Hera, Queen of Mortals (Goddess Unbound)

by Thomas, T. D.

"Enough!" I hissed.

  It didn't take my powers of foresight to see where this was headed.

  "Whatever is between you two, it ends now," I continued fiercely. "Your world and everyone you love are at stake. So even if you hate each other, you will not kill each other. You will work together. And you will do what I say. Understand?"

  Neither of them said anything. They were too busy trying to kill each other with their eyes. The only hate I'd ever witnessed more intense than this was my own. For Zeus.

  "Oni," Demeter reminded them. "Big. Invincible. Trying to kill us."

  Finally, Jason looked away and met my eyes. I gave him an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath. That was a good sign.

  Darren continued to glare at him for a while. But when he realized no one was paying attention to him anymore, his temper cooled, and he just sulked silently.

  "So, what do we do about the oni?" Jason asked.

  "Kill them before they can change to their true forms," I said.

  "Okay," Jason said. "But ... how ... exactly?"

  "He has a point," Demeter said. "I searched. No plants for me to use my powers on up here. No weapons either."

  I looked around. She was right. We were in an old storeroom. It was filled with random junk: furniture and decorations for the most part, some piled in heaps and some tossed carelessly on the ground. Nothing looked like it'd stand up long against an oni, even in human form.

  "We could head back out the window," Jason suggested.

  Darren snorted. "You would run."

  "Screw you!" Jason snapped.

  "You wish!" Darren shot back.

  "I command you both: be silent and still!" I ordered.

  They froze. They didn't look at me. They didn't move a muscle. They couldn't.

  "You promised to obey the gods," I reminded them coldly. "And you will obey, whether you want to or not. I'll release you. But if you pull this crap once more, I will control your every move from now on, got it?"

  I let the prospect of that weigh on them for a while. They were prisoners in their own bodies. Trapped. Powerless. It was terrifying. But it was the only thing that would get through to them.

  I heard the sound of the oni on the second floor. They were going room by room. Thorough. Organized. Definitely Ekhidna's influence.

  "Be free," I told Jason and Darren.

  They almost collapsed as they suddenly regained control of their bodies. They forgot about each other and stared at me, horrified. Let me them hate me. They weren't the first, and they wouldn't be the last. I ignored them; I had bigger problems.

  I closed my eyes.

  "Hurry," Demeter said, as the sounds below us grew louder.

  "Not helping," I replied.

  Images flickered.

  I opened my eyes. "There's only one searching. The others must be guarding the exits to make sure we can't escape. But the one that's coming for us is already in its true form."

  "Then we can't kill it!" Demeter replied.

  "I think I have an idea," Darren said.

  "I'll bet," Jason muttered.

  I gave him a steady look.

  "Do oni breathe?" Darren asked me.

  "Yes," I admitted.

  "Then I definitely have an idea," Darren repeated, more confidently. "Just listen."

  When he was finished, no one said anything for a long time. His plan was risky, and I didn't like it, but we didn't have any other choice. The oni was coming up the stairs.

  Time had just run out.

  With a tremendous smash, the oni kicked in the door. It flew off its hinges and crashed into the window next to the fire escape, shattering the glass. But Jason was on it instantly. Hands outstretched, he held the oni in place with the power of his mind. It struggled. It fought. But it couldn't break Jason's hold.

  Yet.

  Jason was already sweating and shaking. He stumbled.

  The oni broke free and rushed toward him.

  It was so intent on tearing Jason limb from limb that it didn't even notice Darren catapulting himself at it with a flying kick. But the oni was simply too strong. Darren struck it full in the chest and fell to the ground. Bellowing with laughter, the oni brought its foot down to stomp on Darren. Jason barely managed to raise his hand in time to sweep Darren out of the way.

  Demeter launched herself fearlessly at the oni, clawing like a wildcat. She didn't have her powers. But that didn't matter. She had her fury.

  It wasn't much good against an oni, but it distracted it for a second, just long enough for me to creep up from behind and slip Darren's belt over its head and yank it as tight as I could.

