by S. E. Babin
I couldn’t take any more of his pity. “We still haven’t found the apples,” I finally said in an effort to switch his train of thought.
He chuckled, wise enough to know exactly what I was doing, patted my knee and stood.
“No worries, dear. Hermes sneaked into her quarters and found them while she was tangling with you here. One of them is missing.”
He paused and we both looked at Eurydice, looking worse for the wear. One day she was reunited with her lover and given immortality, the next she was taken prisoner to be used in a scheme to take over Olympus. I hated to be the one who was going to have to break the news about Orpheus to her.
Zeus shook his head in pity and continued. “He also found Ares entrapped there. Apparently their sibling rivalry runs deeper than we ever thought possible. He knew what she was up to and while he played along with her attempts to bribe him with the sword, he tried to retrieve the apples and get them back to me. She found out and imprisoned him within her chamber. The gods only know how long he would have been there if Hermes hadn’t found him. It was – let’s just go for the word creative right now. Ares is at home licking his wounds where I imagine he’ll be for a while.”
Huh. My line of thinking went down a separate path from Zeus. Ares was not an altruistic man and when he saw Eris actually didn’t have the sword, it was more likely he decided to screw things up for her and steal the apples back. It didn’t surprise me one bit, although I did feel slightly better that he wasn’t completely complicit in her crimes. I would have to be wary around Ares from now on.
“There is someone else who would like to speak to you, Abby.” He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Don’t be afraid.”
Exactly the wrong thing to say to someone who was already traumatized. A shimmer of blue light and a sharp crack in the air caught my eye. Hera materialized in the room, the haughty look still on her face.
“Well,” she breathed. “I’m relieved to see you finally look disheveled. Seeing you dolled up all the time was really working on my nerves.”
Wait. Did Hera just crack a joke? Down the rabbit hole, I thought. And suddenly I didn’t want to see myself in the mirror. If I felt like I looked it was bound to scar me for life.
I said nothing, content to watch Hera with a wary eye. She strolled over to where I was sitting and bent down. Her eyes were clearer than I had seen in a long time. It was apparent whatever influence Eris had held over her was broken.
“Seems I have you to thank, Abby. I haven’t felt well for months but never could put my finger on why. Zeus’ daughter has been very naughty.”
She stood up and offered me a thin smile. Her hand reached out and I grasped it, unsure why she seemed so charitable all of a sudden. Hera pulled me up and wrapped a strong arm around my waist.
“Come, child. Let’s walk a bit. It will help you get your strength back.”
I sent pleading looks to everyone else in the room for help, but no one else wanted to tangle with Hera. I couldn’t blame them. Instead Artie sent me a sympathetic look and waggled her fingers at me in a farewell. I glared back and stuck my tongue out at her.
Zeus was no better and only offered me a wink as Hera led me out of the room.
“I don’t like you very much, Abby.”
I snorted. I wasn’t a complete moron. Her dislike smelled from a mile away. We continued walking slowly down the corridor until she led me outside. The sun was at its brightest point and my eyes stung after being inside the nest for what had seemed like hours.
“Zeus can be a hard man to love,” continued Hera, “but he is mine and will always be mine.”
Anyone could see that by being around them for more than a few minutes. I wasn’t responsible for their match, but I could still see the bonds of love and loyalty that wound them together. Zeus was a philanderer and probably always would be. But I didn’t doubt for one moment he and Hera would stick together through all of it. I wasn’t going to try to understand it. Love rarely made sense, but when the bonds were strong enough, it worked no matter what obstacles were thrown in someone’s path.
Still I said nothing to Hera. I chose instead to stare at her profile and wonder why she had brought me out here. There was no imminent danger to my livelihood – or at least I didn’t feel it – but Hera and I weren’t prone to making girl talk.
