by Haley Weir
"What is she?"
"I have no idea, but I intend to find out."
"The Sword of Zeus?"
Balor shook his head. "I need time. The memory was pulled from her mind, but I won't be able to access it until I've had time to rest."
Madeu set aside his pen and paper. He approached Balor with an air of respect that none of his other brothers had. "Leave her with Rina and take all of the time you need. Waking up to a friendly face might be best if we hope to uncover the sword."
"What about Olivia? You'll hold a trial, right?"
Madeu clapped Balor on the shoulder. "Go get some rest. Someone will look after her, and then we can call for a meeting. Seth and Caleb have been going insane trying to find the sword."
"What about you?"
"Me? I'm more worried about Atë. There's a goddess in the dungeon of Hades' palace, bound by enchanted shackles, that still hasn't spoken against the other gods."
Balor went quiet for a moment. "When we were in the underworld fighting Prometheus and his demons, Hades reached through hellfire and stopped the Titan without a problem. It was like swatting a fly for him...something that should be impossible."
"Hades is a son of Cronus," Madeu replied. "Perhaps his need to protect Diana allowed him to tap into power he was unaware of."
"Even Hades says that power in and of itself is corrupt. If he draws from that Titan blood again, how do we know it won't create something far worse than the old gods?" Balor scratched the stubble on his jaw and sighed. "Forget what I said. I'm just paranoid after everything that's happened."
"If you ever need to talk about something, I'm willing to listen." Madeu looked down at Olivia in Balor's arms. "Without judgment."
"Thank you." Balor spun on his heels and carried Olivia out of the throne room. He took the stairs three steps at a time, ducking into the first room on the right. A flourish of magic opened the unclaimed bedchamber. Balor laid Olivia on top of the covers before ringing the servant's bell. Two chambermaids scurried inside a moment later. "She'll need food and drink when she awakens. Lady Rina will visit her in the hours I am gone. If Miss Knight attempts to leave, call for the guards. She is not a guest in this castle; she is a prisoner."
Chapter Two
Castle Black
Destiny Falls, Alaska
The scent of lavender and honey filled her lungs as she drew breath. Olivia cracked open her left eye, blinking past the strange film that obscured her vision. Two maids shuffled around like a couple of mice, timidly tidying the room with nothing more than a whisper of sound. She tossed aside the covers and walked over to the window. Strange markings lined the glass.
"Prince Balor enspelled them, Miss," one of the maids squeaked quietly. "We brought you supper."
Olivia looked out at the streaks of color that shifted like a thin veil over the night sky. "How long have I been here?"
"Just a few hours or so."
"And where is Balor?"
The maids looked around nervously, ignoring her inquiry. Olivia scoffed and tried to force the window open, but it wouldn't budge. She then attempted to break the window with a vase that shattered on impact. Shards of glass peppered the floor, cutting her already sore feet. A loud scream bubbled up from her lips as she hobbled over to a chair. Olivia swatted away the maids when they attempted to assist her. "Just go get me some bandages!"
She dabbed away the blood and plucked the glass from the top of her foot. The maids scampered out of the bedchamber door, looking a bit green in the face from all of the blood. Once the door shut quietly, Olivia limped over to the slippers tucked beneath the bed and slid them on her feet. She dashed over to the door, pressing her ear against the wood until sounds faded from the corridor. Her fingers clenched the handle tightly as she eased the door open. The hall was clear. Olivia stepped over the threshold and moved quickly down the stairs.
"Going somewhere?" someone asked as her foot hit the landing. Olivia was startled. She jumped back and ran right into her friend Rina. The bombshell blond shook her head. "I swear you have a death wish sometimes."
"I need to get out of here!" Olivia whispered harshly. "Either you can help me or you can get knocked out. Your choice."
Rina flashed a wicked smile as she leaned in closer. "I'm the Prophet of Plutus. I'd like to see you try knocking me out. Besides, if you leave now, you won't be able to steal all of the new godly weapons we pilfered from the armory on Olympus."
Olivia's ears twitched as she tried not to let the intrigue show in her expression, but her friend knew just how to manipulate her. "So, the heist worked? Seth and Diana actually pulled it off?"
"Styx was captured, but yeah. It worked." Rina turned Olivia towards the study. They walked slowly as she explained what happened. "Seth nearly died. Athena's sword was embedded in his chest. It was horrifying. Balor saved him after hours of screaming."
"Seth can't seem to catch a break, huh?" Olivia moved deeper into the study. "Why didn't any of you tell me that the heist worked? I could have offered some insight."
"Giddeon was adamant that we keep it quiet. He's not sure if we can trust you."
