by River Ramsey
She flipped me off before disappearing through the tall hedges surrounding the garden and I grinned.
20
Kore
"And then he kissed you?" Dionysus asked in disbelief from his perch on my dresser. "And that worked?"
I groaned, flopped on my back and staring up at the ceiling above my bed. I still had a headache from the lack of oxygen, or maybe just the entire day. "It shocked me, okay?"
"I'd say so."
"Don't give me that tone. It wouldn't be the first time a magic kiss has broken a spell."
"Hmm."
"What?" I asked, sitting up to face him. My head spun from the sudden movement. Over the last hour, I'd been filling Dionysus in on everything from my encounter with Phrixus to the resulting investigation and what had happened in the garden, minus the detail about Fenrir's wolf form.
If that beast I'd seen could even be called a wolf. More like a hellhound. I could certainly see why he didn't want me telling anyone about it. If the other students knew something like that was lurking around campus, they'd really freak.
I felt like I owed it to him to keep his secret, at least, even though he probably could have come up with something besides kissing me.
"It was a magic kiss now, was it?" Dionysus asked, raising an eyebrow.
My face grew warm. Why did his teasing affect me the way it did? No one else's ever had. "It was probably his gift. It felt like your Ecstasy, but… different."
"I doubt Fenrir's gift is kiss-related," he snorted. "Whatever you felt, I'm glad it worked, but what if you’re alone next time that happens?"
"I don't know," I murmured, rubbing my wrist. "I don't even know how it happened."
"Well, try to retrace your steps," he reasoned. "What happened before you blacked out?"
I hesitated, struggling to recall the events leading up to the chaos, but it was like there was some kind of mental block forcing me back the more I tried to access those memories. "I ran from Odin's office and out into the garden. I tripped and I remember crying. All of a sudden, something sprang out of the ground..."
"You mean it wasn't one of yours?" he asked, frowning.
"I don't know. It might've been my tears," I admitted.
He blinked. "Your tears grow demon plants?"
"They've sprouted flowers before, but the demonic ones are new," I sighed.
"Maybe you should ask your Mom. She's good with plants too, right?"
"It's not her power, it's just an affinity," I said, hugging myself. I'd been breathing fine for a while now, but I still felt cold somewhere deep inside. "Besides, I can't talk to her right now."
Dionysus walked over and draped a throw blanket around my shoulders before sitting next to me. "You're gonna have to tell her what you know at some point," he said gently.
"I know, but not now," I said, shaking my head. Dionysus was the only person I trusted with the truth, and even then, it had taken a lot just to get it out. The deciding factor in coming clean was the fact that my worst enemy already knew part of my secret. "And I thought it was bad that Hades thinks Poseidon is my father."
Dionysus sighed. "No offense, but your mom's like a female Zeus."
"Oh, you mean the first guy she lied about being my father?" I asked flatly, standing to pace the length of my bed to burn off some of my nervous energy. Anxiety and rage seemed to be my default state now. "Fucking Ares! Is she serious?"
"To be fair, if it hadn't been him, you wouldn't exist."
"Not helping, Dionysus."
"Sorry," he said, holding up his hands. "Just trying to help you see the silver lining."
"Right now, my existence isn't what I'd call a silver lining," I muttered.
"Come on, don't talk like that. So what if Ares is your father? You're still you. We're not our parents."
"Tell that to Olympus," I muttered. "And apparently, someone already has, because it explains why we've been shunned by the gods my whole life."
"Shunned might be a strong word..."
"You must have known," I said, folding my arms. "What do they say about us?"
"Trust me, the fact that Ares is your father isn't something people just go around talking about if even Hades doesn't know," he assured me. "I thought it was Zeus just like everyone else. He and his frat brothers really get around."
"The perfect lie. I never thought I'd wish it actually was Poseidon."
"You know, there is a bright side if it ever gets out."
"Which is?"
"Ares is crazy powerful. Even Cronus is scared shitless of him," he snorted. "The Triad would be too afraid to screw with you then."
"I guess there's that."
"Come on," Dionysus said, standing to pull me into a hug. He smelled like silk and fresh grape leaves, a comforting combination that made me feel slightly better when nothing should have. "It's gonna be okay."
I laid my head on his chest and sighed. I needed to hear those words, even though I knew they weren't true. We stayed like that for a while before I finally muttered, "I can't believe Phrixus is gone."
"Yeah," Dionysus said, stroking my hair absently. "I've heard of having a lethal pussy, but this is kind of extreme."
I gave him a half-hearted shove and he laughed. "Just trying to lighten the mood."
"You're as bad as Loki, I swear," I muttered. "Speaking of which, guess who found the body?"
"No surprise there," Dionysus said casually, reaching into his pocket for something. He popped a small capsule of herbs into his mouth and laid back on my mattress. "He's always skulking around."
"What is that?" I asked.
He pulled out another small blue capsule and handed it to me. "Some new fun thing I got from a friend. Hades sells them. Want one?"
"If it came from Hades, I wouldn't put it anywhere near my mouth, and neither should you," I said, giving it back.
