“Uh-huh.”
“Don’t go anywhere alone with any of the others,” he continued.
“Nathan, I know,” I puffed as I struggled up a particularly steep part in the trail. Damn, this mountain is a bitch. “Don’t tell them anymore than I have to, don’t be too trusting, don’t . . .”
“Don’t let them know you’re the one Circe needs to complete the curse,” he finished. He offered me a hand to help me up the final few steps to slightly more level ground.
“Right.” How could I have forgotten? It was only the hundredth time he had warned me. I blamed the intense heat for my momentary lapse. “How much farther is it?”
“Seriously,” Alec grumbled from behind me. “I really shouldn’t have smoked that last cigarette before we left.”
I shot Alec a grin. “Last one?”
He shrugged noncommittally as he hoisted himself up to a stand beside me.
Alec had quit smoking this morning . . . again. He had enjoyed several ‘last cigarettes’ this week. The longest he had made it without one was twelve hours. The rest of us had suffered that day just as much as he had, and we were all pretty relieved when he finally gave in to his cravings.
“This is it,” Jared announced. He turned to Nathan. “Isn’t that the tree?”
“Oh, thank God for shade!” Alec dropped to the ground under a single tree off the side of the path, and the rest of us followed him, eager for the break from the relentless sun.
“Where is the entrance?” Bruce asked as he brought a bottle of water to his lips.
Nathan pointed to the trail, where it narrowed between two rock walls. “Through there.”
A warm buzzing sensation prickled my skin the moment my gaze landed on the spot he indicated. My feet took involuntary steps toward the gap in the rocks. With each step, the buzzing intensified. Unlike the strange pull I had felt toward the army of Skotadi that had invaded the Kala base the week prior, this sensation was a welcomed one. It filled me with a sense of longing.
Of hope. Joy. Family.
Someone behind me asked me what I was doing, but I didn’t know who, nor did I know how to answer that question. I let my feet take me in the direction I instinctively wanted to go. I passed through the narrow gap, and approached a vertical rock wall. Though my eyes told me this was the end of the trail, I knew better.
I pressed my hand to the sun-warmed rock . . . and my arm slipped through like the wall was made of pudding. Though a blurry remnant of the wall remained, I could see my arm clearly on the other side. I found myself laughing softly as I wiggled my fingers.
“Holy shit,” somebody muttered behind me, and I turned to find the others gaping at me.
I found Nathan’s eyes. “This way?”
He nodded, confirming what I already knew. I didn’t know how . . . but I knew.
“I guess we won’t need one of the gods to lead us after all,” Jared concluded with a chuckle.
The buzzing intensified as I stepped through the rock wall, passing into another realm. Once the rest of the group had joined me, I led them up a narrow flight of stairs. Though I had been winded and tired from the hike up the mountain only a few moments ago, I suddenly found myself full of energy. Perhaps it was excitement over what awaited me at the top. Maybe it was some previously unknown demigod superpower that I had suddenly channeled. Whatever it was, I was grateful. Not even the thick fog that blanketed us hampered me.
I knew the others weren’t fairing as well as I was, and I slowed my ascent for their benefit. But the moment the golden doors appeared in front of me, I rushed forward without hesitation to push them open. I blinked against the sudden light that welcomed us as a chorus of complaints erupted from behind me.
Alec’s voice reached my ears above the others. “Dammit, Kris! A little warning next time, huh?”
I opened my mouth to apologize, but the words were forgotten as the most magnificent sight I have ever seen appeared before me. The true Mount Olympus—The Hall of the Gods—was just as spectacular as Nathan had described it to be. Maybe even more so, I concluded as I gaped at the majestic waterfall that poured out of the side of the mountain.
As I craned my head to see where the water fell, a woman draped in a long white robe stepped forward, into my line of sight, with outstretched hands.
“Finally,” she smiled. “Welcome to the home of the gods, my dear.”
