Metis strolled down the path toward me as I reached the top stair. “Kalimera. I thought I’d find you down here.” She braided her wavy blond hair over her right shoulder. Her bicep strained against the brass armlet snaking around her upper arm. “It’s still hard to believe I’m here at Mount Olympus Prep. And even harder to believe that I, an Oceanid and Titaness, fell for an Olympian.”
“Talk about lions and tigers co-mingling,” I quipped.
“I’m certain Mother and Father will disown me. It’s not like they don’t have hundreds more children—”
“I think they already have. They want none of us to return. I always knew I was a land animal trying to swim in their ocean, but I really wish they didn’t treat you like that.”
“Every parent … isn’t.” She sighed. “I’m just glad I have you.”
I bent my head slightly downward to kiss her.
She jerked her head back. “Umm, have you turned down the voltage since last night?”
“Only one way to find out.” I drew close to her again.
She leaned in, then teased her head backward—just out of reach—and bit her lip. I took her face in my hands and brought her close, lightly brushing her lips with my own.
“Feel anything?”
“Nope,” she said defiantly.
I narrowed my eyes flirtatiously, and then moved in more aggressively and crushed my lips on hers. Her body tensed. Her head half-jerked backward without losing contact with my lips, and then she melted into me. I loved the taste of her, tempestuous and briny.
Reluctantly, I pulled back so as not to draw Headmistress’s ire with overt public displays of affection on campus. “Any kind of jolt? Guess not, if you kissed me like I was your last meal.”
“Oh yeah, there was a jolt alright. A strong one.” Her facial features softened. “I just gave in to it.” Her skin glowed. “You ready for first day of classes?” she asked, changing the subject.
“I am ready for classes. New day. New term.” I held her at arm’s length. “New girlfriend …”
She laughed. “Is that what I am now?”
“Who said I was talking about you?”
She wrinkled her nose and punched me straight in the shoulder. “Too true.” She smoothed down the front of her white tunic, picking at the stitching in the gold trim. “I heard Menoetius was enrolling here at Mo Prep this term as well. Mmm, those –”
“Don’t you dare …” My blood warmed hearing his name on her lips. “By the way, you’re—”
“I thought you weren’t talking about me.” Metis propped her hands on her hips.
I rolled my eyes.
Loud cawing and squawking behind us sounded like a bird’s nest was about to fall on our heads. Startled, I turned. A wedge of twenty or so swans plus a flight of doves shot past the Cloudwell, pulling a chariot with two women on the back. The chariot turned around in the air and swiftly descended toward level ground just above the Cloudwell’s first step.
The taller woman held fast the reins that tethered the forward flock. The ropes extended over the giant seashell front of the chariot basket. Once they stopped, the shorter woman … girl, actually, stepped off the back. Her skin tone matched that of golden honey. Puffs of dark chestnut brown, loosely curled hair bulged on either side of her head. She sauntered toward us like she owned the Cloudwell and we paid her to use it.
“Where’s Rhea?” the tall woman asked, flipping her silvery-bluish-green fishtail braid from one shoulder to the other.
The curly-haired girl slid her fingers over her bare shoulder and spoke in a sultry tone. “Are you gonna close your mouth … or are you gonna answer the question?”
I caught myself, but apparently not soon enough, gauging by the knot forming on my arm from where Metis punched me.
“Are you new to MO Prep?” I asked.
“Boy, you’re quick.” The girl shifted her weight from leg to leg, emphasizing the clinginess of her seafoam green chiton dress.
“And your name is …” the woman asked me.
I stood straighter. “Zeus, at your service.”
“Not hardly,” the girl quipped in a smooth voice. Her hair was pulled severely away from her face toward the puffs, with a distinct part down the middle. Leather restraints held the bushy hair in place. “But you can be a good boy and find your headmistress for us. In other words … make yourself useful.”
