“I doubt your solution will appease us all, but you’re welcome to try.”
Selene takes a deep breath, but before she can start to speak, she notices the way Achlys is watching me. Her black, haunted eyes bore into mine, and I can’t look away, even though I’m tempted to turn around, run away, and never look back. She holds me in place, and I try to fight the trembling in my hands.
“You’re scared of me, little daughter of Selene.”
“I have every right to be. You killed me once before, remember?”
“Yes, I remember that quite well.” She looks at Selene and frowns. “The dead should stay dead, always. You shouldn’t have brought her back.” Her lips tilt up into a dangerous smile. “I shall enjoy killing her again.”
Selene’s eyes narrow. “You will not touch any of my children ever again, Achlys.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be pitching us this solution?” Bendis asks, flinging a strand of long hair out of her eyes. “I grow weary of your petty feuds, especially when they’re over a puny vampire with no discernable skills whatsoever.”
Selene takes a deep breath to calm herself, and begins. “Nobody in this fight is willing to give up their claim to the moon, but we might be able to all work together. We could create a sort of prayer rotation, where one goddess is celebrated for a certain amount of time, and then the next, and then the next, and so on. What do you think, Achlys? As much as I hate the thought of giving up my hold on the moon, I will do it if is spares the lives of my chosen children.”
There’s a moment of silence, before all of the other moon goddesses burst out laughing. Artemis alone remains silent, and she looks more thoughtful than insane. I can tell she’s taking Selene’s idea seriously, and that gives me a bit of hope. If she agrees to it, she might be able to convince the others to give it a chance.
Finally, after a few minutes, Achlys stops laughing and glares at Selene. “Bargaining like this is the last sign of the nearly defeated. You know you can’t possible win this fight and you’ve come to deal. Well, I won’t stand for it. I’ll have the entire moon, or there won’t be anyone left to worship you. Now, get out, before I destroy you.”
Pandia’s hands begin to tremble, and I reach for her. She pulls out of my grip, and glares at the other goddesses. “What is the matter with you? How can you be so careless with the lives on Earth? Are you so disgusting that you would really slaughter every man, woman, and child down there just for a little recognition?”
Achlys’ entire body shakes, and I know things are about to get ugly. Before I can get my bow back up, Achlys is flying at Pandia, knocking her to the ground. I don’t stop to think. I just hurl myself onto her back, take my dagger out of my boot, and stab it directly into Achlys’ back, right between her shoulder blades.
She shrieks and bucks me off her back. The wind is knocked from my lungs as I hit the ground, and she hauls me up by the front of my shirt. I can see all the others locked in battle around the cave, and I know I’m on my own. “You’re going to pay for that,” Achlys promises, before slamming me into the wall hard enough to crack a rib.
Before my feet even touch the ground, she’s picking me up again, and throwing me across the cave. My head snaps against the wall, and my vision begins to blur. But thanks to my rapid healing, my vision clears, and I just have time to stand up before the evil goddess of eternal night is on me again, wrapping her hand around my throat.
I slice open her wrist with my dagger, and she cries out, dropping me to the cave floor. I somersault past her, stabbing her in the calf as I roll by. As I get to my feet, her hand grips my short hair and yanks, ripping some of it out by the roots. I cry out, and I hear Kaven shout my name.
He’s busy helping Pandia fight Bendis, and I don’t know if he’ll be able to get to me in time to help. I’m on my own, like usual, and I’ll just have to outsmart her like I did Hades.
Achlys and I circle one another, each eyeing the other up with a wary eye. She’s nursing her wrist, which has just started to heal, and her calf is still bleeding profusely. “I see Selene decided to properly arm you this time.”
Bendis cries out. “Kaven has them too,” I say proudly. “We’re not as helpless or worthless as you think we are. I did battle with Hades, and I managed to outsmart him. What makes you think I can’t do the same to you? You’re stupider, and not nearly as powerful as the Lord of the Underworld. What makes you think you even stand a chance against me this time?”
