Goddess Academy: The Complete Reverse Harem Collection

by Clara Hartley

  “Devon!” I shouted. “I really think this is a stupid idea! I thought I’d let you know before we die!”

  “Much appreciated!” Devon replied. “But we’re not going to die.” Devon knew how to fight. During our brief conversation, he’d taken down three more Chrysari. They fell limply to the ground before disappearing in black smoke. Their dying noises were going to give me nightmares.

  “How many children did Medusa have?” I asked Hansel, who’d taken a break and neared me. He pressed his back against mine. “This is insane.”

  Hansel panted. “She had forever to try to conceive a normal child. Every time she birthed one, the goddesses sent them here, close to the Sanctuary, so they could be watched over.”

  I clutched my wand tightly. “How did Medusa even, um, do the dirty with those men? She can’t look them in the eyes, right?”

  “Do the dirty?” Hansel asked. “Surely you could have thought of a better way to describe it?”

  “Sex. I mean sex.”

  He chuckled and twirled his dagger, readying to jump into action once more. “I’m not sure about the specifics, but my guess is that blindfolds formed part of the—”

  Hansel stopped mid-sentence. The warmth that came from his back disappeared abruptly, and his flesh turned rock solid. I spun around. Worry zipped up my spine as I braced myself for what I was about to see.

  Hansel had turned to stone.

  Shit.

  I stepped around his frozen body to inspect him. He was still smiling from amusement, his mouth hung slightly ajar. His eyes, however, had lost their irises, completely replaced by the gray of granite.

  Just five minutes, then he’d be back. I just hoped the rest of us were able to stall enough for him.

  The fuck-up started with Hansel, but soon, the rest of the guys fell to the Chrysari’s wiles, too. Theo first, then Liam. There were too many eyes moving too quickly around us. Devon’s mirrors provided a way for us to work against them, but the creatures wouldn’t stop running toward us.

  “Damn it,” I said to myself. “Could Medusa have kept her legs closed?” I knew this wasn’t the main concern. But seriously, how did she withstand this many births? Many women stopped at one because it hurt so much, but looking at the army surrounding us, she’d been popping out babies like nobody’s business. I didn’t care if she had an eternity to try for a kid. Did she really want one that badly? The number of monsters surrounding us verged on madness, and all I could think was how much the woman’s vagina must have hurt.

  Five minutes. Could Devon and I really hold them off for that long? Liam had frozen mid-fall, so his stone body was in a lying, awkward position. Theo had been fighting, and his entire weight was supported on one foot. I hoped their bodies weren’t brittle when petrified. It’d be dastardly if they cracked while they were in this state.

  Devon pushed aside the Chrysari with walls of water, cutting a path straight toward me.

  “Shit’s hitting the fan,” I said matter-of-factly. I attempted searching for the fear that shook through me earlier, but there was none of it. Adrenaline spiked through me, banishing all thoughts of cowardice.

  “It’s not,” Devon said.

  “How are you so confident?” I asked.

  “I’ve been here with my father a couple times,” he said. “He used it as a training ground for the Cierro family. I know my way around this place like the back of my hand. Thought I might show you around.”

  I raised a brow. “This isn’t exactly the kind of place to show a girl around.”

  “I like being creative.” I couldn’t tell whether he was being serious. The bright smile on his face confused the fuck out of me. “So, what do you think?”

  “I think I might shit my pants.”

  Devon laughed again. I frowned. “The others are stone now, so your powers won’t affect them. Try to get the Chrysari to fall in love with each other. Aim properly. You don’t want to hit me.”

  “Great,” I said, throwing my hands up into the air. “Now you’ve gone and jinxed yourself. I’ll definitely hit you.”

  Devon’s smile didn’t drop. He leaned in, placed a kiss on my forehead, then was back into the action. Had it been five minutes yet? I didn’t want just Devon and I to face these numbers. I should have brought along a watch.

