"Yeah, destiny." I spat out the word, still not prepared to come to terms with what it meant. My life laid out before me on a map. A map I had no say in. Even now with Valentina kidnapped by that asshole and Savannah no doubt mad at me because I was shutting her out. This was all pre-determined by something bigger than us all if Atlas were to be believed.
Mother saw right through me though. She stepped closer and her hands enveloped my face, pulling me toward her like she always did when I was being self-deprecating. She stared into my eyes with hers, who like any mother’s, could see through you in a second. She read through the pages of the new book I had been writing since arriving at Olympus and she saw. She saw everything laid in my heart. I couldn't look away, not that I wanted to. I knew deep down inside these were the last moments I was going to have with my mother. I wanted to memorize everything about her I could and for a moment, I found myself regretting sending Savannah away because my heart wanted the two most important women in my life to meet.
But, like everything, Mother knew. She let go of my face and patted my chest, smiling in that all-knowing way of hers.
"You take good care of her. She deserves a real man, and I know I raised you as one." I swallowed the lump in my throat as she reached for my head again, drawing my forehead to her lips. It wasn't real contact but the gesture warmed me all the way through and had me wishing it was real. One last time. "I love you, I'm proud of you." I could already feel her slipping away. The urge to reach out and tether her to me was overwhelming but futile.
She released me from her warm, deathly grip and turned to the doorway that held her eternity beyond its threshold. As she walked toward it she glowed brighter than the sun, still in death as light and beautiful as she had been in life. My jaw was tense as I kept my teeth ground together, a savage attempt to remain calm and composed. I didn't have any plans for losing it in front of Griffin.
But under the tumultuous emotions of heartbreak and sadness, there was also one raging storm that wouldn't be satiated: anger. This was my father's fault. Yet again, his selfishness had hurt her, I didn't care what the truth of the situation had been. As a husband, he had one job and he failed her, repeatedly despite her never-ending loyalty and devotion to him. I don't know how long I stood there watching the door like it was going to open and she would return to me but when I finally pried my eyes away the heartbreak was gone and in its stead, was the dangerously pressing anger.
"Check for Jackson Cartwright."
"Sorry?"
"Jackson. Now." I felt my entire body bristle with the command. I was certain it had rippled through Griffin and pressed him to do as I asked.
"Jackson Cartwright, I summon you." I crossed to the door, ready to open it in the bastard's face and give him the smuggest God damn look I could muster but nothing happened. The room was silent. Too quiet and it unnerved me further. How had such a precious life been ripped away and such a heinous and vile man been left to survive? The cruelty of the world disgusted me.
"I knew it. Self-serving, self-absorbed asshole." I turned to the wall next to the door, throwing my fist into the rock. I felt my bones crunch and splinter from the force, shooting pains rushing through my arm but none of it eased the ache in my chest knowing my worst fears had proven to be true. He had saved himself over saving her. "I'm going to kill him."
I had an ever-growing list of people who I would take far too much pleasure out of choking the life from them but at the top, there was one name written in a red as bright as blood: my father. Oh, I would deal with Soren and the others, they were merely distractions on my way to my goal. I would get rid of them, fix this entire situation and when I had nothing in my way, I was going to tear apart New York until there wasn't a single nook or cranny left for him to hide in.
"Go and get everyone back in here. We have Titans to kill." I left no room for argument when I spoke. Griffin, thankfully, for once didn't argue as he rose and left the room. I turned back to the door my mother had gone through, allowing myself for a moment to feel the ache that pulsed in my heart. The voice in the back of my head, the one I tended to ignore, told me I should go and find Savannah and share this pain with her. But she didn't need to see my weakness. What was there to be attracted to in a man who was devastated by the loss of his mother? She needed me to be strong. She needed me to lead and that's what I would do.