Just like I hoped she would, Achlys shrieks, and lunges at me with blind rage. I pivot to the side, slamming the dagger up to the hilt into her chest. It easily slides between her ribs, piercing a lung, and her entire body begins to crumple as she wheezes for her next breath.
Achlys vanishes in a burst of silver light, and I see three other lights scattered around the cave. When I turn around, I see a triumphant looking Kaven and Pandia giving each other high-fives, and I smile. “They’re gone.”
“We chased them away, for now,” Selene says. “They’ll be back anytime, probably with some of their reinforcements. Let’s not be here when they return. Besides, we have much to discuss now that the war is a one hundred percent certainty.”
We all join hands, and we vanish from the cave in a fifth burst of silver light.
“How did it go?” Tara asks.
“It didn’t,” I say, plopping down in the grass beside her. “They laughed at Selene’s idea, and then we got into a huge fight. I managed to seriously injure Achlys, but she’s definitely not dead–just pissed off. And now she knows that I’m not the same little girl she fought and killed in that graveyard.”
Pandia sighs. “I’m sorry, Mother. I let my temper get the better of me, and I made a bad situation even worse. I hope you can forgive me.”
Selene hugs her daughter. “You were upset about what they did to you–anyone would be. Just try to do a little more thinking ahead in the future. We can’t afford to make such careless mistakes anymore. Now that the fate of Earth rests in our hands, we have to all keep our heads up, and do what needs to be done.”
“We have to return home,” I say. “We have to prepare Jillian and Carlos for the war. It’s going to take place on Earth, and I’m sure the other Protectors will jump at the chance to be of real service directly to their goddess. While we’re gone, you should see if you can’t destroy the supplies for that army. If they have no weapons or food, they won’t be able to cross over.”
Selene nods. “I agree. Austin, I want you to take you and your group home. When you’ve warned Jillian and Carlos of the impending war, and what type of creatures they’ll be facing, I want the six of you to return. You’ll be able to help Pandia recruit warriors for our cause when she’s done helping us with some sabotage.”
Pandia hugs us all quickly. “Take care.”
Austin scrunches his face in concentration, and a portal begins to slowly form. While he’s busy making it larger and more defined, I face Selene. “I’m sorry things are working out the way they are. I know you didn’t want this war to happen. Hopefully it can be stopped before too much is lost.”
She sighs. “I don’t think that will be the case, Kylie, but I hope you’re right.”
“Hey, Selene, I’ve been wondering something for some time, and I just never got a chance to ask. Where did all of these mythological creatures come from? Weren’t they originally on Earth or something? In all the ancient Greek stories, they had regular contact with humans. So why are they here in the Immortal Realms?”
“It was Zeus’ doing. Mankind has always been his favorite event. He likes watching humans, he likes sleeping with human women, and he likes meddling in the lives of humans. In order to make more room for mankind, Zeus had all of the mythical beasts of Greek legend locked away in the Immortal Realms. They’ve been resentful and trying to escape ever since. Those are the beings Achlys will recruit for her army, and they’ll love the chance to get back at someone. Does that answer your question?”
I nod. “Than
ks. Now I really know who we’re fighting against.” I turn to Austin. “You got that portal working yet?”
He nods, and wipes sweat from his brow. “Will it always take me so long?” he asks Selene. “Not that I mind having to wait a little bit for such an amazing gift!”
She smiles. “No, with practice, your gift will get easier to control.”
I think of something else before we leave, and I turn to face her. “How long have you suspected this war might happen? Because every one of their gifts have come in handy since they got them. Tara’s mind-reading, Morgan’s invisibility, Chloe’s healing, and Austin’s portal to the Immortal Realms. Did you know?”
“I’ve had a feeling for some time that not everything was alright. Achlys has been angry for a very long time, and I hoped that with the right group of people, war might be avoided. Now I see that not even the gods could have stopped this. Now, you should go. Austin won’t be able to keep that portal open forever.”
