by Tamar Sloan
“Impossible.”
“Hiroko’s been funding the health centers from the beginning.”
Dad stares at the Wheels of Time, but his gaze is unfocused. “Hades can access the Crossroads. They are the space between Earth and the Underworld, the place where magic lives.” He muses. “Maybe he’s found a way to sire more than one child there.”
A question rises in my mind. Could there be more?
I take a step forward, urgency pumping through my limbs. “You need to stop him, Dad. Innocent souls are in Tartarus, and he’ll continue to take more if you don’t.”
Dad looks confused. “I need to stop him?”
“Well, yes. Hades is spreading darkness all over the continent. Those souls need to be returned.”
“We cannot return souls, Kadence.” Dad’s slowly shaking his head, as if to emphasize the impossibility of it. “The gods do not have influence over one another’s domain. Just as others cannot influence time, I cannot influence fate, or the weather, or any other dominion.”
I stagger back. “Then how do we stop Hades?”
Dad’s face settles into lines I haven’t seen before. He seems to age right before my eyes. “The only way is to force Hades to return the souls.”
I don’t like the sound of that, but I know I need to ask the question. “Force?”
“Yes, daughter. It will mean a war between the gods.”
“But…the last war between the gods went on for ten years.” I shake my head, unable to accept the solution. The Titan War changed entire landscapes as the gods used their mighty powers. “Earth was left devastated.”
Dad holds his hands out in helplessness. “It is up to you then, Kadence.”
The shaking of my head intensifies, making me a little dizzy. “No, no, no. I can’t use my power. Hades has used it each time as an opportunity to steal more souls. It’s too dangerous.”
Dad doesn’t respond. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a time when he’s been speechless.
I swallow. “So, our options are a war between the gods, or do nothing?”
Like he can’t meet my gaze, Dad turns to look at the Wheels of Time. “Maybe Moira was right. Maybe we shouldn’t have become involved.”
I reel back. Is Dad saying that because I stopped time? My breath becomes shallow as a band constricts around my chest. Have I inadvertently helped Hades harvest the souls?
I waver as uncertainty erodes my confidence. Is he right?
Suddenly, all the reasons why I wanted to escape to Olympus assail me. The loss. The daily pain. The struggle to hope…
I well and truly fell into that well of despair. For years, this was where I longed to be. Olympus was going to be my refuge from it all.
And now I know how to get here… With Micah literally my neighbor.
My heart starts to thump heavily in my chest as the idea materializes. The two of us, free of all of this. Our love, sweet and protected. And Micah would remain secret.
Except then Moira would be right. It would mean Micah should never have “interfered,” as she calls it. That he should never have visited me. Should never have returned…
No. I can’t accept that Micah’s destined to remain in Elysium, hiding himself from the rest of the world.
Straightening, it seems Micah’s given me something. He’s showed me the power of love, but what’s more, he showed me love can’t exist without faith.
I take a step forward, regaining the ground I just lost. “No. Without us getting involved, we never would’ve discovered this was happening. We wouldn’t have an opportunity to stop it.”
When Dad turns back to me, something’s changed. He seems to harden, become a little taller. And yet, he’s almost smiling. “Well, demigod daughter of mine. What do you propose?”
I realize Dad almost looks proud…
I head back to the stairs. I want to see Micah. To talk to him. Over my shoulder, I tell my father, “I’ll keep you posted.”
Dad, who was standing patiently, allowing me to think this through, takes a startled step forward. “You are not telling me of your plan?”
I don’t actually have one yet. “You’re going to have to trust me, Dad.”
I’m already thinking of heading back to Earth, when something strikes me. I’m in Olympus, and not long after arriving, I’m already leaving.
Pausing, I turn at the top of the steps. “Why didn’t you let me know I could teleport?”
Dad hasn’t moved from beside the Wheels of Time. “All demigods can teleport, Kadence.”
“But why didn’t you tell me?”
