by Mur Lafferty
“Kinda like when the marching band goes on the field before the football game is over?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.
“Something like that, yeah.”
“So have they figured out why the gods interfered? I figured Athena helped us out because she’s all about fair play, but why was Hermes there? He’s the opposite, you’d think he’d like dirty tricks. That’s his thing.”
“You’re the expert. I just know suddenly they were there handing over that shield and Atalanta used to it to keep that linebacker-gone-mad from hamstringing us. Quick thinking, though, in tripping him. I didn’t have a plan.”
I sat up straighter and gasped as my rib let me know it wasn’t very happy. I pressed on it with my hand. “I didn’t have much of one either. Man, they’re really yelling. I guess it’s a big deal. So they don’t care that he was trying to kill her?”
Daniel helped me to my feet. “They’re more concerned with whether it was unsportsmanlike instead of deadly. I’m still not sure if you can die here. Hey, are you okay?”
I panted shallowly, not wanting to expand my chest. “I think Heracles cracked my rib. Maybe broke it. I’m not sure.”
“Oh man. I guess we can be hurt, then.”
“No shit,” I said. I brushed the sand off me. Clouds floated by the open windows of the sparse marble hallway, and I looked out. “Shit, Daniel. Where’s the ground?”
“I think we’re in Olympus. Isn’t that at the top of a mountain or something?”
I nodded, remembering. The shouting gods got louder. “Let’s see what all the fuss is. But remember, they’re gods. Do that, ‘don’t speak till spoken to’ thing, because they’re good at tricking humans. Especially Aphrodite.”
“Is that the hot one?”
I groaned. “Just come on.”
We peeked around the open door. Most of the gods sat on their grand thrones made of gold and silver, Zeus and Hera in the center. Athena and Hermes stood before the thrones by Atalanta on the left, with Ares and Aphrodite on the right with Heracles. Both heroes stood proudly, although disarmed.
Artemis stood. “The match was over. I rule his actions were reprehensible and illegal, and therefore my siblings did not interfere.”
Aphrodite pouted, her breasts straining at the thin material barely containing them. Long strands of blonde hair curled gently over her chest, one lock delicately circling the distinct rosy impression of a nipple. I poked Daniel to keep him from staring. “Father, how can you let Artemis take the responsibility of the games if she is going to rule poorly?”
A god with a great beard tangled with seaweed stood from his seat on Zeus’s left. I guessed it was Poseidon, god of the sea. “Your father determined she was the games sponsor. Do you doubt his judgment?” He walked slowly, with purpose, to stand by Atalanta.
Zeus watched him. His voice, unlike Ares’s, was exactly as I expected it to be: deep, powerful, and commanding. “Is that how it will be, my sisters and brothers? Sons and daughters? Shall we choose sides?”
Dionysus stood. I guessed it was the god of wine because he wavered and blinked drunkenly like my uncle Casey at Christmas. “The party is never over when you think it will be,” he said, and joined Heracles.
“What does that even mean?” Daniel whispered to me. I shushed him.
Apollo joined Atalanta, siding with Artemis, his twin. Hephaestus limped, frowning bitterly, to stand by Aphrodite, despite the fact that his wife had eyes only for Ares. Demeter, eyes downcast and mumbling something about what was fair, joined Heracles. Artemis, having already stated her case, joined Atalanta.
Zeus and Hera remained. When the king of the gods focused on me, I felt it: something electrical. “What of the two humans? What is their role?”
We walked forward, unbidden but utterly sure that we were expected to. Daniel spoke first.
“We saw Heracles attack Atalanta after the match was over. She couldn’t hear it when we yelled to look out, so we went to, uh, help.”
“And you thought you could do what?” Hera asked, her cold eyes on me.
“I – I’m not sure. Warn her, I guess.”
“But you didn’t. You interfered well before any god did.”
“There’s nothing in the rules about that,” Artemis said. “We just never expected someone to jump into an arena with tigers and heroes.” She looked at us as if we were annoying bugs she’d found in her pillow.