She turned to me, eyes bright and shrewd in the sunlight. Hera was a beautiful woman and always had been, but now that Eris’ influence was wiped away, I was stunned at how her delicate features housed such a strong-willed and powerful woman. Not many women could be Zeus’ mate. If I thought hard enough about it, I wasn’t sure anyone but Hera could put up with him.
“I’ve underestimated you and have judged you wrongly. For that you have my most sincere apologies.” Her mouth thinned as if it pained her to make such a confession.
Thousands of years of getting thrust into god politics couldn’t help with the shock I felt at her pronouncement. “I – appreciate it?” I was unsure what to say. Did I step into an alternate universe?
She chuckled. I hadn’t heard Hera laugh in genuine amusement before. She should do it more often.
“Zeus always had a soft spot for you, Abby. Whether you could see it I didn’t know, but if it were anyone else you would be dead hundreds of times over.”
My throat tightened. She was right. I had wondered the same thing myself dozens of times. I started to speak but she cut me off.
“You are the only one in Olympus besides me who will dare say what you’re thinking to him. All the bowing and scraping gets on both of our nerves sometimes. We do need to enforce our power within the court, but it comes at the cost of many relationships. Obviously.” She waved her hand around at the area. “We’re in a harpy nest in the middle of nowhere. Eris took her madness to a whole new level. The potential for disaster this time was unlimited.”
Instead of feeling lighter after her words, I felt anger. I didn’t do any of this voluntarily. In fact, Zeus had forced my hand and had thrust me into a difficult and deadly situation. I had lost the man I was beginning to care for deeply, a dear friend, and possibly Hermes – someone I had greatly misjudged. When would it stop?
Hera’s eyes lingered on me a little too long. I hoped she couldn’t read my mind, too. She sighed and adjusted her skirts into a more comfortable position. With her crossed legs and unbound hair, she looked more like a college student than the Queen of Olympus. I knew better than to misjudge her, though. Death wouldn’t come for me today, but Hera was still a viper in a pit of grass snakes.
“Zeus would never have banished you to Hades,” Hera continued. “You amuse him too much.”
I laughed aloud. “How? By running around blindly and almost getting me and my friends killed multiple times?”
Hera placed her hand over mine. “No,” she said firmly. “By being brave and foolhardy enough to rush in where most others wouldn’t go.”
There was a compliment in there somewhere. “I didn’t feel very brave, Hera. In fact, most of the time I was scared out of my wits.”
“Then the fact that you continued on says more about you than any of your other actions. I know that Keto is angry with you. I know that this relationship you have going on with the mortal has changed. Things will be different for you from now on, Abby. But I want you to know you have our gratitude and your help will be rewarded.”
I cringed and scuffed the dirt with my sandal. I was not sure I wanted to see any kind of reward given by Zeus or Hera. It was bound to be the kind that came with attachments.
She smiled then. A smile that touched me. I had to smile back. And then she laughed and said, “A harpies’ nest? Really, Eris couldn’t be more creative than that?”
An unbidden giggle escaped before I could stop it. “You’d think she’d have the taste to try and take over the world in a less remote area. Maybe somewhere with room service.”
Hera snorted and laughed louder and I joined her. I knew this camaraderie wasn’t
permanent. It couldn’t be. But I was content to enjoy it in the moment.
20
Chapter Twenty
After Hera and I went inside and I had assured Artie I was fine, Eurydice came over. She was still filthy and I’d smelled better things in my garbage can, but her smile lit up the room. It didn’t seem anyone had broken the news about Orpheus to her yet.
“Abby, I can’t even tell you how happy I was to see you when you walked in here. But I was so surprised. How often does the Goddess of Love come traipsing into a pit like this?” She grinned at me and my heart broke a little. Her enthusiasm reminded me of a puppy dog and one that I was going to be forced to kick in a couple of minutes.
Artie stood beside me, looking none the worse for wear. I was grateful she still chose to stand beside me after what had happened with Keto. She was resilient but I felt like their relationship had the chance to be something different and unique. Whether they would continue working at it I didn’t know yet.
