The Sky Throne

by Chris Ledbetter

  “Look who we have here, boys—” Atlas asked with his hands spread wide. “A mouse and a rat?”

  Money turned to Atlas and thumbed to me. “This is the guy? I can’t see it.” Money ran his palm over the dark olive toned skin on his bald head. His muscular frame was even larger in close confines than when I’d seen him at the wrestling match. He turned back to me with a smirk that was higher on one side than the other. “Don’t have your boys here to protect you now, do you?”

  “Then again, why do I need them?” I fired back. “You can’t even beat Dagda.”

  Money got in my face. His cheeks turned red as the setting sun. “I have standing orders not to maim you, but rules are made to be broken, huh?”

  I moved my nose to within an inch of his. My heart froze still for a split moment, and then thudded with renewed intensity. The pulse in my ears nearly deafened me. I clenched and unclenched my fists.

  Hera pulled my arm, “Let’s go.”

  Atlas pointed to me. “First you get saved by Poseidon and Hades … now Hera.” He threw his head back and laughed. “I take back what I said earlier.” He looked straight at me. “You’re a mouse too.” Epic and Promo echoed laughs behind him.

  Hera stepped toward Atlas. “Tough words coming from someone who can’t even beat Money in wrestling,” she said, thumbing to Menoetius. “Oh yeah, and he can’t even beat Dagda. So that makes you both losers.”

  Money scowled. “I could snap you in three pieces over my knees—”

  I dropped my sack to the ground. Hot blood coursed through my veins like a torrent. “I’ve no issue with you, Malicious—”

  “It’s Menoetius,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “Whatever.” I glared at him. “But if you don’t move, your school is gonna be missing a student.”

  “Is that a threat?” Money stepped toward me just as Kreios pushed through the group of us.

  “Boysss! Run along now, ya hear? Iapetus won’t be too ‘appy ‘bout ya hasslin’ MO Prep students in the Agora,” Kreios said.

  Atlas stepped forward. “We weren’t doing anything Kreios. Just settin’ a couple of mouse traps.” He sneered at me. “This isn’t over. It’s just the beginning. Titans never back down.”

  I bent over to pick up the woven sack Kreios had given me in his shop, but my fingers shook too much.

  Hera grabbed it for me. “C’mon.”

  I glared at Money and Atlas as we walked away. Once we were out of earshot, I turned to Hera. “I ran into Atlas at the wrestling match. It’s like we’re on a collision course or something.”

  “That was invigorating back there. I love getting the old ichor blood pumping, don’t you?” She smiled up at me. “But, we gotta get you some more nectar and calisthenics. Atlas and Money could’ve crushed you.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I thought back to Atlas’ hand nearly collapsing my chest the previous night.

  “What? You don’t like honesty?”

  Savory scents wafted past my nose. I looked until I saw a crowd of people standing around a place whose sign read, Lambda, Lambda. “Let’s go there,” I suggested.

  She smiled. “I knew we’d end up over here. They make the best gyros. Lamb, flat bread, yummm.”

  We serpentined through the crowd to the window to order. Two thick cypress tree trunks formed the sides of the window. The aroma of spit-roasted lamb was maddening in a good way, making my stomach growl. We ordered two gyros and two goblets of water. Hera also ordered something called ambrosia. She said it was a food and an exfoliant.

  “An ex-foli-what?”

  She laughed. “It scrubs the face. Leaves my skin all aglow. See?” She turned her cheeks to one side then the other. I had to agree, though my mind couldn’t quite wrap around rubbing food on your face. She continued, “It’s nectar mixed with honey. Meter makes her own ambrosia that I use. But I didn’t feel like waiting.”

  The lady at the window handed us our tray and we stood there, eating, wrapped in our own silence. Two souls connected by gyros. The charred lamb and fresh vegetables on flat bread were savory goodness. I opened my mouth to speak several times, but nothing more profound than perfect silence sprung forth. So, I remained cocooned in the moment.

  We finished our gyros and headed back to the Hurler. I eyed it warily given that I had just eaten. I rolled my sack tightly, careful not to crush the scrolls, and then bravely placed my other hand on top of the Hurler. “What happens to my bag and scrolls and stuff?”