All those years I wanted to visit him. To have a reprieve…
“Would you have stayed, daughter? If you knew you could be here in the blink of an eye, would you have remained on Earth?”
The answer is instant—no. I would’ve tried to keep coming back, to show my father that being in Olympus, helping him from here, was best for everyone.
I would’ve never seen all the selfishness and loss and anger.
I never would’ve met Micah.
Dad sighs as his shoulders drop an inch. “It wasn’t easy, Kadence. Watching you suffer.”
I blink, surprised to find my eyes stinging with tears.
The fact that I’m walking away from Olympus, the place I craved to be for so long, tells me a whole lot—as much as it hurts that Dad kept this from me, maybe he was right.
It also makes me realize this has been harder for Dad than I appreciated. I rush back, throwing my arms around him. Within an instant, he’s hugging me back.
“Thanks for believing, Dad,” I mumble against his broad chest.
“I have always been sure of your destiny.” His hand strokes my hair. “You were born of great love, Kadence. It’s the strongest foundation anyone could have.”
Blinking rapidly, I pull back. It’s true—Mom and Dad loved each other deeply. Dad only visited on the first day of each season, and I inherited my excitement for those days from my mother. She never questioned it, explaining this was just the way it was. She always said she would take love however the universe chose to bless her with it.
Their deep love was another reason I felt so guilty when I was unable to save her.
Why the responsibility for her death consumed me…
“She loved you with all her heart, Kadence. She wouldn’t have left if it wasn’t her time.”
I nod, my face rubbing against the white of his shirt. Micah’s words slip through my mind: If I could talk to your mother, I know what she would say. She’d say there’s nothing to forgive.
Stepping back, I smile, the glow starting deep in my soul. Right now, there’s nothing more I want than to give Micah the same gift I’ve just been given.
Faith.
I walk away from Olympus with more than I bargained for.
We know how Hades is stealing souls. I’ve learned that we’re the only ones who can do something about it.
And I’ve discovered that I believe we can do it.
The mist envelops me within moments of leaving the steps. All I have is a couple of feet of path in front of me and my tightly held hope. I let it lead me forward, knowing there’s only one place I want to be.
Micah.
When the warm fog parts, Micah is standing there, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He’s frowning as he stares at the ground, but the moment he sees me, he lights up like he’s seeing a new dawn.
Just like he’s my sun, too, I move toward him. Micah is my new center of gravity.
We kiss and touch, reconnecting and reaffirming. Every time we touch, it feels like he needs me as much as I need him.
Wishing I didn’t have to, I pull back. “We need to talk.”
Micah nods. “Yes, we do.”
There’s a weight in Micah’s words that has my gut clenching. “Not here, though.” Who knows who’s on the other side of the mist? “Maybe in Pontiac Point?”
Micah nods again. “Good idea.”
A spark lights in my chest as an idea comes
to mind. “Can I try something?”
“Of course.”
Micah’s complete trust has me smiling—he didn’t even pause before agreeing. I’m looking forward to trying this with him.
It’s then that I realize I have no idea how to do this. “How do you teleport, Micah?”
He raises his brows in surprise. “I close my eyes and focus on the place I want to go. My mother taught me.”
I nod. Seems straightforward enough.
I wrap my arms around Micah’s waist and rest my forehead against his chest. He pauses for a moment, no doubt wondering what’s going on, before sliding his arms around my back. Closing my eyes, I breathe in deeply, enjoying filling my lungs with the scent of Micah. My arms tighten, feeling his warm skin over hard muscles.
Never have I felt so safe. It has me believing that maybe I can actually do this.
I imagine the lot where the apartment building used to be, now flat and clear. I picture the dumpster that was there when we left. I imagine Micah and I have arrived, holding each other like we are now, him pulling back, his Mediterranean eyes wide with shock.
When the ground disappears, when there’s that brief second of weightlessness, I realize I’ve done it. I’ve teleported us!
There’s nothing. No sound, no sensation apart from Micah in my arms.
