The High Court

by Chris Ledbetter

  “Thank you, Headmistress,” Metis said. “So what’s the plan for tomorrow, Hemera Gaia?”

  “We should get there early tomorrow morning near daybreak. The proceedings will begin on time. They won’t tolerate tardiness. I assume Hyperion will be first. Kronos will be second,” Rhea said, and then turned to me. “You won’t need any extra witness testimony for Hyperion. It’s your word against theirs. Just remain strong and centered and tell them what you know. Tell them your truth.”

  “That’s just the thing …” I said. “I had witnesses. Back on Crete, Amalthea, Aristaeus … the rest of the Kouretes … they all saw it. They were all witnesses.” I paused to keep my mouth from going completely dry, and then croaked out, “That’s what I was trying to tell you before … everyone is dead. That was on purpose. The only other witnesses to Hyperion’s transgressions … are dead. We’re next.”

  Rhea sighed deeply and rubbed her temples and eye sockets. She didn’t speak for several moments. Her gaze traveled around the cave. She collected herself and spoke evenly. “However, the Hyperion trial transpires … whatever the result, just know that the Kronos trial still has all of the witnesses. We’re going to get him, Zeus. We’re all going to be there to testify.”

  “That’s the point of these hideous monsters tracking us down, isn’t it?” I said. “If we’re all dead … Kronos wins.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  After our talk with Rhea, Metis went to the thermal baths to gather Tia and Phi to try another healing session with me. While she was gone, fell back asleep, more from boredom than anything else. After I woke, I rolled my neck around. It strained and ached like it would be stiff forever. But then the oddest tingle tickled my toes. Soft random pricks. Almost imperceptible. Unless I had made them up. Then it stopped. I tried to force my will down to my toes … to make them do something. Anything.

  Nothing happened.

  Then the faint sensation returned. So odd, like a feather brushing.

  But that meant …

  “Metis!” I yelled from inside the cave as if my voice would carry out. It echoed endlessly against the dark walls and torchlight. I turned my head toward the cave entrance and called her again. And again. A considerable rumble shook the mountain.

  “Umm … what is that? I hope it’s the Cyclopes, bending metal again. And not the other thing …”

  Another strong rumble shook the cave so much that I nearly fell over from where my plank had been wedged into the side of the cave’s wall. Metis rounded the corner into the cave at the far entrance.

  “Metis!” I called. “Praise Gaia! You’re back.”

  She jogged over. “You’re awake. I popped my head in here, and you were asleep … so I let you rest.”

  My voice was laced with barely tempered excitement. “I felt something. In my toes.”

  She snapped her gaze downward. “Really?”

  “Like tingles. Teeny tiny. Very slight.” I smiled. “Or at least I hope I didn’t make it up.”

  “One way to find out.” She craned my neck back so that my cone of vision contained only the cave’s ceiling. “Either close your eyes, or stare at the roof, your choice.” She left my vision to crouch down to the floor. “No peeking.” After a moment, she continued. “I want you to tell me when you feel something and tell me which foot it’s on.”

  “Got it.” I waited a seeming eternity.

  “Anything yet?” she said.

  “I still feel faint tingles, but no real pressure yet. Couldn’t say if you were actually touching one foot or the other.”

  “Good.” She chuckled. “That was a test. I wasn’t doing anything yet.” She laughed again, louder than before.

  “Youuuu …”

  “Hey, I had to make sure you were going to be truthful through this and not just tell me what you thought I wanted to hear. Now the real test begins.”

  “Are you actually gonna lay some hands on me this time?”

  “My sweet olive, if I thought you could feel everything … I’d lay hands all over your body. We have this cave all to ourselves too? Mmmm.”

  “Wait … the tingles all moved somewhere else on my body now.”

  “I bet they did. Fresh. Just relax now.”

  “I’m serious. They did. Give me hug.”

  She stood up and pressed her body to mine. She inched backward far enough to look into my eyes. She flashed a wicked grin. “Naughty. You hiding a club in your tunic?”

  “I’m back!” I yelled.