  “The Hurler doesn’t discriminate. It’ll vaporize anything on you, that you’re holding, or in you. Like I said before, that’s why that dagger got sucked up inside of you. Anything in you or sticking out of your body will become a part of you. Just remember that.”

  As I put my hand on the Hurler, Atlas’ words echoed again in my ears. “This isn’t over. It’s just the beginning.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Three busy days later as dusk slid into night, I sat wide-eyed in my first Astronomy Class. I’d gazed at the night sky back on Crete. I thought I knew the stars, but Headmaster Ouranos owned the Heavens. He knew every star. Every planet. Every speck of dust. They all had names. Yet, my muscles still tensed whenever he passed me in class. My nerves still sat on edge, waiting for him to deliver another unfriendly comment toward me.

  Ouranos sauntered around the lab tables in the Observatory offering assistance in seeing the different star groupings. We studied the rising moon chariot on its nightly journey. The sliver of moon we saw that night looked like an ivory longbow pulled taut. Or, a winking eye. His silvery hair was as animated as I’d seen it. My mind drifted to the times Tos and I had raced, climbing trees at night to see who could get closest to the stars.

  “Remember pupils,” Ouranos said, snapping my attention back to the lesson. His sky blue-eyed gaze trained on me. “No matter what we see with our naked eyes, the moon always has two faces—”

  Before he’d finished his sentence, a brilliant white light flashed in the sky and exploded into a kaleidoscope of fractured colors. I ducked under the table as a flashback to Crete assaulted me. Gasps circled the room amid murmurs.

  “What was that, Headmaster?” Meter asked.

  He massaged his beard and smiled. “That, pupils, is a stellar burst. When an aging star reaches the end of its life, the core of it collapses, releasing enough energy to cause the explosion you just saw.”

  Everyone stared slack-jawed at the wondrous heavens.

  “Bursts like that one spray cosmic dust across the sky dome, as Hestia can attest from her studies, and help create new stars,” Ouranos continued. “And in that way, cosmic dust not only drives the mass loss when a star is nearing the end of its life, but it also plays a part in the early stages of star formation.”

  “Wicked,” I muttered.

  “Make sure you have your projects turned in by next week,” Ouranos said.

  “Professor—” I raised my hand. “There’s no way I can put together a research project in one week.”

  “And yet I’ve heard tales of your first-timer, legendary prowess in some of our most difficult courses,” Ouranos said. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

  I knew a confrontation was coming. “You’ve not quite warmed to me, have you Professor?”

  He took a breath. “I am cold and calculating by nature.” His face softened despite his harder tone. “And there’s been such turmoil and upheaval lately that I’ve likely turned more so.” He leaned closer to me. “That prophecy you mentioned before has huge implications, ones I fear I may not see through to the end.” He drew his lips to a tight line. “I had unfair misgivings about you when you graced our doorstep and for that, I apologize. But don’t make me regret my reversal.”

  “I’d never dream of it.”

  “What if he helped me with my project, Headmaster?” Tia asked, crossing the lab. “This class is different from the others. How could he possibly research
a term’s worth of material in one week after missing all the lectures and labs?”

  Ouranos drew a deep breath and sighed. His eyes narrowed. “Let’s be clear. I want a detailed summary of your contribution to the project from this point onward.”

  I sighed. The knot in my stomach uncoiled. Out of the professor’s eyesight, I mouthed, “Thank you,” to Tia.

  As we left the Observatory Tia asked, “So, how’d you like your first Astro class? Professor O knows his stuff, huh?”

  I laughed. “I felt like a planet out of orbit in there. Definitely a lot of ground to make up in that class. I enjoyed the bit about the cosmic dust, though. And I’ve always enjoyed my science classes, especially the interplay of energy in our vast cosmos.”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s where real power is. The alpha and the omega. The cornerstone of all that we are. Wait until he takes you into the sky to see the dust particles up close. Teeny tiny iridescent flakes, barely visible, just floating through the air. You put your hand up and they just pass right over you. Of course, the flecks actually land on Professor O. He soaks them all up. Weird, huh? He’s like a conductor or something. Oh, and you know that the Hurlers are powered by the cosmic dust. Did you see the post in the corner?”

