Stunned gasps rang out as everyone turned toward her. “Grace? No. What are you saying? You . . . You wouldn’t . . .” Molly stared at her in disbelief. She reached out to Grace, but Eros pulled her to her feet. She struggled, but he wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m so sorry, Molly. You can do nothing,” Eros said as he pinned her to his chest. Molly kicked at him, trying to break from his hold. He murmured to her until she finally stopped fighting and stood rigid in his embrace, never taking her eyes off the older woman still kneeling on the ground.
Bennett held the arrow tip against Grace’s throat. “Rise.”
Grace stood clumsily and reluctantly met his gaze. Bennett jerked his head to the side, indicating she should move around my body. He glanced down briefly at my lifeless form, a look of anguish crossing his face before he hardened his expression.
“I will hear your confession.” When the silence stretched out, he roared, “Speak!”
Tears trickled down Grace’s stricken face as she looked into the mask of fury before her. “It was only to scare her. Something kept going wrong. The power swelled out of control.” She looked puzzled for a moment before she continued on. “I refused to do any more. They weren’t happy with me, but they wouldn’t do this.”
So, they did have some kind of magic powers. I knew I wasn’t crazy. Man-eating plants, my ass.
What I had experienced and Molly’s talk about the symbol position indicating strength made sense now. Each House had their own powers, and their mark was a physical representation of the strength of that power. Grace was from the House of Seasons, whose leader was Gaia. People had once believed that Gaia was a goddess who held power over the Earth. It made a kind of crazy sense that Grace’s powers had to do with the Earth. It would explain the earthquake and roots. Maybe air was another one of her tricks.
Grace continued to babble about surges of power and Houses rising. I had no idea what she was rambling on about, but she was clearly having a breakdown. Her whole body was trembling. Her fingers were wrapped in her hair as she rocked back and forth.
I was still struggling with the fact that Grace had been the one trying to kill me. It seemed surreal that this motherly figure who thought of everyone as her children could really be a cold-blooded killer.
Bennett sliced his hand through the air to cut off her ramblings. “There were others?” He pushed the arrowhead against the delicate skin of her throat. A trickle of blood traced a path down her pale neck. “Who?”
Eros left Molly to step between them and placed his hand on Bennett’s arm. “Grace. Thank you for doing the right thing. You said ‘they.’ Air manipulation is not a power in your family. Who else was involved? Was my sister part of this?”
Grace shook her head as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. “Sh-she wouldn’t.”
Bennett pressed harder, cutting into her skin. Grace gasped in pain, then sobbed reluctantly, “It was—”
Her eyes rounded in surprise. Gurgling sounds issued from her gaping mouth as she clawed at her throat. Eros grabbed for her, but she was hoisted into the air before he could reach her. She flailed back and forth, clawing at her throat until bloody scratches appeared as she hung several feet above everyone’s heads. People screamed, scrambling in all directions. Uselessly, I jumped to grab her foot to pull her back down. What good was being a ghost if I couldn’t do anything?
Bennett threw the arrow aside and brought his hands up toward her. He closed his fists, made a pulling apart motion, and she plummeted downward. Bennett’s power caught her and lowered her gently to the ground.
Air manipulation was clearly a power of his. Could someone from the House of Chaos be responsible for the attack?
“Quickly, place this band around your arm. It will null your powers but will also protect you from power intended to do you harm.” Gaia stepped forward with a silver band of leaves. Grace’s fingertips were an inch away from the band when she jerked backward, crying out in alarm. Then a sickening crack sounded as her head was violently wrenched to the side.
Molly screamed. Grace’s body tumbled to the ground. Screaming and shouting filled the air, but I couldn’t drag my eyes away from the body that lay mere feet from my own. I knelt beside her in shock.
Molly threw herself across Grace’s body, wailing in agony. A great roar ripped through the air pulling me from my stupor. Bennett stood alone, his head thrown back as that terrifying roar issued from his open mouth. The ground shook, trees swayed, and anyone near him was thrown to the ground.
