by C M Thorne
A smile twitched at the corner of Hestia’s lips, “Follow me.” Hestia turned, white dress trailing out behind her as she made for a smaller, singular door on the wall behind one of the pillars to the rest of the palace. Adella knew the door well. It lead to a set of rooms below the Hall of Thrones which housed several private rooms that her father had used. One had been given to Adella as a strategy room, but others included a bed chamber, a drawing room of sorts, and Zeus’s private vault.
Hestia wound down the stairs quickly, gathering up the skirts and train of her dress in her left hand so Adella could follow closely. Recessed small white flames lit the marble staircase and Adella glanced at the scenes of ancient battles Apollo had painted on the ceiling. Her heart ached at the thought of her brother, now long dead and gone. They had been so singularly different from one another, save for their mutual love of Diane and their devotion to their father. She blinked hard and looked away as they stepped out onto the black marble floors. She wished he was not gone.
The floor was edged in a border of thin silver and gold tiles, which reflected the soft white light of the torches lining the hallway. The black pillars also reflected light, flecks of silver, pale blue, and gold all creating the illusions of a starry hall of the cosmos.
“We gave her the private chamber down here, especially since not all know of it,” Hestia explained, walking up to the silver and gold double doors of the large room beyond. She raised her hand, curling her knuckles and tapping the door three times. The doors swung open with a rush of air in response.
The room was immense and circular along the outer wall, beset with windows that looked down through clouds over the earth. A massive golden bed sat on the other wall, slightly to their right, loaded with silk sheets, soft blankets, and oversized pillows in bronze to champagne hues of gold. Further down the wall was a large fireplace with a small fire, by which Adella’s grandmother sat in a blue and gold painted chair.
The Sibyl who sat there was not the same as the last time Adella had seen her. No, there was nothing human about the being who rose to her feet, deep garnet red Grecian gown falling along her body in soft ripples. Her auburn hair was partially twisted and braided up onto her head to support a small golden diadem, leaving the rest to fall in glossy, warm waves down her back. Her vibrant blue eyes were similar to Hera’s, but strayed to purplish hues like Diane’s. She no longer contained her power, letting her form glow golden and warm.
“Athena,” Rhea smiled at her genially, “thank you for coming.”
She took a breath and looked down in a movement like a half nod. “There was something you needed to discuss with me?” Adella asked, trying to keep herself calm.
“Yes,” Rhea motioned to the smaller chairs across from her own, “please sit, both of you.” Hestia swept over, taking her mother’s hand for a moment before sitting closest to the fire. Adella walked over and sat down quickly, waiting for her grandmother to sit once more and reveal whatever it was that she knew.
“I had felt her light long ago,” Rhea spoke softly as she sat. “It flickered and then died, or so I thought.” She folded her hands in her lap and looked towards the fire. “It never felt so strong or bright, but this new daughter,” she breathed out as she paused, “it is the child I felt before.”
“Alright,” Adella drew out the word, confusion tinged her voice as she looked out towards the earth through the massive floor length windows. “What precisely does that mean for this situation?”
Rhea breathed out a humorless laugh, “Forgive me. I am hesitant still to speak with any of you. It has been too long.” Adella looked back to her grandmother, whose face looked sad and sincere. “I had a vision when I felt that child’s light many years ago. I saw the palace,” she gestured to the walls around them, “in ruin and burning. My children were strewn before their thrones, broken and bleeding.”
Adella inhaled sharply, squeezing her hands together for a moment in thought. She did not want to betray her emotions, letting out her breath and purposefully loosening her hands and smoothing out the fabric covering her knees.
“A creature of darkness ravaged the heavens and came before the thrones,” Rhea looked up into Adella’s eyes as she spoke, voice unsteady. “It stopped before the great throne, before a small being of light, from whom a bolt of pure light issued forth and ripped the creature apart.”
“So Thea will be the one to kill this beast?” Adella asked.