  “Maybe that’s why I had such a bad experience the other night.”

  “Hurlers can be downright traumatic on your body, especially for first-timers who don’t have enough nectar in their systems. But we all get used to it. And so will you. It’s part of what I’m researching for my project; the power of cosmic dust.” She took a breath and tapped her fingers together. “So what’d you think of the Agora? Sometimes we just go down there to sit in the Odeon and read. Meter has her own little corner that she keeps to. The view into the valley is stunning.”

  “It was nice, except for a run-in with Atlas and Money.”

  She laughed. “Those two cock-a-doodles belong under a rock somewhere. It’s a shame … Atlas and Money are seriously lava-licious.” She fanned her face. “They’re just crazy as all Tartarus.”

  “And we also went to the Stone, Scroll, and Sword. Kreios is a hair on the odd side.”

  “He’s such a nice man, though. And his sons are all decent. Pallas was interested in me at one time. We walked and talked together for a while. But, now he’s over there, and I’m over here. Long distance relationships are hard, you know? I also had one with a guy from Matterhorn Scuola Roman Academia. They just never work.”

  “I can see how that’d be challenging.” I thought back to Telesto.

  “Or maybe I’m just difficult.” She brought her hand to her mouth and stifled a laugh. “Just paint ‘does not play well with others’ across my forehead. I’ll probably be alone until forever shadows my doorstep. What about you? Did you leave anyone special back home on Crete?”

  I felt pressure build in my nostrils. My eyes stung around the edges. “Yes and no.”

  Her face wrinkled.

  “I met a nice girl right before I came here. But I wouldn’t call her special. I mean, she is special in her own right. Just not special as in a relationship. We only hung out one time.” I sighed. “We kissed. It was magnificent.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Telesto. Daughter of Okeanos.”

  “I’ve heard the name before, oddly. Rings a bell somewhere.”

  “But I also left someone else. Not a girl. It’s my mother, or rather the lady who raised me.” My voice cracked. “I left her. She was hurt badly when my village was attacked. And my friend Anytos was killed.”

  “Oh my.” She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Her green eyes softened. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry to hear that. Must’ve been awful.”

  I inhaled deeply. “Yeah. It was bad—” I paused and wondered how much to divulge … and who else was listening. I ultimately stopped talking altogether and pressed my lips tightly.

  She pulled me close to her shoulder. “You’re going to be all right. You hear me? I want you to know that. Lean on any of us for anything.”

  “Thanks.”

  Tia looked into the distance. “I was raised on the island of Kerkyra. Ever heard of it?”

  I shake my head. “Was there a lower school there?”

  “Yes, actually. I sort of stuck to myself amidst the Oceanids and Potamoi—”

  “Me too! Eastern Crete was overrun with them. Telesto was an Oceanid.”

  “I am not quite sure who my parents are, really. None of us here are. We’re all misfits and orphans.” She smiled with a faraway twinkle in her eyes. “I remember when Headmistress came to Kerkyra Lower Academy. After talking to the guidance counselor, she pulled me out of class and asked me if I thought I could handle the rigors of MO Prep.”

  My eyes widened. “Wow.”

  “I asked her ‘when do we leave?’ I couldn’t wait to get off that island.” She turned to me. “I gotta get some sleep. Take it easy, all right? I’m serious. Everything is going to be all right.”

  She strode into the dark woods toward her cabin while I made my way home. I still had a hard time calling it that. Home. I’d gotten used to sixteen years of a damp, musty cave.

  I stepped through the doorway to the bungalow. The candle cast a cheery orange glow around the space. Shadows danced against the walls from the fire’s flicker. Of all the things that could make a place home, though, Amalthea topped my list. Her gentle voice. The reassuring comfort of her presence. The strength of her embrace.