Like everything else in my life, I compartmentalized what I was feeling. The broken and aching feelings threatened to overwhelm me, I pushed them to the back of my mind alongside all those other hapless emotions that did nothing but weaken me as a man. No one visited the darkest corners of my mind, no one would ever be aware those places existed. I was King. King of the Masquerade. I could pull this off better than anyone else in the world. I could function with only a quarter of myself still reacting.
Eventually Griffin returned with the other Gods. Everyone had an opinion on the situation with Soren and everyone had a piece of advice to give. We hashed out a plan that seemed like it would work and would also keep me safe. I knew it was selfish of me to allow Blaine to take my place and pretend to be me, especially considering the risk he was taking what with Soren's grudge but of the two of us, I was the more necessary God. Thankfully everyone else seemed to agree, for the most part. With a plan in place, everyone broke off to prepare themselves for battle.
It might've seemed sexist but we decided to keep the women out of most our plan. Not because they were incapable but most of them had useless powers when it came to fighting. It wasn't our choice but the way it would've been done back in the Grecian times. Women, like Charlotte, boasted Goddesses who can hold their own. But Savannah didn't like the idea of me spending too much time with her trying to hash out a good plan to include them. I didn't blame her either, what with my actions of the past.
She also took offense to my sidelining her. She wanted to be included in as much as she could be as Queen of the Gods but without any of her powers I knew she was more of a risk than a help. When planning began to die down, I intended to take her aside and speak to her, I didn't want her to think I thought she couldn't hold her own. I couldn't bear the idea of having lost my mom and throwing my girlfriend to the wolves without a chance in hell of her surviving.
Chapter 2
Everyone headed out to prepare, leaving only a handful of us standing around the throne room. I would've preferred going back to our room for a conversation in private but in the likely chance people would need me for input on something, I had to stay where I could be found. Taking Savannah by the elbow, I nodded at the two thrones at the top of the dais before making our way there. I stopped short when I got closer, immediately rethinking my choice of venue. These thrones were nothing like the ones we'd had in Olympus. How did Griffin bear to sit on them? They were decorated in realistic-looking skulls. They were uncanny. I could've sworn it felt like they were watching me, judging me for my choice.
"I can stand." Savannah voiced my own thoughts, breaking the unnerving gaze I had begun with a skull.
"Yeah," I agreed vaguely as my hand slid from her elbow to her hand, interlocking our fingers. I guided us away again, finding a secluded corner of the room where we could talk privately. Not many people knew Savannah had sacrificed her magic to me in the basement with Lincoln. It was something we both agreed needed to be kept of a secret, in case Charlotte got another wild idea to take the throne from Savvy.
"Listen, I don't want you to think I don't want you being there." I turned her to face me, looking at those beautiful, clear blue eyes I had grown to love. "If I had it my way, you'd always be right at my side where you belong but I can't risk you. I won't." I said it as firmly as I could so she understood this was coming to her as a command. I wasn't going to let her get hurt.
"It's fine Aidan, I get it." I was surprised she didn't give more of a fight. It wasn't in her, or Hera's nature, to sit back and let us boss them around. It felt mildly suspicious.
"You don't have some kind of secret plan w
here you're going to go behind my back and do something stupid that inevitably gets you hurt and could've been avoided - do you?" She laughed at me, shaking her head in disbelief. But I couldn't help my line of questioning. Savannah, above everyone, had a tendency for the dramatic and unfortunately included doing cliché things like that.
"No, Aidan, I don't plan on doing something stupid. I understand where you're coming from and as much as it kills me to stay back, I will. I know I'm useless without magic and the only thing I would add to the situation is another person to split your focus. You need to be worried about one thing only and that's killing Soren. Not whether I've stepped into the midst of a battle unarmed."
"No offense babe, but when you're agreeable like this it makes me suspicious." She pulled her hand out of mine and landed a punch to the top of my arm which only furthered my strong belief she had no place in a dangerous battle.
