The Sky Throne

by Chris Ledbetter

  “You’re not safe here anymore,” she whispered. Then she fell unconscious.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  I snapped my head toward the sky. The sun was again where it should’ve been, like it had never descended. The distance between darkness and light was a split-second, my mother once told me. A sliver of space. The breadth of a strand of hair. However, I hadn’t known what she’d meant until today.

  I wished I didn’t still.

  While the Kouretes hauled Anytos into our home and searched for wayward spears, Aristaeus carried my mother inside. She lay motionless along a wall. I swept the wispy curtain of dark brown hair away from her eyes. Her shallow breaths gave me hope that she’d be all right. I clenched my jaw and rubbed my arms to curb the sudden shivers wracking my body.

  My mother lay so peacefully. I dripped more water over her lips. A spring of new sadness welled up as I extended my hand toward her. My fingers trembled against her olive-toned skin, pressing her cheek where her dimple would’ve been.

  My voice quaked. “Mother—”

  Aristaeus called out to me, his skin drawn tightly over his boney face. “You will stay inside! You hear me?”

  As if I would go anywhere after what just happened. I rolled my eyes, wanting to yell at them. Anything but having to face my responsibility in what had become the darkest day of my life.

  I walked to Anytos and knelt beside him. I stared at his closed eyelids, my throat constricting, wishing he was simply asleep and would wake at any moment. “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to yo—”

  Aristaeus approached and I couldn’t hold back my anger. “Why didn’t you protect us?” I snapped, standing upright and bracing myself for retaliation.

  “Protect you? You mean drag your ass back from wherever you went despite being on punishment? Is that what you mean?” He scoffed. The Kouretes moved in behind him at the sound of commotion. “You got Anytos killed.” He pointed his gnarled finger at me. “Your carelessness. Your disregard for rules. Your disregard for family. Your poor shieldsmanship—”

  “My shield,” I yelled, “saved my mother’s life. More than you can say!”

  “And killed Anytos.” Aristaeus paused. His eyes sliced through me. “You never think of anyone but yourself. Ever since the Elders dropped you off as an infant, you’ve burdened us, in one way or another.” After several breaths, he spoke evenly. Almost a whisper. “You’re leaving tonight.”

  “Come again?” I stepped backward.

  “Hyperion will return. And I can’t risk anymore lives.” Aristaeus sighed. “You’ve been here far too long as it is. You must find and reconnect with your real mother.”

  His words stung. Disbelief clogged my throat. “Wha—”

  “Amalthea is not your birth mother.”

  I opened my mouth to speak, to protest, but words failed to form. My stomach wrenched.

  “She raised you, yes. But another woman gave birth to you. Perhaps you’ll find her one day.”

  “Liar!” Brimming at the edge of my eyelid, a tear formed, trembled, and fell. Then another. I fought to contain them, but the day’s events left me standing on shaky ground.

  He shook his head. “If only I were … ”

  Memories flashed through my brain, threaded together like a tapestry, threatening to unravel at any moment. What in my life had been real? Certainly my friendship with Tos had been. A person can’t fake that kind of authenticity.

  But Amalthea? She may not have always coddled me, but she was always there to encourage and teach me. I never felt unloved. And yet … this entire portion of my life had been a lie. I walked over to her. Anger laced through me. I wanted to yell and ask her all the questions in the world. Every query began with a “why,” with a few “hows” thrown in for good measure. I had no idea who my “mother” was anymore. I had even less of one as to who I was.

  I clenched my teeth and turned to Aristaeus. “The Sun Deity descends upon us and two sheep-for-brains with deadly aim assault us. And, now … now you tell me she’s not my real mother!”

  “It’s deeper than either of us can fathom,” Aristaeus said. “Rhea warned us this could happen, that Kronos might look for you one day.”

  “Who are these people and what do they have to do with Hyperion?”

  “We sail tonight. You’d better get some rest.” Aristaeus walked away, leaving me simmering in a pool of frustration. My glare turned to a scowl. I paced, wearing a path in the soil.