Sheesh. This girl had more needles than a porcupine. Still, I wanted to please her for some reason. “I’ll go find Rhea for you.”
I turned to begin my quest. I’d gotten five steps away when the new girl’s voice sailed into my ears from behind.
“You just gonna leave us standing here? The least you could do is be a gentleman and offer to let us tag along with you.”
“Do they have no hospitality training for foreign dignitaries here at this school?” the woman asked. “Where is your decorum, young boy? I am Psamanthe, Headmistress of Kithira Lower Academy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said. “I must’ve left my manners in the bathhouses this morning. Follow me.” I shot Metis a glance before turning again. She was not pleased. I even questioned my motives, but kept leading the way, reflexively.
“I went to Kithira,” Metis said to the woman. “Are you the new headmistress?”
“Quite …” the woman replied.
Rhythmic crunch of shale and pebbles under foot provided steady cadence through the silence. We passed the quad on the left, then split between the Megaron and the sunken theatre on the right. Eventually, we wound around to the ornately carved, wooden doors that guarded the headmaster’s office. Well, Headmistress’s office now.
“Thank you so much,” the new girl said. “Run along now.” Both guests stepped inside the office and disappeared once the doors closed behind them.
Metis and I walked back around the corner of the Megaron toward the quad. I turned to her. “What in Tartarus was that?”
“You mean whom?” She glared at me with fire in her gaze.
“No. I mean what.”
Metis sucked her teeth and continued braiding her blond curls off her shoulders. “Well, you couldn’t keep your eyes off her. Sooo …”
“Weird, huh? It’s like I was compelled … or something.” I drew a deep sigh and shook my head. “Well, I—”
“Weird isn’t the word I’m thinking of.” She glowered at me. “You’d do well to regulate yourself. I’m not putting up with Atlas Part II. I refuse to do it.” Metis stormed off.
“Wait,” I called. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened back there.” I caught up to Metis and embraced her. “Please …”
Metis didn’t hug me back. Her body remained rigid. She looked into the distance and sniffled. “Don’t let it happen again.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Hestia ambled down the trail from the other direction in a bright orange tunic. Leather straps on her sandals wrapped around her legs up past her calves. Sunlight peeked from behind a cloud, haloed her crown of auburn hair, and a golden ray followed her like a personal lighthouse blaze. “What kind of trouble are you two stirring up, huh?” The temperature on the quad warmed slightly. “You all look so stinkin’ cute together. Metis, I’m so glad you finally left Atlas. Zeus is a far better choice. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother.” Tia’s smile broadened, reaching her thin almond-shaped eyes.
Metis looped her arm through mine and squeezed my arm. “Yeah, I think I’ll keep him.” She threw a sidelong glance at me. “For now. Maybe.”
Tia stopped right in front of us. Her cheer vanished. Her celestial green eyes darkened. She gazed directly toward Metis. “I’m willing to let the water go under the bridge about the drama you brought to our campus last term. But if you have more shenanigans planned, you will feel the full wrath of the students here. Understand?”
Metis nodded with a soft, knowing smile. “I deserved that. I did. But trust me, there is no one
who has this guy’s back more than I do. And I love being a part of the extended family.”
“Just so you know, I was actually pulling for you two. You can ask Meter.” Tia stepped forward and embraced Metis. The skin on her arms around Metis’ neck glowed like sun-warmed sand. “I’m glad you’re here. And as such, we must be off. It’s day one of classes. Headmistress Rhea won’t tolerate tardiness.”
“I know.” I remembered how volcanic Professor Phoebe was when Poseidon and Hades showed up late to Shapeshifting last term.
“We’re right behind you, Tia.” Metis bumped me with her hip. “Though, we may soon have someone else to deal with.”
Tia stopped cold. “What? Who?”
“Some new girl that just arrived this morning,” Metis said. “Came on a chariot led by swans and doves.”
“By what, you say?” Tia asked. “Doves and swans?”
