by Amy Sumida
Cer strode forward, broad shoulders tensed into bulges and striking face cut with lines of worry. His dark chocolate hair was getting too shaggy; I was surprised that Freya hadn't done something about that. Although, she did come from a race where the men liked to wear their hair long. Perhaps Cer was growing it out for her.
“El,” Cerberus growled, his puppy dog eyes focused on me. “There's been an unnatural disaster.”
“Unnatural?” I asked as I stood. “What do you mean?”
“A tidal wave has just hit the East Coast,” he snarled. “No earthquakes triggered it, the sea simply rose and washed over the land.”
“Poseidon,” I whispered in horror.
“What was hit?” Torin asked.
“Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, and some parts of Maryland, but mainly, Washington D.C.,” Cerberus reported grimly. “There was no warning; no chance of escape. The death toll is massive.”
“The President?”
“Assumed to be dead.”
“Sweet stones,” I whispered. “The White House was their target. They took out a seat of power.”
“Yes; I'm assuming that the military bases will be next,” Cer said. “They've already wiped away several.”
“With one attack,” Darc noted. “The power of water.”
“Yeah, that's fucking great,” Cer snarled. “You've got deadly magic, woo-fucking-hoo. Can we concentrate on the fact that Poseidon is trying to take over the world?”
“Ah, I see you've been brought up to speed,” Apollo said as he stepped around Cerberus.
Cerberus jumped. “What the fuck, dude? Where did you come from?”
“Elaria gave me a traveling stone so I could return to Kyanite,” Apollo explained. He transferred his stare to me. “I've already contacted all of the Greek Gods to warn them about Poseidon. They agreed to fight but now, the rest of the Beneath wants in.”
“They know it's Poseidon?” I asked in surprise.
“There weren't too many suspects,” Apollo said dryly. “Plus, I haven't exactly been quiet about informing people. Word has spread. Assumptions were made. Beneathers are furious. Humans weren't the only ones killed in the attack.”
“I'm glad they want to join us,” I noted. “The more people we can get on our side, the better.”
“Freya's talking to the Norse right now,” Cer said. “Most of them are ocean lovers if not straight-up sea gods. They're going to want Poseidon's head for this.”
“So why do this now?” I murmured.
“What's that, Ela?” Gage asked.
“He planned to conquer the Beneath then use Beneathers to conquer the world,” I said. “Why change it up and attack land before his troops are assembled?”
“Perhaps he's using this as a scare tactic to encourage Beneathers to join him,” Gage mused.
“Who knows why he did it? The guy has lost his marbles,” Cerberus growled.
“Yes, but now he'll have the Beneath coming after him,” I said.
“Good. As far as I'm concerned; whoever kills him first is fine by me,” Apollo declared. “I just want this over.”
“All of us do,” I said. “But I'd rather not kill my great-grandfather, even if he's trying to kill me.”
“What's this now?” Apollo asked with a long blink.
“Long story, but a couple of Triton assassins have come after me,” I summed it up. I didn't go into the doppelganger thing; it didn't matter, and, frankly, it was a little embarrassing.
“Tritons have tried to kill you?” Apollo asked in horror. “Sweet sunlight, he really has gone mad.”
“That's our conclusion as well,” Darc said dryly.
“I think he wants me out of the way because he knows what I can do,” I added.
“I hate to say it, but it's a good plan,” Apollo squished his face in irritation. “And it falls right in line with what he did today; taking out his strongest opponents first.”
“We need to hit him hard,” Cerberus snapped. “Now!”
“I agree,” Apollo said more calmly than my bestie. “I'm going to gather representatives from all of the races of the Beneath so we can discuss this together. I assume that all of you will want to attend.”
“I don't normally like assumptions,” Cerberus declared. “But in this case, go ahead and assume all you want. If you're going up against Poseidon, I'm with you.” Cerberus' face trembled. “He took out puppies and kitties with that wave. Who does that?”
“Damn it! I so didn't need that imagery in my head, Cer!” Gage whined. “Only a monster kills baby animals.”
“And all of those people were killed as well,” Torin said pointedly.
“Fuck the people,” Cerberus growled. “People kill each other every day. They can fend for themselves. Animals are the true innocents.”
Torin blinked. “Fair enough. But I assume there were human babies killed as well.”
“Can you people please stop talking about dead babies?” Apollo asked with a horrified expression.
“Nothing is sadder than dead puppies and kittens,” Cerberus growled at Torin.
“We'll want to be at that meeting too,” I said to Apollo before my bestie started crying for dead puppies and kittens. I have to admit, the thought choked me up as well, but I didn't want to say anything when Torin was looking so aghast.
“I'll return when I have a place and time for the meeting.” Apollo pulled out his traveling stone and, with a disapproving head shake that included Torin and Cerberus, left.
