by Simon Archer
“What do you mean?” I wondered as I held out my hand for the note.
Hailey returned it. “I mean that she was always wearing expensive clothes, always tailored, always pressed. She looked like she never did an ounce of hard labor in her life. Her fingernails were always clean and perfectly manicured.”
I paused and raised an eyebrow at my friend. “You noticed her fingernails?”
“She had crazy colors on them,” Hailey said defensively and with a tiny blush tinting her cheeks. “It was hard not to notice them.”
I shrugged and let her continue. Though I was smirking inwardly.
“My point is,” Hailey said, her voice sharpening as if she could sense what I was thinking, “it seems odd that she would be out in the woods like this.”
“Well, I’m following Genesis and Makayla’s directions,” I said, “mainly because I have nothing else to go on. But don’t get me wrong. It has crossed my mind that they might be trying to kill me.”
“They’re not,” Hailey said, her voice full of complete confidence. “They’re Elemental Officials.”
“Yeah, because my track record with Elemental Officials is so great,” I said with an obvious amount of sarcasm.
Hailey caught up to me and walked alongside me instead of behind me in single file. The clearing was wide enough to accommodate two people. Her hands brushed mine a couple of times but never made a move to reach out. I took the initiative and grabbed her hand with mine and held it tightly.
“You have a poor track record with the Stratego,” Hailey corrected in a low voice as if she was afraid of being overheard. “Not the rest of the officials.”
I rolled my eyes. “Same difference.”
“It’s not, and you know it,” Hailey said. “Genesis and Makayla asked for your help, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, but only after they suspected me of starting this Love Struck contamination in the first place,” I grumbled, a sour taste coating my tongue as I thought back to that initial encounter with the daughter of Hermes and the daughter of Aphrodite.
“They what?” Hailey balked. She stopped in her tracks, too stunned by the news to continue. Dragging me to a halt as well.
“Oh yeah,” I confirmed. “They thought that because I was immune that I had started the whole thing. Because the son of Hephaestus has that kind of power over people.”
Hailey laughed, her voice bouncing off the bark and coming back to us in a series of echoes. “Hephaestus was never known for his people skills, that’s for sure.”
“Like father like son,” I said, self-deprecation hidden beneath my smile.
A silence fell over us then. I suspected that Hailey was thinking the same thing I was: my father was missing. No one had heard from him in two decades, which was highly unusual for a god. It’s not as though they visited the Academy regularly. While I still had never met a god, it was common for them to be in touch with the Military. Hephaestus was AWOL, and no one knew why.
Part of me reassured myself that he was a god. There was only a limited amount of serious trouble he could get himself in that he couldn’t get himself out of. So the more likely option was that he had purposely disappeared, hidden away from the demigods and the other Greek gods. The question, though, was why.
When I first came to the Academy, one of the promises I’d made myself was to meet my father. I needed to ask him why he abandoned me all those years ago. It wasn’t as though the other Greek gods made great parents. My friends often shared stories about the hole they felt at their absentee parents. But I was the only son of Hephaestus in generations. A rare male demigod amongst a lot of female demigods. It wouldn’t have cost him very much to drop in for a holiday or two.
Not that I wasn’t happy with my mom. She was the only family I ever needed. She made my childhood, and my adulthood, awesome. It wasn’t perfect, but it was happy, whole. Honestly, until I found out I was a demigod, I never cared to meet my father. But the fact that his godliness had changed my whole life, launched it into magic and battles and monsters, yeah, you could say that I had some questions.
In an effort to distract myself, I gazed up at our surroundings. I inhaled the musty scent of the woods, enjoying the familiar feeling that filled my belly. My memories traveled back to camping trips with my mom and the hikes we would take through various state parks. It was an inexpensive vacation that we could take together. Those trips held some of my fondest memories with her.
“What are you humming?” Hailey asked, interrupting my journey down memory lane.
“What?” I said unthinkingly. “I wasn’t humming.”
“Yes, you were,” Hailey said with a chuckle. “It went like this.”
Then, to my utter horror, Hailey began to hum the all too familiar tune. I recognized it instantly and groaned.
“Oh no, I wasn’t,” I said through gritted teeth and a grimace.
“Okay, now you have to tell me what it is,” Hailey insisted. “Especially if it embarrasses you this much.”
“Gods, I haven’t told anyone about this,” I said as I shook my head. “My mom and I… I can’t believe I’m doing this. You’re going to think it’s so stupid.”
“Everyone has those weird things from childhood they think are embarrassing,” Hailey assured me. “My family still bakes cookies for Santa every Christmas even though we’re all grown adults.”
I chuckled. “That’s not embarrassing. That’s sweet.”
“I bet yours is sweet too,” Hailey prompted. “Come on, tell me.”
I couldn’t ignore the encouraging twinkle in her eye, the curve of her lip as it perked up in a smile.
“Okay, fine,” I relented as I rolled my eyes. I swallowed before continuing. “My mom used to work at the Ren Faire, and she had this act where they would make up songs on the spot. It was always to the same tune. It’s our thing, making up silly songs to that tune. We do it all the time, but it started when we went camping, so walking through these woods reminded me of it. I must have just started humming.”