  She threw her head back in laughter. “Simmer down. Let’s check the rest of you.” She shook her head as she returned to her spot near my feet. “All right, then. Look upward. I’ll touch your feet. You tell me which foot.”

  I nodded and closed my eyes. I had no time for games. I needed to be healed. After a moment of trying to wade my way through feathery, tingly false positives, I felt something. The pressure of it surpassed anything. But it wasn’t on my foot, though.

  “Feel anything yet?” she said. “Which foot?”

  Another sizeable rumble shook the cave.

  “Are the Cyclopes in the Forge crafting anything?” I asked.

  “No, actually. I just came in and they were outside setting up a target range for Demeter’s new bow and arrows. At least, Arges and Steropes were. I don’t know where Brontes is.”

  “Where is everyone else?”

  “Ummm …” She craned her neck up and toward the cave entrance. “Let’s see … Demeter, Hestia, and Aoede went in search of poisonous berries to dip Demeter’s arrows into if the beasts return. Melete, Hera, and Aphrodite joined Poseidon and Amphitrite in search of the thermal baths. If you can walk somehow, I’d love to find a way to get you down there. So stop all this foolin’ and tell me which foot.”

  I closed my eyes and focused every bit of energy into trying to feel where she was touching. I drew in a deep breath. “Apply a bit more pressure, please.”

  “All right. That’s good to know that you couldn’t feel it yet. More pressure coming now.”

  Another moment passed. “Metis … you’re gonna think I’m crazy—”

  “Way past that.” She laughed. “But go ahead.”

  “Hush, you. Seriously … I can’t feel anything on my feet. But I feel a whole lot of pressure on my right shin.”

  “Yes! Praise Gaia! You are definitely on your way back! I was touching your lower leg, and not your feet. Again, trying to get a true read. You passed.” She stood and hugged me again. “Mmm, I really wanna take that chariot of yours for a test drive, but I need to go get Hestia and Phi and see if we can increase the pace on this healing. For now, I’ll put my helmet on you. Focus all your energy into trying to siphon the healing power from it.” She crossed the cave to her pile of stuff, and then returned and placed her helmet over my head. “I’ll be right back.”

  I loved the shimmy of Metis’ hips as she half-walked, half-jogged out of the cave, and then disappeared from my vision. I had to chuckle at my body’s response to her hands. Not surprised, though. The girl could charm a snake’s skin clean off him.

  Soon, Metis walked back in the cave with Rhea. “Guess who has feeling coming back in his extremities?” Metis pointed to me. “This guy.”

  Rhea flashed a broad smile, her gaze darting from Metis to me. “Really?”

  “And how.”

  “That is happy making, to be sure. Now we just need to …” Rhea twirled her hands in circles. “Pick up the pace. I’ve been considering something for a while. Now I’m sure of it. I’m going to send Phoebe and Mnemosyne on a secret mission to MO Prep to get us some nectar. We all could use some. We need to track down Ananke too.” She raised her hand to her mouth.

  “Send Shade too,” I said. “His helm of darkness ought to be of use.”

  “Good idea,” Rhea said. “Then later tonight we’ll run preparations for tomorrow. Come with me, Metis.”

  The door to the forge anteroom groaned open. Brontes�
� voice boomed, “Tell Demeter that I have her bow and arrows ready.”

  “I’ll fetch her,” Metis offered.

  Just before leaving the cave, Metis shot me a wry smile. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  “You used that one already.” I shook my head and chuckled.

  “How are you coming along?” Brontes said as he walked over and peered closely at me.

  I would’ve shrugged, but obviously still couldn’t. “Not sure, really. I have some feeling returning. So that’s good. But I’m still useless.”

  “You made the right choice, if you ask me.”

  “The spinal fusion and suction? It doesn’t feel like the right decision.”

  “Yes.” He crossed his arms. “It took real courage to do face down the risk you faced … for the good of the team.”

  “A lot of good that does me now.”

  “I will say two points, and then I’ll leave you be.” Brontes stared at me. The weight of his one-eyed glare unnerved me a little. “I know you’re afraid of what may come of this choice you made. And this won’t be the first time you’ll second guess a decision. But if you made the choice for the right reasons, then you can always stand behind your logic. Does this make sense?”