I should have feared the powers Bennett was channeling, but instead I ached to hold him. Even without being able to touch my emotions at that moment, that lone figure wrapped in the eye of his own storm of rage and anguish called to me. I had been there before.
The wind whipped around him in a frenzy. Dark clouds filled the sky directly above him. Tremors were still shaking the ground. He had lost all control. Now I understood why it was so important to him. I took a step toward him, wanting to offer comfort even if he couldn’t feel me, but an urgent tugging sensation flared along my spine and stopped me in my tracks. It felt like a rope connected to a point between my shoulder blades, and someone was pulling on it.
Glancing around, I saw that most people had fled to the safety of the cave, the Kyrion and Molly, the only ones remaining.
That tugging sensation pulled at me again. Maybe I was still tied to my body. Catching sight of Devon and the tattooed guide carrying my body on a stretcher heading for the cave, I was torn. I sought out Bennett again. The energy around him seemed to be growing more violent. Trees were being uprooted. Lightning was scorching the ground around him. Fire writhed along the grass like snakes. Overhead, a funnel cloud was forming. The other Kyrion were cautiously approaching him, Eros in the lead.
Please help him. The rope pulled violently, almost wrenching me from my feet. I glanced at Bennett one last time. Goodbye. I wish there had been more for us. Thank you for what you gave me in the short time we were together. Then I let myself be pulled away.
The tugging sensation came more insistently, but it wasn’t leading me into the cave after my body. I glanced up in the direction I was being pulled. It must be time to move on.
Some instinct told me what to do. Bending my knees, I pushed off the ground. To my surprise, I shot up in the air several yards and then continued to rise. The mountain was a beautiful sight against the backdrop of the sun setting over the ocean, but my attention was drawn back to the ground. Eros had braved the elements to pull Bennett into a hug. The aching in my chest eased slightly knowing that Eros would be there for him.
I had thought I was no longer capable of letting anyone get close to me, but I had been wrong. Dia had always been there, but now there were others I would’ve called my friends. Molly, Grayson, Eros. Even Bennett. If only I’d let them in, there could have been so much more to my life. Now, when it was too late, I wondered what exactly I had been so scared of that running away from people was easier than letting them in. I would give up heaven in a second to get another chance to truly live.
As if someone had heard me, the rope tugged harder, pulling me ever upward. The top of the mountain came into view. Heading into the twilight sky, I sensed I was no longer alone. The familiar scents of ocean and cedar reached me as the form of my dad appeared.
Dad? He smiled at me as he had a million times before and wrapped me in his strong arms.
“My little star, I’ve missed you. He hasn’t given us much time with you, and there are things you need to know.” I burrowed into his chest as he stroked my hair. “Most important you need to know we never blamed you for what happened. We knew what it meant the moment you were born, but we tried so hard to protect you. We left you unprepared for our world. We failed you, Jillian. Please forgive us.”
A slender body pressed against my back and familiar fingers smoothed over my hair. “Your father is right, sweetheart. We were afraid of the prophecy. What you will be tasked with. There are so ma
ny enemies out there that still hunt us. We only wanted to protect you, but it’s happening anyway.”
Dad released me, and I turned to face my mom. She was as beautiful as ever, but lines of doubt that I had never seen before marred her face. “I’m so sorry, Jillian. I know you must hate me for what I did to you.” She gripped my hands when I would have protested. “No, let me finish. I felt your father die and I was overcome with grief. All I could think about was that I wouldn’t let them take you as well. There was so much to tell you and no time. You’ve walked into our world completely blind, and that is too dangerous. There are things you will have to face that we should have prepared you for. Your Bennett will do what we failed to, if you let him.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks as my emotions broke through the ice. “I could never hate either of you.” I hugged them to me. “You were the best parents a girl could have. I thought you hated me. I couldn’t save you. I didn’t—”
A sob tore from my mom’s throat, and she wrapped me tightly in her embrace. Dad joined us, wrapping us both in his arms. “No, baby. Never. We could never hate you. We were so blessed to have had you. We love you, Jilli-bean.”