  I gripped my wand tightly. Then, focusing on a mirror to try to figure out where the creatures where, I flicked it over my back. A tunnel of light zipped from my wand, shooting straight at nothing at particular, because I couldn’t aim. A Chrysari, just as clumsy as me, stumbled into my magic and fell victim to my love spell. The scream that it released was chilling enough to make anybody grossed out. Filled with lovely, wild lust, the creature ran up to its nearest companion and stared into its eyes. They both turned to stone at once.

  I breathed out a sigh, relief pouring through me. At least my powers worked on these creatures. Then Devon wouldn’t have to fight them off alone.

  I flicked my wand as many times as I could. Damn. Being an overpowered half-blood was fun. Taking these creatures down was way too easy. In the mirrors, I watched Devon exerting himself as he fought, having to make wide gestures with his hands to summon water, or leaping so he could get his dagger close. I hummed a merry tune and waved my wand back and forth. I acted like I was the motherfucking fairy godmother. Take that! These Chrysari had nothing against me. Bippity boppity boo.

  “Want to make this a competition?” I asked Devon, waving my wand about happily. In a short time, many of the creatures had turned to stone from my doing. “We can keep track of numbers. The loser has to kiss Fenrir and Liam.”

  Devon pulled his weapon out of a Chrysari. He was covered head to toe in creature ick, while the jeans and blouse Hansel had picked for me were crisp and clean. Yay for being awesome and having things easy. Devon turned to me. “A competition?”

  I nodded. The power trip gave me excitement, so I waved my wand at him and said, “Yeah, I thought I might up the stakes—”

  My power, in a glittering light, zipped at Devon. It splashed in his face. His expression turned from puzzlement to unadulterated lust in a split second. I grimaced.

  Ah. I’d gone ahead and magicked him, too.

  Oops.

  He was looking at me when my magic hit him, so the lust he felt must have been for me. He lowered his hands. Due to his distraction, the mirrors he’d created from his water disappeared, turning into mist. My confidence dissipated as soon as I saw my protection had disappeared. A Chrysari seized Devon’s distraction as an opportunity and leapt in front of him. He turned into stone right after.

  And that left me alone in this battle.

  I hissed out a curse. Devon had no trouble fighting the Chrysari earlier, but I’d gone ahead and ruined his concentration with my overpowered magic.

  I needed to give myself a figurative slap over the forehead. Why wasn’t I more careful? Then again, “careful” and I didn’t exactly go together. It was why we were here to get the bracelet in the first place.

  I had to ensure I didn’t make eye contact with any of these monsters. Thinking quickly, I craned my neck up toward the ceiling and shut my eyes. I swished my wand about more, willing my love magic to do its work. It was impossible to aim, but I could only send my magic out and hope for the best.

  Had it been five minutes yet? If I turned to stone, too, we might all be fucked.

  My shoddy plan didn’t pan out as well as I’d hoped. The creatures neared me and began clawing at me. I heard serpents hissing all around. The sound gave me nausea that made me want to hurl.

  Damn it all.

  Why did Devon want to show off after fucking? He really didn’t need to. I was perfectly happy with just looking at him. All he really needed to do to impress me was take off his shirt.

  Thankfully, the monster babies didn’t have sharp claws or teeth. Despite the terrible noises they made, their touch felt like slimy Jell-O. Safe, but gross. I could find peace in knowing that they had no ability to tear
me apart. The greatest danger they posed was turning people to stone with their eyes, which some might argue was equally was bad.

  “Hansel!” I shouted, eyes still clamped tightly shut. I assumed he’d be the first to turn back to human, since the creatures got him first.

  No response.

  Did I really have to do this by myself?

  A Chrysari leapt at my back and hooked its arms around my neck. I squealed, hating the cool sensation, and pushed it off me. Another hugged my ankles, and one more caught a tight hold of my thigh. I gritted my jaw to steel myself against the uncomfortable sensation. “Hansel!” I shouted again, hoping he’d wake up soon. I wondered if he’d be as helpless as I was. We needed Devon’s mirrors to fight properly. Would Hansel be able to manage something with his wind powers? At the very least, if he were awake, I wouldn’t have to be alone.

  Another Chrysari wrapped its arms around my waist. It tried biting me there, but because it had no teeth, a disgusting, liquid sensation slicked over me. The snakes belonging to another monster slithered across my calf.

