by Holly Hook
“I can't believe your dad expects you to go to wild parties and act cool.”
“He's not on campus this week. You know he comes and goes.”
We stepped into the gym. It was just as enormous as it looked from the outside. The walls were heavily padded, and the pads had symbols of the gods on them, shining in gold. They looked like something that belonged in an Ivy League school. The floor itself had golden, divine symbols shining under the polish. Weapons racks hung above the wall pads as well as healing supplies. A rolling stepladder stood in the corner. Golden discs, generic swords, and even mock Olympian Guard armor—green but without the official insignia—hung on the other side of the room.
“So this is where they train future Olympian Guard,” I said.
“Yes.”
Curiosity burned. “Do you train here? I know they send you on missions during your fourth year to track down people sympathetic to the Lower Order.”
“I haven't trained to be in the Guard. Zeus has different plans for me. But I do have classes here. Almost everyone does.”
I just realized that Ronin hadn't spoken much about his future. “What plans? Don't tell me you'll be stuck lobbying for his business.”
“He said it's not that.” Ronin let me go and removed his coat. “The truth is, I don't know yet. He won't say.”
“Um, it's your future,” I said.
He faced the other side of the room. Ronin only had half a year before he graduated and entered the bigger world. Permanently. And he didn't know what he was going to do? Unlike regular students, people who graduated from one of our schools didn't worry about college tuition or trade school. They went straight to a lifetime career. Ronin's eyes sparkled with worry.
“The gods have called the shots since the Awakening. It's not fair, but it's life. Zeus will set me up. I know he will.”
“What do you want to do?” I stepped into the room, eyeing him. The air thickened.
Ronin shifted, throwing his coat to the polished floor. “I haven't thought about it, actually. I'm sure I'll have some high position in International Power and Light. Maybe Zeus will want me to wrangle the employees who step out of line.”
I swallowed, thinking of Maria's father. “But you're not a jerk. At least, you aren't anymore.”
Ronin swallowed. “Sometimes it's better not to think of anything else, if you know what I mean. Look at Maria.”
“But she has a chance now.” I hadn't expected this discussion to head this way. “You don't have to let someone else decide your life. Ronin, you can say no.”
“You couldn't say no to Zeus,” he said.
Ouch. Truth. I hadn't refused the trainings with Ronin back when he was still constantly teasing me. Then again, I hadn't known I was a budding immortal back then. “Fair enough. He's scary."
Ronin said nothing. Did any of us really have the freedom we wanted?
I had two choices in life.
Ronin had one: whatever Zeus ordered.
Mikey and Cal were going into music, but their talents dictated that, and Maria would be their manager not because she wanted it, but because it was her only escape from a life of servitude. And the asphodel wouldn't hold her changes back forever, either.
Angry electricity snapped through me. I was still holding onto Ronin's power. I wanted to destroy something with black lightning. Ronin, as if sensing my anger, backed off and raised his hands.
To avoid going dark, I'd have to work with the gods.
Why was I so angry?
I held out my hand, weaponless, and pointed my palm at one of the golden discs. A blast of black lightning shot from my hand, striking the stack. Metal clanged against shelving and struck the walls as a dozen discs first flew to the ceiling, then fell to the floor. The golden, curved circles—each bearing the eagle of Zeus—scattered, rotated and settled one by one.
I'd made a mess, but I didn't care. I was shaking, but I didn't care about that, either.
“Giselle. Not only was that impressive, but that was impressive.” Ronin stepped forward and whistled.
“Well, I was upset,” I admitted. Tremors of fatigue racked my body. I had drained all my anger in one swoop. Now I was overcooked pasta and the floor called my name. But before I could fall, Ronin wrapped his arms around me. Sweat broke out under my coat, which I'd forgotten to remove.
“We're both pissed, then.”
“Things are bothering me and I don't know exactly what they are!”
There. It was out. Maybe I needed a therapist. But neither school offered one.
“I think what it is,” Ronin said, “is the fact that we don't have control over our fates. We've had a breakthrough.”