“I love you both so much.”
Dad whispered against my hair. “Be brave, my little star. You are far more special and stronger than you realize. We love you so very much, and we know you will do your best to make things right. We must go, but know we are always with you. Always.”
They started to fade away and I grasped them tighter. “I love you too,” I cried out. “I can’t wait to see you again.”
Suspended there in the evening sky, I wondered what happened now. No sooner had I finished that thought than I plummeted straight down. A vast black hole beneath me looked like the mouth of a giant beast. Surely, I didn’t deserve to go to hell! Screaming, I fought hard to climb my way back up toward the sky. Then darkness swallowed me. Too afraid of what I would see, I clenched my eyes closed as I was pulled further down.
Finally, I came to a stop. Listening for sounds that would confirm I was in the depths of the devil’s playground, I heard only the tinkling of water. My nose scrunched in confusion as the sweet smell of flowers drifted through the air. Surely hell didn’t smell that good? Then again, maybe that was what hell was all about: teasing you with a peek of heaven that was beyond your reach.
My eyes cracked open, and I caught a glimpse of trees. This seemed familiar. I was in the courtyard on Bennett’s floor. The sound of sliding stone came from behind me, and I spun around quickly. The statue that I was so drawn to was no longer beside the pool. In its place stood a man.
Everything about him was massive. Considering that he was completely naked, I mean every golden inch of him. He was easily seven feet tall, and his midnight black hair fell in waves all the way down to the floor. His body had been chiseled by a master craftsman showcasing powerful muscles from head to toe. His face was exotic yet rugged, framed by a strong jawline. His eyes pulsed with starbursts of color, a supernova exploding over and over again.
Those mesmerizing eyes captured mine, and I couldn’t look away. He took a tentative step as if testing his legs like a newborn foal. One hesitant step after another he closed the distance between us until he finally stood barely a foot from me. He lifted his hand to caress a lock of my hair, and his fingers brushed against my cheek.
“Lyannìa, astèri mou.”
He continued to murmur to me in a language I couldn’t understand as he trailed his finger along my jaw. I was lost in the beautiful cadence of his voice and the kaleidoscope of his eyes. He pressed his lips against my forehead. Then tilted up my chin as his lips neared mine. I shook my head, breaking the trance.
“Whoa, buddy.” I pushed him away, and he let me. Then I jerked my hand back, my fingers tingling as if there was a live current under those rock-hard pecs. “I don’t know who you are, freaky-eyed naked guy, but you need to keep your lips to yourself.”
He gave me a puzzled look then stepped uncomfortably close and gripped my face in both hands. His eyes pulsed dizzyingly as he stared into mine. Pressure built in my head. It felt as if someone was flipping through the Rolodex of my memories. “You . . . you are not my beloved.” His voice was bitter. His hands tightened on my face briefly before he let me go and stepped back. “Yet you are her blood.”
I blinked rapidly. What the hell was that? Note to self: Don’t look the naked dude in the eyes.
“Ok, big guy, whatever you say. You need to respect the personal space, though. Got it?” I gestured to the distance between us, and then tapped my finger against my temple. “That means whatever freaky mind meld you pulled, too. Uh, and can you put Mr. Winky away before someone gets clubbed with that thing?”
“Mr . . . Winky?” he said with a husky accent.
He tilted his head to the side as if trying to piece together what I meant. Hopefully, he’d figure it out soon, sex-ed not being my forte. He glanced down at himself and seemed to make the connection. Then he laughed in a booming voice that made me jump. “This is—how do you say—comedy?”
“Comedy? Oh, you mean a joke. Yeah, haha. For real though, can you put that away?”
He smiled, and, all of a sudden, a purple himation was draped about his body. The man could set a new trend for sheet-wearing he looked that good. Ignore the eye candy, Lia.