I nodded. “Mm-hmm.”
“What’s her name?”
Metis and I both shrugged. “She’s in with Headmistress now.”
“Hmmm …” Tia pursed her lips. “Does she seem nice?”
“I’m not quite sure nice is the best descriptor,” Metis said. “Though she is that.”
I finished her thought. “More like, ummm … straightforward.”
“Straightforward, I can deal with.” Tia adjusted the flower blossom over her right ear.
Tia led the way around the side of the gymnasium. Her orange tunic rippled in the gentle breeze. I slid my palm over Metis’ and threaded my fingers with hers. She leaned into me while we walked.
As we reached the center of the yard, with the Megaron Hall to our right, a sudden explosive sound rose to our left. The wooden doors to the gymnasium flew open as if a tidal wave of force had blown them wide. Through the doorway strolled broad-shouldered Poseidon and Amphitrite, who looked pretty lithe and athletic. The perfect girlfriend for Don.
Don called back over his shoulder, “You got it, Coach Pontus. I’ll be here.”
Don, dressed in a cobalt blue tunic, placed his hand at Amphitrite’s back as they approached.
“Pffft. Well if it isn’t the fish and the fin together again.” Tia joked. “You guys training already?”
“There’s no award given for laziness, Tia,” Don quipped.
Amphitrite stepped forward, unraveling the braid to allow her dark indigo hair to flow freely down to the middle of her back. “Banners don’t win themselves, do they? I already hung some swimming banners at Othrys Hall last year. Time to bring ‘em back home to MO Prep with my dorsal fin here.” She turned a sidelong smile toward Don. “The couple that works out together, stays together.”
Metis bumped my hip. “Hear that, Zeus? We need to step it up.”
“I don’t much like swimming,” I replied. “But I throw a mean javelin. I could hit a whale in the eye from forty paces.”
“Paces?” Don laughed. “You can walk on water? That’s a neat trick.”
“Pssht. I can barely swim in water.” I slid my arm around Metis. “Mind if we tag along on the workouts?”
Amphitrite folded her arms. “I’ve known Metis a long time … since lower academy. If you can get her to work out, you’re the guy of my dreams—”
“Hey!” Don interjected.
“It’s true,” Phi continued. “That girl is as prissy as they come.”
“Am not!” Metis countered. “I just prefer intellectual pursuits.”
“Like I said,” Phi chuckled. “Good luck, Zeus.”
Tia embraced Amphitrite. “In any case, Phi, I’m glad you’re back over here again. Our family is growing. My heart is swelling.”
“So,” Don said, “Metis and Phi are the only new additions this term, right? We still need to keep a tightly-knit circle here.”
Tia patted my shoulder. “Actually, Zeus is still the newbie. Metis and Phi both went here before the split.” She laughed. “Oh, and apparently there’s another new something or another meeting with Headmistress right now. Guess we’ll meet her later. Enough of that. Who’s hungry?”
“We’ll be along after we wash up,” Phi said as she and Don turned in the opposite direction.
“Hey, Don,” I said. “Can I talk to you?”
We both broke away from our girls and approached one another. I couldn’t tell if he was still upset with me or if he had resting scowl face. In any event, I led off, offering him my hand. “Sorry about last night. I was a bit overcome after seeing the whole scene back on Crete. I’m still a bit taken aback, really.”
Poseidon clasped my arm. “I’m not saying your anger is misplaced nor unworthy. I simply would’ve wanted you to use a bit more caution. We got off easy. You were in over your head at Othrys. None of us were in any position to help you out of the dung storm you got yourself into. Iapetus is no joke. What if Rhea hadn’t been there?”
I nodded.
“Keep your head above the waterline, brother.” He drew a deep breath and walked off. His words had seemed nice enough. But, I sensed residual tension just below the surface.
