Chaos (Tessa Avery Book 1)

by Lucy Roy

  “Yep. Kind of. You?”

  A grunt was her only response.

  Neither of us made a move to get out of bed. As excited as I was, the knowledge that my human life was about to come to an official end was putting butterflies the size of dragons in my stomach. The doubts that had flashed through my mind as I departed Renville returned, causing me to question myself even more.

  My conversation with John and Analise that day in the kitchen came back to me.

  “What’s fated for us is not always a bad thing.”

  Finding my resolve, I threw back the covers and stood up. I was acting like a wimp. John and Analise had given me love, prepared me as best they could for my life as an immortal, and I wouldn’t let their efforts be for nothing.

  No, I wasn’t going to waste the final moments of my human life what-if-ing from my bed.

  There was no place for human weakness in an immortal world.

  I stalked over to Yana’s bed and yanked the covers off her.

  She let out something in Romanian that sounded like a curse and glared up at me.

  “Come on, Yana. Get up. Let’s do this. Let’s go be immortal.”

  No hesitations.

  “Ugh, you are as bad as my guardians. No such thing as a snooze button with them, either.”

  I smiled sweetly, then pulled the pillow out from under her head, a move I’d learned from Mary.

  “Agh, I’m up! Pula mea, you are a pain in the ass!”

  “I don’t speak Romanian!” I laughed as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door.

  I began getting dressed in the official training uniform for the Ischyra that had been waiting for us in our dresser drawers when we arrived. Slowly, I tugged on the black fitted pants before pulling on the matching, long-sleeved crew neck. The small purple symbol of the Ischyra was embroidered just above the hem, and a sense of pride washed through me as I stared at it. I glanced at the small white mark on my wrist and smiled, eager to see it change.

  I eyed my ridiculous case of bedhead in the full-length mirror and struggled to figure out what in all the realms would be an appropriate hairdo for a day like this.

  “Would you like a braid?”

  I turned and saw that Yana had just emerged from the bathroom, looking fresh-faced and wide awake. Her black hair was done in a perfect French braid.

  I gave her a relieved smile. “Yes, please. That would be fantastic.”

  “Of course. Here, sit on the floor. It will be easier.”

  I complied, and Yana quietly got to work brushing through my tangles.

  “Your female guardian never taught you to braid?”

  “No,” I said, trying to keep my head still while I spoke. “Analise was the best mother figure I could’ve asked for, but things like hair and makeup weren’t really her thing.”

  “I see. Well, I will show you so you can do this on your own. It is not so complicated once you’ve practiced some.”

  I grinned at her in the mirror. “That’d be awesome.”

  She returned my smile with one of her own. “You know, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy sharing a room with a girl I did not know. You’re far less annoying than I expected.”

  I arched a brow. “Ditto.”

  “There.” She smoothed the hair on the sides of my head, then stepped back to admire her work. “Perfect. Now, go brush your teeth; your breath is atrocious.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thanks.” I put a hand on my stomach. “I’m starving. What’s for breakfast?”

  “I don’t think they want us to eat prior to the ceremony,” Yana said.

  “Seriously? Why?” Being told I couldn’t have food only made my stomach clench harder.

  “I believe it is because they don’t want us to vomit.”

  Lovely.

  A short while later, all recruits were gathered in the courtyard, standing neatly in five rows, the air heavy with anticipation.

  Mary stood beside me, bouncing on her toes. Eric was two rows in front of me cracking his knuckles, which had always been a nervous tic of his. Andrei was tapping his thumb against his leg, Anette was twirling the end of one of her braided pigtails, and Igor’s jaw was so tight it looked like it was made of stone.

  My bravado from just a short while ago was fading back into “holy shit” territory, and I was having trouble getting my emotions under control. I kept shifting nervously from one foot to the other before forcing myself to take a few small centering breaths.

  Chiron, Ares, and Athena stood near the gate, quietly observing us. Ares and Athena wore subdued clothing that was a stark contrast to the formal attire they’d worn the previous night. Chiron looked just as wild as he had when we’d arrived. His coarse brown hair was drawn back into a thick ponytail, his torso was bare, and on his legs were dark brown pants that buttoned down the sides.

  I was confused for a moment before I realized the pants were actually breakaway pants that wouldn’t get ripped to shreds if he had to transform into his centaur form on the fly.

  So cool. I wondered if we’d get to work with any of the other centaurs, although from what I knew of them, they didn’t have the same level of humanity as Chiron did.

  Athena stepped forward and clasped her hands behind her back, then smiled out at us. “Good morning, everyone.” Her voice was clear and silken.

  “I feel your apprehension, and I want you all to know that I—no, we—understand your trepidation. Being immortal will not take away those emotions, but do not despair. To be nervous or fearful is to be wise.”

  She began to pace back and forth as she spoke.

  “When you were a child, your guardians taught you to put one foot in front of the other before you could take your first independent steps. Your affinities are much the same. You will need to learn to put one foot in front of the other before you are able to claim those gifts for your own. Do not go into this day with the belief you will have complete mastery over your powers or that you will become invincible, that no harm will ever befall you, or that the rest of your existence will be easy. They will make you stronger, faster, and more amazing than you could imagine, but they will not give you wisdom. They will not tell you right from wrong, and they will not be a crutch for you to rely on in battle. Immortality does not equate to invincibility.”