He shrugged and put it back in his pocket. "Gotta pass the time here some way."
"Sorry, is all the murder and mayhem boring you?"
He gave me a lazy smile and whatever was in that pill, I could tell it was already taking effect from his glazed eyes. "Phrixus and Helle used to run them for Hades. Guess he'll have to find new mules now."
"Wait, Hades has a drug ring and Phrixus was involved?" I asked. "This is pertinent information, Di."
He gave me a wary look. "You heard what Odin said. Even if Hades was caught red-handed with the lead pipe in the ballroom, they wouldn't do anything about it. And he wasn't even on campus when it happened."
"That doesn't mean he wasn't responsible."
"Why can I hear the little gears turning in your mind?"
"Because they are," I shrugged. "If the OSTF won't properly investigate Phrixus' death, someone has to."
"And that someone is you?" he asked doubtfully.
"Why not? I'll clear my name in the process."
"Is this about you clearing your name or some weird sense of misplaced guilt for something you had no control over?" he clarified. "Because I was joking about that deadly pussy thing."
"I know that," I mumbled. "And maybe it's irrational, but if his death had anything to do with Hades, it's partly my fault, even if it is indirectly."
"And if it doesn't have anything to do with Hades?"
"Then I'll sleep better at night," I said with a shrug. "Win-win."
Dionysus sighed. "You're already the White Rabbit, Kore. Do you really need to add a murder investigation to your to-do list?"
"The fact that everyone is avoiding me makes me the perfect person to investigate," I shot back.
"How do you figure that?"
"Hades wants to make me invisible. Fine. I'll be so invisible he won't even see me coming."
"That sounds more like someone who's reached a verdict than someone who's beginning an investigation."
"Maybe it does, but they both start in the same place. And it's about time Hades was the one on the defensive for a change."
21
Kore
&nbs
p; The week after Phrixus' death crawled by, but if there was one upside to the atmosphere of doom and gloom that had settled over the Academy, it was the fact that no one really had the energy for bullying.
Helle was gone, and I felt guilty for being relieved by it. Word had it that she was coming back Monday after the funeral, which was hard enough to believe. If my twin brother had been murdered, I sure as hell wouldn't have had it in me to finish the semester.
The twins' absence made training class peaceful, but in the absence of the tension and fighting came an unusual kind of dread. Daphne and I rarely said a word to each other. We both did our part in the training sims that called for cooperation and fought toe-to-toe in the ones that required combat.
Artemis was already starting to talk about forming teams for the Games. As the ranks thinned and groups were split up, it was every man for himself, but compatibility with your teammates in those early rounds could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
If asking Daphne to be my teammate wouldn't put a target on her head, I would have already. We worked well together, and she was the only one at the school other than Dionysus that I was actually beginning to trust.
Ariadne should have been on that list, and while it was a relief to have someone to talk to during a couple of classes who didn't hate my guts, there was still something about her that had me on edge.
At least my days had formed a predictable rhythm. The drollness of it kept me from thinking about Mom and Ares. Even Hades. It seemed like the moment I'd committed to proving his lack of innocence, he'd dropped off the face of the earth. He'd been absent for the last two days of class, and I had half a mind of knocking on his door and telling him that everyone else in the school might have fallen for his bullshit, but I knew the truth and I was going to make him pay one way or another.
Of course, doing so would mean guaranteed expulsion and after my meeting with Odin, I now knew I was on thinner ice than I'd ever imagined. Knowing everyone in school hated me was one thing, but knowing the school itself didn't even want me and my admission was only the result of an act of pity was entirely another.
Even though I was doing better at dodging the day to day harassment, it was hard not to feel a sense of defeat whenever I walked through those halls. Why was I even here? Why not just send me to the Underworld outright and get it over with?
Monday morning came and I found myself relieved to have gone a whole week without experiencing whatever had come over me in the garden. To be fair, I'd had my tear ducts on lockdown just in case that was the cause. Controlling my emotions had never been my strong suit, but there was obviously something in this place of treachery and secrets that made it a necessity.
Whatever it was, I wasn't going to let it happen again. Especially since I feared it had something to do with the reason Odin didn't want me here in the first place.
If I was the banished god's daughter, was I capable of the same horrors that had earned him his eternal punishment?
The Underworld was where most souls feared to tread, but the aether... that was another hell entirely.
As I walked into training class, I was prepared to see Helle. After all, today was the day she was due back. What I wasn't prepared for was to see Hades standing at her side.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I blurted out.
If looks could kill, the one Helle was giving me was a bonafide murder weapon. Hades just responded with that cool, infuriating look. I didn't know where he'd been, but he looked tan and rested. Glad someone was having a nice holiday while the rest of the school mourned one of their own. One I was still all but certain was dead because of him.
"There was another space, and I filled it," he answered. "Is there a problem?"
Everyone was looking at me thanks to my outburst, and the look of disapproval on Thor's face made it clear what my response had to be.
"No," I said through gritted teeth. "No problem at all."