"Am I supposed to say 'ow'?" I smirked, unable to help myself mostly because I enjoyed the little scowl that formed on her brow and the way her lips puckered when it happened.
"You're an ass," she sighed.
"I am, but you like me this way." I wrapped her in my arms, kissing the top of her head first before making my way to her lips. I wasn't going to admit it but the relief I was feeling was palpable. This had gone a lot easier than I imagined it to be. In fact, because she hadn't fought, she hadn't given me the opportunity to make it up to her. Something I had been learning could be enjoyable for both of us.
"Strangely enough, I do," she muttered against my lips before pushing against my chest to separate us again. "Why did you throw me out of the throne room earlier though?"
"I knew you weren't going to let that go!" I shook my head with exasperation before glancing around the room to buy myself time while I considered what I was going to tell her. That annoying voice in the back of my head was saying the same thing as ever, I had to share with her. There was nothing wrong in showing weakness around the person you love. Clearly, my head didn't remember all those lessons on weakness during childhood. "I'm sorry I sent you out." I spoke carefully, knowing like Hera, Savannah was as touchy when it came to these kinds of conversations. The simplest things could set her off and I didn't want to have to deal with an irate wife on top of everything else right now. "I needed to speak to Griffin alone about what happened in New York. You know what he's like, he's still weird and awkward around you since the..." I didn't have to say anything else, my jaw tightening instinctively. I knew Savannah tensed as well, she did every time we brought it up.
I knew I should've felt bad about lying to her. There was something wrong with me because I couldn't feel bad about it. I wasn't ready to talk to her about my mom and I most definitely wasn't ready for whatever form of pity she was going to serve me because of what had happened. I told myself I would tell her eventually, to silence the annoying voice in the back of my mind.
"Yeah, I guess that's true... What did he tell you?"
"Nothing much, described the conditions of New York." Her hand immediately stroked my arm as she stared at me with those big blue eyes full of concern.
"I know that's where you're from... But I'm sure your mom is fine." Gods Almighty, how in the hell did she know? Running a hand over my hair I looked away for a moment and nodded, swallowing the forming lump in my throat.
"Yeah, I'm sure she is," I lied again, this time certain she could see right through me.
"When this is all over, we'll go pay her a visit and I could meet her." She looked too pleased with the idea for me to break it to her now, I found myself nodding my head despite the raging voice in the back of my mind.
"From the sounds of it, we'll have our work cut out for us once we get Olympus under control again. Soren has done a number on Earth. The cat's out of the bag with all the mythical creatures and most of the populations have been reduced to quivering masses behind the walls of cities Soren has built in the guise of 'safety'. He's still picking them off one by one though, getting way too much pleasure out of this maniacal, all-powerful God idea."
"He never struck me as the kind of guy who was all there."
"That's half the problem, I'm worried about you." I was deeply thankful for the chance to change the topic. The further we could get from my mother, the better. I reached out and pulled Sav toward me, wrapping a tight arm around her. She happily leaned into me, melting herself against me.
"You don't have to worry, I already promised I wouldn't do anything stupid."
"Again," I added as a reminder for the last time she did something stupid. Like going off with a psychopath on her own.
"Again..." she muttered begrudgingly, still not entirely capable of admitting she did something wrong. She held fast to her belief she did what she did to save me and would do it again in a heartbeat. And it was exactly the mentality that worried me.
"Well, to be on the safe side of your whims, I got you something." She pulled away and despite all attempts to play coy, I could see the excitement in her eyes. She was a simple creature, she liked the attention and she loved being bestowed gifts. Zeus recalled it was much the same with Hera. At least the two of them were working together now instead of at odds still.
I pulled the chain out from under my shirt, fiddling with the little clasp for a moment before holding out the necklace to her. It was a small gold lightning bolt hanging from a simple gold chain. But it wasn't the object itself that was important.
"Oh Aidan, I love it!" It wasn't what she was expecting if the false sincerity in her tone was anything to go by. I found myself chuckling as I shook my head at her.
