didn’t want to be overheard. “And an old treasure map. But we both know where that will lead.”
I grinned as he pulled away, resting my hand on his chest to feel his strong, steady heartbeat. The rhythm was a familiar tune. I wanted to lay my head there and relearn its song. But . . .
“Can I take a rain check?” I asked. “Recently, a friend reminded me that the unexamined life isn’t worth living.”
I thought of Socrates and the twinkle that had been in his opaque eyes when he’d said those words to me at his farewell party. I hoped his soul was at ease.
“I’ve been examining other people’s lives for hundreds of years,” I continued. “I think it’s time I do a little soul-searching of my own.”
Tres didn’t protest. Neither did he let me go. His thumb trailed over my lower lip. I felt my mouth water, that hunger coming back to my gut.
“You should know that I always collect on my debts,” he said.
“You should remember I always pay my bills,” I countered.
He grinned again. His lips were parted when he leaned in and brushed his mouth against mine, but he didn’t press his advantage like he’d done in the past. It was me who sank my teeth into his upper lip and then my tongue into his mouth.
I had control for all of five seconds before he wrenched my head to the side and claimed my mouth. His tongue was demanding as it reached into my crevices, his lips hot as they tugged at my need. He left me too quickly with an unquenched longing, an aching yearning, and shallow, dizzying breaths.
When he pulled away, he said, “I’m going to see you sooner rather than later, Dr. Rivers.”
My voice was low and husky when I made my comeback. “I wouldn’t be surprised, Mr. Mohandis.”
I watched him walk away. Just as I had to steel myself to stay put when I saw him coming my way, I had to hold myself still as the distance
increased between us.
Damn. What was it about that man that made me act so out of character? I’d be finding out soon, it seemed. But for now, I wanted to get back to girl time. I turned to find Loren, but I was met with an unexpected sight.
“Hi,” I managed to get out.
“Bonjour,” Zane said.
26
I looked back over my shoulder to the space where Tres had left out the door, then back to where Zane stood, immobile. His eyes were also fixed on the door where Tres had exited.
Zane’s full lips were slightly parted. His eyebrows were squished together. The skin between his forehead crinkled. His normally hooded gaze was open and wide. His eyes blinked rapidly, as though trying to make sense of puzzle pieces scattered before him.
I swallowed and then reacted like someone who’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t have. I reached for the redirect. “What are you doing here?”
Slowly, painfully slowly, Zane’s gaze found mine. He searched my face as though seeing me for the first time. He blinked a few times as though trying to bring me into focus before he answered. The words came slowly, like English was his second language. It wasn’t. But the French accent was thick on his tongue.
“I decided to take a chance and chase after you,” he said. “But it would appear you have already been caught.”
“No . . .” I looked again to the door Tres had left through. “He was just . . . I didn’t . . . We were . . .”
Zane waited patiently, but it was in vain. I had no idea how to finish that sentence. I didn’t owe him an explanation. I could do what I wanted with whom I wanted. Just the other night, he’d had another woman in his arms. We were broken up.
“I’m trying to find myself,” I said finally. Lamely.
Zane cocked his head. His brows straightened as he regarded me. He swept his eyes over the length of me, like an inattentive husband might do when his wife asked if he noticed anything different about her. But that would never work with Zane. He knew every detail, down to noticing when I switched up the shade of my eyeliner. Nothing had changed since the last time he’d seen me.