"Steal one little sword and the world thinks you're some kind of criminal mastermind!"
"You stole the Sword of Zeus from an enchanted armory guarded by enormous bear shifters," Rina argued. "We're on the brink of war, Liv!
"And they stole from the gods! Two wrongs don't make it right, but they damn sure make things even. I'm thinking about humanity's best interest while all of you seem too caught up in your new lives to care." Olivia sat down on the sofa with a huff. "You forget that there are people out there without magic of their own. If I don't fight for them, who will?"
"We're fighting for everyone. And I'd like for you to prove that you're on our side, Liv." Rina knelt in front of Olivia and took her hands in her own. "Madeu is holding a trial. If the sleuth thinks you're a threat to their survival—"
"I was fine on my own."
"You were hunted by Mercenaries. It's time to grow up."
Olivia maneuvered around Rina and walked over to the large windows overlooking the courtyard. "Your husband can shapeshift into a giant bear. He's an ancient warrior, a descendant of the gods. Your boss is Plutus! You've been to the underworld and lived to tell the tale. Casey and Diana have lived their own adventures. Maybe mine is to stop all of you."
"Think about this!"
"I have," Olivia chuckled. "And I think I'm meant for something more than being the soulmate of a bear shifter."
"Then talk to Giddeon. Get him to understand."
She shook her head and pulled the gun out of the waistband of her shorts before firing three shots. The window exploded into a million pieces of colorful glass. Olivia threw herself out of the gaping hole in the wall and darted across the courtyard. Guards wearing the mark of their king gave chase, but Olivia reached the southern gate. She used all of her momentum and crashed into the man trying to close the gate. He barely stumbled, but the shock of her brazen attack bought her enough time to escape through the gap in the doors.
~*~
The Unknown
Ashes rained down from an obsidian sky, fading from existence before it touched the cerulean sands. Waves crashed against the shore. The salty spray of a sea that only existed in the recesses of Balor's mind brushed his skin. It was as real as the world that existed outside of his dreams, which was why it was always hard for him to leave. In the darkness, the voices of the gods were silenced. Balor sat in the sand, feeling the water brush against his bare feet. "If my brothers knew who had taught me the ways of the ancient ones, they would see it as a betrayal."
"You knew that when you summoned me."
Balor glanced over at the spirit of his father. "I watched you fail at many things, but magic is not one of them. Giddeon and the others cannot look beyond their emotions. It is a risk I had to take."
Samael appeared as he always had. His dark hair was threaded with silver at his temples. He sported a neatly trimm
ed beard and glowing amber eyes reflected the phantom light cast by the waves. "Time can only heal so much. For Madeu and Giddeon, my transgressions are that of a father. For you and Seth...they are that of a king."
"Save your remorse for someone willing to listen," Balor said. "I came to you in sleep for a reason. There is a woman I had thought to be human."
"You were wrong?"
"As were Nemesis and Hades," he revealed. "Somehow, her true nature was hidden from us. But I felt something...evil within her. A fire that burned so violently that it stank of brimstone. None of it makes sense. When I look at her, I see no demon." Balor became uncomfortable with Samael's silence. He nudged his unlikely ally and gave him a pointed look.
"That fire," his father began. "Was it different from a normal flame?"
"Brighter and much hotter than any flame in the mortal world."
"Passion?"
Balor snorted and nodded his head. "Beyond comparison. There's no one like Olivia Knight. In all the lifetimes I've watched pass me by, there's something about her that makes me want to live. It's not just her carnal spirit, but there's a fight inside of her that I envy. The years have numbed me to most of the joys yet to be had in this world."
"You are a sage, my child. When the gods blessed you with the wealth of their wisdom, it cursed you to walk amongst the ones you love but never truly live in their world."
The spray of the sea no longer dampened his skin as the tide receded. Balor stared out at the horizon as he considered his father's words. "You know what she is, then?"
"I do," Samael replied as Balor stood up and shut his eyes. The wheels of his imagination spun rampantly, breaking apart before rebuilding into something different. Balor then stood on the edge of a mountain with his father just a few feet away. Samael touched a sharp spear of ice that jutted out of the ground.
"We are safe here. No one can hear us."
"This woman you speak of is a succubus." Samael's cape fluttered in the frigid wind. "Or at least half. The fire you saw was a physical manifestation of her emotions. It is rare that a succubus has empathy, but not unheard of."
"What about the other half?"
"That I do not know."
Balor lifted a chunk of ice and hurled it over the mountainside in a fit of anger. "I'm missing something! Giddeon needs the Sword of Zeus before the eclipse or the option of forging a Divine Blade is out of the question."