"Yeah I know, it's not your normal style and it looks a bit like I'm marking my territory... But I had some of the other Gods help me with it so I could imbue some of my power into the lightning bolt for you. We haven't tested it fully but the idea is you should be able to channel the magic in the necklace to kick start the flickers of your own magic should you ever need it. It's not a lot of power but it would be enough to defend yourself if the moment came to it. And if the necklace is on you, it should recharge after use because it's a pure essence of my own magic."
She stared at the little charm in wonderment, turning it repeatedly in her hand. "I was going to make you something similar," she said in surprise. "Before all this happened." She clarified and looked back at me, this time smiling more genuinely than before.
"It's not much."
"It's not a ring," she agreed, and I realized what she had thought she was getting. I managed a grunt of agreement while my stomach knotted with nerves and worry. Of course, she wants a ring, we're practically married through our souls anyways, she needs the real thing. Damn it.
"But I love it." She broke through my thoughts and smiled at me before wrapping me in her arms, kissing me deeply. I'd have to worry on that ring later as it was far easier to distract myself in the kiss instead.
How long has she been hoping for a ring? Stop it, focus!
My hands slipped into her hair, holding the back of her head firmly as our tongues chased each other.
Gods, could I do marriage? Real marriage? NO! Stop it!
Her body slid against mine, touching in all the right places sending my heart racing. I wished we weren't in a crowded room and could slip away. I wanted nothing more than to peel this dress and the inevitable lacy underthings off her before ravaging her to take my mind off everything.
Sex will be boring once you're married. Shut up!
There goes my hard on, why did my mind have to be incessant. I pulled back and took the necklace from her hand. I held it by the clasps and waited as she turned around, lifting her hair and slid it around her neck. I watched her touch it where it landed on her collarbone, smiling slightly to herself before turning to face me again.
I half expected her to hide it away under her dress because it wasn't "fashionable" but realized maybe she liked the idea it was a mark of my territory. She wanted people, especially a certain person, to know I had chosen her. As if that fact hadn't b
een made painfully obvious to Charlotte in the last few weeks.
"Perfect," I whispered, talking mostly about Savannah than the rudimentary necklace Royce had thrown together for me, as I leaned in to sweep one last kiss against her soft lips.
"We need to talk about Asher." Griffin appeared at our side not bothered at all he was interrupting an intimate moment. I took a deep breath and turned to face the God of the Underworld, giving him a nod.
"He didn't follow me into the Underworld when I came back."
I was starting to wonder about this mysterious character who had appeared out of nowhere and seemed way too eager to be helpful to us in our time of crisis. And yet everything he helped us with failed in one way or another, be it subtle or obvious. Like Soren taking Valentina.
"No, and I don't think he ever intended to. The portal he made didn't bring us to here like he said it would. He was playing us and I have the sneaking suspicion he's been working with the Titans all along."
I couldn't help the small smirk that appeared when Griffin said, "sneaking suspicion.” Maybe it was his English accent or too many episodes of Sherlock but it was hilarious. Composing myself, I reset my features and looked around the room at who was left waiting around.
"Does anyone know anything about the God who called himself Asher?" Savannah and I stepped away from the corner we had huddled ourselves in and moved closer to the rest of the group. No one answered as they all came to the same disheartening conclusion Griffin and I had. No one knew him, no one could vouch for him. "No one?"
"I've never seen him before and I've seen near enough everyone, I thought." Jed shuffled through the crowd toward us. Jed had turned out to be the one-man welcoming committee since being the first one to arrive on Olympus. If Jed didn't know this Asher guy, there was a good chance no one did.
I nodded and frowned more, wondering exactly what kind of snake we had allowed into our midst. "I doubt we'll see him again too - if he's smart." It's exactly what I would do if I was up to something.
Grace of Gods Boxset: Reincarnated Greek Gods YA/NA Series Page 72
