by Mary Ting
“Feel the wrath of Medusa,” I seethed, cringing at the sound of his cry.
Even taking his last breath, he had to have the last word. He crossed his arms to block the light, but it was too late. “You think you’ve won? You have no idea what I have in store for you, if you make it out of here alive.”
“Save your breath, Hephaestus. Adios, asshole,” Amanda announced with exhilaration.
When Hephaestus turned into a statue, the vultures puffed into black ashes, and the human vultures turned back into humans. Shouts of joy and hugs were exchanged. The relief washing over me was incomparable, but it was short lived. A blast exploded from the far back of the mountain, rippling into more blasts.
“We need to get out.” Mason’s voice panicked against my ear. A minute ago, he had been devouring me with his lips, whispering sweet, hot words that made me quiver.
“Quickly. Come,” Zara commanded, as more blasts erupted. The ground split open in various places, and the walls crumbled down from above. The whole mountain was falling apart. “I need everyone’s help. We need to create a huge portal so we can bring the humans with us. I need to borrow all your energy.”
Zara, with help from all of us, created a massive portal. The smoke didn’t bother us, but it did the humans. They covered their noses and mouths, coughing relentlessly and squinting their burning eyes to see through the smoke that enveloped us. Baffled and overcome, they followed us.
“Where will they go?” My dad asked.
“It will take them home,” Zara answered. “Don’t worry. They won’t have any memory of today, and if they have any recollection at all, it will be as if they dreamt it. Now…it’s our turn.”
Just as the ground underneath us collapsed, we were out of there.
I felt the soft grass below me, breathed in clean air, and fluttered my eyes from the warm sunlight. It felt good to relax my sore muscles. We were safe, but where? Home? I got up to see Mason next to me.
“We’re at Olympus,” Mason answered, as if he read my mind.
He helped me up and I saw all eyes on the statue of Hephaestus. Although he couldn’t do any harm, my stomach knotted from just the sight of him. He had caused so much grief for everyone that it didn’t seem fair that this was his form of punishment. But then again, I didn’t think anything that could be done to him would give me any solace. Even if he died, he would still haunt me. Even his last words troubled me deeply, playing with my mind, clinging to my thoughts. Of course, it could have been just a threat, something to say because that was the way he was; but still, I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d meant by it. Since it seemed like it wasn’t bothering anyone else, I decided to put it aside and enjoy this moment of peace, since it so seldom happened.
“Was this part of the plan?” I asked. “Why didn’t we leave him at Mt. Hem?”
“Because I asked,” Zeus said, as if his words were final. “If we left him there, there would have been a small percentage of a chance that he would have survived. I didn’t want to take that chance. Having him here, under our supervision, will ensure he won’t bring any harm to us.”
“He’ll be placed inside the underground basement in Olympus,” Zara informed.
“What should we do with this?” Hades tossed the black bag as if it was the weight of a basketball.
“I’ll take Medusa’s head back where it belongs,” Poseidon volunteered, catching it.
“I’m sure the sirens will be happy to see you.” Hades twitched his brows. “Don’t stay there too long. We need to catch up.”
Poseidon’s cheeks flushed. “You can come with me.”
“I hate the water. And women with fins don’t turn me on. Besides, Alp…is waiting for me. I’d told her to hide and wait for my call.”
“We don’t need to hear all that. Let’s go to the meeting hall,” Zara said, rolling her eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes, Zara, unless you want to roll with me,” Hades flirted.
Zara’s face matched the color of the cherry blossoms dangling from the trees surrounding us. Her lips curled up mischievously. “I don’t roll, Hades. I would be too much for you to handle.”
Holy cow! Did Zara just say that?
Hades started chuckling, but it was short lived. Zara had used her magic and tossed Hades to the nearby tree. Hades got on his feet and grumbled while we all had a good laugh.
Amanda covered her ears, walking beside Nick. “Oh…this is too much. I don’t want to hear this kind of talk from old people.”
“Old?” Zeus seemed offended. “We are not old, but wise, little girl.”
