Born in Beauty

by Melody Rose

  “What’s wrong with them?” Ruby asked, knowing that neither Khryseos and Argyreos were ones to bark without reason.

  “I have no idea,” I said wearily.

  Khryseos rushed towards the door. Ruby saw him coming and yanked her stool out of the way. The dog stood his long body by the door and barked out of it. Argyreos jerked his head in the direction of his brother, and I think I finally got the message.

  “I think they want me to follow them,” I deciphered. When I spoke the words aloud, both dogs barked in confirmation. “Okay, okay,” I agreed as I untied my apron as quickly as I could. I left my unfinished blade on the counter and made my way over to the door.

  “Apparently, I’ve got to go,” I said to Ruby, my confused expression reflecting her own.

  “Go on,” she agreed, waving her hand. “It seems urgent, whatever it is.”

  “Yeah,” I hesitated, “You good?”

  “Why would you ask such a thing?” Ruby smacked my shoulder lightly. “Of course, I’m good. We’re good, now get going.”

  I made my way to the door when Ruby clicked her tongue at me. “Hey, hey, hey, I’m not your mother. Put your stuff away.”

  “I’ll do it when I get back,” I said, brushing away her suggestion.

  “You do it now, or you won’t touch the forges for a week,” Ruby threatened as she pointed to my abandoned hammer on the anvil.

  “Seriously?” I complained as I gestured to the dogs, who paced back and forth with nervous energy.

  “Seriously,” Ruby insisted. “You always put your tools away after you’re done working, so you don’t have to go looking for them when you want to come back. And you respect the other workers in the forge. Have I taught you nothing?”

  “No,” I groaned. “You’ve taught me lots.”

  “Damn right, I have,” Ruby confirmed.

  I rolled my eyes like an indignant teacher as I jogged back to my anvil and put my hammer dutifully back in its cubby slot on the workbench shelf. I held out my hands in an exaggerated gesture, showing off my hammer back in its place, Vanna White style.

  “Thank you,” Ruby said. “Now go.”

  I did as I was told without hesitation, especially after Khryseos and Argyreos barked once more at me. The three of us darted back towards the quad, the dogs running ahead of me and I trailing behind. While my running had improved over the last year, I didn’t have four legs.

  We approached the quad where a group of students was gathered. This would have been unusual except for the volume of students present. Khryseos and Argyreos stopped on the edge of the circle of people. I looked at them both, and they nudged me closer toward the crowd by pushing the back of my legs.

  “Okay, okay,” I assured them, “I’m going.”

  Once I entered the group, I looked back at my dogs, who disappeared again in the blink of an eye, having accomplished their duty.

  When I turned back to the center of the circle, I finally saw what was going on. There was a large piece of parchment posted to the oldest oak in the quad. It looked like an old-fashioned wanted poster, like something in the Sherwood Forest. The archaic nature of it took me aback, but it was the notice itself that was the most shocking thing.

  In a fancy script, the notice read:

  Expulsion Notice

  As it is stated in the Military of Olympus guidelines, active officers in the Military may not fraternize with active students of the Military Academy of Olympus.

  Due to a violation of this rule as set in place by the Olympic Officials, Temperance, daughter of Hypnos, has been expelled from the Military Academy of Olympus. In violation of the same fraternization, Charlie, son of Pan, has been officially discharged from the Military.

  This notice takes immediate effect.

  “Holy shit,” someone said to my left.

  “They’re not kidding,” said a first-year from somewhere in front of me.

  I took a couple of steps back and removed myself from the crowd. I knew Temperance and worked with her on the mission against the chimera. I’d even helped save her life from Esme and her collection of mud monsters. She was a talented student with the ability to put people and creatures alike in a trance. I never thought she would have done something so stupid, as centered and determined as she was. It seemed ridiculously out of character.

  I’d just seen her yesterday when she congratulated me at the opening ceremony. I had been looking forward to getting to know her. Now, because of this stupid rule that everyone seemed to want to break all of a sudden, she was gone. For good.