  Despite all of the lies, perhaps my allegiance should still lie with Amalthea. After all, she did raise me. Which was more than my real mother ever did. Whomever she was … she was definitely going to get an earful when I found her.

  The Kouretes built a small pyre for Anytos outside the cave. They believed the ceremonial cremation of the body would allow Tos’ soul to rest. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at it. I could barely breathe through my thick and swollen nostrils. My legs refused to walk in Tos’ direction. Instead I walked to the underground spring to clean myself and put on a new tunic.

  I hurled my bloodied tunic against the wall of the cave. But the memories of Tos and the time we spent together swept through me anyway, like a river whose dam had broken.

  Aristaeus called me outside. My steps were uneven as I begrudgingly approached the pyre with my friend’s body on top. I covered my mouth with my hand and closed my eyes.

  “Take this,” Aristaeus said.

  He extended a torch toward me, urging me to grasp it. I couldn’t. My hand refused to move.

  “Take it!” he demanded. “This was all your fault. You’re not killing him. He’s already dead. You’re simply releasing him. Send him to peace. You owe him that much.”

  Pressure built at the bridge of my nose. Each tear that gathered felt like salt in an open wound. The torch’s light prismed into a kaleidoscope of colors through my tears. I climbed onto the pyre, grabbed Tos, and held him close one last time. My heart weighed heavy like the mud bricks we used to build forts with. Guilt, self-doubt, regret, and sorrow kept slamming into my chest. What could I have done differently? That spear had my name on it. All I wanted was to start the whole day over.

  My hand trembled when I took the torch. I turned away from the pyre as I let the torch drop from my hand onto the pyre. I returned to the cave and put my head between my knees.

  “Here’s the plan.” Aristaeus approached again. “When night falls, we’ll sail until you reach your new home, Mount Olympus. We’ll be your personal escorts until you reach the shores beneath the big mountain. Then, hopefully someone from the Academy will greet you. If not, you’ll be on your own.”

  “So, you’re sending me to Mount Olympus Prep? But I haven’t finished lower school yet. I just got kicked ou—”

  His voice reverbed in a deep solemn manner. “Yes. I know.”

  “What about my mothe—, I mean Amalthea?” I asked. I stammered over the words as they clogged my throat. I pulled at the neck of my tunic and rubbed my sweaty palms on my legs. “I am not leaving her.”

  “She’ll be all right. Time is all she needs. After all, they weren’t after her.”

  “But—”

  Suddenly, Amalthea whispered through the air, “Zeus.”

  I rushed to her side. “You’re awake.” I embraced her, careful not to press the wound. Warmth filled my chest. Every question I had rushed my brain, competing to be voiced.

  “Zeus … y-you must get to Olympus,” she whispered.

  “I can’t leave you. Not in this condition,” I said.

  “You endanger us all now,” she whispered. “You have to—”

  Aristaeus knelt beside her. “We’re steps ahead of you, Amalthea. Hyperion must retire his chariot at day’s end. We leave tonight.” He turned to me. “Once you get to Olympus, you’ll find the answers to all your questions. Hopefully.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  I hated being uprooted. My stomach cramped in consideration of all that I’
d lost the previous day. My best friend. My mother. My home. Life as I’d known it. I definitely wanted to leave Crete, but not this way. I refused to live the rest of my life ducking to avoid capture all the time. One day, I wouldn’t have to hide. If it was the last thing I ever did, I’d become powerful enough that I wouldn’t have to hide anymore. From anyone.

  I wanted things to return to normal somehow.

  No descending suns and disappearing spears.

  Just two boys chasing some nymphs.

  We set out from the harbor port under cover of night in one of the boats Amalthea used to ship goats to Aegean schools. The moon and stars guided us. Through the next several days, Aristaeus and the Kouretes rowed me to my new home with urgency and amazing speed. Sails and a powerful tailwind helped as well. We made several stops to drop off goats, eat, and wash up.

