by Simon Archer
If ever given the choice, I wanted to ride my father’s chariot rather than bareback on a pegasus. The spine of the beast dug into my crotch and made for a rather uncomfortable trip.
Being the trained soldier I was, I swallowed my discomfort and refused to let any of the pain show on my face. I kept my back rigid and my lead legs stiff against the pegasus’s belly. I focused my attention on the rushing air and chill from being up so high.
I kept my place in the v-shaped formation, staying in line with the rest of my fellow soldiers. There were eleven of us, the last of the soldiers to leave the campus from my understanding. Among them were the two other branch leaders, Olivia and Mia. I also recognized Rachel, Karen’s girlfriend, who belonged to the Oura branch. While I knew that both she and Mia were in their element, literally, Olivia’s normally pale face had a green hue to it.
I figured if Olivia, whose entire soul belonged out at sea and not up in the air, could keep her breakfast down during this journey, I could deal with my own discomfort for the time being.
Our leader at the tip of the formation was Eunice. She was a daughter of Aeolus, the wind god, also familiar with air travel of this kind. She lifted her hand to signal our descent. The winged horses followed suit. I barely had to shift the reigns of my animal to keep in line with everyone else.
Curious, I looked down to see where we were setting up camp. Below was a wash of evergreen trees. I could tell that we were high up in the Rocky Mountains, where snow stayed for months on end. It sprinkled across the ferns like powdered sugar over the scene below.
Eventually, there was a clearing where I could see temporary barracks set up. The Elemental Military flag hung high over everything, at the center of the base. There were assorted canvas tents propped up, most of them the same size, which would be our living quarters for the foreseeable future. Each of them had the branch symbol, signaling which of the four branches the barrack belonged to. A single large tent sat out of line which would act as the mess hall. Finally, there was the smallest tent which was the commanding officer’s residence and the control room.
We landed just outside of the base, so that the pegasus didn’t crowd the few open spaces. The group of us removed the necessary items, like our personal packs and weapons along with some of the fresh supplies we brought from the Academy. We hoisted them onto our own backs and slapped the flying horses off on their way.
I watched them fly up into the gray clouded sky. They would soon return to the Academy, back to their stables. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, a part of me wanted to go with them. It didn’t matter how uncomfortable the ride back would be, I knew that my heart wanted to be with them. I wanted to be back with Daniella, Bethany, Jade, Bella and Kari. To be with Cameron.
The thought of him brought his heart-shaped face into my mind’s eye. His bright blue eyes, the color of the ocean, blinked up at me. That firetruck red hair that grew naturally out of his head. I thought about his body, getting stronger every day since I first recruited him. But even then, that day when he was dressed in the ridiculous pioneer outfit from his mortal job, he was handsome.
While I had nursed an old crush for Kari for years, something about Cameron was different. I was drawn to his presence, always wanting to be around him. I had been a diligent soldier before I met Cameron. I knew my path in life, that I was trained to serve the Elemental Military, but all of that changed when he entered my life.
And I didn’t even need the help of Eros’s arrow to see the effect he had on me. I knew from the moment he fearlessly stepped into the blasting range of my supernova powers. I remember watching him walk towards me, right through the flames. They licked up his pale skin, making him glow, never hurting him. He calmed me back down so that the power of the sun didn’t rage through me and burn the world around me. It was the first time that had ever happened.
From that moment on, I knew I had to be with him. He was special, and I wasn’t going to let him walk out of my life without a fight.
However, we were met with another unexpected obstacle. The draft had come on suddenly, due to the increase in monsters. Something inside of me knew it was coming. With the rumors I had heard, the number of fellow soldiers that had been sent to the front lines. There was no way that I wasn’t on the lineup. Part of me had hoped that I would be saved because of my position as Enka branch leader at the Academy, but I knew better. I was a soldier first and foremost, branch leader be damned.
“Pick up the pace, Hailey,” Eunice called down from the drop of the hill.
I realized that my thoughts were distracting me enough to slow my movements. As much as my heart wanted to be with Cameron, I needed to accept the reality that my body was here. I needed to fulfill my duty.
“Yes ma’am,” I reported to the head of our travel unit and stomped into the snow with deliberation. The powder crunched under my boots with a satisfying sound, reminding me that I was making progress. With each step, I tried to push Cameron and my girlfriends from my mind, but I found that was impossible.
Instead of fighting the thoughts, I decided to try something different and let them in. I didn’t let them consume me but rather, share the same space with the actionable, more pertinent thoughts like trekking through the snow to our home for the foreseeable future.
As if he were standing right beside me, the thoughts of my boyfriend warmed my skin. Despite the dropping temperature as we hiked higher, I found comfort in thinking about him and the girls and when I would get to see them again. The sensation reminded me of how older American soldiers used to talk about “their girl” back home. I never understood the appeal. It’d always seemed like a liability to me, but now I realized how ignorant that thought was. Having someone back home, especially a person as amazing as Cameron, was a strength.
I carried the strength with me all the way up the hill until I reached the base. Automatically, I followed the group to the flagpole at the center, where we were supposed to meet our commanding officer.
