I exhaled. I didn’t realize I’d even been holding my breath.
“Take care of my sister,” I ordered.
With that, I began to walk back to the house.
But before he turned away, I thought I heard Hermes whisper. “I just wish you’d let me take care of you, too.”
CHAPTER FORTY
I didn’t make it far before Justin jumped out at me. I almost screamed. My heart was racing.
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I demanded.
“Sorry,” Justin said stiffly.
“I’m heading back. You should stay here with the others, enjoy your night,” I said.
“It’s a little late for that,” he replied.
I ignored him and kept walking. The night was a bust, and after everything Hermes had unloaded on me, I just wanted to go back to the house and clear my head. The walk back would do me good.
But Justin stepped in my way.
“What is wrong with you?” he demanded.
“Excuse me?” I replied.
“You’re acting crazy all of a sudden,” he said. “Getting drunk. Wanting a wild night out. Avoiding me. Rubbing up against random guys.”
“So, that’s what this is about,” I said. “You’re mad that I danced with some other guy.”
“Of course I’m mad. I’m jealous as hell! Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t that why you did it in the first place? To get me jealous?” he argued.
“No!” I snapped.
“Then why? Why’d you do it?” he pressed.
“I don’t know why!” I replied. “I just did. It didn’t mean anything.”
“It did to me!” Justin shot back.
We glared at each other.
“Look, it’s late. We’re both tired. We can talk about this later,” I said. I was impressed with my own self-control. For once.
“So that’s just it,” Justin said. “You just walk away.”
“That’s it,” I said. “Good night, Justin.”
I kept walking.
“You kissed me!” he yelled.
I should’ve kept walking. But I stopped.
“You kissed me,” he repeated.
“I remember,” I said, turning back to him.
“And that didn’t mean anything to you?” Justin replied. “You just go around kissing guys all the time? Or is kissing like dancing now? It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I don’t have time for this, Justin. We don’t have time for this,” I said. “The Fates are missing. Existence is teetering on the edge of chaos. And you want to talk to me, me who is married, about us kissing?”
“That is such an excuse, and you know it,” Justin said.
I clenched my jaw. “Fine. Yes, I kissed you. And it saved your life. You’re welcome.”
“That’s it? That’s all it was? Nothing else?” Justin pressed. When I didn’t say anything, Justin shook his head. “You’re such a liar.”
“I never lie,” I said through gritted teeth.
“You’re lying to yourself right now,” he said. “You kissed me because you wanted to. And you and I both know it. And nothing you say will change that.”
“Am I the only one who remembers that I’m married?” I demanded.
“He cheated on you!” Justin said. “And he will always cheat on you. How can you let him do that to you?”
“Let him? I don’t let him,” I replied. “And what my husband does is none of your business.”
“Yes, it is,” Justin said. “Because I want you to leave him. Break up with him. Whatever. I want you to be with me.”
“You have no idea what you’re even asking,” I replied.
“Stop fighting for something you don’t even want anymore,” Justin said. “I’m willing to fight for you, Hera. I’ve fought monsters for you.” He looked up and spread his arms to the sky. “I’ll fight Zeus for you.” Then he looked back at me. “And I’ll fight you for you if I have to.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” I said.
“I know you love me. I felt it in the Dreamlands. I hear everything there. Every thought. Every emotion. Even yours,” he said. “You’re in love with me. Whether you admit it or not.”
I said nothing.
But Justin didn’t come this far to let it go now. “You can’t deny it, can you? You said so yourself. You never lie. So just say it, Hera. Say you love me.”
“I never said I didn’t love you,” I replied quietly. “But that wasn’t why I kissed you.”
“So you do love me,” Justin said.
“You just said you know I do,” I replied.
“I want to hear you say it,” he insisted. “Say it!”
“No!” I snapped.
“God, you’re so difficult!” he fumed.
Neither of us said anything for a long time.
Finally, I broke the silence. I was surprised how quiet and gentle my voice was, when inside my emotions were a cyclone. “What exactly do you want from me, Justin?”
“I just want you to . . . let it happen,” Justin said.
“Let what happen?” I replied. “Specifically?”
“Let yourself feel what you’re feeling,” he answered. “Stop fighting for once, and just follow your heart.”
“Mortals. Always following their hearts,” I murmured. “You know, we gave you brains for a reason.” I sighed. “Justin, my heart doesn’t control me. Because it can’t. I have to follow my head. I have lives depending on me. Worlds depending on me.”
“So, what? You’re . . . doomed to be unhappy forever?" Justin asked.
“Maybe I am,” I answered. “And if that’s what it takes, I’m okay with it.”
“Well, too bad, because I’m not," Justin said. “I’m not giving up on us. I never will. I’ll find a way, even if it kills me.”
“I can’t stop you,” I admitted. “But I am going to ask you for a favour. And you’re not going to like it.”
“Damn. This conversation had been going so well for me,” he said.
I smiled. But not for long. I took a deep breath. It seemed like the right thing to do before breaking someone’s heart. “Justin, I think it might be . . . for the best--”
“Don’t,” he interrupted.