Artie cleared her throat, sensing where our conversation was about to go and excused herself.
“Eurydice, how did you manage to get trapped in here?” I was still confused about how she fit into the scheme of things.
She blew a string of lanky blonde hair from her face and frowned. “I – I’m not sure. Orpheus and I were so close to putting everything behind us and being together. I was able to escape from Hades with the help of the apples.” She looked around to see if Zeus overheard her, a wise thing to do considering theft among the gods was punishable by death. “Orpheus left me to find a place to live. Somewhere in the mountains.” She paused and tears filled her eyes. “Eris came to me during the night and said if I wanted to live I had to come with her. When she said she had Orpheus I knew there was no choice. Speaking of, have you seen Orpheus? I can’t remember how long I’ve been trapped here.”
Tears filled her eyes. I couldn’t stop my look of pity. Her shoulders hunched and a broken sob filled the room. Where there had been a hushed conversation, there was now silence. All eyes in the room turned to us. I placed a halting hand on her shoulder. “I found him. He found a beautiful place for you two snuggled deep in the Smokies. I think you would have loved it.” I smiled softly at her, not wanting to go into the details of what had happened to him.
She wiped the tears from her face with a dirty arm and turned earth brown eyes to me. Even filthy she was still beautiful. A gift of her nymph blood I assumed. “Did he suffer?”
I did the only thing I could to ease her heartbreak. I lied. “No, Eurydice. His death was quick and honorable.”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Keto stiffen. He hadn’t been there to see the state of Orpheus’ body when we found him, but I had no doubt Artie had told him everything that had transpired that day. We caught eyes and he gave me a begrudging nod. Artie smiled at me from her place next to him.
Eurydice gave me a sharp nod. “Thank you, Abby. For everything. Orpheus would be honored to know his friends avenged his death.” She turned away from me, bowed deeply to Zeus and Hera who still stood in the room and walked out with her head held high. I had a feeling it would be the last time many of us would see Eurydice. Their love was one of legend. Deep down I didn’t think there would be another for her.
I collapsed into one of the chairs and scrubbed my hands across my face. The last couple of weeks had taken a deep toll on me. I knew I was still Aphrodite – still the Goddess of Love, but deep inside I felt…human. I didn’t think that was necessarily a bad thing.
The air around me began to shift. Hera and Zeus were leaving. As he lifted a hand in farewell, I felt his voice whisper in my ear, “Come see us as soon as you’re rested. We still have unfinished business to attend to.”
Great. I didn’t answer. No need to. No one ignored Zeus. Keto appeared in front of me and held out his hand.
“Ready to go home?” He smiled and I felt hopeful we could repair our friendship.
“Home?” I asked. “Where’s home?”
Artie grinned. “Anywhere you want it to be?”
I stood, weary to the bone, and gathered Artie in a hug. “Let’s head back to Asheville.”
The cabin had remained surprisingly untouched in the time we had been gone. There was only one new addition to the décor and that was the sexy lawman lying across the couch.
Artie and Keto quickly made excuses to leave and blinked out of the cabin before I could protest. I wasn’t sure I could handle this right now. On a positive note, it seemed like my Olympus peeps had patched him up pretty well, although there were still bruises on his face and a long stitched cut on the side of his face. That would scar.
I stood in the middle of the room, my heart in my throat, and stared at him. My feelings were so conflicted. I felt guilty I hadn’t finished Eris off when I could have. She deserved to suffer for what she had done to Marshall – to all of us.
He lifted himself up and gave me a heart-stopping grin. “After what I’ve been through all you’re going to do is stand there and stare?”
I choked on a sob and rushed over to him. “I’m sorry,” I whispered as I clutched the collar of his flannel shirt.
“Don’t be sorry, Abs. It wasn’t your fault. No one ever plans for bad things to happen. You didn’t wake up thinking I’d get kidnapped and my ass beaten by a goddess, did you?”