"Good," Thor said. "Then let's not waste anymore time. I understand you're all planning to compete in the Games, is that correct?"
"I'm just in the training course," I protested. "I hadn't come to any decision yet."
Thor frowned, looking down at the paper in his hand. "That's funny, because I have your signature on the sign-up roster."
"Can I see?" I asked, my voice cracking in agitation. Keep it together, Kore.
Thor handed the paper over and sure enough, my signature was on the very bottom of the list. It was a perfect forgery, too. I looked up at Hades, my eyes blazing with accusation.
He just kept smirking, and I knew if I was going to call him out on this latest affront, it would have to be after class. Hopefully this was a combat sim. He was more than due for an asskicking.
"If that's settled, let's get started," Thor said, taking back the paper. "Halcyon, load Arena 1."
The grid flashed and became a picturesque coliseum sitting atop a hillside in the open air.
"One-on-one combat," said Thor, stepping back to give us room as the others descended on the weapons rack. "Choose your weapon and your opponent."
"I choose Hades," I announced before he could weasel his way out of it. I pulled my favorite blade from the rack and held it ready.
Helle and Daphne backed off to begin their own match, and Hades just scowled at me, lazily drawing the closest weapon without even looking. Or at least, that's what he wanted me to think. The katana was far from a bad pick for him, so I doubted he'd just lucked into it.
"Begin," Thor called.
I heard the clash of blades to my right as Helle and Daphne began sparring immediately, but Hades and I were still circling each other.
"This must be strange for you, fighting an opponent head on," I remarked. "You prefer the element of surprise, don't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said boredly, shifting just slightly. It was enough to know he planned to attack and I blocked his sword with my own, pushing him back with enough force to stagger him.
If he thought I was holding back on account of class, he had another thing coming. This was finally my chance, and as the teachers were so fond of saying, "Accidents happen."
"Sure you don't," I scoffed, taking a swing at him while he was open. He blocked it immediately, but I could tell from the irritation in his gaze that it took more effort than he would have liked.
Once we'd each traded blows, the gloves were off. Hades was fast, but not quite as fast as me. What little he lacked in speed, he made up the difference in strength. While I'd managed to block each of his blows so far, each one sent me further back and I quickly realized his plan was to wear me out and force me to cross the boundary. Then I’d lose by default.
It figured he'd go for the most shameful way to beat an opponent, but that pettiness made him predictable. I could use that against him. Every blow we traded was giving me crucial info I'd need to bring him down once and for all.
I even let him think he'd gained the upper hand, overextending my next thrust just to see how he'd compensate. He didn't take the bait like I expected and as I sailed past him, I saw the look of recognition in his eyes.
"If you want to play dirty, I'm more than happy to oblige, but we'll have to take the kid gloves off,” he said. Blue flames burned within his dark eyes, holding the promise of the power he had yet to unleash.
Powers were forbidden in the training room, and I'd been counting on that. I wasn't expecting him to make such a direct challenge, and I looked to Thor as a last hope.
The instructor shrugged. "As long as you're both the only ones in the arena."
I realized Daphne and Helle had stopped sparring to watch us. They quickly moved from the arena and I grimaced, realizing there was no way I could get out of this and save face.
"Is something wrong?" Hades asked smugly. "You're not afraid to use your power, are you?"
He knew. The bastard fucking knew and he was trying to force me to have a meltdown in front of everyone.
So mu
ch for keeping Fenrir's confidence. He obviously didn't feel obliged to do the same.
I gripped the hilt of my blade as tightly as I clenched my jaw and tossed it aside. "Let's go," I said, letting the vines break through my skin and coil around my wrists. As long as I stayed focused, I figured I should be fine. It wasn't the first time I had used my power in a fight, and those were street fights where playing dirty was the expectation, not the exception. If I couldn't take out some preppy goth, who the hell even was I?
I was sick of not knowing the answer to that question anymore. This Academy, this prick in front of me, they were one and the same. Neither of them had a soul, but they were both content to suck in other people's.
I refused to back down anymore. I refused to keep suppressing and filing off the things that made me me.
An arc of blue fire formed around Hades, and twin tongues of it leaped into his palms after he'd discarded his own weapon. I held off, knowing he'd fire first. He couldn't resist.
The moment he did, I rolled to the other side of the arena and let him think he had me on the run. I had a sudden burst of adrenaline and I planned on using it to test the limits of his flame. I soon realized it grew weaker the further the attack had to reach, so I stayed back and danced around, making him expend all his energy just trying to keep up with me.
The look of frustration in his eyes told me it was working. It felt good to be the one pulling the strings for a change.
"Enough," he growled, throwing up a great wall of fire behind me. I barely stopped before I collided with it, but at least now I knew he could mount a stronger attack at a distance when he needed to. "You want to play, or you want to fight?"
"What's the matter? Running out of stamina?" I asked dryly, feeling the vibrations of the vine I'd sent under the ground travel toward him as it broke through the earth. All I had to do was keep him talking long enough. "If you wanted me to finish you off, all you had to do was ask."
