by JoAnna Grace
It was her childhood home in Texas. The farmhouse with a wraparound porch sat pristine in the middle of hay pastures. Smoke even rose from the chimney. A faint scent of Mama’s fresh baked bread wafted past her nose.
Before she could stop herself, tears rolled down her cheeks and she turned to Rhea. “I had no idea the gods of my husband would be so cruel.” Her anger lashed out like a whip at the goddess.
“It is accurate, is it not? This is the place you felt most at home, the most at peace.”
With a defiant swipe, Avery cleared her cheeks of moisture. “Yeah. But you know darn well that place is gone and so are the people in it. So why don’t you quit with the picture games?”
“As you wish.” Rhea’s arm cut through the air and Avery’s childhood home was gone. In a blink, they stood high on a grassy hill so perfectly green that each blade looked hand painted. Their feet rested on the cool white marble of a grand temple.
Avery peered up and up and higher still to the ceiling, elegantly decorated with frescos of the gods. “I’ve seen this place.”
“It is the city of Olympia in the realm of the gods. When we left the Earth, we recreated our cities and temples together here.”
“Cities?” Avery questioned.
“Athens, Delphi, Olympia, exactly as they would have been on Earth.”
Rows of stone buildings with intricate carvings of the gods they hosted dotted the valley below. The temple of Zeus was the most prominent. A dozen circular pillars lined the exterior; white limestone stacked as high and mighty as the god it paid homage to.
“Will my parents be here? In one of these cities?” Hope lit in her heart at the thought she might be reunited with her family again.
“Your mother was human and I’m afraid, upon death, her soul went to a place that I have no access to. Your father, however, anxiously waits to greet you.” Rhea held out her arm and pointed to a figure emerging out of the valley below.
“Daddy!” Avery took off running, her feet moving as fast as possible toward the open arms of her father. She jumped and he caught her with a strong grip. He was just as she remembered. Tall, brown hair, heavy build, with the warmest hugs in the world.
“Avery, my precious girl, how I’ve missed you.” He kissed her cheek over and over again as they both wept. “I’m so proud of you, baby.” Loving words fell from his lips repeatedly, as if he were making up for a decade of not sharing his love with her every day. “I love you so much.”
“Daddy, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about everything. About Jerry and Mama, and everything.”
He held her face in his hands. Green eyes, exactly like hers, were filled with tears and emotion so deep it stirred her soul. “Don’t be sorry about your mother, baby. I knew when we were mated that her humanity would be a part of the deal. She was worth every sacrifice. She gave me you.” He kissed her forehead again. “No father has ever been as proud of his daughter as I am of you.”
Rhea approached, a kind smile on her face. “I owe your parents a great deal, Avery. I wish I could bring them together again, but that is far beyond my control. I can only offer you the knowledge that your mother is in a similar place and her soul is at peace.”
“Thank you, goddess.” Her father bowed to Rhea. “Thank you for bringing me my child and for keeping her from a true death.”
“I have things I must attend to. Your time here is short, Avery. Enjoy this gift. For when I return, you will face your fire and your killer.”
Avery swallowed hard. Ugh. The thought of facing Salina again made her nauseated. Instead of dwelling on that thought, she took her father’s hand and they meandered down the paths of the Heavens. Question after question, topic after topic, father and daughter caught up on as much as possible. When she spoke of Ryse and how much she loved him, her father grinned. But there was a sadness in his eyes.
“You are in for a very hard life with him, Avery. He will not be an easy man to love.”
“No, Daddy. He’s a very easy man to love. What’s hard is makin’ him see that.”
“If anyone can do it, if anyone can love him enough, it’s you.” Her father sighed and she knew their time was nearly up. “You’ve become so much greater a woman than I ever imagined. For so long, I feared what would happen to you without your mother and me there to guide you.” His face softened, his green eyes shone. “But you're so strong, so determined. Maybe a little quick on the trigger when it comes to attacking people.” He chuckled. “You should be more careful.”