Then the unmistakable trill of a sparrow, the muted roar of an engine as a truck rumbles past filters in. A breeze carrying the scent of summer and asphalt tickles my nose.
I don’t release my pent-up breath until I open my eyes again. It confirms it—we’re back on the lot. We’re in Pontiac Point!
Micah’s eyes are just as I imagined they would be, possibly bigger. “You teleported us?”
My smile feels like it stretches from here to Olympus. “It seems—”
“I knew it!”
We both spin around to find Nev shaking her head at us with her hands on her hips. “There was always something about you that was different, Kay.”
Micah and I stare at each other in horror. Nevaeh must’ve seen us arrive! Appearing out of thin air!
It’s then that I realize the dumpster is gone. Now, the bare earth is dotted with wooden stakes. Lengths of tape stretch between some, and white marks have been outlined between others.
It means we’re out in the open.
Nev strides over, looking more peeved than scared. “What are you? A witch or something?”
Micah
I’ve lost the ability to move. First, shock roots me to the ground.
Then, the ramifications of being discovered by Nevaeh avalanche down on me, making me wonder if I’ll ever be able to move again.
Nevaeh is human. And my thread just became undeniably tied to hers.
Nev is looking from Kadence, to me, and back again, her eyes narrowed. “Well?”
Kadence leaps forward. “Shh!”
An old man is on the other side of the block. He pauses in his shuffling to wave at us. Nevaeh raises her hand and waves back. “Hi, Mr. Murphy,” she shouts loudly.
I cringe, feeling like a spotlight was just aimed at me.
“Nev!” Kadence hisses.
“Chill it, you two.” With a wide smile she calls out to Mr. Murphy. “He’s deaf as a shoe.”
Mr. Murphy smiles then goes back to his half-walk, half-shuffle.
“See? Your secret is safe with me.” She shoves out her hand. “Hi, Micah. I’m Nevaeh. Kadence has told me as little as possible about you.”
I shake it, unable to relax. Despite Nevaeh seeming to take all this in stride, it doesn’t feel right. “It’s lovely to meet you, Nevaeh.”
She eyes me for a second, no doubt wondering how I fit into all of this. How are we going to explain my magical appearance alongside Kadence?
Nevaeh turns to her friend. “So, you’re a witch?” She looks around. “You guys don’t need broomsticks to get around anymore?”
Kadence huffs. “No, I’m not a witch.”
“Then what? A shapeshifter?” She pulls back, eyes wide. “You’re not, like, a demon or anything, are you?”
Kadence huffs again. “No, I’m not a demon.” She looks around, spotting a large digger at the edge of the block. Taking my hand, she heads toward it. “We need a bit of privacy.”
Nevaeh follows us, and I wish I knew what she was thinking. Being discovered by a human wasn’t something I’d banked on.
Once we’re in the shade of the hulking machine, Kadence takes another look at our surroundings, confirming there’s no one around. With just the muted sounds of the city around us, she turns to her friend.
“I’m a demigod. I just teleported us here.”
Nevaeh’s jaw drops open. “A god?”
“No, a demigod. Kronos, the god of time, is my father. My mother was human.”
Nevaeh would know this. Kadence told me they met Kadence not long after her mother died.
“Whoa…” Nevaeh breathes the word, obviously trying to understand everything. “Bestie, you and I are gonna have to talk.”
Kadence takes a step forward, even though she’s still holding my hand. “This stays between us, Nev. No one can know.”
“Of course it does.” She rolls her eyes. “Area 51 would flip if they discovered they need to look closer to home.”
Nevaeh’s gaze turns to me, her eyes calculating and curious. She’s wondering where I fit into this.
Kadence moves closer to me. “Micah only recently learned who I am, too.”
Which is technically the truth, just like everything Kadence has said so far.
Nevaeh nods, but I can still see the questions in her eyes. I don’t even know if humans can teleport with demigods…
I clear my throat. I’m going to be as honest as I can. “Her secret’s safe with me. I want nothing more than Kadence’s safety and happiness.”