  Every day we stopped at a different island. I drank in the new lands with wide eyes. Different schools. Nereids instead of Oceanids. Finally though, we approached an unfamiliar shore where a mountain rose majestically in the distance and stretched into the clouds. Our ship lurched to a stop after it ground onto the sand.

  Waves drummed the shore around us. Clouds rolled overhead, skimming off the mountain. I filled my lungs with thick, salty air. After climbing over the side of the ship, I removed my sandals. The gritty sand between my toes brought a shred of serenity. I glanced back toward the ship. The Kouretes stared at me blankly. Aristaeus nudged me from behind.

  Twenty paces away, two stout columns stretched from an untouched sandy expanse into the low-hanging clouds, guarding a narrow path through a grove of trees. I gazed at the peculiar etchings that encircled the mammoth cylinders.

  “All right. What now?” I sighed. My torso quivered.

  I walked to either side of the columns. Then I stepped between them. As soon as my foot indented the sand on the far side, my peripheral vision registered an odd blue post standing just inside the columns. It looked oddly similar to the artistic installment back at my old school.

  A flash of light blinded my eyes. Once my vision readjusted, a woman stood before me.

  Tall and statuesque, she emanated power and elegance. A thin, gauzy garment draped her slender frame. Her silver-streaked, curly hair bounced as she walked toward me and tried to slip an arm around my shoulders.

  I inched away.

  “Do not fear me, Zeus.” Her arm curled around my shoulder, causing me to immediately tense at the initial contact. Then, all of a sudden, serenity enveloped me as the woman’s touch drew an odd response of familiarity.

  “Welcome to Olympus. I’ve been expecting you.”

  I coughed, looking around. “But how? I didn’t even know I was coming until a week ago. How do you know my name?”

  “I am the head recruiter for the Academy.” She brushed my hair out of my eyes. “It’s my job to know you.”

  Recruiter? Academy?

  “Yes. Mount Olympus Prep is actually a preparatory program for gifted and talented youth whom I’ve hand selected. And we selected you a long time ago.”

  I scrunched my face up and tilted my head in confusion. At least my heart rate had normalized.

  “The Headmaster and I will attend to your queries during orientation.” She peered past my shoulder with a stern gaze. “Were you followed?”

  Annoyed that I was being asked more questions than being given answers, I turned around. “Not really—but, Hyperion attacked my family recently.” My voice rose slightly. “I think the Elders are after me for some reason, but no one will tell me what’s going on—”

  “We must hurry then. Come.” She whisked me away from the columns and the blue post.

  I turned to look over my shoulder. The Kouretes had put out to sea again, and gently eased from my view. I wasn’t sure of anything anymore, least of all, this woman. “Wait.” I stopped and pulled my arm back. “How do I know I can trust you?”

  She placed her hand on my shoulder. The energy that transferred, calmed me like a light misty drizzle falling within my body. “Do you feel that?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “That’s how you know you can trust me.”

  “But—”

  “I don’t have time to explain right now.” She waved her hand and a lion appeared as if she’d simply lifted a blanket off its back. The beast threw its head back and gave a deep, throaty roar, shaking its mane. The sound reverbed through my entire body. “Get on.”

  I stepped backward on shaky legs at the sight of the massive cat.

  She swung her leg over the lion’s back and fisted her fingers in its mane. I studied her carefully. One thing was certain; the Kouretes didn’t make a fuss, so this lady must’ve been all right. I guided my legs over the lion’s bristly fur.

  “Hold to my waist,” she said over her shoulder.

  The lion dug its paws into the sand, and then bolted off straight through the grove of olive trees and into the trough of the valley. The green of the gorge just beyond was more vibrant than anything I’d seen on Crete. Damp, woodsy aroma filled my nose as I grabbed tightly to my guide’s waist. The beast raced up a well-worn path into the hills. Without warning, it gained speed, pawing aggressively at the earth, and then leapt over a wide ravine.

  I dug my feet into the side of the beast, feeling myself sliding toward its tail. My eyes bulged. I held my breath as my heart rose into my throat. But the lion kept sailing through the thick air until its gigantic paws connected with earth again. Then it cut sharply and entered another narrow gorge that took a steep turn.