~ ~ ~
As Hera led us through the lush garden, she pointed out several highlights that she thought we might enjoy. We passed the ambrosia fields, from which the gods got their nectar; the fountain of prosperity; the springs of clarity and the majestic pool of love. We stopped there, at the base of the waterfall where it dumped into the pool, and tiny droplets of moisture beaded on my skin.
My jaw ached from having my mouth dropped in awe for so long. Hera offered me a warm smile as though she understood my sensory overload. Her kind eyes moved over the group.
“You will have to excuse my husband,” she explained. “He and Poseidon are wreaking havoc in the Atlantic. I don’t expect them to return for several more days.”
“Wreaking havoc?” Jared pondered.
Hera’s smile never faltered as she responded, “It’s hurricane season.”
I snorted as I unsuccessfully attempted to hold back a laugh. Nathan’s elbow tapped my ribs, and I glanced over my shoulder to find his head bowed and a dimple in his cheek.
“We have recently discovered that Circe is behind the demigods’ plot to overthrow us,” Hera continued. “They were quite angry and needed to blow off some steam.”
At least we now knew that they were aware of Circe’s involvement. I wondered how much more they knew. Were they already aware that Circe was relying on me to complete the immortality curse? My shoulders were rigid as I waited for Hera to accuse me of being in allegiance with Circe, but she never did.
“We believe Circe has fled to her residence in Aeaea,” Hera explained. “She has acquired quite an army to assist her and the ten demigods working with her, so I’m afraid you will meet considerable resistance in your quest to destroy them.”
“Nine demigods now,” Jared told her. “Kris destroyed Temulus last week.”
Hera swung her gaze to me, and the surprise on her face shifted to admiration. “Zeus will be pleased to hear that.”
“Circe’s army?” Nathan questioned. “What do you know about them?”
“I’m sorry to say that it is composed of both Skotadi and Kala soldiers,” Hera answered. “They have been promised immortality as well, in exchange for their loyalty to her.”
“That explains the traitors,” Jared grumbled from behind me.
The attack on the Kala base last week had partially been orchestrated by several members of Kala leadership. Nathan and Jared had been pondering the motive behind their deception since. I supposed the promise of immortality was a good enough reason for them to turn on their own.
Hera turned to me with a smile. “Isatan and Permna will be happy that you are here. I know they have been looking forward to having your help.” She looked to Jared and Nathan, where they stood slightly behind me, and her voice lifted with uncertainty. “And the assistance of an army?”
“We hit a little snag in the preparations,” Jared admitted glumly.
“So far it’s just us,” Nathan added.
Hera looked over our six-person group warily. Finally, her face brightened. “I suppose it is better to have trust than numbers. Now, please, come with me. I will take you to Isatan and Permna. They have been waiting for you.”
She led us away from the pool. I felt as if I had swallowed a frog. It jumped around my stomach as she led us through a golden archway. We entered a room composed of grey walls and a high ceiling, all made of rock. Despite its grandness, the room felt small and cramped thanks to the enormous stone table that rested in the center. Shelves had been chiseled into the walls, and every inch was covered with an assortment of books and ivory-colored scrolls.
Hunched over the round table stood two individuals. They looked up from the scroll they had been examining as we entered.
“Isatan . . . Permna . . .” Hera placed her hands on my shoulders. “This is Kris, the thirteenth demigod. I will leave you all to talk.”
When Hera retreated from the room, the two demigods approached us. Like Hera, they too wore long robes. His consisted of layers of several shades of green; hers a blend of yellow. While untamed black curls fell to his shoulders, her hair was slicked back into a tight auburn bun. Both hid their poise and emotion behind clear blue eyes.
I held back as Isatan shook hands with Nathan and Jared.
“Good to see you again,” he said to them, then glanced over the rest of us. “I hope this isn’t the army you promised. Though the addition of another demigod is certainly welcomed.”