I rejoined Metis and we all stalked off toward the Megaron Hall like a pride of lions. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, we entered the Andron eating area. The silver-haired Muses smiled through their meal in the foreground. Their high-cheekboned faces warmed, eyes brightened at the sight of us filing into the room. I guess the drama of last term was a bit much for all of us.
Hades and Demeter sat at a far table near the windows. Shade’s dark olive-toned, sinewy muscles flexed as he devoured a selection of meats as if it were his last meal. Black cuff bracelets sheathed his forearms and clanked on the table as he ate. Meter repositioned her leather hair restraint to keep her dark, wavy tendrils from falling into her plate full of vegetables. She looked up when I approached the table. A sparkle flashed in her grayish-green eyes. Her eyelids had a fresh coat of gold dusting across them.
“Meter, it really is good to see you full of color again,” I said. “You looked like a ghost when we rescued you all from Tartarus.”
Her blushed cheeks bulged with food like a squirrel. She held her finger up while she finished chewing. “Don’t remind me,” she said, finally. “A girl was in desperate need of vegetables and sunlight. And Kosmetikos.”
“Indeed,” I said. “Though, as talented as you are in creating your wares … you make the Kosmetikos attractive. Not the other way around.”
Meter beamed and blushed simultaneously. Her gaze bashfully fell back to her food as she stuffed her mouth again.
Shade chimed in, “Don’t worry, sis. We’re never going back down to the Underworld. Especially after the trial. They’re going to lock Kronos up for good.” He pounded the table.
I wheeled around toward the food table. Tia and Metis had already descended upon it like scavengers. The presentation of food resembled a war-torn countryside by the time I reached it, lumps to peaks mixed with bare patches. I cobbled together a balanced meal of goat’s meat, sardines, figs, olives, and nectar. Always nectar.
Hera and Headmistress Rhea strode into the Andron together, mid conversation. Rhea stopped, grabbed Hera’s shoulders, and turned her so they were face-to-face. “Hera, listen. I understand your concerns. And frankly I have some of the same. But I will address the entire student body in my office after the morning meal.”
Hera nodded, smoothed down her red tunic, and turned toward the food table.
“What was all that about?” I asked when she came to sit down with us, her plate piled high, wondering if she’d met the new girl yet.
Hera sighed. “I just question if these trials are going to be fairly conducted. After all, much of the most damning evidence is our word, students’ word, against that of Elder Deities. And a headmaster, at that.”
“True,” I countered. “But we saw what we saw. And so did Tia. And so did Meter and Don. We’ll be okay. And I know what happened when we were attacked on Crete. We simply have to speak our truths.”
I gestured toward the gargantuan claw hanging from around her neck by a leather band. “Ummm, what’s going on there?”
She glanced down and smirked. “Dragon’s Claw. At beginning of every term, I like to remind you all who the queen is.”
Couldn’t hate on that hustle. I joined the raucous chatter and laughter at the tables with all my friends.
Then the new girl entered the room.
CHAPTER EIGHT
As she sauntered to the food table, I kept one eye on my plate and one eye on her. Had I another eye, it should’ve been on Metis to make sure she didn’t catch my one bad eye.
After filling a plate with various seafood offerings, the girl approached us. She pulled a chair from nearby and sat directly at the head of our table. Everyone stopped eating mid-chew.
Hera stared icy daggers down the length of the table. Her berry-shaded lips pursed. “Who’s this?”
Shade chuckled. “Retract your claws this instant, young lady.”
The new girl stared down the length of the table at Hera. “I’m Aphrodite.” She smirked. “Likewise.”
Hera’s neck wiggled. Her face wrinkled. “Come again? What does likewise mean?”
“Technically, it means in a similar manner—”
“I know the meaning of the word. Duh,” Hera snapped. “I want to know why you said it.”
“Say what you mean, darlin’. It’s better for everyone.” Aphrodite sat back down. “I said likewise to absolve you of having to say, nice to meet you. Which, it obviously is. I just saved you the trip.”
The High Court Page 4