  I exhaled what felt like three lungs worth of air and coughed.

  The lion grunted its way up the sheer incline until finally coming to rest on a plateau just outside a set of immense, black gates. I caught my breath in several deep inhales, and tried to mentally push my heart from my throat back into my chest. I pried my tingly fingers from around my guide’s waist and swung my leg over, stumbling a few steps atop weak knees before regaining my balance. Yellow stars danced in my vision.

  The woman chuckled. “Don’t worry. We can fix that.”

  My brow wrinkled. Fix what, my nausea or my frayed nerves?

  “Both. Come along. Step quickly.”

  Had I said that aloud? Was I losing my mind? “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name,” I said.

  “I hadn’t given it. Address me as Headmistress.”

  Address me as Headmistress, I mocked.

  She cast a stern glare over her shoulder. “Nothing enters or exits your mind that I won’t hear if I’m in your presence. Understand?”

  I nodded my head and tried desperately to not think anything. I even tried not to breathe.

  Headmistress led me to the towering gateway. Four columns flanked the black gates. In the triangle above them, a sign read, Mount Olympus Preparatory Academeia. I loved the strength conveyed by the structure. Such a contrast to my cave. Even Eastern Crete had nothing as impressive.

  Headmistress waved her hand and the gates opened slightly. “Hurry inside. Hyperion can’t touch you here.”

  “So this is the Mount Olympus Prep I’ve heard about?” I asked, wide-eyed.

  “Yes.” A warm smile played on her lips. “This is home. You’re home now.”

  Now? I had a home. This was not it.

  “Remember, mind your thoughts.”

  I clapped my palms to my temples to block out the mental invasion. Like that was really going to work.

  “Come … ” She grasped my hand gently, leading me through the gates. “We must get some housekeeping items out of the way.”

  Inside the gates stood a two-story structure. She opened the tall entry door by a brass ring that hung from a lion’s mouth, and then motioned for me to enter. Scrolls hung from the dark walls. A white marble desk separated me from a huge man with wild, silvery hair. He was almost as big as Hyperion and Okeanos.

  “We have a new pupil,” Headmistress said. “His name is Zeus.”
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  “Zeus, huh?” The man turned slowly to face me. His sky blue eyes flashed, cold and uninviting. His gaze raked over me severely. “I am Ouranos. OOO-ra-nuhs, understand?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m Headmaster of Mount Olympus Preparatory Academeia, or MO Prep as the youngsters call it,” he said in rigid and precise baritone. “What brings you to Mount Olympus? Why are you here?”

  “Uhm.” I took a half step backward. My next words stuck in my throat. I eyed the Headmaster warily, unsure of what to divulge.

  “Spit it out, boy. Why are you here?”

  “Easy, Ouranos,” Headmistress said.

  Warmth from anger spread from my ears to my neck. Words leapt forth before I could censor them. “Well, a week ago I attended a bonfire and met a girl. I returned home late. Next thing I know, Hyperion spearheaded an attack on my family on Crete. My mother was wounded and my best friend is dead. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Hyperion, you say.” He folded his massive arms. “What business would he have with you?”

  “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be here, would I?”

  Ouranos slammed his large hands on the marble desktop. “You may not be here for long with that attitude! Did you come on your own or did we send for you?”

  “Ouranos, that’s enough!” Headmistress stepped between us.

  I wanted to yell that this entire trip wasn’t even my choice, but I didn’t want to upset the fig cart just yet. And I wasn’t exactly sure where this line of questions was headed, so I stated the obvious. “Look, the Kouretes brought me. They said I had to come. I just want to find out why Hyperion attacked my family and avenge it.”

  Ouranos stroked his silvery beard. “I dare say Hyperion would never act alone.” His eye muscles tensed. “Is it your assumption that someone here knows something of the attack?”

  I growled through clenched teeth. “I don’t know. Do you?” My back stiffened as I noticed a slight resemblance in the facial structure between Hyperion and Ouranos. “Are you who I’m looking for?”