My last view of Selene is of her worried face, before I’m stepping into the portal, and landing in a heap in front of Jillian’s childhood home. Everyone picks themselves up out of the dirt, and brushes off their clothes.
“Well, who wants to be the one to tell Jillian the bad news?” I ask, wiping dirt off my butt. “She’s gonna be so disappointed and worried.”
“I think we should all just go inside and do it,” Tara says. “The faster we get it out the longer we have to help her plan, and the sooner we can get back to Selene and the others.”
We find Jillian and Carlos in the dining room with the few Protectors that decided to stay. She jumps up eagerly when she sees us, but that quickly turns to confusion and sadness when we tell her about everything that transpired since we left only days ago. She listens and, when we’re done explaining, she frowns. “So there’s to be a war after all?”
I nod. “I’m sorry, Jillian. We tried to stop it, but these other goddesses just have a plan for everything. And now Selene, Hecate, and Pandia are trying to destroy the weapons and supplies for Achlys’ army. If we can delay their crossing, we might be able to keep the war in the Immortal Realms, but Selene wants you to be prepared just in case.”
“What do we have to be prepared for?” Carlos asks.
Kaven takes over. “Well, we know for certain they have ogres on their side. They’re big, kind of slow, and not to mention stupid. Selene said they’ll usually attack fighters on both side of the war, so you’ll wanna keep a good distance away from them. Archers will probably work to our advantage in this case.
“There are also sirens. They’re the beautiful, naked women that sing a song which lures men to their deaths. I’m not sure how we’ll be able to fight so many of them, since only women aren’t affected by their singing, and Kylie is our only female Protector. They could cause a potentially devastating amount of damage to our fighters.”
Carlos nods. “We’ll come up with a way to combat the sirens. Perhaps we can begin training some of the female residents how to shoot a bow. They might not be great at it by the time the war happens, but they’ll do.” He looks at Jillian. “Bring as many female volunteers here as you can, and we’ll begin training. Now, what else are we up against?”
Chapter Seventeen
While Kaven fills Carlos in on the rest of the enemies we’ll most likely be facing, I slip away from the dining room. Now is not the time to be worrying about something that would seem so unimportant to others, but I have to do this now, while I still have a chance. If I wait to tell my mother I love her and forgive her, I might never get a chance to do it. How many people even get a second chance, let alone a third?
I leave a note for Tara in the room she stayed in before I returned, and then I jump out the window, landing gracefully on the front yard. It’s nearly noon. I hope she’s home. I really wanna say goodbye to her before we leave for the Immortal Realms again. She needs to know that I’ve forgiven her for Harry and everything else, and most importantly, she needs to know that I love her.
I run as fast as I can, making sure to stick to the shadows and back alleys. When I move faster than the human eye can follow, I can’t afford to be noticed. That and everyone in town thinks I killed myself or something, just like Tara. If they see me walking around now, I’ll probably cause mass hysteria. And considering what’s about to come to Earth, mass hysteria is not what the townspeople need right now.
Even with how fast I can run, it still takes me almost a full hour to make it home. When I reach my street, I duck behind the nearest tree, and wait until I’m sure the coast is clear. Then I zip across the lawns, jumping fences and pools, until I reach my front gate.
There’s a moment of hesitation, before I throw open the front gate, race up the front steps, and knock on the door. I shift nervously back and forth, and I can’t wait any longer. I open the front door and run inside, searching left and right for my mom. I find her slumped over the living room coffee table with a bottle of what looks like vodka in her hands.
I clear my throat, and her eyes slowly open a bit. When she sees me, her eyes widen, and she sits up slowly. Her hair is in a messy bun at the base of her neck, and it looks like there are strands of gray I haven’t noticed before. But the most astonishing differences from the woman I knew before I “died” are the lines around her eyes and mouth. She looks nearly ten years older since the last time I saw her in person.
“Kylie?” Her voice is little more than a hoarse whisper, and she drops the bottle on the floor. Then she moans, and drops her head into her hands. “No, stop it!”