  She held out a small jar that contained a single purple flower, and several of the recruits let out a gasp.

  “We all have our weaknesses, and this is your biggest one. Who can tell me what it is?”

  I looked around at the other recruits, not wanting to be the one to answer. A lithesome brown-haired boy at the far end of my row slowly raised his hand.

  “It’s godsbane.”

  Athena gave a curt nod.

  “Thank you, Jonathan. Godsbane. Your guardians likely taught you of its uses and the danger it poses to your kind. While painful to a god, it can and has been fatal to Ischyra. As part of your training, you will learn all there is to know about this lethal poison. You will learn how and where it is grown, how its poison is extracted, and how it can be weaponized against you and others. This may seem tedious, but like your powers, it is yet another tool for your survival. Learn to use the tools you are about to be given and never take them for granted.”

  Immortality does not equate to invincibility. We all have our weaknesses.

  Her gray eyes searched our faces as her words sunk in. It was so quiet you could hear a pin fall. After a few moments, she stepped back and gave a nod to her brother.

  Ares took a step forward and rested his hands on his hips.

  “It is time to make our way to the Agora.” His voice was forceful, exactly what you’d expect from a seasoned warrior. “When we arrive, you will be called forward one at a time and your affinity will be revealed. Some of you may be hopeful that you will have a certain affinity. But never put your trust in hope. Trust in the gods who have given you their power.”

  His eyes narrowed in warning.

  “Do not be disappointe
d if you do not receive the power you want. Focus instead on honing the powers you have been given.” He looked around the entire group, ensuring that we’d all gotten the message.

  The emphasis on that last word made his meaning clear—the gods gave us our powers; if we betrayed the trust they had in us, we’d be stripped of those powers quicker than you could say Elder.

  Without another word, he turned and strode out of the front gate. Athena motioned for us to follow, and we silently made our way down the hill to the portal for the Agora, where, one by one, we filed through.

  As I waited for the others, I took a few moments to look out across the mountain, just as I had the night before. I was surprised to see how different it looked under the morning sun. The forest that stretched upward from Olympia was almost entirely obscured by the thick morning fog that blanketed the distant valley. The sun cast an orange glow over the Agora as it made its way across the mountain to combat the mist below.

  “Morning.”

  I jumped when a voice spoke next to me, and I turned to see Nathaniel standing just a few feet away. He wore jeans, but he’d ditched his normal t-shirt in favor of a pale blue button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

  “Oh, hey.” I smiled nervously. “Good morning.”

  Unsure of what else to say that wouldn’t sound completely lame, I turned and faced the Agora, examining the beautiful structure as I tried to beat back my apprehension.

  “You know, this is the only building left from before the war?”

  I looked at Nathaniel in surprise. “I thought all the buildings from back then had been destroyed.”

  “Most were.” He turned back toward the massive white structure. “Not this one, though. It’s always been the main meeting place on Olympus.”

  “That’s good, though. It would’ve been a shame to destroy something so beautiful.”

  “Yes, it would have.” He smiled down at me. “Come on, they’re going in.”

  I followed him up the smooth marble stairs toward the brightly tiled doors that were held open by two Ischyra. I recognized one was Chris, the guy I’d spoken to at dinner the previous night.

  He raised his brow in greeting when he saw me. “Morning, Tessa. You ready for this?”

  I took a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be, I guess.”

  He grinned and gave me a pat on the shoulder before ushering me inside. By the time I got through the doors, Nathaniel seemed to have vanished into the crowd.

  Chiron had taken over leading the recruits into the hall that had been cleared of all furniture but the Elders’ thrones. Idly, I wondered why he always seemed to choose his human form over his centaur body. As the son of the Titan Cronus, he was the only centaur who could shift between forms, but considering he’d been born in equine form, I would’ve thought he’d prefer it to a human one.

  He began directing us to form a circle around the inlaid wood floor, and I quickly moved to sandwich myself between Mary and Eric. My heart felt like it was about to beat through my chest, but having two lifelong friends on either side of me brought me a bit of calm.

  I looked around the room and saw that there were far more attendees than I’d expected.

  Ischyra crowded against the walls all the way around. Mixed among them were lower gods, many of whom I recognized by the descriptions I’d read.

  Poseidon’s son Triton, distinguishable by two small golden tridents holstered in the waistband of his gray pants and the conch around his neck, was speaking with his father at the foot of the dais.

  A goddess I didn’t recognize with tawny skin and wavy black hair that tumbled to her waist stood against the back wall, quietly watching the room. Three glittering silver moons pinned her hair back from her face.

  One of the winged Harpies who’d been born to the Oceanid Electra was dressed all in blue, a silver comb in the shape of a winged woman clasped in her hair. Beside her stood a petite brunette with russet-brown skin. Both were speaking animatedly with Demeter, whose golden hair was braided into a crown on top of her head. By the way Demeter was smiling at her, I guessed her to be Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, the wife of Hades and the main emissary from the Underworld.