“Thanks,” I mumbled. “So, I take it you’re not from around here. The freaky eyes kinda give it away. Who are you?”
“I am Chaos.”
Yeah, he was channeling Groot like a pro. “Uh-huh, guess that makes two of you then. Is there a numbering system I need to know about? Should I call you Number Two?” I smirked, but he stared back at me, clearly not sharing my sense of humor. Oh well, I was an acquired taste.
“I am Chaos,” he repeated. “You would prefer my human name?”
“That would probably make things less confusing.”
“I was once called Titan Theophanes. The Chaos you refer to is—how do you say—my seed?”
“Geez, do you guys have no imagination or is it an ego thing to name everything after yourself? You know what, never mind. I can guess. I don’t know about ‘seed,’ but maybe you meant like a relative?” He nodded. “Clearly you don’t mean your son. You guys look about the same age. What kind of relation are we talking about?”
“My age is incalculable. Your Bennett is but a babe. He is many times the son of my son. He is mightier than many before. This is good. Necessary. What comes will not be easy.”
He stared off over my shoulder for a moment as if he could see the future that clearly, the sharp angles of his face set in grim determination. Then he looked down at me, and his expression softened. “That is why you are here. You woke me from my slumber.”
“What do you mean? This is the first time I’ve ever met you.”
“You touched my other form.” He struggled to find the right words. “My . . . phallus?”
I glanced down before I could stop myself. “I have not touched your penis! If anything, it was touching me.” I glared at him. “Personal space, know it and respect it.”
He seemed taken aback for a moment before he roared in laughter. “I did not mean Mr. Winky, as you call it. When I was stone. You touched me then.”
“Wait, you were the statue?” I glanced at the spot where it had been. Guess they weren’t redecorating. “How could you be a statue?”
“Yes, statue. It is one of many forms. My father is the God of Chaos. I am made of him. I created my brothers and sisters, also blessed by him. The six Houses are . . . relations.”
“They’re your descendants. That’s why they have powers.” He nodded. “Wow, so you were never born? You didn’t have to suffer through teenage acne. You just poofed into existence.” My god—or gods—this was insane. I was talking to a magical being who was possibly the first to set foot on Earth.
“We were formed as adults, yes.” He looked at me intently. “I cannot tell you all you need to know. Our time grows sho
rt. You must go back, or all is lost. I see the path that must be taken. You are needed, but there are others.”
He held out his hand, and a dark orb appeared. The starry nebula within the orb swirled and pulsed like his eyes. Then it floated up above our heads. Six black rays descended from the orb and formed into the House symbols I recognized. Then other lines formed and connected to other symbols beneath those. They all glowed brightly for a moment before some of the second set of symbols faded until they were barely visible. The six main House symbols faded only slightly. All except the one for the House of Chaos, which shone almost as brightly as before.
“The House strengths are as they appear. The six Houses of the Order of Chaos have grown weak—impure. The enemy has been invited in. They rise once more. You must find the others for the Order to regain power. The Game must continue. Gather your soldiers, little warrior.”
“What . . . How—” I gasped as my chest felt as if it had been ripped open. “What’s happening?”
“You must go back. Remember what you have seen.” He gestured to the group of symbols. “Enemies hide amongst allies. Allies amongst enemies. Two Houses had healing power such as yours. There you might find answers.”
There were so many more questions. Pain ripped through my chest again, taking away my breath. Cold seeped into my body and made me shiver. It felt as if I had been submerged too long in an icy lake and my body was bursting to take a desperate breath. Titan’s hand caressing my cheek drew my attention back to him. That rolling bed of emotions within the statue—within him—reached out to me as he stared sadly at my face. “You look so much like her. Take care, blood of my beloved. Perhaps one day we shall meet again. I must return to my slumber. It is not yet my time. Find the twin Houses of the Olympian Omàda.”
Titan held his hand out toward me, and something pushed against my chest.
I tumbled down . . . down . . . down.
25
Paldimori Gods Rising Box Set Page 21