  Unexpectedly, thoughts of Janet and Rick came to mind. I didn’t even like Janet, but something in my gut told me I needed to warn her. Whatever she and Rick thought they had wasn’t worth this kind of punishment. I didn’t care what she said. I would lock him out of our dorm, make the handle so hot that he couldn’t touch it to open the door.

  Part of me really wanted to just let things lie. Janet was her own person, making her own decisions. I wasn’t responsible for her. And hell, if she got kicked out, I could have the whole suite to myself.

  I sighed, knowing that was not what I was going to do. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try to warn her. Then, after that, if she still decided to make stupid choices and got caught, then I did everything I could do.

  Through a series of mental curses, I picked up the pace and ran to our dorm room. There was a good chance that Janet was at her own form of work-study, whatever that was. But I knew the dorm was a good place to start, considering it was common ground for the pair of us.

  I scaled the dorm stairs two at a time to reach the third floor at a faster rate. In a furious rush, I threw the door open to an empty common area.

  “Janet?” I called out. “Janet? Are you in here?”

  I knocked on her closed door, which wasn’t fully closed, so it opened of its own accord. I peeked in and noticed that, too, was empty. Her bathroom light was off, so unless she was peeing in the dark, I didn’t think she was in the dorm at all.

  “Damn it,” I muttered to myself.

  I put my hands on my hips and thought about the various possibilities of where she might be. This campus was so large. I wouldn’t be able to search all of it. Not within a reasonable time anyhow. Plus, there was no telling where she and Rick might be holed up doing the gods only knew what.

  Maybe Janet saw the notice on her own. That one on the oak tree couldn’t have been the only one they posted. Maybe she would see reason and break it off with Rick.

  I knew in my heart of hearts that was far from the truth. If anything, the danger of getting caught might only fuel them more. I didn’t know what got them off. And frankly, I didn’t care.

  There was a knock at the door, and I jumped at the sound of it. A flash of red hair poked its head in since I didn’t bother shutting the door in my rush. I quickly recognized JJ, Janet’s half brother.

  “Hey Cheyenne,” JJ said brightly. “Is Janet here?”

  “No, she’s not,” I said with a sigh. “You looking for her too?”

  “We were just supposed to meet up after she was done at the studio,” JJ said with a shrug as he stepped fully into the room. “I thought she would be done by now.”

  “Studio?” I perked up, excited at the unintentional lead.

  “Yeah,” JJ said, disconcerted by my disproportionate excitement. “She works in the art studio for her work-study. She restores the ancient paintings to look like their original state.”

  “Oh,” I was taken aback. “I didn’t know she could do that.”

  “It’s her power,” JJ informed me with a small nod. “Has to do with beauty and all that.”

  “Gotcha,” I said, interested but not really caring. My brain zeroed in on the fact that I had a clue as to where Janet might be. “Well, I’ve got to get going JJ, but you can wait for Janet here if you want. I don’t mind.”

  “Oh, I don’t have to--” JJ protested, but I zipped past him before he could finish his sentence.<
br />
  “Just shut the door behind you, okay, thanks, bye!” I called out behind me as I sprinted down the dorm hallway.

  The art studio was across campus, but I made it there in a reasonable time. Along the way, I passed other trees and even some lampposts that had the same notice about Temperance and Charlie’s removal from the Military. At the sight of each one, I knew I needed to get to Janet. It was a constant reminder that what she was doing was foolish. Ruby might have thought me suppressing my feelings for Ansel was foolish, but I knew that was way better than indulging in it and risking expulsion.

  I wove through the halls of the studio at a slower pace, so I could peek into each of the rooms. Some of them had their blinds down, or other doors didn’t have windows at all. Most of the rooms I tried were locked, but others opened up to empty classrooms, focused on various art forms. I ventured on, determined to find my horny roommate.

  Then I came to our Grecian art classroom and found one of the few open doors. Without thinking, I burst through the door, since it was one of the rooms with a solid door which made sense considering what kind of art we studied there. However, to my complete and utter shock, I saw a pair of naked bodies going at it for the second time in twenty-four hours.