Despite the truth in those words, they feel hollow. I’m talking of protecting Kadence, when all she’s done is protect me.
Nev smiles. “I’m glad to hear that, Micah. “’Cause my BFF has been put through the wringer enough.”
Although Neveah holds her smile, my gut clenches like her words were delivered with a punch. Maybe it’s the edge of steel, I swear, glints in her warm, brown eyes.
“Nev! Micah was the one who had me hoping in the first place.”
“Good. I’ll let him stick around for a while longer.”
Nev bursts into a fit of giggles, and I pull up a smile. It’s a good thing Kadence has a friend who’s so protective.
Kadence shakes her head, releasing me to give Nev a hug. “Thanks, Nev. I can’t believe how well you’re taking this.”
Nev squeezes her tightly. “You know you can trust me, Kay.”
When they step back, they’re smiling.
I clear my throat again. “I wish we could stay and explain this a little more, but we’ve got to go.”
Nevaeh juts out her hip in a way I’m recognizing is characteristic of her. “Are you guys on some sort of secret mission or something?”
Kadence pauses. Any sense of complacency evaporates. We haven’t had a chance to talk—Kadence doesn’t know how serious things are getting.
Nev giggles again. “I was just joking. You two go do whatever it is demigods and their boyfriends do. I’m off to find Tyler.”
Kadence frowns. “Is everything okay with him?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him for a couple of days…”
Kadence’s frown intensifies. “That’s not good.”
“I’m hoping he’s got a head cold or something.” Nevaeh looks away. “Rather than being high in a dumpster, or in the back of a cop car somewhere.”
Kadence’s gray gaze captures mine as she bites her lip. “I’m hoping, too.”
Thomas’ words climb into my consciousness: He needs someone to believe in him…
Maybe Nevaeh can be that person for him.
“Anyway, I’ll keep you posted once I find him.” She plants her hands on her hips
as she turns around. “And give him a patented Nev talking-to.”
With that, she throws us a smile and strides away.
Somehow, I’m the one left shell-shocked. Nevaeh just discovered her friend is a demigod, and she’s walking away as if it’s just another day in Pontiac Point. Surely it can’t be that easy. “You sure we can trust her?”
Kadence sighs. “She’s always been there when I needed her, Micah. It doesn’t surprise me she took it all in stride.”
I tell myself to relax. “I’m glad you had that.”
“Nev helped me hope when I couldn’t.”
I consciously unwind the tension from my muscles. I’m starting to get paranoid. “You never lost hope, Kadence.”
Kadence’s gaze softens as she smiles at me. “You sound like my father.”
The tightness returns along with the reality of what we’re facing. “We need to find somewhere to talk.”
Kadence nods, then looks around. “My place isn’t a good idea. Aunt Jo’s going to ask a gazillion questions.” Her face lights up and she thumps the metal of the bulldozer beside us. “It’ll be just like Bertha.”
Against the odds, a lightness fills my heart. “Sitting on the hood of that car are some of the most special memories I have.”
Kadence’s eyes glow. “Mine, too.”
Climbing up reminds me a little of climbing the ficus back at Elysium. Once we’re on the square nose, the narrow windshield behind us, Kadence tucks into my side with a familiarity that warms my soul.
Long moments pass and neither of us talk. I take the time to enjoy the sensation of this girl in my arms. When we’re together, anything seems possible.
Kadence tucks her head a little lower on my chest, her fingers fiddling with the zipper of my hoodie. “It’s the photo booths, Micah.”
I close my eyes as the words filter through. “How?”
“Photos capture a moment in time—they stop time in a way. The centers are built on Crossroads…”
“Allowing wraiths to steal souls.” I finish for her. My arm tightens around her shoulder. “I saw the Loom. The darkness is growing faster.”
Kadence looks up, her gray eyes serious. “And the other gods can’t stop him. They have no dominion over souls and the Underworld.”