  I nodded.

  “And secondly, you couldn’t see it, but you were in danger of tearing your squad apart. The procedure had to be done. And no, a blood transfusion wouldn’t have helped in the long run, because no one can do what you can do with energy manipulation. We needed to keep that part of you intact. So rest easy. If your feeling is coming back already, then you’ll be back to full strength in no time. Now, let me go see what my brothers are up to.” He too left the cave, his heavy feet creating a trail of dust in the air.

  A great quake rocked the mountain with such force that I become dislodged from where I had been propped up against the wall and fell over, slamming my shoulder onto the ground. It tingled just a bit. But that was enough. Something was better than nothing. But what in Tartarus was all that damn rumbling?

  I lay on my side at the base of the wall. If this volcano erupted, it would probably be the end of me. Hopefully, it simply had an upset stomach. A strong belch would cure it. Just please, no actual vomit.

  Rhea and Metis came running back into the cave. They righted me against the wall. By their long faces, or perhaps their expressions could be read as weary astonishment … I didn’t feel great about whatever it was they had to say.

  Rhea gripped Metis’ hand and stared into me. “The volcano is smoking fiercely. This thing could blow any moment. I already sent Phoebe, Mnemosyne, and Hades on their mission, so we don’t have them at our disposal.”

  “What’s the plan?” I asked.

  “I dispatched Arges and Steropes to the thermal baths to gather everyone. Brontes climbed higher toward the smoking summit.” She tugged at her bottom lip. “Everyone can’t go to the trial. It won’t do any good for the Cyclopes to hurl to the trial, because we don’t know if we’ll be followed by the gigantes. We can’t have anything stupid interrupting this trial. It’s too important. But it’s not fair to just leave them by themselves either.” She paused. “I must accompany you to The High Court because you’ve never been there before. You can’t hurl there by yourself. And additionally, I want to ensure that no untoward business occurs. Hestia and Demeter should also go because they were both abducted. Metis, you and Hera need to go as well. Along with Zeus, you witnessed Ouranos’ last words.”

  My eyes widened. “Who does that leave to here?”

  Metis said, “By my count, the Cy-bros, Poseidon, and Amphitrite …” She counted on her fingers. “Aphrodite and then Hades when he returns with Phoebe, Nemo, Aoede, and Melete.”

  “Quite right,” Rhea said. “The Cyclopes know these hills better than anyone. And they will need help to secure their forge and tools, as well as their camp.”

  “Ugh!” I growled my frustration through clenched teeth. “I can’t stand not being able to help!”

  “I know, dear.” Rhea placed a hand upon my neck. The cooling sensation of calm invaded me. “But you are helping. At the trial.”

  The cave rumbled and shuddered. Dust and chunks fell from the ceiling.

  Brontes jogged back into the cave. “If you are leaving, you need to leave now.” A column of smoke and ash just plumed into the air. Then the earth shook again. “If this volcano erupts and destroys the Hurler, I fear you’ll never leave the island.”

  “Any sign of Steropes, Arges, and the others?” Metis asked.

  Brontes thumbed over his shoulder. “They’re right behind me.”

  The cave quaked with another series of rumbles. It almost sounded like thunder. Suddenly, my fingers tingled faintly like my toes had.

  “Metis! My fingers,” I exclaimed. “I feel my fingers now.”

  She looked down at my hands.

  I twitched my two middle fingers.

  “Praise Gaia,” Metis whispered.

  “Let’s get you down to the Hurler,” Rhea commanded.

  In a flurry of activity, Brontes whisked me into the air. We headed out of the cave, with Rhea and Metis in tow. I squinted for a moment under the full glare of Helios’ sun. Steropes and Arges appeared around a far bend. Amphitrite and Aphrodite clung to the necks of the Cyclopes. Melete, Don, and Hera jogged behind them.

  “Take cover!” Arges yelled. He swung Aphrodite down from his back, and then curled into a ball around her. A huge chunk of earth entered my frame of vision from the air, hit the ground, and rolled to slam into Arges’ back. The impact knocked the big guy over on his side.