  Only this time, it wasn’t my new roommate and her soldier lover. It was my best friend and his branch leader.

  11

  “Fuck,” I hissed as I ventured into the art classroom, shutting the door behind me.

  At my entrance, Benji and Zach froze in place. They were balanced on the concrete circular platform that Zach had posed on only just that morning. Now the two of them were there, in quite a compromising position, and admittedly, part of me was impressed by the strength and the physics that it required to work.

  “I thought you locked the door,” Benji said to Zach, seemingly unphased by my presence.

  “I thought you locked it,” Zach retorted unhelpfully.

  “Turns out neither of you locked it,” I snapped.

  “Damn,” Benji muttered.

  “Not you too,” I grumbled as I covered my eyes. Completely fed up with this entire situation, I put on my authoritative voice. “Benji, put some damn clothes on.”

  I heard a variety of unpleasant noises, including grunts and a squelching sound I didn’t really want to identify. I waited patiently as the two of them reassembled themselves into something more decent. Feeling like a mother hen, I curled my fingers into a fist and then released them again, trying to rid myself of some of the anger and frustration building in me over the last day.

  “We’re good, Cheyenne,” Benji announced, the shame evident in his voice.

  I removed my hand from my eye and shot daggers at both of them with a glare that could melt ice. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “I would say that Benji is very knowledgeable in--” Zach started, but I cut him off before he could finish.

  “Not what I meant,” I corrected. “Do you know you’re breaking, like, the cardinal rule at the Academy just behind don’t kill your fellow students?”

  “I’m pretty sure that hurting them goes above this, too,” Zach pointed out. “In fact, I’m certain of it.”

  “I’ve heard enough out of you,” I said, turning on the leader, not giving a damn about ranking at the moment. My eyes shot back to Benji. “What are you doing, Ben? Seriously? You were here when Kris got kicked out, and now they just booted another couple.”

  I saw my friend’s eyes widen in surprise, although Zach didn’t seem phased by the news. I was vindicated to know that something was getting through to him.

  “Yeah, Temperance from Fotia and some soldier named Charlie,” I continued.

  “Charlie, son of Helios or Charlie, son of Pan?” Zach asked, with a finger raised as if he were a kid in a classroom.

  “Son of Pan, but what the hell does it matter?” I looked incredulously at him, perpetually annoyed at his nonchalance.

  “Charlie, son of Helios, was a prick, so I wouldn’t be sad about him leaving,” Zach said with a shrug. “But Charlie, son of Pan? Man, that’s a shame.”

  “Yeah, and wouldn’t it be a shame if it happened to you? Both of you,” I said, my glare whipping back and forth between the two of them.

  “You’re not going to tell on us, are you, Cheyenne?” Benji asked, looking like a puppy who had chewed on my favorite pair of shoes.

  “Of course not, but that’s not the point,” I argued.

  “If you won’t tell, then there’s nothing to worry about,” Zach said. He made a move forward, to step past me toward the door, but I blocked his way with my body, lifting myself to my full height, which only came up to his chest, but I didn’t care. I held my ground.

  “There’s plenty to worry about,” I growled, pushing Zach back with the intensity in my voice. “What if it hadn’t been me who walked through that door? What if it was Gwendolyn? Or one of the work-study students? Or a guard doing rounds? Literally anyone else but me would have landed you two back out on your asses in the mortal world.”

  That comment finally seemed to shut them both up, even casual Zach with his laid back air. The two of them shared a glance and then, surprisingly, blushed and looked away, a giggle bubbling up in Benji’s throat.

  I noted the exchange with a disgusted look. A suspicion bloomed in my mind and started to worm its way through my consciousness. “What is wrong with you, Benji?”

  “Nothing,” Benji insisted, addressing me as the blush suddenly left his cheeks.

  “Why did you do it?” I flicked my eyes over to Zach so that my friend would know what I was talking about.

  “I think the question you mean was ‘Why did you do him?’” Zach said, a clever smirk on his face.