“Mom.” I rush forward, gently grab her wrists, and pull them away from her face. “It’s me. I’m here.”
Her eyes–the same shade of blue as my own–stare into mine. They seem glassy and unfocused, but I know she recognizes me, she just can’t believe that I’m really here right now. I’ll have to prove I’m not a ghost or whatever else she thinks I am.
She stares at her hands, which are still in mine, and she frowns. “Mom, it’s really me. I’m not dead,” I say, forcing her to look at me. “I’m still alive; I just wanted you to know.”
She bursts into wild, uncontrollably sobs, and throws her arms around my neck. For a minute, I just hold her while she cries into my shoulder, and I pat her back nervously. I’ve never seen my mother like this in person, and it’s starting to freak me out just a little.
She hiccups, and pulls away long enough to look me in the eyes. “You’re really here,” she says in wonder. “I can’t believe it. I’ve dreamed of this every night since Tara visited me.” Her eyes harden. “Why did she tell me that you were dead?”
“Because I was,” I say, defensive of Tara. “I died just like Tara said I did, but my goddess allowed me to come back to everyone I care about. My friends needed me. I just wanted you to know that I’m alright, and that I heard everything you said to Tara when she told you. I love you, Mom.”
She hugs me again. “How is this possible? Tara said you died a hero, and in the service of your loving goddess, and that your soul was at peace. She just let you come back?”
“No, I had to earn my body back. But that’s not important. What’s important is the reason I came back. Mom, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but there are more goddesses than the one I serve. These other goddesses are evil, and they’re going to attack Earth soon. You need to get out of the area, and go someplace safe. Can you do that without telling anyone what’s gonna happen?”
“Kylie, what in the world are you talking about?”
“Mom, these evil goddesses are going to cross over from their Realm, and they’re going to destroy everything in sight. You cannot be here when that happens. My friends and I are going to try and stop them, but if we can’t, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Kylie, what makes you think you can stop them? Aren’t the gods supposed to be powerful and impossible to kill?”
“With the right weapons–which I have–they can be killed. I have the training, and I’ve fought t
hem before. Mom, listen to me, don’t worry about me. We have a chance to stop a lot of innocent people from being slaughtered, but I don’t wanna go into this fight worrying about you. It’ll get either me or someone I care about killed. You have to be safe when this war starts.”
She nods, but she still looks confused. “What is this war even about?”
“The moon. These are moon goddesses that don’t like being ignored. Selene is the most highly worshipped of the moon goddesses, and they don’t like that. Mom, these evil goddesses are bringing a bunch of creatures with them from their Realm. Things like sirens, ogres, and minotaurs. I just want to know that you’re safe. So please, pack some things, and leave.”
“What about you?” she asks with a frown. “You’re crazy if you think I’m just going to leave while my daughter fights in some war. You’ve already died twice on me, I’m not going to let it happen a third time, Kylie. I want you to come with me. This isn’t your fight, and you don’t need to be here for this.”
“Yes, Mom, it is my fight. I’m a Protector, and my job is to make sure Tara is safe above all else. If I have to die to ensure that, I’ll do it.” I take a deep breath and look at her. “Mom, I’m not the same girl that died on my bedroom floor. I’ve gotten stronger, both physically and mentally. I know what I am, and I know what my role in life is. I have to fight this war. It’s my destiny.”
As strange and cliché as it sounds, it’s the truth, and I know it. This is what I was born to do, and Selene saw that. That’s why she chose me. Not to become a vampire, not to protect Tara, but to fight alongside her in this war. She chose me to stop countless people from being mercilessly killed. Even before I became a fledgling, she thought something like this might happen, and she wanted to be ready for it.
She sighs. “I don’t understand, but I trust you to know what you’re talking about. I’ll go stay with a friend of mine in the next state over. I’ll tell her that with everything that’s happened lately I just needed to get away from the bad memories.”
Protector (Daray Hall #2) Page 14