I laughed. It sounded so simple when he put like that. I breathed in his unique scent and sent a prayer up thanking whoever was listening for his safety.
He put his arms around me and hugged me tight. I enjoyed the beauty of the simple moment. No matter what happened between us, I would cherish the time I spent with him. For now I would relax and be with him for as long as he would have me.
I woke up the next morning, limbs entangled with Marshall’s and felt a slow smile of satisfaction cross my face. I turned gently, trying not to wake him, and took in his sleeping form. They said the Christian God made man in his image. Staring at him I had trouble believing it. Marshall looked like a Cherokee warrior. Black eyelashes rested against deeply tanned skin. I placed one of my hands on his chest marveling at the pale marble of my skin against the bronze of his. I hadn’t asked him about his roots. I’d have to remedy that soon.
I felt the disruption of light in my room before I saw him. I pulled the sheet up to cover the most important bits and raised my eyes to meet Hermes’ as his form shifted into the room. A disapproving frown formed on his lips, but I met his pain filled eyes with my steady ones. I wouldn’t explain my choices to anyone anymore.
“So you’ve chosen,” was all he said.
I nodded. “I never meant to hurt you, Hermes.”
His throat worked and he looked up at the ceiling for several long moments.
“No one ever does,” he finally said.
His words hurt. I didn’t have any right to feel sorry for myself. After all, I was the one responsible for this. All I could do was apologize again. “One day I hope we can be friends again.”
He laughed without mirth. “It’s a good thing we live long lives, Abby. You will come back to me. Mark this as truth.”
Marshall’s arm tightened around me. I felt the shift in his breath as soon as he awakened and knew he had heard Hermes’ last comments. “Not while I’m still breathing,” he said.
“I can arrange that.” Hermes stepped forward.
“Stop! Why are you here?” I demanded.
He paused and stepped back. After a long look between the men, and one I suspected they took their measure with, he turned his eyes back to me. “I have a message from Zeus.”
“Oh, boy,” I muttered.
Hermes continued as if I hadn’t said anything. “Your company is requested in his throne room today at one p.m. You are to come alone.” He emphasized that last word as if Marshall were a stain on everything Olympus.
Marshall didn’t miss his emphasis. “She’s got it, Hermes. Now beat it. We have some time to make up for.”
I felt the blush creep from the
top of my head down to the ends of my toes. Marshall was an alpha male to the core. Hermes growled in anger and blinked out of the room, but not without lifting a finger to fling Marshall out of the bed. He landed on the floor with a grunt.
I moved to the edge of the bed and peered over at him. He lay flat on his back, a sheepish smile on his face. “Guess I shouldn’t have poked the bear.”
I snorted. “You’re lucky that’s all he did. Now come on back up here. I remember you saying we had some time to make up for.”
He grinned and with a speed that belied his injuries he hopped back into bed and showed me exactly what I’d been missing before we met.
21
Chapter Twenty One
I sat in Zeus’ throne room waiting for his royal highness to appear yet again. I was ready for good news – any would do. Apprehension crept up my spine as I sat there impatiently waiting for him to appear. If he asked me to do one more thing for him I would probably scream and renounce immortality for good.
The huge doors opened and Zeus strolled in, more casually dressed than I had ever seen him. Snug jeans hugged lean muscled legs and a white collared shirt showed off his tan skin. He was even wearing Italian loafers. I felt ill at ease, wondering if he were putting on a show to try to make me feel comfortable so he could spring some horrible surprise on me again.
He chortled when he saw my face. “Relax, Abby. You look like you’re about to receive a death sentence.”
I gulped. “Am I?”
Zeus snorted and chose the seat beside me instead of his daunting throne. “Hardly. It wouldn’t look good if I killed the person who saved Olympus would it?”
“No, but you’d secure your reign as the most bloodthirsty ruler in history.”‘
He laughed then, a deep rustling timbre and I smiled in spite of myself. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.
