“So, you want in?” Athena asked. “The program’s still open to new recruits.”
“I don’t know,” Justin admitted. He looked at each of us in turn. Weighing. Considering. I felt nervous, which made me angry. Mortals shouldn’t make me nervous. I should make them nervous.
“Your call,” Athena replied. She was smart enough not to pressure him. She could tell that Justin couldn’t be pushed. He had to find his own way.
“But what’s the worst that could happen?” she continued. “I mean, you’ve already survived one near-death experience. Battled crime. Become a hero. Might as well try being a god.”
My jaw clenched. Justin had saved me. And I appreciated that. I did. But he would never be a god. Mortals had no idea what that even meant. For that matter, few gods did.
Justin looked at me for a long time, so long that I started to shift uncomfortably. But I caught myself. I refused to let him unnerve me. So I forced myself to meet his unblinking, probing gaze.
“Fine, I’m in,” he agreed, never looking away from me. “So, what happens now?”
“Well, we were just about to discuss our mission,” Athena explained. “It’s how you end the program and get back to your regular life. And how you get the swag, of course.”
“Cool,” Justin said. “But shouldn’t I know who I am first? I gotta act the part, right?”
“Right,” Athena said. “The god you’ll be playing.”
I hadn’t really thought this part out. Of course he had to play a god. But a mortal playing a god? Among actual gods? Like he was one of us? Blasphemy.
“Not so fast,” Hermes interrupted. “First, you have to take a vow of secrecy. You can’t talk about our identities or our mission. You can’t talk about the program at all. Not to anybody, unless we all agree to recruit them. Got it?”
“All right,” Justin agreed.
“Nice try,” Athena replied. “Repeat after me. I swear.”
“I swear,” he echoed.
“By the River Styx,” Athena continued.
“By the River Styx,” he repeated.
“To keep everything I have learned and will learn about the gods and their mission secret until it is over,” Athena concluded.
“To keep everything I have learned and will learn about the gods and their mission secret until it is over,” he finished.
Justin stumbled as the weight of the vow crashed down on him. He had no idea what he’d just done. A Stygian vow could never be broken, not even by a god. It was one of the strongest forces in all the worlds. Justin wouldn’t be able to breathe a word to anyone now. I had to hand it to Hermes and Athena. I just wished I’d thought of it first.
“So, who should you be?” Athena wondered aloud.
She looked at me. I shook my head slightly. I was not letting him pretend to be one of us. There were mortals, and there were gods, and that line existed for a reason. We couldn’t afford to forget that. We couldn’t afford to forget who we were and what we were here to do. Existence depended on us. On me.
“You know, there is a god that would suit you,” Athena lied. “But he’s not exactly well-known. The god of secrets and discoveries?”
“Sounds pretty sweet,” Justin admitted. “Who is he?”
“Obscureus,” she answered. That was the stupidest name I’d ever heard.
“Obscureus it is,” Justin agreed.
“Now, back to the mission,” Artemis pressed.
“Which is?” Justin asked.
“We have to find the Fates,” Zeus responded gravely.
“The Fates?” Justin echoed. “Like, the three chicks with the yarn?”
Hermes laughed. I bit my tongue. Literally.
“Goddesses,” he corrected Justin, winking at me. “Hera’s sensitive when it comes to respecting women.”
“Is that why you pissed off the most dangerous guy in school?” Justin asked.
“He had it coming,” I said evenly.
Justin opened his mouth to argue but wisely shut it again. It was like he knew there was no point, like he was getting to know me. The real me.
“So, the Fates have gone missing.” Athena wisely changed the subject.
“Or something,” Zeus rumbled.
“When?” Justin asked.
“Quite recently,” Athena replied vaguely. “We noticed they were missing almost right away.”
“What do you know about the Fates?” Hermes asked.
“The Fates decide everyone’s destiny,” Justin recalled.