“Justin, let me finish,” I said.
“No,” he replied. I’d expected him to be desperate, but he was perfectly calm. “Because if you finish and you break my heart, it’s going to be really hard to save the world with you.”
“Not if you go,” I said.
“Go?” he echoed.
“It was never fair to drag you into this,” I said. “This isn’t even your fight. I think if we both take some time--”
“This is my world, too,” Justin argued. No tears. No anger. Just logic. Such a strange boy.
“Yes, but you shouldn’t have to fight for it,” I said. “That’s what gods are for.”
“But I want to help. I want to fight,” he insisted.
“You’re really not making this easy, are you?” I said.
“How’s it feel?” he countered wryly.
Jokes. I was trying to break up with him, and he was making jokes.
“I’m doing this for your own good,” I said. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“Too late,” Justin said. “But that’s okay. I’m tough. I can take whatever you can dish out. But I’m not leaving. I won’t leave you. Ever.”
“Justin--” I started.
“Look, there’s no way I’m going to let you break up with me when you weren’t even with me in the first place,” Justin said. “So my answer is no. Final answer.”
“Gods, you’re frustrating,” I said.
“Learned from the best,” he replied.
“This is what I get for not doing this sooner,” I muttered.
“Yeah. Big mistake,” Justin agreed. “Guess it’s too late now.”
“I could wipe your mind, you know,” I said.
“Here. Let me do it for you,” he said. He cl
osed his eyes and then opened them. “I take it all back.”
“What?” I demanded.
“I take it all back. The whole loving you thing. I take it back,” he said.
“You can’t just take it back,” I said.
“I just did,” he replied.
“Oh, really?” I said.
“Really,” he said. “What? Me? Love you? No way. You’re gross. I hate you. You have a gross face.”
“You’re impossible,” I sighed.
“I still love you,” he whispered conspiratorially.
“I’m going to go,” I said. “Alone.”
“Right. Need your space. Got it,” he said. “It’s not like I love you and want to be around you all the time.”
“Good!” I shouted back, as I walked away. I was glad he couldn’t see me smiling.
“Good? It’s great! Not loving you is awesome!” he said.
I wasn’t sure exactly how, but if I hadn’t loved him before, there was no pretending anymore: I definitely loved him now.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
As soon as I was out of sight, I ran.
From the smell of sweat and booze and smoke. But mostly from the smell of Justin, from my own confusion.
The night air was crisp and cool. For a second, I felt free.
But somehow my thoughts ran with me. Once again, Justin was inside my head. Just like always. I should’ve been used to it by now.
I’d screwed up. I should’ve sent him away. I should’ve lied and told him I didn’t love him. How could I have let this happen? To me? Me!
Things were spiraling out of control. I ran faster.
What about Zeus? Did I even love him anymore? Had I ever loved him? Had he ever loved me?
I ran faster.
Maybe I still loved him. Maybe I loved them both. Was that better or worse? Or did it not make any difference at all?
I ran and I ran. I wanted speed. I wanted distance. I wanted the wind in my face and the past as far behind me as I could put it. I wanted to run until I was too exhausted to think. Or feel.
No more second guessing. No more doubts. Just running.
When I finally stopped, gasping for air, legs and lungs burning, I didn’t recognize my surroundings.
All of the houses around me were identical clones, on and on as far as I could see. Even the street lamps casting their eerie, pallid glow were indistinguishable. No landmarks to guide me. Nothing familiar.
I was lost. But I could find my way back. There were only so many places to go and I couldn’t have covered that much distance.
I looked up. Maybe Artemis had spotted me leaving the party and followed me. I waited. But Artemis never appeared.
With a sigh, I began walking back the way I’d come. This had already been a long night and it was only getting longer. But at least I had bigger problems than Justin right now.
I heard footsteps behind me. I didn’t turn. No reason to be paranoid. Except that I was constantly being attacked by monsters and there was an insane traitor god who wanted me dead.
I walked faster. The footsteps quickened behind me.
It was too far to the nearest busy street, and the footsteps were too close for me to break into a run without being caught. Enough was enough. No more running.
I spun on my heel. A large, olive-skinned man smiled at me.
“You ssseem lossst,” he said. Drunk. Perfect.
I had a vague feeling that I’d seen him somewhere before. Probably at the party. He must’ve followed me.
I kept my eyes focused on his, just in case.
“I was,” I admitted. “But I’ve found my way.”
“Are you sssure you don’t need help?” he offered. He took a clumsy step forward.
I took a step back.
“That’s okay,” I replied. I kept walking slowly backward, my eyes never leaving his.
“You have the mossst beautiful eyesss,” he told me.
“You have no idea,” I murmured.
And then I hit something. I turned my head. Another man, larger than the first, was behind me. Not good.
I turned back to the first man. “You are going to take your friend and go far away,” I instructed him, channeling my power into my eyes.
“I don’t think ssso, Hera,” he replied, smiling coldly. His tongue flashed out, and I saw its forked end.