I felt small under his penetrating gaze. Then, as I remembered that I was equal to him, I squared my shoulders in confidence. Sure, I was way out of my league, but I could pretend.
“That is . . .” Isatan continued as he looked at me, “assuming you plan to aid us, and not Circe, of course.”
I blanched as Nathan swung a concerned look at me.
Oh shit . . . Isatan knew?
“Isatan,” Permna chided. “I told you what I saw before Circe put the bind on me.” She turned to me with a reassuring smile. “We are aware of where your loyalties lie.”
“My father doesn’t know what Circe has intended for you,” Isatan added with a warning ring. “I won’t tell him as long as you remain on our side.”
I had nearly forgotten that Permna was the demigod of prophecy. Now, I thanked the gods that she’d had a vision of me, and my intentions.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m not going to help Circe. I can guarantee that.”
“Good,” Isatan responded curtly, and I didn’t know if I liked him or not. He turned to Nathan and Jared. “What of this army you were to gather for us?”
“We’re short numbered now,” Jared explained. “But I think we can gather more.”
“We’re going to need all the help we can get,” Isatan said as he turned to the large table. “Permna and I have been searching for the locations of the other demigods. We know that three of the four sided with Hades are not venturing far from the Underworld. They will be difficult to get to. But we have located another four demigods hiding here.” His finger landed on a map of Greece that was spread across the table, but I couldn’t read the name of the town he pointed to. “Three others are unaccounted for.”
“Temulus has been taken care of,” Nathan offered.
“Really?” Permna studied me curiously. Over her shoulder, I caught the skeptical curve on Isatan’s lips, and I decided that I definitely didn’t like him.
“That leaves nine,” Nathan continued. “Once we strike one, the rest will come for us. If we can take out those four before they realize our plans, we won’t be as outnumbered later.”
“The three of us against the four of them?” Isatan asked. “And with only the help of five hybrids?”
Nathan and Jared shared a look. “We’ll get more hybrids,” Jared promised. “But we were hoping to have another advantage . . .”
“What do you know about that compound that the Skotadi used to hold the two of you?” Nathan asked Isatan and Permna. “If we could get our hands on it, we would have a huge advantage.”
“We know that it’s one of Circe’s creations,” Permna offered. “We believe she created it out of dried centaur blood, diamond, and a few other herbs. It does not affect hybrids, but will cause us to hallucinate and temporarily lose our powers. Once your Kala team removed it from our skin, the effects wore off within minutes.”
“We’ve gone through her chamber here, but have found nothing. We believe she made it at her other residence in Aeaea,” Isatan added.
Nathan and Jared shared another look that caused my stomach to twist . . . because I knew what they were thinking.
“Is there any way we can get to it?” Jared posed.
“We can get to Aeaea,” Isatan said, “but I don’t see how we can get past Circe.”
Everyone was silent under the weight of disappointment. Then an idea hit me, and I turned to Permna, because I preferred her over Isatan. “Is it something I could copy? If I knew how she made it, maybe I could find a way to make it.”
I certainly should have the ability to do so. Since I’d reached my potential as an Incantator, I realized I was capable of far more than I ever thought possible. Granted, I spent most of my time concentrating on holding my powers back, and even then doors opened ahead of my approach, glass shattered when I was angry, and I flirted with a state of invisibility when distracted. Surely, I could recreate Circe’s compound if I knew how she had done it.
“She’s the only one who knows how,” Isatan said dismissively.
“No.” Permna’s eyes were wide when they fell on me. “We can get past Circe. We can get the compound directly from her.”
“How?” I asked hesitantly.
“We can bind her, like she did to me,” Permna answered. “Well, you can bind her.”
I glanced around at the group. From the number of confused faces I saw, I knew I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what she was talking about.
“What does that mean, to bind her?” I questioned.
“It’s a spell that can be placed on someone from a distance to limit their powers,” Permna explained. “I suspect she placed one on me last week. I haven’t been able to use my powers of prophecy like I used to. Binds are supposed to be temporary, but it doesn’t seem to be wearing off yet.”