“Yes,” Athena answered. “Clotho spins the thread of life. Lachesis measures how much life everyone gets. And Atropos cuts the thread.”
“So if they’re missing, what happens?” Justin responded.
Silence.
“The short version? Chaos,” Hermes explained finally. “Instead of things going according to plan, it’s all random.”
“So . . . what? You’re telling me when the Fates were around, everything happened for a reason?” Justin asked skeptically.
“Not every little thing,” Hermes admitted. “Not even some of the big things. But the general flow, yes. There was a direction. Order. And without the Fates, the divine design unravels.”
“What about the gods?” Justin pointed out. “Can’t we keep things in line?”
“We can intervene, but there are limits,” Hermes answered. “Rules. We call them the Necessity. A force that existed even before the gods. We figure it keeps Order and Chaos balanced. Keeps the struggle between the two from tearing existence apart.”
“Think of it like gravity,” Athena suggested. “Something that is just because it is. And always has been. And always will be.”
“You see, there’s a certain amount of balance that needs to be kept,” Hermes continued, “between order and chaos. We gods can’t risk disrupting that. Especially since we can’t always predict the results of our actions, or even which things we need to interfere with. Sometimes big things seem to matter but really don’t, and small things don’t seem to matter but really do.”
“But the biggest issue is free will,” Athena finished. “The Necessity states that all living things must be free to make their own decisions.”
“Why?” Justin pressed.
“Do we have time for this?” I demanded. I could almost feel existence starting to veer off course. Inch by inch, second by second. It grated against my nerves like the whine of a mosquito in my ear.
“Hera’s right. We don’t have a lot of time. To make a very long story short: in order for life to be . . . well, life, people need to make their own decisions,” Hermes replied. “Mortals need to choose what to believe and how to run their lives. If they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are gods, there’d be no free will. People would use gods as a crutch and never think or do anything for themselves.”
“All right, so there’s this big divine plan, and without the Fates, everything hits the skids,” Justin said. “So, how do we find them? How do you know they’re even in town? They could be anywhere in the world.”
“We had ways of finding information while we were in the Heavens,” Athena explained. “Auguries. Kinda like Google for gods. We know the Fates are close, but there’s a sort of mystical cloud over this town that blocks out the Heavens. It keeps us from seeing or sensing the exact location of the Fates. Which is why we came down in mortal form. To search for them the hard way.”
“The Fates wouldn’t willingly abandon their duties,” I chimed in. “They’re single-minded. Implacable.” Looking around, I wished that more gods shared that particular trait.
“So, you’re saying someone . . . kidnapped them?” Justin replied. “How’s that even possible?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out,” I said. “And then make sure it can never happen again.”
Justin considered everything he’d just heard. Then he broke into a wide grin. “So, when do we start?”
CHAPTER SIX
“I think it might’ve been a mist
ake to tell him,” I worried.
Flanked by Athena, Artemis, and Demeter, I walked through the forest, taking a shorter path home. Well, to the home of my mortal body. I preferred the solitude of the woods to the crowded, noisy streets. And I wanted a chance to talk privately.
I shouldn’t have been worried. I’d wanted to protect Justin, in return for him protecting me. And I’d done that. But I couldn’t get him out of my mind. His big, brown eyes. Watching. Calculating. Deducing.
“There wasn’t a lot of choice,” Athena pointed out. “And I still think we can use him.”
“We’re really pinning our hopes on a mortal?” I countered. “The hopes of all existence? We’re gods, for Heavens’ sakes!”
I wasn’t usually so open. Usually, I repressed my doubts. I handled everything privately until I made my decision. Then I committed. I never re-considered. I never looked back.
But things were different now. The stakes had never been higher. Order was threatened. Chaos loomed. My duty, my purpose, was to stop this very thing from happening. And I would. Somehow.
“We’re limited in these mortal bodies,” Athena reminded me. “They can’t contain our full power. One power each. That’s all we could take with us from the Heavens. And honestly, it might not be enough. But with a mortal as our guide, our chances are that much better.”