  The belt almost didn't fit, and pulling it tight took all my strength. But Demeter wasn't the only one with fury. It wasn't my old rage, the rage that could explode suns and terrify gods. That rage, and the fierce spirit that fueled it, was gone. It had died with Justin. But it had left something behind, and that something was just enough.

  The oni tried to claw at the belt, but Demeter grabbed one arm and Darren grabbed the other. With Jason's help, they were able to keep it from ripping the belt off. The oni fell to its knees, then onto its hands, and then finally onto the floor. Its body spasmed once. Then it lay still.

  "We killed it!" Jason exclaimed.

  "No, it's still alive," I replied. "But it's unconscious. You can let it go."

  Jason hadn't even realized he was still using his powers. He dropped his hands. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, gasping.

  Demeter went to his side.

  There wasn't much anyone could do for Jason. He was channelling too much power too soon. His body was breaking under the strain.

  "Anybody got any more belts?" Darren asked.

  "Jason has one," I said. "But it won't be big enough. Yours barely fit, and you're twice his size. Besides, we got lucky with that oni. Really lucky. The next time, we won't be facing a single oni by itself."

  "Can't you can see what's going to happen?" Darren asked. "Then you can tell us what to do."

  "It doesn't work like that," I told him. "I see the future as it stands now. And right now, we have no plan. So I'll just see what'll happen if we don't have a plan. I'm pretty sure we all know how that's going to end."

  "Just try," Darren urged.

  Sighing, I closed my eyes.

  No images flickered. Something was wrong. I couldn't see the future. I couldn't see anything.

  I frowned.

  "What do you see?" Darren asked.

  "Nothing," I told him, opening my eyes.

  Then the lights went out. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the faint light coming through the window.

  "The oni!" I guessed. "They must've realized that we took out the one they sent to search for us. They're using the darkness as cover so they can shift to their real forms without anyone seeing them."

  Demeter shook her head. "It's still too much of a risk. If even one of their hostages saw..."

  "What if they let them go?" Darren suggested.

  "Oni wouldn't do that," Demeter replied. "They love killing. They live for it."

  "Unless someone else is here, keeping them on a tight leash," I replied gravely.

  "Someone else?" Demeter echoed. "You don't mean..."

  I nodded. "It has to be. The oni have been too methodical."

  "Who?" Darren asked. "Who's here?"

  "Ekhidna," I replied. "Ekhidna is here."

  CHAPTER TEN

  "Hera?"

  Ekhidna's familiar voice sang as she came up the stairs. I hated that smarmy voice. It made me want to punch her in her smarmy face. But that would have to wait.

  "Come out, come out, wherever you are," she called.

  "Out the window," I whispered to the others. "But be careful. There could be oni outside."

  "I'm not leaving," Demeter insisted. "You can't face her alone."

  "I can and I will," I replied sharply. But seeing her horrified face, I softened my tone. "Don't worry. I'm not going to fight her. I'm
just going to buy you some time."

  Demeter started to protest, but then she sighed. She helped Jason to his feet and lugged him towards the window until Darren grudgingly picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder. Demeter went out the window first, and Darren passed Jason to her. But instead of following, Darren shut the window.

  "What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.

  "Well, I'm supposed to be a Hero, right?" he replied. "So I'm being heroic."

  "No, you're being stupid," I snapped. "There's a difference."

  "But if we take down this Ekhidna chick right now, we win, right?" he countered. "So let's do it!"

  "Trust me: if I thought we could, we would," I replied. "But she's too strong. And she's probably got oni with her. We'll fight when the time comes, I promise, but only when I know we can win."

  Darren didn't budge.

  "Have it your way," I said. "I command you to leave!"

  Darren turned robotically and headed to the window.

  I hated having to use the vow against my Heroes, but I couldn't risk losing them. I couldn't risk losing anyone. The mission couldn't take it, and neither could I.

  I turned back to the door. I already felt Ekhidna. My skin crawled. Then, impossibly fast, she was standing in the doorway, smiling an infuriatingly triumphant smile.

  "Ssso sssorry to keep you waiting," she purred as she slithered into the room.