“What if she binds Kris?” Alec spoke up from the back of the group. When I turned to him, he added, “No offense, but I don’t think you can take on the demigods with nothing but your bare hands. You’re going to need your powers.”
He glanced at Nathan as if looking for confirmation, and I shot Nathan a look that dared him to agree with Alec. Not that I didn’t agree with Alec myself. I knew I never would have defeated Temulus if I hadn’t used my powers. What good could I do without them?
“Your magic may be protecting you,” Permna said to me. “Circe could never bind Hecate. Perhaps you’re protected from being bound as well. For some reason, she cannot bind Isatan either.”
“Likely because of my father,” Isatan added.
I supposed that was reassuring, but one problem still remained. “I don’t know how to bind. I’ve never even heard of it until now.”
“I used to—” Lillian started to say, but was stopped with a look from Nathan.
The fact that Lillian had been an Incantator was something we didn’t want the gods to know—especially that Lillian had been the Incantator that helped Circe spread the curse. Though she hadn’t retained her Incantation powers since she had been converted back to a Kala, and she definitely wasn’t evil like she had been, we didn’t know how they would take the news of her involvement.
Lillian cleared her throat before she continued. “I used to have an interest in Incantation, and studied it for fun. I’ve learned about binding, and I think I can help with the process. But we will need certain materials to do it.”
“Hecate left behind everything she had in her resting chamber,” Permna offered as she looked between Lillian and me. “I’m sure you can find what you need in there.”
“My mother has a room here?”
Permna nodded. “I’ll show you.”
I followed closely behind Permna as she led us out of the room, and into the garden. Nathan came up beside me, and took my hand in his as he leaned close enough to whisper, “Are you comfortable with this?”
“Absolutely.”
So far, I had felt like little more than a pawn being moved around by others who knew so much more about the way this alternate world worked. I wanted to contribute more, and binding Circe so that we could get her compound was definitely a start to showing what I could do. I just hoped I could pul
l it off.
“I’m not so sure about Isatan, though,” I added in a whisper.
Fortunately, he had stayed in the room to strategize with Jared and Bruce. I was relieved to be free of his penetrating stare for a few moments.
Permna cast me a smile over her shoulder. “Don’t you worry about Isatan. He’s an insufferable creature with the temperament of his father.”
I hadn’t realized I had spoken loud enough for her to hear, and stared at the back of Permna’s head in mortification before Nathan’s hand squeezed mine reassuringly.
“See? That’s just the way he is,” Nathan offered. “Don’t take offense to it.”
I shot him a grateful smile as Permna led us through another golden doorway, and into the room that had been my mother’s chamber. My feet stopped moving just inside the door as I took in the impressive sight.
While the size of the room was astonishing, that was not what caught my attention. The hundreds of candles that lined the walls and covered the floors did . . . for starters.
“Who keeps these candles lit?” Alec asked Permna.
“No one,” she answered. “They’ve been burning for centuries. They never burn out.”
“Her magic keeps them lit,” Lillian added quietly. She had already moved farther into the room, and ran a hand over one of the many, many shelves covered with plants and herbs.
On another wall, shelves were filled with large glass containers filled with sands and liquids that encompassed every color of the rainbow, and books of all sizes. A large poster bed lay to the left of the room, and directly across from it was a large table covered with more candles and books. Above the table, a large wheel with lines crisscrossing in all directions was fixed to the wall.
It certainly appeared she had left everything behind, and I didn’t doubt that the materials needed for a binding spell were here. Now, I only worried how we would find them.
Chapter 3
Permna returned to Isatan’s planning room, and left us to sort through Hecate’s belongings. My mother’s belongings. I kept reminding myself of that, because it was still unbelievable to me. As I ran my hand over all the fascinating things we found, I ached with a sense of longing. I wanted to know this goddess . . . my mother.
Avenging Heart Page 2