That shut her up.
It was good to see my mom and dad walking, hand in hand. They had many things to talk about and things to sort out. Regardless, it was good to see them back together. At least I hoped they would be. I also couldn’t wait to see Kayla and my aunt. There was going to be a lot I had to explain.
“Before we do anything, we need to release the others. Then we’ll make our way to New Olympus and celebrate. We have many things to discuss.” Zeus stood in front of Hera, stroking her cheek. “My love, we’ve been separated too long. It’s time to wake up.” Without making eye contact, Zeus said, “Skylar, will you do me the honor and help me release all my people?”
“Of course,” I replied.
Zeus turned away from Hera and looked at me. His eyes were the color of the ocean. His smile was brighter than the sun. “Thank you. You are a brave one, and so are your friends. I can’t thank you enough.”
Being praised by Zeus, the god of all gods, made my day.
A hoard of cheers, smiles, and hugs hailed us. Tara, Cara, and our friends greeted us warmly and welcomed us in. They were most excited to see the others gods that had been recently revived. Since there weren’t enough seats for all of us, some of us stood around the table.
“Where do we go from here?” the Elders asked.
“We start anew,” Zeus answered, smiling at Hera. Hera seemed very pleased with his words. It amazed me how, after all these years, they bounced back, as if it hadn’t happened. Hera showed no weakness and her beauty was still everlasting.
“We open a new book and start a new journey,” Zeus continued. “For those who call New Olympus your home, you are welcome to stay here. For the gods, we will stay on Mt. Olympus. That is our home. But you are welcome to come anytime as you wish. From this day, all is forgiven. We do not dwell on the past. We move forward with a clean slate. Let’s start with Cara. Come and stand before me.”
Cara’s eyes lit up and she hobbled to stand in front of Zeus with her head down.
Zeus placed his staff over her head. It glowed and sizzled. Zara and Tara, already seated near Zeus, rested their hands on Cara’s head as well. “From this day, you are pardoned from the past. You will be cleansed of all your wrong doings. Be away with the old and come forth with the new,” Zeus hummed.
Lights expanded like spider legs, taking over Cara’s body, and wrapped around her like a cocoon until you could no longer see her. After they completely covered her, they spun the other way to unveil her. What sprung out from the creation was a new Cara. She looked almost identical to Zara and Tara—just as tall, just as beautiful, just as magical.
I could feel Cara’s excitement and gratitude through her expression and her tears. “Thank you, Zeus.” She bowed.
“You are only pardoned once. Make your decisions wisely. Now…have a seat with your sisters. You are an Oracle, after all.” Zeus shifted his gaze toward us. “Hades. Come forth.”
With that swoon worthy stride, he stood before his brother and bowed with one knee down. “My Zeus.”
This time, Zeus picked up his staff and placed it in front of Hades. “From this day forth, you are part of our family. You have been pardoned for all your wrong doings…I believe there is a long list of them.”
Laughter filled the room. It wasn’t that it was something to laugh about, but the way Zeus arched his brows and looked at us with a wink, he lightened the mo
od. We couldn’t help but chuckle. It was a happy occasion, after all.
“Thank you, my brother,” Hades said sincerely.
“That’s not all,” Zeus continued. “You will have your seat back on our throne, to the left of me. And I promise to listen to your opinions before a decision is made. Now rise, and take your seat.”
“I will, brother. Thank you.” Hades got up and proudly sat down.
Poseidon gave him a knowing smile. “Welcome home.”
“I will announce this to the others tonight during our celebration of victory. Before that…everyone rest and please, take a bath. You all stink.”
More laughter vibrated through the room.
“Kayla is anxiously waiting to see you,” Nick said, leading me to the garden where she waited for me. Kayla and my aunt weren’t allowed in the meeting room since they were human.
“You didn’t tell them about my mom, did you?” I asked, keeping my pace with his. I was sure he was just as eager to see her as I was.
“I only told her the basics. She has no idea about the gods. I think it’s best if they don’t.”