“Trust me, I will. Dang. Dyin’ hurts,” she joked, but rubbed at her chest, still able to recall how the knife had punctured her chest over and over again.
Her father put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “As much as I love you, my sweet girl, I don’t want to see you again for many, many centuries. Not until you and your mate rest in the Heavens together.”
“I promise, Daddy. I’ll be more careful. But I also made promises to Ryse, and I won’t stand by and let him fight his demons alone.”
“That’s my girl. I love you, more than you can fathom.” He pulled her in for a hug and Avery tried to memorize everything about him. She wouldn’t get a chance like this again and she didn’t take it for granted.
The Heavens- Holy City of Delphi
Lysandra entered the main temple of Delphi. The ancient city had once been on Earth, but now it was a place of solitude for the gods only. The tray she carried held oils and herbs for the Pythia, the triad of Oracles who oversaw the temple. She delivered the supplies and knelt down to receive her next order. Three naked women sat chanting in a shallow pool of water that smelled of sweet oils. No males were allowed into the sanctuary and no one except temple priestesses were given entrance to this room. Their lack of clothing aided in their focus. There was no reason to hide their bodies. The nudity didn’t bother Lysandra; she was used to it. When she came into the sanctuary, she too had to be unclad. It didn’t take her long to realize clothing was a waste of time in the temple. No one saw her but the Pythia. When she did venture beyond the temple, her robes and drapes weighed her down and were abrasive against her skin.
“Lysandra,” called one of her mistresses. “I see you.”
She gasped as the Oracle trained her white, glowing eyes on her face. “Me? Why would you have a vision of me?”
“Come.” The Oracle held out a hand so pale it was nearly translucent.
Priestesses in training were not supposed to step foot in the pool. Lysandra’s heart pounded as she touched the Oracle’s hand and stepped into the warm water. As she lowered her body, a vision came over her. She was accustomed to visions, had them all the time. This experience was different.
She saw a woman with long, reddish-brown hair. The mass of curls spread out on a pillow, her hands folded over her chest. Was the woman dead? No. Not dead, but not living either. Time began to slip backwards and she saw the men who placed the woman in the bed with such care. The scenes rewound all the way back to the moment this woman was murdered. She saw it all. Her death, her lover, her true identity. Lysandra screamed as the vision ended in painful clarity. Avery, mate of Thracian Master and Olympian Prince Ryse Castille, was in the spirit realm while her body lay in the Haven on Earth.
“Did you see it?” It wasn’t an Oracle who asked the question, but the mother-goddess, Rhea. The Oracles crawled to her robes and touched them in reverence. Lysandra knelt down, her face nearly in the pool.
“They need you, Lysandra. I am sending you to the Haven in the earthly plain.”
“Mistress?” Lysandra was appalled. “You don’t mean among the humans?”
Rhea stroked the heads of the Oracles who fawned over her. The urge to join them was strong, but the possibility of having to go to Earth was like foot soldiers marching across her chest into battle. Their feet pounded a heavy rhythm over her heart and stomping their air from her lungs. Lysandra rubbed a hand over her sternum trying to relieve the pressure.
“Yes. ‘Tis your destiny
. You will learn much and be of great service to the gods. Go meditate and receive the knowledge that I bring. Your time will come soon.”
“Is this—” She breathed deeply, closed her eyes against the pain of the cold truth. “Is this because I’m…damaged?”
The Pythia swiveled their heads to her. They stared with unblinking, lifeless eyes that knew too much. Everyone in the temple sensed it. She’d never fit in, never been fully one of them. That was why she’d never ascended to the Pythia, why she remained a temple priestess.
“Damaged?” Rhea questioned. “You are not damaged, Lysandra. You are simply too full of color to live in this white realm. It’s time for you to discover who you were meant to be.”
Lysandra made her way to her sleeping chambers and sat on her mattress. She was leaving the Heavens and going to the Earth…among other Olympians…and if her vision was accurate, she would be meeting the warrior with sandy blonde hair and unique eyes of the same color, the one who went unconscious when he touched Master Ryse. This magnificent warrior had her heart racing the most.