Athena was right. As usual. Coming to the mortal world required us to borrow mortal bodies. The sheer power of appearing in our real forms would incinerate everything around us. But our priests and priestesses were few and far between these days, which was why Athena had invented a way to trick mortals into performing the ritual that would allow us to inhabit their bodies. We called it “the game.”
The game had changed, as time and culture evolved. But one thing was always true: any mortal will play a game as long as the prize is right. Money. Success. Lovers. Power. Mortals had an endless list of desires, and that gave us an endless number of openings whenever we needed them.
“Being in mortal bodies gives us their memories but not their insight,” Athena continued. “Their way of looking at things. Take Justin. You must have sensed it, too. He’s . . . special.”
The fact that even Athena couldn’t be more specific spoke volumes. Justin was a mystery, even to her. And almost nothing was a mystery to her. Intriguing.
“Trust me. Telling Justin was the right move. He’s going to be a big help. I’m sure of it,” Athena said.
“Who knows? Maybe the Fates sent him to us. To help us find them,” Demeter suggested.
“If the Fates still had any power, they’d free themselves,” I pointed out. “They wouldn’t need us to find them.”
The breeze shifted then, and I sensed the change in Artemis and Athena instantly. Gone were the goddesses. Now they were warriors.
“Get back!” Athena shouted, her eyes scanning ahead, searching for something that I couldn’t even begin to guess at. Artemis had already vanished into the woods.
I grabbed Demeter’s arm and pulled her behind Athena.
It was then I heard the growling. Not quite human, not quite animal--but somehow familiar.
Crashing through the woods, knocking aside several small trees, came a half-man, half-bear. It looked like a centaur, but it was bigger than a car, and even its human torso was covered in thick, stinking fur. It had a snout and a huge maw filled with row upon row of razor-sharp fangs. It lifted its twisted head and let out a roar that I not only heard, but felt. The sheer fury and force of it almost knocked me over.
The beast leapt, sailing over Athena and landing in front of Demeter and me.
It lunged, jaws wide, claws out. But Demeter gestured, and tree branches wove into a wall in front of us.
The beast slammed into the wooden shield, shattering it into splinters and throwing both Demeter and me backward. We hit the ground hard, but we were still alive.
Athena was on the beast fearlessly. She’d grabbed a pair of sticks, and she brutally pounded on the beast. But her blows didn’t even faze it. It swung at her with both arms. She ducked and smashed her sticks against the beast one last time before rolling behind it. But it spotted where she landed and kicked out with its back legs, catapulting Athena into the woods and out of sight.
The beast swung back to Demeter and me. Its maw twisted into a hideous grin. It tensed, ready to lunge at us again. But Artemis dropped from the trees, screaming a war cry. She landed on the beast’s back, driving a branch as deeply as she could into the creature.
The beast roared in agony, rearing up to shake Artemis from its back and trample her. But she hung on with an unbreakable tenacity. Weaponless, she pounded the beast with her fists. But even Artemis’s ferocity couldn’t hold out forever against such size and strength. The beast managed to reach back and grab her in one of its massive paws and hurl her off. She sailed through the air, but twisted into a roll when she landed. She was back on her feet in no time, but she had been thrown too far for her to stop the beast from coming at Demeter and me.
I was no battle goddess, and my powers were useless against animals. This beast, though part man, had just enough animal to make it immune to my control, and Demeter could only control plants.
Don’t fight. The thought came out of nowhere. It made no sense. I ignored it.
I could shove Demeter aside. It might give her enough time to run if the beast attacked and fed on me. Well, on my mortal body. But it might not. The beast could just kill me and then turn and attack her.
It was a gamble. But it was the best I could do.
Don’t fight. Delay. Remember who you are.
The thoughts hammered at me in rapid succession with almost painful force. It was then I looked up and saw Athena. She was struggling through the trees, trying to get back to us, eyes fixed on me, never wavering.