“They are the true criminals here!” Ares shouted. “Only with their sacrifice will I be satisfied.”
Hermes reached out and took my arm, pulling me close. He reached at my neck and pulled at the chain, his fingers stroking my collarbone. My breath quickened at the look in his merry eyes. He was a god.
Hermes held up the symbol on my necklace to Zeus. “They are Travelers, Father, and under my protection.”
I wanted to smack my forehead. Hermes was the god of travel; of course he would have an interest in us.
“I demand their sacrifice!” Ares shouted again. Sure, he was the god of war, but I still wondered what Aphrodite saw in him.
“No,” Hermes said, his arm still on mine. I was dizzy with his scent. Daniel shot me a curious look.
Ares put his hand on the great sword at his side. “Are you going to stop me, little brother?”
Hermes just grinned.
“He can’t, but I can,” Athena interrupted, her hand on her own sword. Poseidon stepped up, gripping his great trident, and the tension in the room rose dramatically. Hephaestus, with a furtive glance at his wife, stepped forward holding his blacksmith’s hammer. Not much of a weapon, really, but I didn’t want to feel it embedded in my skull.
“Now, wait a minute,” Daniel said, but Zeus interrupted him.
“I do not want my children fighting,” he said, the sorrow in his voice not very convincing. His voice had an edge to it, and although my proximity to Hermes was distracting me, I still felt adrenaline rush to my limbs when he spoke, my body telling me to run far, far away.
The gods began arguing loudly, and even Heracles and Atalanta, the legends, shrank back at the heat that rose in the throne room. Hermes pulled me back and I grabbed Daniel to go with us, out of the tense crowd of gods, now hurling insults with Athena and her sword between Ares and us. Once we were free of the other divine eyes, we…weren’t there anymore.
The antechamber in Olympus went back, and then the whole of Elysium appeared, seen from the crest of the hill. I felt dizzy with the sudden change and leaned briefly against Hermes.
“Whoa,” Daniel said, staggering.
Hermes let go of me and stepped back, appraising me. He then looked up into the sky where Olympus hung in the clouds over Elysium. Lightning cracked, and the clouds gathered, getting blacker.
“It looks like you Travelers have actually succeeded in splitting Olympus,” he said, sounding more impressed than angry.
“Wait, what?” I asked, rubbing my eyes and trying to will away the dizziness. “The gods have fought in the past, haven’t they?”
“Yes, but never have we split equally. If Zeus chooses one side and Hera the other, then that will start a war.”
“But that’s stupid!” Daniel said. “It was just one dirty trick during a game! Worse things have happened in history! Shit, athletes back home broke the rules all the time!”
“And were the games sacred there?” Hermes said, glaring at us.
I paused. Important, yes. Lots of attention, sure. Sacred?
“Not much is truly sacred where you come from, is it?” Hermes reached out and rubbed my shoulder. My throat closed and all I could do is shake my head.
“Um, Kate?” Daniel’s eyes were fastened on the clouds. The sky was black, and as we watched, a lightning bolt snaked down and split Olympus in two. The great marble hall floated apart above us. “Oh man. That can’t be good.”
Hermes followed his gaze. “Zeus and Hera have disagreed, making the sides even. I was right. You two are the heralds for the end times.”
�
��No way! We’re just Travelers,” I protested.
“And it is prophesied that Travelers would enter Elysium to be the catalyst to the final battle.”
The rain cut off any argument we could have made – the deluge came sudden and cold. Elysium’s denizens ran, screaming, looking for shelter. Of course, there was none. It was Heaven – what need did they have for shelter from bad weather?
Daniel frowned. “Is there anything we can do?”
Hermes shook his head, his blue eyes still on me.
Daniel put his hand on my arm. “Kate, we need to head out of here before things get really bad. Come on.” I could barely hear him over the thunder.
Hermes held my other arm. “Please wait. Allow me an hour of your time,” he whispered into my ear. “After one hour, I will return you unharmed to your friend. I swear on the River Styx.”