A python. It’d shifted to look human. Monsters didn’t need to borrow mortal bodies, like we did--they just transformed themselves to look mortal. An advantage of serving Chaos.
But looking mortal and being mortal were two different things. My powers wouldn’t work on these pythons, regardless of what they looked like on the outside.
“Mother hasss requesssted your presssenssse,” the man behind me whispered in my ear.
He grabbed me. I remembered all too well the crushing strength of the python in Sarah’s apartment. There was no way I could break free.
There was no point fighting.
I lifted my chin defiantly. “Then, by all means, take me to Ekhidna.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
One of the pythons slipped a dark hood over my head and hoisted me into its arms. Soon we were whipping along far faster than any mortal could travel. We must’ve crossed into a cloaked area where they could transform back into their true forms.
The cold night air was painful as it cut through me. We sailed through the night, propelled by their incredible strength. I heard them smash through everything in their way. Then the air changed. Familiar smells disappeared. We’d left town.
I heard splashing, and the air became musty and damp. The smell of foul water made me gag.
Finally, we stopped. The pythons dropped me, and I smacked painfully onto the ground. I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction.
My hood was ripped off. We were in a pipe system of some kind. Row upon row of eggs lined the pipes around me. Every once in a while, one of the eggs would ripple and bulge. I shuddered. Ekhidna had been busy indeed. I lost count of how many eggs there were.
In front of me, there was a massive drop, a sort of artificial waterfall that plunged down into a churning pool far below.
“After you, Hera,” one of the pythons said.
Before I could think of how to escape, one of them shoved me off the edge.
I fell. Just like the Dreamlands and the apartment. But no matter how many times it happened, I still had the same wild terror. My heart beat so hard and so fast, it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. And this time, there was no one to catch me.
I plunged deep into a fetid pool of water so cloudy that almost no light came through. I was completely disoriented. I wasn’t sure whether I was swimming up, toward the air I desperately needed, or whether I was heading deeper into the thick, choking slime.
Something grabbed the back of my shirt and hauled me upward. I broke the surface, gasping. The two pythons beside me laughed.
“Thisss way,” one of them instructed. With a swish of its massive tail, it propelled itself to the edge of the reservoir and pulled itself out.
I followed slowly. I wasn’t nearly as strong as a python, and the slime seemed determined to suck me back under. And I let it. Just enough to buy some time, even a few extra seconds, for the others to come for me.
But a rescue wasn’t likely anytime soon. The others were either asleep at the house or still at the party. No one would look for me for a while. By then, it could be too late.
I was on my own.
One of the pythons grabbed the back of my shirt again and hauled me the rest of the way. When it deposited me by the edge, the other python reached down and lifted me out. I was like a kitten being passed around by the scruff of its neck.
The python dumped me unceremoniously on the hard concrete next to the lake. I winced as I got to my feet, thoroughly soaked and bruised all over. One of the pythons grabbed my wrist and dragged me into a tunnel.
At least this part o
f the pipe network was well-lit, thanks to some jury-rigged electric lamps. The tunnel wound several times, but eventually it opened into a single giant room dominated by a shallow pool of murky water. Rising in the centre was a sort of island formed of dislodged stones, metal scraps, and other debris. And on the island was an imposing throne made of random odds and ends carefully shaped and polished to give a sort of sheen.
There sat Ekhidna.
She was exactly as I remembered her. Beautiful. Dark. Terrible. Her long black hair hung down to where her waist would’ve been, if she were human. But, like pythons, she was a snake from the waist down. Unlike pythons, she had eight arms, each ending in four fingers tipped with razor-sharp claws. Poison dripped from their jagged tips. Her face was ethereal in the midst of the undulating horror of the rest of her: a perfect pale oval with coal black eyes and coal black lips.
“Hera,” she welcomed me. I could hear the rasp of her black coils as she raised herself up from the throne where she’d been lounging.
“Queen Hera,” I corrected her icily. If I gave her an inch now, she’d take a mile.
“Hera,” she repeated.
Well, it’d been worth a try.
She gestured to the pythons near me, and they dragged me closer to the throne, throwing me to the ground at her feet. I boiled with rage, but I did my best to choke it down. I’d make her pay for this. Assuming she didn’t just kill me, of course. Which she probably would.
“I’m ssso glad we have thisss opportunity to talk,” she said, her mocking smile widening.
I tried to get to my feet, but the pythons shoved me back down. It wouldn’t be easy to seem formidable on my hands and knees. But apparently I had no choice.
“I’ve been hearing the mossst dissstresssing rumoursss,” she purred.
I was well within range of her talons. She could easily rip out my throat at a moment’s notice. I tried not to think about it. Fear would only fuel her overwhelming audacity.
She waited for me to say something, but I refused. She’d tell me exactly what she wanted, whether or not I showed any interest.
“Isss it true that wissse Athena and mighty Zeusss are dead?” she crooned.
Hera, Queen of Gods (Goddess Unbound) Page 26