Bam. “Stop pretending to be a knucklehead when we're not alone, because you aren't one.”
Ronin leaned over my shoulder, smiling. “You sure?”
I wasn't. Yeah, this whole not-having-control thing was probably part of it, but that unease remained in my gut. “I don't know. And we might have woken everyone in the building.”
“Nah. This room is soundproof. And I hope you felt better after that.”
My knees buckled. “We should probably go back.”
He lowered his voice. “Or you can stay in my dorm tonight.”
“Really?” I'd never seen Ronin's dorm.
He squeezed my shoulder. “Yeah. I don't think my roommate will be back all night. He gets super drunk. And if he does stumble in, he'll just pass out on his bed. Come on.”
Ronin had a roommate. I slept in better conditions than he did. But after draining all his energy like this, I didn't want to go back to Cursed. Not with Hades lurking around in the dark.
“Where exactly are the dorms?”
“Upstairs? Like yours? In Olympian, the top three floors are dormitories and staff quarters. Come on. I'll carry you.”
"Seriously?"
"I've got to be the knight without shining armor."
I let him lift me up, coat and all, after he tied his own coat around his waist. He carried me not back out through the back door, but down the main corridor of the building and towards the main entry hall, which was as grand and lavish as I remembered. The emblems of the gods shone under the chandeliers, which flickered with electric light. Even from up here in Ronin's arms, I could see our reflections in the symbol of Apollo's lyre. It was so good to have the power back on.
“Excuse me.”
Ronin stopped and whirled.
And standing in the mouth of the principal's hallway was Hades himself.
Ronin scrambled to let me down so he could reach for his sword. My feet hit the floor and I caught my balance. The god leaned against the wall, arms crossed, which was a stance I recognized as casual. Hades? Casual? But who cared about that when he was probably going to get his revenge.
Ronin drew his sword with a metallic sling. Already, sparks danced, and Hades glowered at Ronin's attempt to intimidate. But then the dark god shifted his gaze to me, slowly, without peeling himself from the wall. I couldn't believe we hadn't felt him, that Ronin had missed his presence.
Hades knew who I was, and always had.
"How did you sneak up on us?" Ronin asked, quaking. "Answer me!"
“Ronin. No.” I grabbed his arm, partly to lean on him. Though I could feel his energy, I couldn't take or amplify it. My whole body was still gelatin. Not having my fake weapon, let alone my real one, put me at a disadvantage.
"I know I give off an...atmosphere," Hades said. As he spoke, the dread washed over us, running through me like greenish-black pulses. "I can hold it back for some time if need be."
That was a threat. I backed off, still holding Ronin's free arm. "Come on," I hissed.
“What do you want?” Ronin stepped forward, taking me with him. Though I couldn't feel magic in others, I knew Ronin well enough to know he was just as angry at himself as he was at Hades.
Hades still leaned against the wall, surveying Ronin's sword with amusement. “To get to know the most unique student in
Cursed Academy,” he said, facing me. “You are the first in all of history to steal my powers. And yes, I was angry.”
I shuddered. Hades turned his lips, and his dark beard, up into a grin. He was the rebellious brother, all right. The troublemaker. And now he was principal.
“You're not mad anymore?” I blurted. Our best chances at getting out of this was to avoid a fight.
“Let me talk to him,” Ronin insisted, pushing in front of me and forcing me to let him go.
Hades held grudges. Everyone knew that. He was Wendy times ten.
“If I were to punish you now,” Hades said, looking around Ronin, “it would cause me far more problems than it would solve. Do you understand?” His voice filled the entryway, making the walls themselves thrum with fear.
My heart raced and my knees quivered. I wasn't strong enough to deal with this god. Or any god. But neither was Ronin. “We don't want any trouble with you."
Hades's grin snapped into a glower. “I would hope not.” He stepped away from teh wall, squaring off with us. Malice lived in that dark beard and those equally dark eyes. He would remember me stealing his powers for a long time.