  I picked up and changed into the tunic I’d worn when I arrived from Crete. It was tattered, dirty, and bloody … but still comfy. As soon as I slipped it on, I felt the gentle breezes of Crete’s shore, the warmth of the dry days, and the crisp coolness of the nights. The next day, I had to find out how to wash my clothes. The blood would likely never wash out, though. That would be all right. I couldn’t completely erase Tos.

  Tos haunted me. Not in a creepy or scary way. His soul begged me for retribution; to never stop searching for the ones responsible. All the classes were nice, but they wouldn’t help me find Kronos, Hyperion, or the guys who assaulted us.

  I wondered how I’d ever find them. If I could shapeshift into a bird, I could at least fly high above and find them that way—Wait! Every nerve in my body sparked to life. At some point, I needed to find a bird.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  I pushed open the wooden gymnasium doors the next morning with nectar coursing through my veins and determination in my soul. If I couldn’t find Tos’ killers just yet, I could at least be ready for them once I did.

  It was time for Calisthenics class. Finally.

  Coach Pontus stood at the center of the grass and sand gym floor. Wind rustled his royal purple tunic around his burly, athletic frame. Don walked ahead of me with a particular swagger in his steps.

  “Game day!” Pontus growled. “You ready, Poseidon?”

  “Never ready! Always striving! Mu Omega Pi!” Don yelled.

  Every hair on my body stood at attention. Mu Omega Pi. Mount Olympus Prep. That’s where the Omega thing came from. A warmth of pride filled my chest as I began to stretch from side to side. I finally belonged to something larger than myself.

  “That’s my boy.” Pontus smiled. “All right, my little kids and bucks. I have the usual stations set up. Don’t take it easy on Zeus. We have to destroy him in order to rebuild him.”

  I stopped mid-stretch. My eyes bulged.

  Don and Hera chuckled while my stomach knotted. I forced it to unwind. If I wanted to be one of the most powerful students to ever walk the paths at MO Prep, including Poseidon and Atlas, this is where I needed to make it happen.

  We began with a light jog around the track, nothing too strenuous. My breathing flowed well. My calves felt loose. At that pace, I could have run forever. Running was one of the only things I’d done consistently back on Crete.

  As I ran, Hyperion and his monkeys pushed to the forefront of my mental focus, causing my pace to i
ncrease even more. At certain intervals, Pontus tamped his staff into the soil and the collective pace of our running sped up. Meter darted far ahead of our pack like a gazelle, moving with fluid grace as her dark mahogany braided ponytail bounced from side to side.

  By the end of our run, we were flat out sprinting, our feet barely touching the earth except to change direction. A burning sensation spider-webbed through my lungs. Meter still held the lead, followed closely by Hera and Shade. When Pontus finally stopped us, I’d moved into third place, just ahead of Shade. But as I looked around, my lungs floundering as if I had been held underwater, no one else was even breathing hard.

  Don clapped me on the back. “That’s just the warm up. Now the real fun begins.”

  No one chuckled or joked like in other classes. Everyone wore a stone face, even jovial Tia. Well, not quite so jovial at that moment. She smoothed back her auburn ponytail. Her demeanor was all business.

  Don led us through lunges across the gym floor with thick logs atop our necks. My legs melted into something akin to the jellyfish that used to wash up on the south shore of Crete.

  After several rounds of push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups without rest, my arms shook. My chest felt like an iron breastplate had been hammered into it and my stomach was hot to the touch, as if six burning embers were pushing through my lower torso.

  “All right, Olympians,” Pontus yelled. “Time for the Grinder!”

  I bent over with my hands atop my knees. Physical fitness class at Eastern Crete had nothing on this. I didn’t think I had more energy to pull from, but I refused to quit. Pontus ordered us to an obstacle course. We hurdled logs, crawled through the mud under a wide, flat stone, and scaled a series of walls slightly taller than ourselves. The course concluded with climbing a knotted rope to the top of a sky-scraping column.

  Don climbed up first. Once he reached the top, he leapt impossibly far to the next column, landing directly on the top. Five columns stood in a row. While Tia climbed next, Don leapt from one column to the other until he reached the final one and eventually repelled to the ground.