Rhea’s eyes seemed to be on the brink of tears as she answered, “Killing the beast destroyed the earth, Athena. Its darkness moved over every living thing and left it withered and smoking.”
Adella nodded slowly as she understood her grandmother’s words. “It will be the end of the world,” she said without question or confusion.
CHAPTER 18: A CALL TO HOME
THEA HAD SPENT the day with Diane in the library, nearly forgetting to eat until after three o’clock. Diane went to the kitchen to throw something together and Thea returned to her room. She picked up her phone from the bedside table, not quite remembering the last time she had contacted her family or her roommates. She had been remiss and she was sure none of her loved ones were happy with her. Grimacing, Thea opened up her phone and went to her texts.
She flipped through her messages, not really remembering the exchanges that were keeping her loved ones placated. Most of the texts were late at night and she must have been doing them half asleep, especially since the responses were relatively short for her. Thea stuck the phone in the pocket of the tight jeans she was wearing and hurried back downstairs. She headed toward the kitchen, where she could hear her sister's cooking.
Diane was finishing up a stir-fry that made Thea’s mouth water, scooping the food into deep blue ceramic bowls over rice as Thea came up to the side of the island counter. Diane had changed, looking glamorously overdressed in soft looking, sand colored pants and deep green pumps that peeked out below the swaying hem of her pants as she moved. Her satin gold top wrapped around her body and tied at her waist, loose half sleeves softly fluttering back and forth across her alabaster skin as she turned this way and that to set some things to order. It made for a mesmerizing dance, one that Thea found herself lost in as her sister emanated a soft light.
“Hope you like chicken stir-fry,” Diane said in a sing-song voice. “Wine sound good? I always like some wine with dinner.” Thea noticed that Diane had put her hair up into a loose chignon to cook. It was the first time she had seen her sister’s hair away from her face.
Thea nodded, remembering that Diane was awaiting an answer, and took one of the bowls. The food smelled delicious and she loaded her fork and took a huge bite, savoring the flavors as she chewed. Diane poured two glasses of white wine and brought them over to the stools under the counter. “This is fantastic,” Thea said as she swallowed another bite and sat down next to her sister. “I wish I could cook, honestly. Such a useful talent.”
Diane laughed a little, “Thank you, love.” She took a gulp of wine. “Trust me though, you would be pretty amazing at a handful of dishes too after a few hundred years,” she swirled the wine in her glass, “never mind millennia.” She laughed a little more and stabbed some chicken.
“I guess that’s true,” Thea admitted and grabbed her own wine. “I hadn’t even thought of that.” The wine was dry and oaky, surprisingly good with the rich flavors of the stir-fry. “Well I guess that’s something I have to look forward to then.”
“Oh, dear sister,” Diane swallowed her bite and smiled at her, “there’s a whole lot to look forward to when we have forever.”
Her phone went off in her pocket, buzzing and blaring an irritating, chiming melody. She fumbled trying to get it out of her pocket and checked the name. She pressed to answer and raised the phone to her ear. “Mom?” She asked, voice soft and hesitant.
“Darling, how is your trip?” Her mother’s voice came through almost strained and hollow.
“What?” Thea scooted off the chair and walked aroun
d to the other side of the kitchen, rubbing her forehead. “My trip, mom?”
“Yes,” her mother answered, voice slow and deliberate. “How is London?” Her froze as her breath caught. How did her mom know where she was?
“You have been gone for so long. So long.” Thea’s heart seemed to skip a beat as her mother repeated herself.
“Are you alright, mom?” Thea asked, stepping from the kitchen down the hall. “What’s going on?”
“What,” her mother’s voice came back over the phone softly, “what, bug? What are you talking about?” Her voice grew stronger and louder as she spoke. “Thea? Thea!”
“Yes, mom?” She asked, concerned and pacing down the hallway.
“Where are you?” she sounded more herself now, but distraught. “Why haven’t you been here? Where are you, my bug?”