I blinked, and my knees nearly buckled.
Normally, I wouldn’t go off with a strange guy. That’s what I told myself, anyway. But swearing on that river was sacred, and it was the most holy oath a god could make.
“Go on. I’ll catch up,” I told Daniel. His jaw dropped and I managed a smile. “I promise. I’ll be okay; Hermes will make sure I find you.”
I didn’t see the look on his face as we left, but I imagined he was pissed. The world blurred for a moment and the next thing I knew, Hermes held me in a cave, safe from the storm.
“Where—”I managed to say, my head reeling.
“This is the cave where I was born. We are safe here. I still come here for privacy on occasion.”
“But there’s a war out there. Aren’t you supposed to be—”
“It can wait. You are a Traveler, you are one of mine.” He smiled at me and stroked my unruly hair out of my face. I was suddenly aware that I had to have been filthy: covered in sand and wide-eyed from all the adrenaline rushes the day had served me.
He bent his head toward mine but before he could touch my lips, I jerked back out of instinct. Part of my mind was screaming that I was crazy, flinching back from an unbelievably sexy guy, but I had had an intense day and I wasn’t sure I could take much more.
The sudden pain in my injured rib silenced my inner argument. I gasped, my hands moving automatically to the spot.
Hermes frowned. “You’re hurt?”
“Heracles gives quite a kick,” I mumbled, holding my side and grimacing.
His hands went to mine and gently pried them away. He lifted my robe, unperturbed at the very non-Greek jeans-and-T-shirt combo underneath, and told me to hold it up for him. I did so, hands shaking a bit. Then he carefully lifted my shirt to just below my breast.
“Is this the injured rib?” he asked, his finger delicately running along my side. A deep, healing warmth flowed through me, and I couldn’t tell if he’d healed me or just removed the pain. I nodded, testing the rib with a deep breath. The bruising had radiated from the rib, however, and other ribs complained as my chest expanded. I winced.
“Ah, not all better yet,” he said, and began tracing my ribs from the bottom up, leaving hot trails in his wake. He stopped right below my breast and hesitated.
“Do you know why I brought you here?”
“No,” I said honestly. My voice shook.
“There is a light inside you. A power. You are a Traveler, but not like I have seen before. You shine like a pyre.”
“Me? Why?” My conversation had to be utterly enthralling. But I did have the distraction of his fingertips moving beyond a healing capacity and into a realm I’d experienced before-I was no virgin-but never, ever on the level this god offered….
“I can’t tell you why. I can only tell you that it is.” He leaned in and touched his lips gently to my ribs, and I jumped; this time from being startled.
He held me to him firmly as his mouth explored my ribs and stomach, with me holding my robe up stupidly, quivering.
He finally stood up and looked at me. “Now do you know why I brought you here?”
“I think so,” I whispered.
“Are you injured anywhere else?”
I shook my head.
“Good,” he said, and kissed me gently. He held me up when my knees finally gave way, threading his hands through my tangled hair and kissing me harder.
My robe was gone. I wasn’t sure where. My shirt and jeans followed it. His hands were insistent; they roamed over my back, lingering at my breasts, my face, my thighs. A part of me wondered what would happen if I protested. The rest of me laughed at that part; no one would protest this intoxicating pleasure.
He lay me down on a blanket and removed his own tunic. He knelt beside me, his fingertips lazily teasing my nipples. I reached out and traced the contours of his sleek body, his tight muscles.
My fingers stroked along one area that made him moan, and he grew hard under my hand.
He slid a finger inside me and I arched my back. “Not a virgin, then,” he said.
“Is that a problem?” I asked.
He moved between my legs. “On the contrary. I like a woman who knows pleasure. It also gives me a challenge.” He lowered his head to lick once, quickly, like a cat. I gasped. He smiled once more at me, and dove in to feast.
The next hour was a blur. I know I came quickly, first from his mouth, and then he slowed and began a more leisurely exploration of my body. We tried several positions, each one better than the last, each time blowing my mind, making me drunk on pleasure.