  There were so many of them it was dizzying. The powers some of them possessed made me terrified to share a room with them, especially when I was about to have my mind pried open.

  Speaking of which…

  “What’s he doing?” Eric asked, his tone disbelieving.

  I followed his gaze to the center of the circle we’d just formed around the room. Nathaniel stood there, whispering with Zeus, who was stunning in his knee-length white toga and crown of gold laurel leaves.

  Of course.

  “He’s a Coercer,” I whispered back. “Shit. I just assumed it would be Rudolfo…”

  “Apparently, he’s The Coercer,” Mary muttered. “He’s just full of secrets, isn’t he?”

  I nodded as a slight feeling of awe washed over me. I’d thought he was your run-of-the-mill Coercer. There weren’t many, but he was by no means the only one.

  He was quite possibly the most important Mentalist in all the realms, and he’d already seen the deepest parts of my mind.

  How in Zeus’ name had I not figured this out on my own?

  I eyed Nathaniel shrewdly.

  “I guess I’d rather it be him than someone I don’t know, considering he’s already poked around in my mind.”

  Realizing what I’d just said, I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped Eric wouldn’t notice.

  “He’s been in your mind?” Eric hissed.

  Shit.

  “Oopsie,” Mary whispered.

  I’d forgotten that she was the only one who knew about his little trip through my brain.

  “Yeah, um, long story. I’ll tell you later, promise.”

  I felt his eyes burning holes through the side of my head, but I didn’t turn to face him. It was so not the time to be recounting that experience.

  Thankfully, I was given an easy out when Zeus clapped his hands thunderously.

  “Welcome, recruits and distinguished guests.”

  His booming voice silenced the room in an instant.

  “I know Ares and Athena have already given you the ‘pep talk,’ so to speak.” He nodded toward the two Elders who sat serenely in their thrones. “So I will not bore you with further platitudes. I only want to add this: today is not just the day you discover your affinities or the last day you could die a natural death. From this point forward, you will be responsible for keeping Earth safe from all the creatures who would see it destroyed. You will work with the other forces across the realms to fend off the witches, demons, rebels, and the gods who threaten the integrity of the worlds in which we live.”

  He folded his arms over his chest, causing the muscles on his torso to flex, then looked out at all of us sternly, all the warmth that I’d seen the evening before gone.

  “Do not let us regret entrusting you with the powers that are about to awaken in you. It is important that you remember the punishments you will receive should you commit crimes against the realms.”

  He held up two fingers.

  “There are only two possible punishments when an Ischyra is convicted of a crime against the realms. The first is the revocation of all powers, which will return you to your mortal state and you will be banished from Olympus. The second is immediate death, either by beheading or poison. I can assure you, the effectiveness of both has been proven.”

  The way he spoke left no doubt in my mind that he had probably had to dole out a godsbane poisoning or beheading on more than one occasion.

  I turned to Mary and saw that her wide-eyed look mirrored mine. I was stunned at the change in our leader today. The god standing before us had been so warm and welcoming the night before; today he was the formidable leader we read about in stories growing up, calmly discussing beheading and poisoning his soldiers.

  Here was the god who struck down the Titans, who overthrew Olympus, who so car
elessly allowed innumerable demonic creatures to roam free in the human realm.

  “And now, let me bow out and allow Nathaniel to take over.”

  He gave Nathaniel a sharp nod and a pat on the back before stepping aside.

  Nathaniel gave a nod in return, then turned to face the room. “Welcome, everyone. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Nathaniel and I’m the Coercer for Olympus.” His voice rang with power.

  “Damn, Tess,” Mary breathed. “He just got way hotter.”

  “Definitely,” I murmured. If there ever was a time for a facepalm, it would have been that very second.

  “One by one, I will ask you to step forward in the order in which you are arranged. At that time, I will perform the ritual that will guide the gods’ magic into your system, awakening the powers that have lain dormant in you for the last eighteen years. Please be forewarned, I will not just be accessing your mind. I will be opening the deepest parts of it in order to allow the magic to flow in. This part can be a bit uncomfortable, but I assure you, it’s to be expected.”

  Uncomfortable, my ass. Try freaking terrifying.

  I shivered at the thought that this could potentially be worse than the first time he’d cracked my brain open.

  His lips quirked, giving me the vague impression that he’d heard me.

  He gestured to the Asian boy who stood directly opposite me. “We will begin with Mr. Dishi Tsai. Please, come forward.”

  Dishi looked nervously to his twin, Hao, who stood beside him. Hao clapped him on the back and whispered something in his ear before giving Dishi a nudge toward the center of the room.

  When the nervous recruit approached Nathaniel, he was greeted with a reassuring smile. I was still a bit shaken that I’d been so casually joking around with Nathaniel this entire time, completely ignorant of who he really was.

  The most powerful Coercer in Olympus.

  He’d been in my mind, and I’d been so sure that he was being honest when he said he was clueless about that vision. His fear and concern for me had seemed so real. I felt my breath hitch when I realized he’d likely had a good thousand years or more to perfect his ability to lie.