“Can you sing one for me?” Hailey asked, sincerity coating her voice.
“Right now?” I balked, my embarrassment showing in the flush in my cheeks.
“Yeah,” Hailey encouraged. “You said you make them up? Show me how you do it.”
I wanted to resist, to downplay the whole thing. Another part of me, though, liked the idea of sharing this part of me with someone. This side of me felt so separate sometimes from that part of me that lived with my mom. Maybe it would help to share some of that here in this part of my life. So I bit my lip and pushed past the regret and mortification. I began the tune over again.
“Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah
We’re walking through the woods,
Trying to find a weirdo.
It’s not the smartest thing
We’re ever gonna do.
But we really really need her,
Or so the Officials say
After we’ve all been Tainted with Love
Oh hell, it’s been a day.
Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah”
Hailey chuckled as I continued on. Her smile brightened my mood and erased my embarrassment. I ventured into another verse, empowered by her amusement.
“Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah
I never thought I’d be here
With a famous dad
And some fiery powers.
That are really rad.
Being a demigod
Is really cool,
Until you meet a teacher
Who forces you to duel.
Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah”
“No kidding,” Hailey sympathized. “Can I try one?”
It took me a second longer than necessary to answer. I was so taken aback by her request. Her eyes shifted down to the scattered leaves on the ground.
“I mean, it’s okay if you say no. I get it if you’re protective of you and your mom’s thing,�
� Hailey said, the words coming out in a rush.
“Oh no, I mean, it’s okay,” I said, matching her same speed. “I’ll even lead you in. Ready?”
“Sure,” Hailey said as she looked up, a grin breaking out on her face.
I clapped out the beat and started her off.
“Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah”
“I don’t think I’ll be good
At this goofy game,
But I’ll give it a good ol’ try,
Though it might lead me to shame.
Though when he sang the song
And smiled oh so wide,
I thought I might get him to laugh,
If I at least tried.
Oh la de dah de dah de dah, la de dah de dah”
My smile broke into fits of laughter. Hailey grinned right along with me, and soon both of us were sharing giggles.
“Mission accomplished,” Hailey said, with a twinkle in her eye.
“Well, aren’t you two sweet?” a voice came through the trees like a blaring wind.
Hailey and I crouched into battle positions, our bodies tensed and ready. The sun gleamed off a knife in Hailey’s hand. I didn’t even see her pull it out, and I sent her a curious look. Hailey didn’t even respond. Her trained senses were honed in on the potential threat.
“They are sharing sweet songs,” a female voice crooned. Her voice bounced off the trees like the previous one. This one was light and sing-songy. “It’s so nice to see lovebirds together.”
“Lovebirds?” I mouthed to Hailey, unsure if the voice could hear me.
Hailey shook her head ever so slightly at me. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to find the source of the voice. She didn’t dare move. She didn’t want to risk stepping on leaves and making more noise.
“What do you think they’re here for?” a third voice said, a curious lilt at the end of her voice, almost childlike.
“We’re here to see Sasha,” I called out, tired of this charade.
Hailey snarled at me, but I waved a hand at her, excusing her reaction. I continued on, thinking that this was the best way to address this whole thing. Also, common sense would dictate that we’d found who we were looking for.
“We were sent by the Elemental Officials Genesis, daughter of Aphrodite, and Makayla, daughter of Hermes,” I added, hoping that a formal introduction would help. “I am Cameron, son of Hephaestus, and this is Hailey, daughter of Apollo.”
“Such a fiery couple,” the child-like voice said with a giggle at the end of her sentence, like she found her own lame joke amusing.
“Maybe they shouldn’t be in the forest,” the first female voice said, suddenly growing stern. “Their powers are threats to the wood.”
“I think they’re in control of their powers,” a calm, dominant female voice said casually. She paused dramatically and then continued. “It’s their chemistry that I’m worried about. If they get much closer, everything will catch on fire.”
A chorus of laughter, much more than three voices, rattled the surrounding air. It was like being in the center of the school cafeteria after dropping all of your food. It was mocking laughter, cruel and callous. It made my skin crawl, and my eyes squint.
“Sasha, daughter of Dionysus,” Hailey called, finally finding her voice. “We have a mission and need your help.”
A scoff echoed through the woods. “My help? Well, why didn’t you say so?”
Suddenly, on the other side of the clearing across from us, we saw a tall figure materialize out of nowhere. She was a thin woman with long legs that strode with an ease that made it look like she was floating over the ground as she came towards us. Her face was round and smooth like porcelain, her brown eyes sloped and added an air of mystery to her as her small pink lips pouted. Her caramel hair head gleamed off the sunlight like a mirror as it flowed down to her waist. Draped around her was loose robes with a paisley design and a gold finish that did nothing to hide her perky nipples poking through the fabric. She looked like she belonged in a palace rather than out in the woods like this.