  “Hansel!”

  Hansel hadn’t woken up, but my powers did. They heightened. I didn’t even have to use my wand as a conduit. My powers burst from my body in all directions. Soft whimpers echoed across the chambers. The Chrysari who were harassing me backed off, and the cool, slimy sensation of them clinging to me slipped from my legs. I kept my neck craned upward and my eyes shut. I didn’t dare open them, and had no idea what was going on.

  I stood still, counting the seconds as my surroundings quietened. The whimpering from the Chrysari faded into nothing at all. “Um, hello?” I waited for a response, and no answer came. The chilling sensation of being all alone in a foreign location, surrounded by monster babies, encompassed me. I hugged my torso and tried gathering my resolve, but who was I kidding? What just happened had me scared shitless. The minutes that passed by creeped on like hours. I fidgeted, rubbing my shoe nervously on the ground.

  “Hello?” I called again. What if my vassals didn’t come back after five minutes? What if that arbitrary timing was only a rumor they’d heard? I couldn’t know for sure. Anxiety crawled its way up my chest. My legs were tired from standing in the same spot for too long. Not knowing what was happening killed me inside, and just when I was about to give up, someone said my name.

  “Cara, you can open your eyes now.”

  The voice belonged to Hansel, who had unfrozen about the same time as Theo. He looked just as he did before the creatures had turned him to stone, but with his hair slightly more tousled. My shoulders slumped, releasing the tension in them. I made my way toward Hansel, but before I did, I saw what my powers had done.

  All the Chrysari had turned to stone. Most of them were mere inches from each other, glancing into their companions’ eyes. Many of them had were cuddling their siblings. They would have looked adorable if not for their jutting ribcages.

  I blinked, shocked at the sight. I thought I’d subdue some of the creatures and send some away, but my powers had that great a reach? I glanced at my wand.

  “Are you all right, Cara?” Theo said, rushing up to me. He drew me into a tight hug. I flinched. I thought my ribcage might get crushed. “Did they get you?”

  “If you’re talking about physical wounds,” I said, “no, they didn’t.” Mentally, however, I was traumatized. I needed more than cake when I got back. I needed cake topped with ice cream. There was nothing better to fix posttraumatic stress disorder. I’d ask Hansel for it later.

  Hansel drew me away from Theo and palmed my face. “No scratches. I can’t believe you did this all by yourself.” He glanced at the damage I’d done. “It’s amazing.”

  “You can kiss my feet and worship me now,” I said, continuing to put up my strong front. Once Liam returned to the realm of the living, I needed to shove my accomplishments down his throat. Humility? What was that? Winning and celebrating my victories, especially when such victories were against grade-A twats, was so much better.

  Before Devon and Liam turned back to flesh, the ceiling shook. I stared up at the opening ceiling like I’d seen a ghost. Again? Really? I hoped the ceiling didn’t reveal more monster babies. I’d had enough of those for the day.

  Luckily, it didn’t.

  A metallic object dropped from a small cavity above. I kicked it lightly with my boot, testing it for traps, then picked it up. Hansel, Theo, and I looked at it.

  It was the bracelet. A line of serpents that swallowed each other’s tails circled it. Bright sapphires were embedded in the serpents’ eyes. They reflected the green flames around us, almost looking turquoise. After what just happened, I hated snakes, but that didn’t take away from the fact that this bracelet looked gorgeous, a masterpiece.

  “That’s Medusa’s bracelet,” Theo said. “Put it on.”

  “It almost looks too pretty. Too elaborate.”

  “Deserving of our goddess,” Hansel said, wearing a bright smile. He hooked an arm around my shoulder and watched as I snapped the object around my wrist. It hung loosely at first, but automatically, the bracelet cinched tighter and fit snugly.

  “Feeling any different?” Theo asked. “You’re supposed to be more graceful now.”

  I took a step forward, wondering if I was lither. A strange, heightened sense of my surroundings swelled over me. I pressed my lips together, trying to gauge my own feelings. “I’m not sure.”

  “Time will tell,” Hansel said.