The Heavens - City of Olympia
Avery’s heart broke as she walked away from her father, once again following Rhea. At the same time, she was full of love and peace. Finally, she was able to say goodbye to her father in a way she could be happy with. Rhea had given her priceless closure.
“Avery.” The goddess pulled at her arm to bring Avery beside her. “Meet Helios, the god of fire.”
Avery’s body went cold. Helios was a walking fireball. We’re talking straight out of a comic book – a man on fire. Even his smile seemed to glow orange and red.
“Ah, my new student.” His words crackled like burning logs, more of a sound than an actual enunciation of syllables.
“I shall leave you to your lessons.” Rhea inclined her head to Helios and he bowed deeply in return. Then Rhea was gone, and the god of fire’s attention was solely on Avery. “Are you ready to learn your craft?”
“Yeah, ‘bout that.” Avery bit her bottom lip. “Not so much.”
“Call upon your fire,” he commanded, accustomed to being obeyed.
“What? No.” Avery shook her head. “That flamin’ crap is scary and bad things happen. It’s not like it did me much good against Salina. I mean, no offense. It clearly works for you.”
“You have not mastered the art.” Helios held up his hand when Avery opened her mouth to argue. “Silence. You will learn. You will not argue. What emotions were you feeling the first time your gift manifested?”
Dear gods, she was really going to have to do this.
“Rage.” Avery bowed her head, thoughts of Frank’s bleeding body haunting her mind. “Sorrow.”
“That is where we shall begin.” Helios waved his hand and the world twisted. Olympia was gone and Avery stood in her childhood home again, just in time to watch Jerry stab Frank. Bile rose in her throat and her body shook. As she had been that horrific night, she was tied to a chair in her living room. Jerry, who had once been considered a close friend, slammed a knife into the chest of his partner, and Avery’s treasured friend, Frank. Jerry’s laughter made her retch. In her head, she knew this was only a memory. She had survived this night and moved on with her life. Her heart, on the other hand, felt the pain anew. She didn’t want to watch her friend get tortured again. She didn’t want to experience the loss and helplessness again.
“No. Don’t make me relive this. Please,” she begged, sobbing as Frank’s blood coated her bare feet once again.
“Control your fire, Avery.” Helios pointed a flaming finger at her body.
Fire? She held up her hands and, sure enough, flames danced over her skin exactly like Helios’s did. Her entire body was consumed. The nightmare became real and kerosene flooded her veins.
“Nooo!”
***
Earth- The Haven
RYSE OBSERVED HIS cousin, Evander, touch Nikki’s forehead and close his eyes in concentration. He was one of the most powerful Paeans in the Olympian world and he had come down from Chicago as soon as he could.
“She’s barely functioning.”
“What?” It was Brenden. The poor boy was worried sick about Nikki. Since the moment she said Salina’s name during her confession, her mind had been in a coma. Now her body was beginning to show the effects. Her skin was yellowing and every breath was more labored than the last, even with the assistance of the ventilator. There were bluish bruises under her eyes and her cheeks sank in. A central line attached to her upper arm kept her fed. Neither Olympian magic nor modern medicine helped. Nikki was barely alive.
Evander stood and spared Brenden a glance before he spoke to Ryse. “Salina planted a virus in her mind. It’s much more than a telepathic tripwire like I originally thought. Her brain is slowly telling her body to cease functioning. I have to admit, and forgive me for saying it,” he said, “but it’s rather impressive. She had help. I’ve known Salina her entire life. This is far beyond her skills.”
Ryse scrubbed his hand over his face. “Can you fix it? Can you un-program or—”
“No.” Evander shook his head, his tone resolute. He kept glancing to where Bren stood at Nikki’s bedside. He knew; they all did. “Only the gods can undo this, Ryse.” His blue eyes, a rarity in their family, were sad. His brows dipped low in frustration. “If they don’t intervene soon, she’ll die. Her body is shutting down. Her heartbeat is already weak and her lungs barely pull enough air to keep her alive. I can make her comfortable by cutting off her pain receptors in the brain. That’s about it, cousin.”