“Mom,” Thea shook her head, “what are you talking about? You know where I am. I told you Denver, mom. But, I’m in London, remember?” Nothing came through the other end.
“Mom?” she asked a little more forcibly. No answer came from the other end of the call. “Mom. Mom? Mom!” She grew louder as the silence on the other end prolonged. She had wandered into Adella’s office, hardly noticing as she automatically closed the door, stopping at the window, and blankly staring out, not noticing the garden. “Answer me! Please!”
“Wh-,” her mother’s voice had gone weak yet again. “Why are they in my head, bug?”
“What?” Thea’s voice cracked. “Who is, what? What are you talking about?” The phone went dead and her hands shook as she lowered the phone and pressed to redial her mother. The phone rang and rang, but she did not pick up. Worse, it didn’t go to voicemail, just ringing and ringing. She slammed her phone down on the little table she was standing in front of and leaned over it, heaving deep breaths.
The door creaked behind her and she whirled around to Diane. “What is going on? Do you know what’s wrong with my mother? What’s happening? What are you doing to her?”
“Love,” Diane shook her head and stepped fully into the room, closing the door softly. “We aren’t,” she trailed off and looked out the window.
“Tell me,” Thea spoke, clenching her teeth. “I know you know more than I’ve been told. What is happening?”
Diane pinched the bridge of her nose and walked over to the window nearest the one Thea stood next to. “We only made the lie more acceptable to everyone involved, that’s all,” Diane spoke softly. “Your mother remembered somehow, though,” Diane added softly and turned away.
Thea sighed, “What does that mean?”
“Someone has been tampering with your mother’s mind,” Diane admitted with a sigh.
“Yeah, you all have been!”
Diane shook her head, “No, no. We pushed acceptability is all, nothing more.” Diane crossed her arms and looked at Thea, “Honestly. We don’t tamper with memories and the inner workings of one’s mind. It never works quite well, does it?” Diane dropped her arms. “We had to be a little more exact after we found evidence that someone was rooting around in her mind. Your father’s too, but your mother’s was far more,” she paused and shook her head, searching for the exact word, “extensive.”
“What does this mean?” Thea grabbed the backs of her arms, hugging herself to contain her emotions.
Diane paced the floor and shook her head. She stopped and rounded back to Thea, “Someone doesn’t want you here with us. Someone who knows who you are.” She stepped forward and then stopped. ”We can find out who it is. We can help put a stop to this.” Diane nodded, face open and earnest.
“I want my parents and my friends safe,” Thea held back a shiver, feeling uncertain.
“We will try,” Diane opened her hands at her sides as she stepped forward. “We will talk to Adella about all of this and see what we can do. She will know better.” She stopped again, a few feet away from Thea. “Are you alright, love?”
“No, err, I mean I guess I’m f-” Thea was cut off as her phone rang again. She spun towards the phone on the table, noticed that it was her mother yet again, and picked it up.
“Mom!” She dropped the phone as an ear piercing ringing crackled through the phone. Thea dropped to her knees to grab the phone, but the hard wood warped and changed as she sunk. She found herself unexpectedly outside, kneeling on leaves and dirt.
A cool wind sung through trees and Thea looked around confused, blinking rapidly. Deep purple flowers rose from green stalks amongst the trees, a surprising bloom for the chill still in the air. She stumbled to her feet and looked around, confused as to where she was or how exactly she got there.
Diane stepped out from nothingness, face knitted with concern. “Thea, where did you think you were going?” she moved closer peering into her eyes.
“I did,” she hesitated and looked around as a breeze stirred her hair to float our around her face, “I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even know I could do this.” She gestured around her, “Whatever this is!”
“You teleported yourself,” Diane sighed, “for lack of a better term, that is.”
“My mother,” Thea said softly. “I need to get to my mother! Something is happening. I think she was screaming! I think she’s hurt!”