She was an imposing woman, one that I hadn’t worked with before. The woman stood tall and muscular, like a female G.I. Joe doll brought to life. She had a choppy pixie cut that was littered with black and silver hairs. Miraculously, she wore a t-shirt, exposing her arms to the frigid air. I could see the tattoos that lined both of her arms.
They were in full color and appeared to be depictions of various Greek myths. As I approached the woman, I could make out the tales in more detail and quickly recognized them as Heracles's twelve trials that Hera famously gave him. But there were thirteen tales on there, I noticed.
The last one was a depiction of Hebe and Heracles’s wedding near her right wrist. While Hera hated Heracles since before he was born, they reconciled and became friends after he rescued her from a giant who was going to rape her. Hera offered her daughter Hebe as Heracles’s wife as a thank you.
I couldn’t remember the giant’s name off hand. I knew that Cameron would use his Oracle powers and spit it out in less than a second. I smiled at the thought, unable to help myself.
“Something amusing, soldier?” the commanding officer said with a scowl as her head snapped in my direction, as sharp and quick as a bullet.
I hardened my expression. “No ma’am.”
“What are you looking at?” the officer asked, her eyes narrowing.
“I was admiring your tattoos,” I answered honestly as I offered a nod towards her exposed arms. “I thought it was interesting that you would include Heracles and Hebe’s wedding as one of the trials.”
“It is the reconciliation of the battle between Heracles and my mother,” the officer replied, flexing her muscles. “I’m Officer Quinn, daughter of Hera.” She turned her attention away from me specifically and addressed the group at large. “Introduce yourselves,” she commanded.
The eleven new soldiers went around and did as they were asked. When it came to me, I complied in a loud voice, “Hailey Barlow, daughter of Apollo.”
Quinn’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Daugh
ter of Apollo?”
“Yes ma’am,” I said with a confirming nod, but my throat went dry after I spoke. I wanted to know why she was so interested in my lineage.
“There was a message sent ahead for you,” Officer Quinn answered. “Well, I assume it’s for you since it was for a child of Apollo and you are currently the only one. We’ll make sure it gets delivered to the Enka barracks.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” I said, keeping my voice even despite the fact that my curiosity was off the charts.
Someone sent a message ahead for me? My mind ran through millions of possibilities, wondering who could have sent it and what it could be about. As much as I wanted to rush to my bunk right then, I knew I would have to wait for the commanding officer to dismiss before I got to go anywhere.
“This base is currently in a holding pattern,” Officer Quinn informed the new soldiers. “We were placed in this location because of an abnormal level of magical activity in the area. So far we have been unable to locate the source of that activity. The majority of your time will be on scouting missions and guarding the base from any potential attack.”
The daughter of Hera walked back and forth in front of the flag which hung limply up above her. While it was cold as an igloo, there was no wind which was some small relief. The only noise came from the footprints of snow as soldiers walked from their barracks to the mess hall. There weren’t many to be seen. I knew that most of them had to be out surrounding the perimeter of the base or out on the scouting missions the officer mentioned.
“For now, you will return to your respective barracks, find a free bunk, and then report to the mess hall for your assignments,” Quinn finished. “Dismissed!”
She spun on her heel and left the group of us without another word. I stayed in my spot longer than normal as I watched my ten traveling companions scatter.
“You coming, Hailey?” Irema, a daughter of Hypnos, asked as she put a hand on my shoulder. She was the only other Enka soldier that came with this group. She was a great asset to me and Cameron when we went on my boyfriend’s first mission. It was to defeat a chimera and while Cameron really was the hero that day, I remember how fearlessly Irema had fought.
The following year, Irema had almost been expelled for being in a relationship that had implications of bribery in it with a daughter of Pan. Which, according to the rulebook for the Academy, active officers in the Military and/or students may not bribe, threaten or blackmail another officer or student for higher grades and/or a position in the military or for any other reasons. This was because of Eris’s love potion that the goddess had put into the apples. The following semester, I knew Irema and Cameron had grown close. I noticed that Irema and Cameron shared some sort of secret. I trusted the soldier and knew that we would work well together if needed.
“I’ve got to say, Irema, I’m glad you’re here,” I said honestly. “It’s nice to have a familiar face.”
“Same,” she said with a sigh of relief. “Sometimes I forget just how many demigods are out there.”
“I know it seems like a lot but it always seems to be too few when it comes to the monsters,” I said, not bothering to hide the solemn tone in my voice.
“Especially with the recent surge of them,” Irema said with a gulp.
There was a bit of a stretch as we walked to the barracks where neither one of us said anything. In order to keep some of the discomforting feelings at bay, I searched for another topic of conversation.
“How are you and… uh… ” I struggled to remember the name of her girlfriend.
“Sherry?” she supplied with a smile.
“Yeah, Sherry,” I said, acting as if I had known her name all along.
“We’re good,” she said, unable to hide the spreading smile. “She’s been stationed somewhere in the south, fighting some sea monster.”
“I’m sorry about that,” I said, meaning every word.