“Sasha Manuel?” I asked, though I was pretty sure this was the demigod we’d been sent to find.
Sasha dipped into a curtsy with a flourish. The fabric moved around her like waves on the ocean as she bowed. She lifted her face and smirked at me.
“In the flesh, son of Hephaestus,” she said, her voice quieter than when it echoed around in the woods before. Her brown eyes glistened with amusement. “To what do I owe the honor? You mentioned needing my help?”
“Yes,” Hailey said, stepping forward so that she stood between Sasha and me.
Slightly offended by this, I shuffled out from behind her so that I could be seen. I didn’t need protection from this elegant woman and was insulted that Hailey thought I did.
“Ah, Hailey, daughter of Apollo,” Sasha said as she straightened up. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I am surprised that they sent you of all people to recruit me, considering our history.”
“I am here at Cameron’s request,” Hailey said, her voice low, boarding on threatening. She held out the knife in front of her, poised to strike at any time.
“I see.” Sasha blatantly disregarded Hailey by turning away from her. The daughter of Dionysus addressed me with a devilish closed-mouth smile. “And what can I do for you, Cameron?”
“We need to throw a party,” I started with the piece of information that I thought would be most interesting to her.
“A party?” the omnipresent female voices chimed in, unable to hide their excitement.
Whispers went up all around us, like a fierce breeze sliding through the trees.
“A dance, to be more specific,” I added.
“A dance?” the women chirped, sounding more like twittering birds this time, rather than a whirl of wind.
“Ladies, ladies,” Sasha called out. She turned her head this way and that so that she could address the surrounding area. The demigod held out her long arms and moved them about a conductor. “If you’re going to make so much noise, you might as well come out and introduce yourselves.”
A tornado of wind vibrated around Hailey and me. It forced the two of us together, back to back, as the air swirled and pushed the leaves up from the ground. Blurs of orange and yellow surrounded us as we were caught in a vortex of fall.
With a single exhale, the display fell to the ground with an inelegant plop. As a new pile of leaves dropped to our feet, Hailey and I discovered that we were no longer alone with Sasha.
18
A dozen gorgeous women circled us in the clearing. They were all stark naked, but their long hair, in various shades of brown, red, and green, covered them cleverly. Some had milky skin, translucent like moonlight, whereas others had smooth, dark skin rich and free of marks or blemishes. They were ideally proportioned, like a spread of 1920s pin-up girls. Their wide eyes brightened at the sight of me, and a pair of them giggled with not-so-subtle points at my figure.
Sasha clicked her tongue and shook her head slightly. “Ladies, I know it’s your natural state, but we don’t want to embarrass our guests. Why don't you cover up?”
A groan chorused from the women, but soon, Hailey and I were sucked back up into a tornado of leaves. This time when it fell away, the women were more appropriately clothed, with garments made of mud, sticks, leaves, grass, and other natural elements. While it might have covered up their skin, it did nothing to conceal the supernatural beauty that oozed from their other features.
“I didn’t think the daughter of Dionysus to be one to hang out with a bunch of nymphs,” I said as I shifted my weight to the side and crossed my arms. “That seems more of Pan’s avenue.”
“I didn’t know we had nymphs on campus,” Hailey said, unable to focus her eyes on any one of the creatures.
I understood her dilemma. They were marvelous, living up to every myth that spoke of their beauty. Even the way they moved, all coy and sweet, was intoxicating. They reminded me more of the sea si
rens, rather than the playful nymphs from mythology, although the nymphs were known to be their own form of sexual beings. Many of them were sexual partners for various gods, like Poseidon, Zeus, and even Hailey’s dad, Apollo.
“Only the Elemental Officials and I know about these nymphs,” Sasha said, suddenly growing defensive. “I rescued them from a forest fire in California. They are the reason I came back to campus.”
“Oh,” I said suddenly, realizing there was way more to her return than I expected.
“They needed a safe place to reside,” Sasha explained. “They are tied to a certain type of tree. I knew that we had the same kind on campus and the land was already blessed by the gods, so they could live without fear of exposure by the mortals.”
“There are so many of them,” Hailey commented, her eyes roaming over all of them.
I had to agree with her. There were a lot of them.
“Not all of them joined us,” Sasha continued her explanation. “Some of them chose to go elsewhere, some perished, but I did what I could.”
“You did beautifully, Sasha,” said a nymph who looked like she just stepped off the beach. She reached out a delicate hand and stroked Sasha’s silky hair with it. “We will be forever grateful.”
“My dear,” Sasha kissed the nymph's hand. “It was the least I could do for such amazing creatures.”
“So do we get to help with the dance, Sasha?” another nymph said, one with pearly teeth and round blue eyes that blinked pleadingly at the daughter of Dionysus.
“It does certainly interest me,” Sasha said quietly. “But why would the rigid, rule-heavy Academy need to throw a dance? It seems very out of character for them.”
Hailey and I shared a look, arguing about how much to tell her. Before either one of us could respond, a nymph on the other side of Sasha tittered. It sounded like the smallest of bells.