  “Oh gods,” Benji rolled his eyes, but a playful smirk appeared on his face as he shoved Zach. The branch leader grabbed Benji’s arm and pulled him close, so that they were chest to chest, gazing into one another’s eyes.

  It was as if I was witnessing this all over again. They couldn’t keep their damn hands off each other, just like Janet and Rick. I jumped into action and raced forward to yank Benji out of Zach’s grip. Using my strength, I pressed Benji back a few feet away from the soldier and grabbed both of his forearms.

  “Benji,” I said with all the seriousness I could muster. “Why did you do it?”

  “You wouldn’t understand, Cheyenne,” Benji protested, growing angry with me for the first time during the whole conversation.

  I narrowed my eyes at my friend, my suspicion growing. “Why not? Why wouldn’t I understand?”

  “Because when Zach and I saw each other, we just had this… ” Benji’s light and airy voice trailed off when Zach chimed in on cue.

  “Connection,” the Gi soldier answered.

  At that one word, my doubts were confirmed, and I concluded something was seriously wrong here. My best friend was using the exact same words that my roommate had used to defend her illicit relationship within a day of each other. That was no coincidence. The conspiracy grew in my mind and extended to Temperance and Charlie. If someone had asked them what happened, I bet they would have the same excuse as these other two love-struck couples I witnessed.

  “Benji,” I said slowly, drawing out his name, hoping he would listen to me. “This isn’t real. Something’s… happened to you. You don’t really like this guy.”

  “Of course I do,” Benji said just as Zach said, “Of course he does!”

  I inhaled sharply as the realization hit me. I was way in over my head. All I could think to do was get Benji away from Zach, and maybe my friend would come to his senses.

  “Come on, Benji,” I said as I forced him towards the door. “We’re leaving.”

  “What? No!” Benji protested as he dug his heels in, using his weight against me.

  “What are you doing?” Zach cried out like I was murdering someone in front of his eyes rather than just threatening to take Benji away. The inappropriate overreacting startled me. “You can’t take
him!”

  “Yes, I can,” I said, regaining my footing, “and I will. Come on.” I spoke the last two words with a grunt as I tried to shove my friend forward.

  Then there was a shiver down my spine. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in such a long time. I almost didn’t recognize it right away, but luckily, my synapses fired quickly, and habit took over.

  I sensed the blade before Zach could fully get it out of his boot. Taking a chance, I released Benji and shifted my weight to one leg. I lifted the other one and fan-kicked Zach’s wrist, the one that held the small knife.

  The leader was caught completely off guard and howled as my foot connected with the fragile bones in his hand. The knife flew out of his grip and skittered across the concrete floor. I rushed for it without a second thought. When I picked it up, the nature of the weapon registered. It was a crudely made blade, something older that hadn’t held up well. It was an heirloom, kept for more sentimental value rather than practical use. However, it was the only thing Zach had on him, so it was his one resource.

  In the heat of the moment, I calculate the best tactical route. I wondered how deep this “love” for one another yet and what they would do if it were threatened beyond taking one another away.

  So I put myself in a position I never thought I would be in. I slipped behind Benji, who dove for Zach while the leader mourned his surely broken wrist. Then I wrapped one arm around his middle and pointed the tip of the knife to my friend’s throat.

  My dramatic action sucked all of the air out of the room. Zach and Benji both froze, the soldier from his spot on the floor, my friend in my arms. I fought back all of the guilt and shame that threatened to surface as I held the blade to Benji’s neck.

  “Benji’s mine,” I said to Zach in a sinister voice, sounding more like a villain out of a cartoon than an actual declaration. But it seemed to do the trick because Zach’s face twisted into one of worry and pain.

  “No, please, don’t hurt him,” Zach begged me, reaching out with his uninjured hand as he sat on his knees. The sight was so pitiful. I really hoped he wasn’t as conscious of his actions as he would normally be, because I was sure that any soldier of the Military of Olympus would be ashamed to act in such a manner.