  Like the two oni behind her, Ekhidna had taken advantage of the darkness to return to her true form: pale, almost translucent skin; black eyes too large for her face; obsidian hair that seemed to suck the light from the room. The only colour at all was the ruby of her lips, a violent red stain against the black and white of her.

  But those lips were the most human thing about her. From the waist down, she was a snake, gleaming black coils that rasped as they scraped against each other, and she had six rail-thin arms, each with four fingers that ended in razor-sharp claws.

  My eyes never left those claws. One scratch from her venomous talons, and I would die the most agonizing death imaginable.

  "You're alone?" she asked dubiously, as she headed toward me.

  I instinctively took a step back.

  Ekhidna clucked her tongue disapprovingly.

  "Nowhere to go, Hera," she warned.

  She nodded at the oni. One of them stalked toward me. I braced myself to dodge an attack, my heart beating wildly. But it simply brushed by me.

  I didn't turn. I kept my eyes on Ekhidna. I tried to project confidence. Ekhidna respected power. Fear, on the other hand, she fed on.

  Behind me, I heard the scream of metal. The oni was tearing the fire escape right off the building. The tremendous crash as it smashed to the ground made me jump, despite myself. So much for hiding my fear.

  "I sssensssed the divine power when you arrived," Ekhidna continued. "Your ssson Hephaessstus taught me ssso many interesssting thingsss after he betrayed you. Ssspellsss to hide from you, and ssspellsss to find what you're trying to hide."

  She was baiting me. She loved having me at her mercy, almost as much as I hated it. But that hate gave me the strength to disguise my feelings. I was furious and heart-broken by Hephaestus' betrayal. Those feelings would never go away. But I would die before I let Ekhidna revel in my grief.

  Disappointed by my silence, she continued. "I felt ssso much power. I thought you mussst have brought more godsss with you."

  So she was after more than a reaction. She wanted information. Another thing I could keep from her. Another bargaining chip to keep myself alive just a little bit longer.

  My silence was infuriating her. Ekhidna struggled to control her irritation. This wasn't going at all like she wanted. And I was loving it.

  Gritting her teeth, she took a moment to calm herself before speaking again. "Don't tell me no other godsss were willing to risssk their livesss after what happened to poor Athena? They jussst let you come alone? All by yourssself? Isss that how much they hate you now?"

  Nothing. I gave her nothing. Every bit of satisfaction I denied her just fuelled me more.

  "You ssshould have ssstayed in the Heavensss where you belong, Hera!" Ekhidna finally snapped. "You ssshould have left thisss world to..."

  She froze. Her eyes widened. Her snake tongue flickered out of her mouth.

  "You have the amuletsss!" she gasped. "Give me the god fragmentsss, Hera! Now!"

  "Never," I shot back.

  Before I realized what was happening, Ekhidna had me by the throat. Her nails pressed into my neck. The slightest move, and they would slice my skin, flooding me with venom. Once that poison was inside me, it would be over.

  "You will give the amuletsss to me," Ekhidna hissed. "The only quessstion is how much you want to sssuffer before you do."

  A loud siren cut through the air. It was my turn to smile.

  "Sounds close," I told Ekhidna.

  She let out an infuriated hiss, but she released me. I was no good to her dead. She knew the amulets alone were useless to her. Only my power could awaken them. In the meantime, she couldn't risk being spotted by mortal police in her true form. Whatever she was planning, it wasn't worth being erased from existence. Nothing was.

  Ekhidna shrank. Her coils vanished. In almost no time at all, she appeared fully human, and so did the oni beside her.

  "You've won nothing!" Ekhidna snarled, pointing a venomous claw at me.

  Not entirely human then. She'd kept her best weapon, subtle enough not to be noticed. She wanted some way to keep me in line.

  She turned to the oni. "You, free the other! You, take her!"

  One of the oni obediently grabbed my arms. The other knelt by the oni on the floor. With one easy pull, it snapped the leather belt keeping the other oni unconscious. Its eyes snapped open instantly.

  "Get up!" Ekhidna snapped. "And follow me. I don't want any sssurprisesss."