My fingers felt tingly, my pulse raced, and my heart pounded with excitement the closer we got. It seemed like it was ages ago that I had seen her. “Okay.” I nodded. “I agree.”
Nick pushed the door open, letting me step inside first. What made the garden so mesmerizing was the colorful flowers that decorated the trees and the ground. Kayla and my aunt hadn’t seen me yet. They were seated on a bench talking, looking out to the lake.
“Kayla. Auntie Kelly,” I called.
Kayla ran into my arms first, then Auntie Kelly. They held me so tight that I couldn’t breathe.
“Are you okay?” Kelly let go of me and looked me over, as if to look for wounds. Kayla just stared at me in awe.
“Who are you?” Kayla joked, poking me. “Who knew my cousin was a super hero?”
“I’m not,” I said shyly. “I’m still me.”
Kelly glanced around. “I wouldn’t have believed it myself had I not seen this place. The castle, alone, is enchanting, and the beauty of this place is breathtaking.”
“When do we get to go home, Nick?” Kayla asked.
“You get to go home right now. You’re both free to go.”
“Oh, thank God,” Kelly exclaimed. “I need to check up on my diner. I asked Jack and Mona to look after it while I was gone. They don’t know anything. I promised Nick not to say a word to anyone.”
I giggled from her words. Little did she know Jack and Mona were minions.
“Does your mom know?” Kayla asked, linking her arm to mine.
“No,” I lied. I felt bad for doing it, but I had to. “Please don’t say anything to her.”
Kelly looked worried. I assumed she wasn’t happy that she had to keep a secret from her sister, but Gina wasn’t her real sister…not anymore. “I don’t like that I have to, but this is different. I know it’s to keep her safe, so I will.”
Nick’s eyes gaped between the three of us, shifting from side to side. He looked anxious to get moving. “Ladies, if you’re ready, I’ll drive you home.”
“Skylar, I’ll see you soon.” Kelly turned to Nick. “I’ll go first to give the girls a minute. I know the way to your car.”
With a nod, my aunt smiled at us and started walking.
“Seriously, Skylar. I’m so mad at you for not telling me,” Kayla pouted with her arms crossed. “You kept a huge…and I mean huge…secret from me. That is so not cool.”
I knew I was going to hear it from her. “I’m sorry, but I was trying to figure it out first. And I also didn’t want to put your life at risk.”
Kayla’s frown turned into a smile. “I was just giving you a hard time, but come to think of it…and I had a lot of time to think about while I was waiting to go home…everything that happened, the things I questioned…it all makes sense now. I’m not crazy,” she snorted.
“No, you’re not.” I caressed her hair. “I have things to take care of first, but let’s get together soon. Your mom is waiting.”
Kayla broke her gaze from me and turned to Nick with flirty eyes. “Babe, can you do the thing you did before?”
Oh, my imagination ran wild in a naughty way. I had to shake the thought out of my head.
“Right now? Right this minute?” Nick leaned into her as if he was about to kiss her.
“Uh huh,” Kayla answered, with eyes full of desire.
I needed to turn away, but before I did, Nick yanked Kayla into his arms and took off so fast they were gone before I could blink.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Sky,” I murmured to myself, and headed to my room to take a hot…or perhaps a cold shower…I wasn’t sure which I needed more.
One thing about friends at New Olympus, they sure knew how to party. Music blasted in the air, and table after table was covered with trays of the best food. The dining hall was filled with people coming and going, eating, laughing, talking, and enjoying the magnificent view through the glass window that took up the whole back wall.
Twinkling lights adorned the trees, brightening up the night, and the stars above made me feel like we were somewhere magical. In a way we were, but it was our reality. Last time we were there, Mason had lit up the whole place. I giggled to myself, recalling when Zara had caught us. I was certain Mason wouldn’t do that again. Mason took me to a bench in a secluded area, so we could have a quieter place to eat and talk.