  Aoede, Tia, and Meter ran up from the opposite direction. Demeter carried a small sack.

  Another smoking mass of rock and earth launched into the air from the volcano and rolled down the hill just to the right of the Hurler, missing it by one or two paces. It continued down to crash into one of the Cyclopes’ tents. Tia pushed Meter to the side and just barely jumped out of the way of the rock.

  “Too close!” Rhea yelled. “Hestia, Demeter, Metis, Hera … get to the Hurler. Now!”

  Meter tossed her sack. “Brontes, I found some berries you might find useful. Atropos’ Cherries, to be exact.”

  “Potent poison. Thank you. We’ll make good use of them,” Brontes said as he set me down at the Hurler.

  “Brontes, use everyone to secure your forge and camp,” Rhea said. “We’ll see you soon.”

  Brontes saluted with a fist thump to his chest.

  Tia and Meter approached from one side. Hera sprinted in from the other. Metis put her hand on the Hurler last, after Rhea had slid her hand under the bottom.

  “Hera, Hestia, and Demeter … I hear all your questions. If we don’t leave now, we’ll never be able to. We’re going to The High Court.” She turned to Brontes. “I’ll be in touch.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  We reformulated at a circle of six Hurler posts. They stood unadorned and unaccompanied on a rocky plain, sandwiched in a valley between imposing craggy peaks. Silvery mist and fog brushed across the mountain tops. A shiver began at the base of my neck and made it half-way down my spine and disappeared. It was so sharp, I drew in a breath through clenched teeth.

  I looked at Metis. “I just got a bit more feeling … an odd sensation on my upper back.”

  She smiled. “Keep focusing on regeneration. We’re going to need you. Soon.”

  “This,” Rhea said, sweeping her arms open wide, “is Delphi, the nerve center of Hellas. Beyond these walls lies the engine that powers our academic and legal system. As a school administrator, I’ve been here previously for leadership summits and other meetings about policy and curriculum. But as a student, you would only be invited here on official judicial business of the highest gravity or import.”

  Tia’s eyes sprang wide. Meter and Hera seemed unaffected with stoic expressions. Metis grabbed my hand, and then enlisted Meter’s help to carry me up the path. A modest wall enclosed t
he entire administrative compound. Rhea led us onto a road barely wider than a four-horse chariot. The buildings all appeared as if they’d been carved from one gigantic, single block of limestone. Helios’ solar glare shone off the pristine, white facades in blinding fashion.

  Rhea stopped in the midst of several closely clustered structures, all of which were guarded by porticos. “Some of these contain meeting spaces. Some are residences for Primordial administrators of justice and order such as Eros, Erebos, Phanes, and Themis, to name several. And of course, Gaia—”

  “Wait … THE Gaia?” My eyes widened.

  “The one. The only,” Rhea replied. “Gaia, The Highest Goddess, Queen Mother. She presides over judicial proceedings. Her rule is final on such matters. If you’ve not encountered her before, that is a good thing.”

  “We seek her guidance from afar,” I said. “We thank her name for positive circumstances. We pray to her for punishments and retribution for wrongdoings.”

  “Indeed we do.” Rhea clasped her hands.

  I pondered those thoughts for a moment as we continued on the road, winding, twisting, and rising. We eventually stood before a gargantuan structure, large enough to house thirty Cyclopes or more standing back to back. Six stout columns formed the front portico. A pair of wooden doors equaled the height of the front façade, all three stories of it. Two sets of door handles adorned the carved wood, one closer to normal height and another higher up the doors’ faces. From the geometric center of the right door protruded a brass door knocker in the form of a python.

  Rhea shook the lower set of handles. “Locked, as I suspected.” She nodded and then turned to us. “This arresting structure is The High Court of Delphi. This is where it all happens. We should find lodging for the night and get some rest. Fair warning, typically people hurl in for a meeting, trial, or whatever and then return from whence they came. They aren’t accustomed to overnight guests. So, finding a place for us may prove difficult.”