Chapter Thirteen
We met in Apollo's L.A. mansion. All of my men were with me, seated on folding chairs in the backyard. It looked like a setup for a wedding, but I imagine that Apollo simply didn't have the space to hold all of us in one room, even in such a huge home. Every race in the Beneath had sent a group of representatives to speak on their behalf; the (false) Gods, the Witches, the Blooders, and the Shapeshifters. That makes the Beneath sound small but I've used those names as collections of all the sub-groups that they include. Beneath their umbrella were too many races to list. To put it simply, Apollo's backyard was packed.
My men and I sat at the front of the gathering with my parents, Cerberus, and Freya. Down from us were Hades and Persephone with a few other Greeks and behind us sat Lucifer and Raphael. I saw the Witch Elders, some Pyre phoenixes I knew, and a couple of sphinx I'd met in Egypt. Someone should take a picture; I doubted that the Beneather Races had ever gathered like this before. Hell, even the Manticores had sent their general! With a grin, I pulled out my cell phone and stood up.
“What are you doing?” Darc whispered.
Cerberus chuckled as I took a quick picture. “She's taking a pic for posterior.”
“Posterity,” Freya corrected him.
“I like my way better.” Cer grinned at her. “In fact, I think I should take a pic of your posterior later.”
Freya rolled her eyes but then looked as if she were considering it.
I sat back down and replaced my phone. Apollo was skirting the edge of the seats, making his way to the front—he hadn't left a center aisle—and everyone was quieting. Time to start this thing. Apollo reached the front and stopped, taking a deep breath before he addressed the enormous group.
“Thank you all for being here,” Apollo started. “I don't have to tell you why you're here; we all know the danger this world is in. Earth may not be my original planet, but I consider it to be my home. I, for one, have no intention of allowing Poseidon to blast it with seawater. I assume that the rest of you feel the same.”
A murmur of assent rolled forward to him.
“Good; we're in agreement on that,” Apollo said.
“There's nothing to discuss but how we kill that bastard,” a loup man called out.
“Exactly,” Apollo agreed. “But although I'm a soldier, I'm not the best tactician. I think we should listen to the counsel of one who is renowned for that ability.” He looked at Gage. “We are lucky enough to have a griffin in our midst. Shall
we ask him to lead this meeting? Show of hands, please.”
Gage lifted a brow at me as I raised my hand, along with the rest of the beneathers. I shrugged. Apollo was right; Gage was the best choice to lead a war counsel.
“Gage, would you mind?” Apollo asked when he didn't move.
“Now, you ask me?” Gage countered, but he did it with a smile as he got to his feet.
“I'd be surprised if you didn't have a few ideas already.” Apollo's look challenged Gage to deny it.
“Perhaps a few.” When Gage reached Apollo's side, he faced the room. “Before I can plan anything seriously, I need to know about the strengths and weaknesses of our allies and our enemies. First, let's address Poseidon's magic. Does anyone know how soon he'll be able to launch another tidal wave like this last one?”
My mother stood up. “A wave like that expends significant magic, if not everything he possesses. I don't believe he'll be able to do much of anything for another few days at the very least.”
“Thank you, Mother-of-my-mate.” Gage nodded respectfully to her, and Mom sat down with a little smile. “That's good news but it also means that we need to hurry. This is the perfect time to attack him.”
The representatives nodded and murmured in agreement.
“Next question; who among you has water magic?” He glanced at Darc. “Besides you, Darcraxis.”
From Armenian to Voodoo, all of the God Pantheons had at least one, if not several, people with water magic. Then there were the shifters who could take the form of sea life; some of them had some minor water abilities too.
“Excellent!” Gage declared. “We'll need anyone with water magic to be on the front line, leading us in and deflecting their water-based attacks. You've heard about fighting fire with fire. We need to fight water with water. Next issue; for those of us who aren't able to breathe underwater, we'll need suits to sustain us and vessels to carry us to the battle.”
“Why not just use magic?” A satyr asked. “Can't those with water magic give the gift of breathing underwater.” #
I blinked. I don't know why I was shocked to see a satyr there; not all Satyrs are criminals and even the ones who were, weren't all as evil as the Demos Family had been. If the Manticores could show up, why not the Satyrs? Still, seeing one had made me uncomfortable.
“Most water deities can give the ability at least temporarily,” an Intuit goddess answered the satyr.
“That would be most welcome, but I don't want us relying only on magic,” Gage said. “Anyone who can share water magic and cast a breathing spell on others, or if you represent someone who can, please come and find me after the meeting is over. We'll want to have as many of our soldiers enchanted as possible. Then, if their suits get damaged, they won't drown. Doubling up is the safest method.”
“Doubling up,” Cerberus snickered, and Freya casually slapped his chest with the back of her hand.
“This will be a complicated battle,” Thor rumbled. “Perhaps it would be better to lure Poseidon to land.”