At some point I think he changed his shape. Or maybe mine. Or both. I wasn’t sure.
When he came, from behind me, he bit deeply into my shoulder, breaking my skin and marking me, the sudden sharp pain driving me over the edge again, leaving me sobbing and breathless.
#
I figured the cave would be chilly, after. But the proximity to Hermes made me warm. I lay on my stomach beside him, suddenly shy as he stroked his fingertips down my back.
“Why me?” I asked again.
“You honestly don’t know?” His blue eyes twinkled under his black curls.
“Obviously not.”
“Then I suppose it’s something you should find out on your own, Kate. You have a long journey ahead of you. The answer will come to you.”
I made a face, and he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “I wish we had more time, my little Traveler. But it was a true pleasure to taste you on the cusp of everything.”
I was about to ask, “The cusp?” but he kissed me again, and suddenly it didn’t seem so important.
He deposited me at approximately the same area we had left, but Daniel was nowhere to be seen.
“You will find your friend down the road. He is walking slowly.” Hermes pointed. “I would take you to him myself, but he has left Elysium and it would take me too long to get there. And, well…” he shrugged and pointed toward the sky where the storm continued to rage.
Armies of heroes, gods, and strange monsters gathered in the sky. The gods were split: six on one side and five on the other, with hundreds of backup deities. “What’s going to happen?” I asked. “Is this really our fault?”
“Consider yourself a catalyst to something that was… inevitable,” he whispered, and bit my earlobe. I shivered.
“I must go. But you are marked as a Traveler, and I will be watching you. Your friend, too-though he’s not as much fun to watch, truth be told.”
I laughed. He bent and kissed me and I savored his taste. Then he was gone in a flash of light.
My mind finally cleared and I swore silently to myself. I hit the road at a jog through the rain to catch Daniel and escape the battle that brewed. I didn’t look back.
#
Daniel waited for me at the roundabout, sitting in the sand, glaring at me.
“What?” I said, trying to sound innocent.
“‘What?’ What do you think?” His voice became a bad high-pitched imitation of mine. “‘Watch out for Aphrodite, Daniel, she’ll seduce you and piss the other gods off; quit looking at Atalanta, Daniel...
’ I turn my back for one second and you’re going off with the first god that makes eyes at you! How mad would you have been if I’d gone off to sleep with one of the goddesses?”
I thought about it. I would have been utterly crushed, of course, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “I would have been pissed, true. But tell me this. If a goddess had presented herself to you, what would you have done? Honestly?”
He glared at me more, and I saw a smile twitch on his face. Finally he broke the tension by laughing. “All right. I would have gone for it. You got me.”
“You’re just mad because I got some divine tail and you didn’t.”
He shook his head at the ground and smiled, then stood and brushed the sand off his jeans. “So, it seems we’ve started a divine war in one heaven. Where to next?”
“Probably somewhere where we don’t get into as much trouble,” I said.
“Would you have done anything different, Kate? I mean, you got lucky with a god. When was the last time you had any, anyway?”
I looked at him and remembered having sex with his doppelganger in Heaven, but couldn’t really remember what it was like. “I don’t remember,” I answered semi-truthfully.
“Then look at it this way,” he said, slinging a companionable arm around my shoulders. “You’re like that Helen chick – you got some and then a war started. And the best part? You got to leave without anyone laying claim to you.”
I had nothing else to do but laugh. Without much consideration, we picked a road and set off toward another heaven.
#
“I can’t believe we really caused all that.” Daniel said after we’d wandered for some time.
I was still thinking of Hermes and worrying if I could get pregnant even though I was dead. I hadn’t had my period since dying, and the time spent with the faux-Daniel seemed to indicate not, so I didn’t think so, but the fear of pregnancy was a companion worry with sex. “Caused what?”
“That big war. Hermes called it the end days, the final battle. I just thought we were helping out someone who was about to be unfairly filleted.”
I shrugged. “Hermes told me we were a catalyst to the inevitable. If we hadn’t done it, someone else would have.”