“It’s nice to see my parents back together again. Did you see them holding hands?” I asked, taking a bite of a rib I held with two fingers.
“I’m happy for you, Sky. Your happiness is all that I want, more than anything in this world,” Mason said, smiling at me. “Is your dad moving back in with your mom?”
“I didn’t ask, but I’m going to assume; or they might end up staying here.”
Mason chewed, swallowed, and placed his fork on the plate. “We need to talk about us. I know you want to finish your college degree and I support you with that, but how about you move in with me during the weekends? What do you think?”
I stopped twirling noodles with my fork and pushed up the edge of my lips. “I practically live at your place, Mason.”
Mason snorted. “That’s true.” He seemed a little nervous and Mason was never nervous, except for the time he proposed to me. I wondered where he was going with this.
After some time of comfortable silence, Mason placed his empty plate down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Boy…he could eat. He scooted closer and stared at me. “Where are you going tonight?”
“I’m here.” I took a sip of my drink. I knew where this conversation was headed, but I wanted to toy with him a bit. I loved it when he chased after me.
He raked his hair back. “I meant, where are you going to sleep? Are you going home with your parents, or will you come home with me?”
“I don’t know.” I placed my empty plate down. The pile of food was gone. Not having had a good meal in days, I felt like a bottomless pit. “It depends.” I scooted away.
I saw the frown on his face, though he tried not to show it. I knew he knew I was playing when I saw that “to die for” smirk spread across his face. I didn’t know how long I could resist him. When he stretched his arm along the top of the bench, showing the curve of his muscles I loved to touch, he was playing too.
“Depends on what?” He slid closer, caging me. There was nowhere for me to move. My heart pounded faster from his knee touching mine, and from the small idle caress that was traveling along my arm, to my shoulder, up my neck, then along my lips. “Can I tempt you?” His words came out hot and wicked.
“Uh….” I stood up just as he was about to kiss me. That’s when I heard an intake of breath from him. I was sure he heard me giggle.
“Sky, you want to play hard to get?” His eyes sparkled with silvery lights.
“Mason....” I started to say as I backed away, not knowing what was behind me. “I might take the ne
xt semester off since I didn’t register yet. What will I do?”
Mason took small slow strides, like a lion that had just found its prey. “You can come work with me. I need to rebuild Bella Amore.”
“Oh yeah,” I said softly, recalling it burned down, thanks to the vultures.
Mason reached me when I bumped into the tree behind me. Taking both of my hands, he pinned them against the tree and leaned in.
Blistering heat blasted through me, as I thought of running my hands up his pecs. But then I thought about how I didn’t want to get caught if any of the others had the same idea as us and headed out this way. So I thought of a solution…get us far away from the castle.
“Catch me if you can.” My words stayed where he stood. Before he could comprehend what had happened, I was standing at a nearby tree.
“Sky.” Mason chuckled. “You know I can. And I will. You might be just as fast as I am, but I have a goal. I’m going to give you the biggest love shock.”
Before I could move, Mason was in front of me. He was just about to get a hold of me, but I escaped and ran to the tree behind us. He chased me from tree to tree until he outsmarted me. When I ran to the next tree, Mason got there a second before I did.
“Got ya.” He pinned me to the tree as our chests moved up and down from being out of breath, mine more than his. Something about the chase, this moment, made us burst into laughter.
We both laughed so hard and loud that I was sure everyone could hear us. It felt good to laugh. It seemed so normal, so good. I noticed Mason had stopped laughing when I saw that dangerous glow in his eyes…the kind of glow that made my stomach tingle. That kind that travelled to my very core, and left me so I couldn’t think…I couldn’t breathe…and then…his lips covered my mouth, and they felt right at home.
My body quivered when Mason pressed his body to mine, and when his hands explored my body, my knees weakened. I knew I had gripped his hair too tightly when I heard a groan. It only made him kiss me harder. My lips ached from missing his lips tasting mine, and his tongue intertwining in a frantic way. I’d missed those strong hands of his caressing me, hypnotizing me, making me want more.