Diane stepped forward and took her arm. The air around them changed, colors and images warping around her vision before everything popped back into sight, though in a different order. They were no longer in the woods with the breeze dancing around them. No, instead they were in the kitchen at Thea’s parents’ house. She looked to the family room, noticing the blood splattered across the large window and the wall. She let out a small yelp, the smallest scream rising from her throat as rushed into the living room.
Her cousin, Jonathon, lay in the middle of the thick burnt umber rug, blood pooled around him and chest slashed to shreds. Thea collapsed at his side and grabbed his wrist, sobs wracking her body. There was no pulse and the warmth was leaving his skin. His shaggy, greyed hair was stuck to his face with dried blood. Thea resisted the urge to brush his hair away. Her vision blurred and she tried wipe at her eyes, pinching at the bridge of her nose and falling back.
She looked around wildly, but could not see her mother, nor her father nearby. She tried to scramble back to her feet, but tripped, grabbing the couch and forcing herself to remain upright. Diane walked down the hall from her parents’ bedroom, blood smeared across her top.
“Sister,” Diane’s voice floated over to her as she walked closer. “I thi-”
Thea pushed past her sister, rushing down the hall. Her mother lay on the floor before the foot of the bed, chest ripped open and eyes blank, clouded over. Thea’s vision tunneled in as she came to an abrupt stop. Her stomach turned and she couldn’t stop herself from curling forward and throwing up. She quickly reached out and steadied herself against the wall to stop herself from collapsing. Something or rather, someone, groaned from the other side of the bed.
She wobbled on her feet as she stepped around the mess of her mother’s form and saw her father slumped against the door to the closet. He gurgled a little, scarlet blood foaming and spilling from his mouth as he tried to focus on Thea.
Rushing forward, she collapsed at his side, checking his pulse without hesitation as her eyes scanned his body. His right arm was wrenched around at an unnatural angle and was ripped, torn to a bloody mess. His face was sheet white, painted with blood, and a dark bruise covered the left side of his face. His pulse was thready, but present. He had several long gashes across his body and his legs, sending blood to soak into the beige carpet beneath him.
“Dad?” Thea’s voice squeaked out, not sounding like it fully belonged to herself. “Dad? Can you hear me? I need you to hang on, dad.”
She blinked away tears and patted her pockets for her phone, remembering that she had dropped it back in London. She turned and noticed Diane at the threshold to the room. “I need a phone!” She yelled at her sister. “I need to call for help!”
“I alrea
dy have, Thea,” Diane answered, keeping her tone and her gaze steady. “Mortals will be here shortly to care for your father.”
Thea sobbed once, choked on it and turned back to her dad. “Help is coming,” she said, looking into his brown eyes as her vision swam and could not seem to focus. She whirled around, rising to her feet and almost toppling over as she looked to Diane. “Can you fix this?” She asked, eyes pleading.
Diane opened her mouth, but shut it quickly and cast her eyes downward. “Your father being fine would seem suspicious with the state of everything else,” she spoke softly. “I’d hate for blame to turn to him. It would not be fair.”
“Get out then,” Thea shook her head and turned away, eyes burning. “Get out!” She felt her sister slip away and she sunk back to her father’s side.
Thea sat in a low-backed chair in the small hospital room her father had been put in. Everything up to that point had been an absolute blur. Her father was in a medically induced coma after a full day of surgeries to fix what was broken and the massive amount of internal injuries. He had made it through the surgeries, which she took to be a good sign.
Several of her coworkers had stopped by, but Thea could not remember who had been there and what exactly had been said. Thea’s mind was too foggy. How was this what her life had become? Her mother was gone, as was her cousin. She had been far too late for them. Her father may not have made it if she had not returned home when she did.
A small knock came from the door a moment before a stern looking woman slipped in. Thea did not see her face clearly until she blinked hard and realized that it was Adella who had come into the room. A lump formed in her throat and her belly coiled in anger. She looked back to her father and didn’t say anything to stop Adella from coming closer.
“Forgive me, sister,” Adella’s full voice was soft yet deep and full of command still. “I wanted you to know that we have looked into this.”