"We're in Zeus's turf," I reminded him.
"Yes," Ronin said. "You'll anger him if you hurt Giselle."
Hades turned his stare to the floor, to the godly symbols that didn't include his. “I am aware!" He caught his breath and faced me. “I've accepted my place, unlike some others. Remember, Giselle.” He offered a wicked, wicked smile and studied my body top to bottom. “The immortals always want something out of you, and no matter what you say, they will take it."
Chapter Three
“I am trailing you through every class even if I flunk mine,” Ronin said, slamming the door to his dorm behind him.
I wanted to throw up. Hades had done worse than attack. He had guaranteed I would never feel comfortable in school again.
“Ronin, don't flunk for me,” I said, backing up until I was standing against Ronin's bed post. Well, I hoped it was Ronin's bed. The Olympian dorms, it turned out, looked like pretty typical college lodging. What I hoped was Ronin's side was decorated in sports pictures and motorcycles, while the other side, was, well, probably in need of a health inspection judging from the half-eaten sandwiches and burgers on the floor.
“Do you realize what he was insinuating?” Ronin asked, whirling and standing against the closed door. It was a wooden door. Breakable. With no lock.
“Yes, I get it,” I said, trying not to sound unnerved. “But Hades said he was upset about leaving his wife, remember? If you think he was saying he wanted to come after me--”
“That was exactly what he was saying,” Ronin said. “Best case scenario. He sends you on some dangerous quest to atone for taking his powers. Worst case. We both know what that is. Zeus needs to know about this, right away. Hades will wait until he's not around before he makes your life hell.”
"But," I said, "Why insinuate...that...in front of my boyfriend?"
"He's a god!" Ronin whirled, bringing his fists down on an invisible attacker.
“Something's off!"
“Even if he's not planning to do anything, he's wrecking your quality of life.” Ronin peeled himself from the door. “I hope he's off the premises.”
We had left the dark god standing in the entryway. He hadn't tried to follow us, but knowing he could hold back that feeling of dread until he was right there was unnerving. "He might be. I doubt the other gods would want to find him over here."
"You should start sleeping over here every night," Ronin said. "I know I have a roommate and we wouldn't have much privacy, but at least you'd be here at Olympian. How are you feeling?" He lowered his voice as he approached.
"Like I need to look over my shoulder every two seconds?" My pitch rose. There went all the toughness I was trying to gather.
"Let me do that for you," Ronin said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into angry sparks and protective tingles. "I'll have Cal slip me my homework whenever he can so maybe I'll pass my classes. But if I don't, I don't."
"Why don't I just stay over here and trail you?" I knew the answer as I stood there, one ear on Ronin's perfect chest.
He grinned. "I'd love that. But I'm not sure how it would work. Maria will have a cow if you just leave her and Mikey."
"She'll come looking for me," I said.
"Then let her," Ronin said, pulling me to his bed. But the last thing I was thinking of right now was more love. Not when we just had this wooden door between us and the rest of the world. "You're in the gods' territory now. The light gods' territory. And don't let Carmen tell you that you have to put up with going dark."
"She hasn't texted me in a while." My friend back home had lectured me about how going dark might not be such a bad thing since I destroyed Achlys. But she didn't understand how I felt when it happened. "Yeah. I think I'll stay here for tonight."
Ronin grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around us so that we were sitting on the bed together.
"I trail you tomorrow," I said.
* * * * *
I feel asleep after hours of urging my pulse to slow and my muscles to relax. But when I woke the next morning beside Ronin, on a bed clearly just meant for one person, a tingle of excitement washed over me. Ronin was gently snoring beside me, ass half-off the bed, eyes closed like he was in the midst of some peaceful dream. I wanted to think that I was the reason for that. Dominique and her mental curses were far away now.
"Ronin." A bit of light poured through his closed curtains. And thankfully, his roommate, whoever he was, was nowhere to be found. I'd been dreading that, too.
"Huh?" One eye fluttered open. "Hey, beautiful."