  With that, she whirled and left the room. The oni dragged me out behind her. The other two followed close behind.

  I struggled, even though I knew it was useless. Even in mortal form, the oni were vastly stronger than me. Their grip was like iron. Still, I couldn't help but fight. Athena's death, Hephaestus' betrayal, losing Justin: they had all knocked the fight out of me. But old habits died hard. Deep down, I still had some fight left, and even though I didn't know how, I was going to escape.

  "I hope you're not afraid of heightsss," Ekhidna purred cryptically.

  She stopped in the middle of the hallway and grabbed a leather strap hanging from the ceiling. As she pulled, a set of stairs creaked downward from the ceiling.

  Downstairs, I heard someone shout "Police!" and then a loud crash. The cops were here, but they were too late.

  Ekhidna disappeared up the steps, and the oni followed her, with me in tow. I considered screaming. But I couldn't risk Ekhidna deciding it would be easier to kill me than keep me prisoner. Besides, the cops couldn't do much to Ekhidna and her oni. Bullets would only slow them down. Even in mortal bodies, monsters could slaughter any human who got in their way.

  Dust choked my lungs. The attic hadn't been touched in years. The oni pulled me along the floor, right behind Ekhidna. She stopped in front of a window and nodded. One of the oni smashed it with one arm.

  Footsteps. The police were running up the stairs. They'd secured the bottom floors already, and the smashing glass had attracted their attention.

  Ekhidna crawled out the window and stepped onto the roof.

  "The roof?" I protested. "You're going to get us killed!"

  Even if Ekhidna could keep her balance, I didn't flatter myself. I was still unused to my mortal body, and so far, grace had not been one of its major attributes.

  But I had no choice. The oni were as clumsy as I was, but they followed Ekhidna blindly, and they took me with them.

  I stepped out gingerly onto the roof. To my relief, it was dry, but the shingles sloughed off as the massive weight of the oni around me tore them loose. Every time the oni lost their balan
ce, they dragged me dangerously to the side with them. Finally, one of the oni teetered too far and began to topple over the edge. It seized my arm with both enormous hands to keep from plummeting off the roof.

  "Sssave Hera!" Ekhidna commanded.

  The two other oni managed to wrench me free. I fell against the roof as the third oni tumbled off and crunched against the ground far below.

  "Watch where you're going," Ekhidna snapped at me.

  She headed over the peak of the roof. The police must have heard the smash of the falling oni, and she didn't want to be spotted when they came to investigate.

  The two other oni reached down to haul me to my feet.

  This was it: my chance.

  I grabbed the roof with both hands and kicked the ankle of one oni and then the other. I wasn't particularly strong, but I didn't have to be. The oni weren't expecting it, and in their mortal forms, they were weak and clumsy.

  Screaming, both oni went over the edge of the roof. Ekhidna appeared lightning fast from the other side. Seeing the oni topple, she screamed in fury and launched herself at me. I barely managed to dart to the side before she landed, nails stabbing into the roof and sending splinters flying in all directions.

  I jumped up. I ran. But Ekhidna ran after me, and she was much faster. I didn't have long.

  But as I'd hoped, the police weren't the only ones to hear the oni fall. I spotted Demeter and the others in the alley.

  I ran towards them like my life depended on it. Because it did.

  I was almost at the edge of the roof. I closed my eyes, and then without hesitation, I threw myself off.

  Ekhidna crashed into the spot where I'd just been, a second too late to catch me. She was fast, but this once, my powers were faster.

  I plummeted down. I fell so fast, I couldn't even breathe. The world was a blur. But then I slowed. I drifted gently to the ground.

  I opened my eyes in time to see Jason faint. Darren and Demeter barely managed to catch him in time.

  Demeter let out a terrified breath. "Don't you ever do that again!"

  "Jason knew what to do," I replied.

  "I wouldn't count on him doing that again anytime soon," Darren warned.

  Jason was pale, as inhumanly white as Ekhidna. Almost all the life had drained out of him. If I pushed him any further tonight, I'd kill him.