“Yeah, thanks,” Irema replied with a shrug. “I’m jealous of you though. You at least know where Cameron is right now.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that,” I said, feeling slightly guilty.
“If you ever want to… ” Irema started but then her voice trailed off. We paused right before we entered the barracks and the Enka soldier bit her thumbnail nervously.
“If I ever want to what?” I prompted, curious by her sudden change in demeanor.
“Let’s just say that if you ever want to talk to Cameron, and not in a letter that the Officials are sure to read, just let me know.” Her words tumbled out in a rush, and before I had a chance to ask any questions, Irema rushed into the barracks.
My mouth opened and closed for a bit, wanting to know more about that strange but kind offer from my comrade. However, it seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it. So wordlessly, I followed my comrade into the barracks.
There were a dozen bunk beds in two rows, parallel to one another. They were rickety, iron things with flat, thin mattresses resting atop them. The blankets were thick but looked poorly made and worn. Each bunk had a lantern hanging off the end of it. Only two were lit and the soldiers in the barracks were huddled around them both, stationed at the dead center of the tent.
When Irema and I entered, the room suddenly dipped into silence. I could tell right away that our arrival interrupted something important and rather tense.
There were six soldiers in the room. Two of them immediately shot to their feet and turned towards us, clearly blocking something. I only got a glimpse of a crate on the floor between the two beds with some papers on it, held down by small gray stones. But what was on the papers themselves, I couldn’t decipher the specifics.
Irema and I froze in the doorway. The six soldiers stared us down with serious expressions. The two blocking our view from the others appeared to be twins, or at least related to one another. They were of the same bulky build and had the same black hair, with matching widows peaks, giving their faces a bird-like quality.
“Hello,” I said in an attempt to break the tension. “We’ve just arrived and were told to pick available bunks. Could you point to the ones that aren’t occupied?”
As much as I wanted to ask about their secretive behavior, I knew it was better to change the subject rather than to pry. While it could have been a covert assignment from Officer Quinn, trained soldiers such as these wouldn’t be so foolish as to have them out in the open like this. So I kept my mouth shut and acted like we saw nothing.
Irema followed my lead and shot our Enka soldiers a smile as she flipped back her head of black braids. “Dibs on the bottom bunk.”
“This one’s available,” one of the twins said, her voice tight. She pointed to the bottom bunk closest to the tent flap. That made sense considering it was known to be the coldest bed of the bunch.
Nevertheless, Irema kept up her smile. “Thanks.” She set her stuff down on it and began to unpack, putting her supplies in the trunk at the end of her bed.
“Got another one?” I asked innocently.
The other twin looked over her shoulder. “It’s back here on the other side of the barracks.”
“Oh,” I said. There was a pause as I waited for one of the soldiers to move so I could get past. When everyone held their positions, I widened my stance and shifted my weight. “Am I going to have to fight my way through or what?”
“We’ll be done in a minute,” the first twin announced. “You can set your stuff down on my bunk until then.”
“I’d like to get to my bunk now,” I protested, keeping my tone flat.
“You can wait,” the second twin said as she took a step forward. I didn’t move, refusing to show any sort of weakness.
“What is this?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow. “Is there, like, some new rule about harassing new soldiers or something?”
As I spoke, I saw both twins clench their jaws. Their fingers curled into fists, the size of t-bone steaks. Even their companions behind them stiffened in defense.
Something
I’d said clearly triggered them. I didn’t know whether or not to be glad or more concerned. This was one of the weirdest greetings I had ever gotten when coming to a new barrack. Usually, the barrack was the one safe space where soldiers could shoot the shit, relax, and find solace from the hard day. But there was no solace to be found here. Not a single ounce.
There was a rush of cold behind me as someone else entered the tent. I hated looking away from the stubborn soldiers, but when the person called out my name, I had no choice.
“Hailey Barlow?” the soldier asked as she held out a letter in her hand.
“That’s me,” I replied. “Is that the message that was sent ahead of me?”
“Yeah,” the soldier said. She was a petite woman with two long blond braids swinging down past her Oura sash. “Here you go.”
She handed over the letter which was nothing special save for a half sheet of paper folded in half with a note scrawled on the inside. I opened it and nearly fell over right there.
I had gotten a letter like this once before in my life. But only once, ever. I recognized the handwriting instantly. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just a simple cursive though it always looked as though he typed it out on a computer. The font was tiny, barely legible. Still, I deciphered the message, which only worsened my mood.
Meet me within the hour down by where you dropped off the pegasus. I have something that will help you.
I grunted and folded the note back over again. While I seriously doubted the second sentence, I knew very well that he would be pissed if I didn’t adhere to the scheduled meeting time, despite the fact it was vague as hell. I removed my packs and set them down by Irema’s trunk.
“Watch my stuff, will you?” I asked with a pointed look. “I have to meet someone.”
“Sure thing,” Irema said while giving me a once over. “You okay?”
“No but this is just one of those things I have to do,” I said with a shrug. I adjusted my sash and didn’t give our hostile bunkmates a passing glance as I walked out of the tent.