Bren stormed out of the room, slamming the door closed behind him.
“Sorry,” Ryse said to Evander. “He and Nikki were just beginning their relationship, but his feelings are deep.”
“I understand.” Evander sighed. “I wish I had better news for him. For you both.”
Ryse allowed Evander access after swearing a blood-bonded oath of secrecy.
“Avery?” asked Ryse.
“She’s fine, physically. But her aura is gone from me. Her brain activity is rapid but scrambled. The gods have hidden her well. Whatever she’s doing up there, they don’t want anyone to figure it out. I wouldn’t have believed her existence if I hadn’t seen it.”
The men talked more about the events leading up to Avery’s coma and Nikki’s deterioration. Evander grieved with Dyna for her loss. Evander’s mother was Troy’s sister. The siblings had been close until she willingly left this world for the Heavens.
“When the smoke clears from all this,” Evander said as he clasped arms with Ryse before his departure, “I am in need of your tracker’s services.”
“Hammon?” Ryse’s eyebrows rose.
“It seems there is someone new in my region. They evade my tracker and I believe there is more than one.”
Ryse crossed his arms over his chest. “Trouble?”
Evander gave him a sly grin that reminded him of his father. Their family’s blood was strong and Evander had the same dark features as Ryse, Hayden, and Troy. “Curiosity.” His smile widened more. “You know me; I’m a sucker for an enigma.”
The men shared a laugh. “Now you have piqued my curiosity, cousin. Perhaps I will join Hammon on this wild goose chase of yours.”
“I hope you will be otherwise detained by your Grace, Ryse.”
“Me too, Evander. Me too.” Ryse hesitated before he shocked his cousin by embracing him with a firm slap on the back. It was something Avery would do and he thought to try it out. “It is good to see you, cousin. Don’t be a stranger.”
Evander’s breath left him in a rush. He couldn’t meet Ryse’s stare, but he blinked rapidly. “I, yes, I won’t.”
As Evander’s car drove out of the Haven’s realm and into the human world, Ryse stared off into the sky. All he thought about was the color blue, the movement of the white clouds, and the feel of the breeze as it picked up his hair. He took a deep breath. What would it be like to be Evander? To have a simple Olympian life to retur
n to? His cousin had a clinic in the human world that served the civilian Olympians living in that realm. From what he had said, Evander’s life seemed easy. He went to work, helped people, came home, and entertained a woman every now and then. He drove cars humans drooled over, lived in a mansion, and didn’t hold back from enjoying the luxuries of life.
So very different from what Ryse faced when he returned to the palace. There was luxury, sure. But not the carefree life Evander enjoyed.
“What’s on your mind, brother?” Hayden strolled over to him. The last few days had been hard on his younger brother. Hayden wasn’t supposed to exist at all. The gods only gave Deities one son, one heir. The rest of their children were usually female. There was only one Prince—except for Hayden. For some reason, his foolish brother had it in his head that it should have been he who drank the poison instead of their father. And Ryse knew Hayden would give anything to switch places with Troy.
“I was thinking about being normal.”
Hayden gave a sardonic laugh. “What the hell for?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. How is Mother?” Ryse followed Hayden as he headed into the gardens for a walk.
“She watches over Avery, prays constantly. She made Hanna take Father’s clothing out of the closet. No one else is supposed to know, but she keeps one of his shirts under her pillow.” The men shared a knowing look. Their parents had been mated for centuries. Although Dyna knew her husband was in the realm of the gods, it didn’t make living in this place without him easier.
“I will glory in the moment I separate Salina’s head from her shoulders,” Ryse said, his anger a livewire in his veins.
“The Avondales travel this way.” Hayden’s words brought Ryse to a halt. “They will be here by this evening.”
“What do they know?” Ryse asked, his words hard and cold.
Hayden shook his head, pushed his black hair off his face. “Only that Father passed. They come to comfort our family.” He huffed and looked out across the grounds. “Now we have to tell them how he died.”