“That would be better,” Gage agreed. “But what could possibly compel him to leave the safety of his palace when he's weakened? If I were him, I wouldn't leave my fort until I was in prime fighting condition. And if we wait for that, we'll likely have another tidal wave on our hands.”
Thor grimaced but nodded.
“I know it's daunting”—Gage slid a grim stare over the assemblage—“but our best chance of defeating Poseidon is attacking him when he's weak and unsuspecting. They'll have the advantage of a familiar battlefield, but we'll have surprise and strength on our side. I propose that we make our move tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Baron Samedi, my ex-employer who was there representing the Voodoo Gods, asked in shock. “You expect us to prepare for an underwater attack in one day?”
“Yes,” Gage said firmly. “We must. Our window of opportunity is quickly closing, and we don't know exactly when Poseidon will be back to full power. If we want to strike, we need to do it now. We're Beneathers, I have every faith that we can rally our forces rapidly.”
“Poseidon thinks he rules the Seas, but he's wrong,” Njord, Freya's father and the Norse God of the Sea, declared. “There are many of us who make the ocean our home and the time has come for us to defend it.”
“I get that you're all pissed off about him stealing your thunder—or water, as it were—but we need to defend the land, not the ocean,” a wendigo argued.
“This isn't just about the insult,” Njord snapped. “That tidal wave hurt the ocean as well. Many sea creatures were killed and many more had their habitats destroyed.”
“Fuck your fish,” the wendigo snarled, his face shifting to flash the gray, desiccated skin of his monster guise.
“Enough!” a manticore roared. “All of our homes are in jeopardy. It doesn't matter who is the most threatened, you fools! We must fight together, not among each other.”
“Great, a fucking manticore is giving me a lecture on honor,” Njord grumbled.
“What's that supposed to mean?” The manticore, who'd been seated on his crimson, lion haunches instead of a chair, lifted his human head along with his scorpion tail.
“And this is how Poseidon will win,” Gage said calmly.
Everyone quieted, casting wary looks at each other.
“If that's what you want, please proceed,” Gage went on. “But I shall be preparing for battle.”
“The Gorgons are with you, you gorgeous griffin.” The Gorgon rep, an elegant woman with red lips and a matching scarf covering her snake-hair, declared with a sensual smile.
“And the Pyre,” a Phoenix man said.
“The Sphinx stand with Gagerian of the Saeiqa!” a woman shouted.
“The Nagas will fight with their fellow beneathers!”
It went on that way for a few minutes, every rep standing to accept this temporary alliance. Finally, it came down to the Norse Gods and the Manticores.
The Manticore general stood and smacked his scorpion tail. “Manticores never back down from a battle. We will join the Beneath.” He cast a taunting look toward Njord.
It wasn't Njord but Thor who stood, took a long look around, and declared, “The Norse Gods will bring the thunder!”
The Norse, including Freya, applauded their brother.
“What an ass,” Cerberus muttered.
“It looks as if we are all in agreement on this,” Apollo said as he stepped up beside Gage again. “And do we also agree to attack Poseidon tomorrow? Show of hands, if you please. Keep your commentary to yourself.”
The Beneathers looked around at each other then back at Apollo. Everyone raised their hands.
“Then let's get to work,” Gage announced.
Chapter Fourteen
The rest of the meeting went faster than I'd expected. Gage laid out a plan of attack then a location and time were agreed upon for the rendezvous. We'd meet on El Hierro, one of the smallest of the Canary Islands, and head into the North Atlantic Ocean together. Poseidon's palace was several miles away but the Canary Islands had the closest beaches we could find and El Hierro had the least amount of human residents. Several races would bring underwater vessels and suits but beneathers with the ability to cast breathing spells would also be enchanting as many soldiers as possible before we went into the water. Until then, the Beneath would prepare for war. Rapidly.
My preparations included making a playlist and having a family meeting. By family, I mean my men, my parents, Cerberus, and the Spellsingers. There were only five of us now; Adelaid, Eilener, Daphne, Genevieve, and me. Aunt Adelaid is actually my Grandma Ligeia's sister but Uncle Eilener is my true Uncle, my mother's brother. They were both understandably upset about the possibility of Ligeia's abduction and her forced participation in Poseidon's plans. That alone ensured their cooperation but after what Poseidon did to the East Coast, all of the Spellsingers were ready to sing. Not because of any allegiance to America but simply because, in their opinion, no one—and I mean no one,
not even family—is allowed to wreck that sort of havoc on Earth unless they're a spellsinger. Yes, Spellsingers are even more arrogant than Tritons.
“If we have to, we'll sing together. We'll combine our magic into one song,” Aunt Addie said. She gave me a heavy look. “As we did in Primeval.”
“Elaria nearly dragged us into killing an entire race at Primeval,” Eilener reminded her. “I don't think that calls for a repeat performance.”