  I heard another crumbling sound. Devon and Liam emerged from their petrified forms. Devon looked around. “Whoa. What happened around here? They turned each other to stone? We should get out of here before they unfreeze themselves, because it only lasts—”

  I opened my mouth to greet Devon, but Theo flung himself toward him instead. I had no time to react when Theo threw a fist across Devon’s jaw, sending him flying backward. Devon skidded across the ground, knocking aside a few frozen Chrysari. He almost fell into the crack that had formed in the ground.

  Devon grimaced, then rubbed his jaw. “What the hell? What was that for?”

  “You’re not showing off ever again,” Theo said, raising his finger. “You put Cara in danger, and it was my mistake to let you do anything of the sort.”

  “Calm down, guys,” I said, raising my wrist and gesturing to the bracelet. “I got this, didn’t I? Everything’s great.”

  Theo turned toward me. “You just make me want to protect you. Especially from idiots like him.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The bracelet had turned me into a swan. The old Cara was a clumsy duckling. How did I live without this before?

  Grace like never before took control of my limbs as I traipsed through my room to look in the mirror. Hansel had just finished dressing me to get me ready for today’s festivities. The girls had a day off because of some celebration called the Harvest. Some special goddess was apparently born today. We were going to use the extra time to do more sleuthing.

  My feet moved across the tiles of my room. They had a way about them I’d never experienced before. I didn’t think that walking could be improved, but the bracelet worked wonders. It was like I was in a completely different body.

  “Cara, you don’t have to swing your arms around like that,” Theo said with a laugh.

  “You look dumb,” Liam added.

  Theo elbowed Liam. “You didn’t have to say that.”

  “I’m just telling her the truth.”

  “Whatever,” I said. My newfound grace put me in such a good mood that I was practically immune to insults. “Watch me brush my hair elegantly with this comb.” I picked up the comb from the dressing table, bunched up a lock of hair, and swept the comb through it.

  “Wow,” Liam deadpanned. “So amazing.”

  “Not impressed?” I asked.

  “No, no,” Liam responded. “I’m thoroughly amazed by how elegantly you’re carrying out a basic human action. Please, continuing demonstrating your ineptitude.”

  I roll
ed my eyes and continued raking my comb through Hansel’s handiwork. Hansel winced as he watched me, which indicated that I was probably messing up the hairstyle he’d carefully planned. So, I put the comb back down.

  Liam held Fenrir in his arms. The little pup wagged its tail and attempted to lick Liam’s face. Liam had grown desensitized to the pup’s affection, and he merely pushed the cute puppy away nonchalantly to avoid its licking. I suspected Liam had developed feelings of affection for Fenrir, but the cold bastard would never admit to it.

  Devon, from the corner of the room, watched me with a pleased expression. “I see the bracelet’s serving you well. I guess all that trouble was worth it.”

  “Not sure. I think I almost shit myself about ten times throughout the whole ordeal.”

  “But now you won’t trip ever again.”

  I raised a brow. “I’m not sure about the ‘ever’ part. My clumsiness might win out in the end. It always does.” I turned my gaze toward the balcony, looking out the window. From this vantage, I could see the chiasma. The giant orb floated above the landscape with its ominous presence. Why did the girls have to be sacrificed to appease it? I’d learned from chiasma theory that the entity was what fueled the world and kept balance. Was there no other way around it? “Have you guys ever gotten close to the chiasma?”

  “Hm?” Theo unfolded his arms and followed my gaze. “No. Vassals are discouraged from going anywhere near there. It’s said the lake for godhood is located there, and the goddesses don’t want males to get any ideas.”

  “I have an idea,” I said.

  Liam rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’s stupid. You don’t have to say it.”

  “Let’s head over to the chiasma.”

  Liam sighed. “There, she said it.”

  “Head to the source, right?” I asked. “We have to go to the root cause of the problem itself. That’s the best way to figure out why all this is happening in the first place.”

  “It’s not that easy to just waltz up to it,” Liam replied. He stroked the back of Fenrir’s ear, and Fenrir purred. “They say a large monster guards it.”