Don’t fight. Delay. Remember who you are.
The beast reared, ready to stomp down on Demeter and me. It’d crush us under its paws like insects.
I drew myself up to my full height. I summoned all the fury and majesty with which I’d cloaked myself for millennia, authority that had cowed gods and terrified mortals since time began. “How dare you! ON YOUR KNEES BEFORE THE QUEEN OF GODS!”
The beast paused. It actually paused. For a second.
A second was all Artemis needed. She summoned her power, driving it into every cell of her body. With a scream that became a roar, she swelled, fur exploding along her skin. Now an enormous bear, she barreled towards the beast with five hundred pounds of muscle and fury behind her.
It was too late. The second had passed. The beast swiped at me with its massive forepaw. I slammed into a tree and collapsed. Somewhere, someone screamed.
I could barely manage to turn my head. But I saw her. Demeter. She was still alive. But her face poured sweat. She shook with effort. Only then did I notice plants twisting around the beast’s legs, dragging it away from her, jaws snapping inches from her face. Artemis reared and smashed down on the beast with her front paws. It crumpled to the ground. Athena was on it in an instant, smashing its face again and again and again.
Demeter felt my gaze. “You’re alive!” she cried tearfully.
If she said anything else, I didn’t hear it. The blackness, which had slowly been seeping into the edges of my vision, finally claimed me, and my world went dark.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I awoke with a start. My eyes flew open, and I gasped loudly. I tried to turn to see who was nearby, but I couldn’t move. The feeling was terrifying.
“You’re awake!” I’d recognize my sister’s voice anywhere.
“Lucky me,” I croaked.
“Have some water,” Athena suggested.
Her serene face bobbed into view above mine, and I felt her press something cool against my lips. I tried to sip, but all I could do was open my lips slightly. She did the rest, tipping the glass back. Most of the water went down my chin, not my throat. It was humiliating beyond words. Still, I drank thirstily. I had never
tasted anything so good in my life.
The pain was everywhere. It swallowed me up, paralyzed me--and, worst of all, I didn’t know what to do, how to make it go away. I felt helpless. I fought back angry tears. At least I still had my temper. I clung to it like a life preserver.
Athena put something bitter in my mouth and tipped back more water. Whether I wanted to or not, I was swallowing. I was strangely disappointed when there was no immediate effect. Just the bitter taste. And the pain.
“I am begging you to let me call the hospital.” Justin’s face now appeared over mine. His genuine concern caught me off-guard. I was speechless.
Athena shook her head as imperceptibly as she could.
“No,” I said weakly.
“You’re hurt,” Justin pointed out. “Badly.”
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Athena lied.
She did it so well, I almost believed her. But she couldn’t quite keep her eyes from wandering back to my injuries.
“You’re not a doctor,” Justin snapped.
I’d never seen him angry before. He was unexpectedly intense. He wasn’t a big guy, but I could tell from his tone that there was a surprising amount of strength in him that I’d never seen before.
He looked down at me again, his big, brown eyes searching mine. I looked away. I didn’t trust that I could hide the truth from his penetrating gaze.
“Screw this! I’m calling the hospital,” he growled.
He disappeared, and I knew I had to act quickly.
“Don’t,” I tried to call out, but my voice was a whisper.
“Just wait until the boys arrive,” Athena spoke quickly. “I promise you can call anyone you want after that. They’ll be here any second. I swear.”
Athena was troubled. I could see it in her grey eyes. Zeus’s eyes. Maybe her wisdom was more of a curse than I realized. To be able to think so much faster than everyone else, and about so much more. All the time. Never being able to turn it off. Like being in a room with a hundred people shouting at her all at once. Or maybe a thousand, or ten thousand. It was a miracle she hadn’t lost her mind by now. I felt a sudden sympathy for her, something I’d never felt for her before.
Hera, Queen of Gods (Goddess Unbound) Page 4