I checked my phone on the nightstand. "It's eight."
"Shit."
Breakfast would already be in session back at Cursed Academy, and I imagined Olympian to be even more strict. I was going to breakfast with Ronin. And better yet, no low groan filled my head this morning, warning me to take the asphodel or else.
We scrambled out of bed. Ronin pulled on his tight gray T-shirt and jeans, and then his white toga uniform. I didn't even have mine with me. My first Olympian breakfast would be in my T-shirt and jeans--the same ones I'd been wearing yesterday.
"Are we going to get some stares?" I asked.
"Not too many," Ronin said with a grin. "This might just be your orientation." He turned his gaze to my forearm, eyes widening. "Look."
My green mark burned as I held up my arm. "It's...not as dark."
The titan's mark remained, green and shiny, but when I held it up to the light coming in through the closed curtains, I realized that Ronin was right. The dark green had lightened a shade overnight, just enough to notice, and a bit of the shine had vanished from the open palm and the flame it held. Prometheus's mark was weakening. Another slight burn raced under my skin, as if the titan were throwing a temper tantrum from afar, but that did nothing to quell the hope rising in my chest.
"Shit, Giselle. Maybe transferring will be easy," Ronin said, taking my arm and rubbing his thumb over my skin. "At this rate, your mark might be gone in a month. I bet it's happening to Wendy and everyone else, too."
Then a sense of doom hit me in the gut. "Well, we know what will happen when my mark's completely gone. If it's ever completely gone."
Hades would act.
He had already made his feelings for the other Olympians clear. The last thing he'd want would be to lose students to them.
If he marked us, tricking the god of the Underworld would be impossible. If anyone knew about the power of Lethe water, it was him. Hadn't Wendy said something about Hades being clever? I hoped she'd just been bragging.
"That's why you're staying over here as much as possible." Ronin offered a kiss on the side of my temple. Electricity flew. "Come on. Breakfast. I'll stay by your side. And if anyone gives you crap, they go through me."
Ronin kept his arm around me as we left his shared dorm. Already, activity buzzed
in the form of other white-uniformed guys leaving their rooms, blinking sleep out of their eyes and rubbing their temples. No one paid us attention.
"Hangovers happen," Ronin whispered in my ear.
That would offer a distraction, at least.
A few of the guys stared after me and Ronin as we walked down the steps, which were marble and spiraled elegantly to the first level of the dorms. I imagined Mount Olympus would look something like this if mortals were able to find a way into that world. Everything in Olympian was fancy. Somewhere, an elevator dinged. We walked past a line of three as a couple of girls, also in white togas, got out, looked at me, and giggled as they hurried off.
A blush rose into my cheeks. "Not everyone's hung over."
"Ignore them. They're just jealous," Ronin said. "And they're first years. I think."
"Must be confusing when you all have the same uniform," I said.
The hallway got wider as Ronin led me around a corner. The dining hall in Olympian was rectangular, much like the one at Cursed. Echoes bounced off the walls as people spoke. Round tables were scattered around the room, and dozens of Olympian students occupied them. Sunlight streamed through a massive skylight with a stained-glass, golden eagle. Lines of white and gold light fell everywhere. Marble pillars lined the dining hall on both sides, and I squinted at the long tables and silver trays nestled within them. "You guys have a buffet?"
"Every morning," Ronin said.
Jealousy burned in me. We entered the dining hall and the aroma of every breakfast food imaginable washed over me. My stomach roared. This breakfast far outstripped the simple pancakes and bacon we got served every morning--and that was if we were lucky. Half the time, we got oatmeal, and I could only stomach a few bites.
Ronin led me to the buffet, where a few younger girls, maybe around sixteen, were heaping their plates with hash browns, eggs, and was that crab meat? I didn't recognize half the dishes here. A chef with golden-flecked eyes, complete with an official uniform, patrolled the buffet. He had a golden insignia on his apron--something that looked like a double T with horns--that I recognized as Hestia's symbol. He was a descendant of the domestic goddess.