Samael tossed his head back and laughed maniacally. "A Divine Blade? Those cannot be forged. Not without someone worthy of wielding the blade."
"You know of the legends?"
"Yes, and so do you," his father retorted. "In all of our days, we have never crossed paths with a hero capable of wielding a Divine Blade. Hercules, Odysseus, Perseus, Achilles...they overcame great trials in their tales, but when the time came for them to ascend, they failed just as I had. It should have been me on Olympus."
Balor turned to his father. "Giddeon and the others have theorized that we are a direct reflection of the betrayal of the gods. So far, it appears to be true as each of us has betrayed one another in many ways. Tell me, Samael, of whose blood do we descend from?"
"Zeus."
"He is no bear."
"No, but my mother was," Samael explained. "She was to inherit her father's throne and become Queen of Arcadia. I don't know much about her, but I know she was a nymph who had the power and beauty to draw the eyes of the most influential males of the ancient world. It was Zeus who became enchanted by her. He disguised himself as Artemis and forced himself upon her. When she discovered that she was with child, my mother left Arcadia and the protection of Artemis's temple in fear that others would learn of her pregnancy."
"Did Hera know Callisto was pregnant when she turned her into a bear?"
Samael shook his head. "She knew of Zeus's infidelity, but nothing more. It wasn't until Artemis's Hunt that she understood just how deceptive her mate was. And it was that jealousy that inspired Artemis to kill Callisto. Zeus placed her amongst the stars, but not before he gave me to Maia. I was born as Arcas."
"You knew what it was like to be shunned, and yet you tried everything in your power to ruin Madeu," Balor said aloud as realization dawned. "All of your mistakes led to your demise, and yet you still show no remorse."
"Why should I? After all, deception and betrayal are in my blood."
"I will not be a slave to your legacy." Balor pulled himself further from The Unknown, feeling himself return to his body in the mortal world.
"You already are," Samael laughed tauntingly.
Balor awakened in his bed to the sound of the alarms blaring. "Olivia!"
Chapter Three
Destiny Falls, Alaska
Snow reached up to her knees as she trudged through the frozen meadow. Olivia kept her eyes on the cabin just across the lake. Her teeth chattered, clicking so hard that the sound rang in her ears. Wind whipped her hair around as the temperature continued to drop. Olivia broke through the mounds of snow and gingerly stepped onto the thick layer of ice that covered the lake. Her toes were numb in the stiff slippers on her feet and she tried to wiggle them enough to get some feeling back, but it was useless. Each step took her further and further from the castle, increasing the odds of dying of hypothermia. "You really didn't think this through," she grumbled to herself.
A shadow appeared beside her, and Olivia took off in a mad sprint towards the cabin.
The familiar scent of Balor Blackheart wrapped around her as he chased her down. Waves of light surrounded Olivia just before she was lifted off her feet with a spell. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Balor snarled like a beast. Olivia fought against his hold on her, but the spell tightened around her limbs. He walked with the swagger of a warrior as he approached. The warmth of his body was like a furnace, and Olivia let out a little moan. Balor's eyebrows lifted as he sniffed the air. Darkness flooded his gaze and he licked his lips, a trail of steam curling out of his mouth with each breath.
Olivia felt the strength of him as he gripped her hips with both hands and pulled her close. The spell faded, but something else had woven its way around her. She felt powerless to resist him. Olivia leaned in to taste the smoke that still lingered on his lips. Balor yanked his head back. It looked as though he had broken free from some sort of trance. He dropped her back to her feet and dragged her towards the cabin. Olivia kicked and punched Balor, but he never loosened his grip. "Let me go! I'm not going back there!"
"I wouldn't let you within ten feet of the palace now that I know what you are!"
Her foot slipped as the weight of his words hit her like a physical blow. Only his hold on her arm kept Olivia from falling. "What do you mean what I am? I'm human."
"No, you're not. If you think lying to me will—”
"I’m not lying!” she shouted as her fists battered against his side. Balor grabbed the spare key from above the door and unlocked the cabin. Inside was nearly as cold as the outside, but—with a burst of magic—a fire roared in the hearth. “Balor, tell me what’s going on, or so help me, I’ll turn you into a eunuch!”
“Don’t play games with me, Olivia. You know exactly what you are; that’s why you seduced me when we were on that cruise ship.”
She planted her feet firmly on the ground, sliding across the floor as he pulled her with ease. “I’m not playing any games. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Balor whirled around with a look of surprise. “You...how could you not know?” He released his hold on her arm and ran his fingers through his hair. Olivia recognized the gesture immediately. She glanced down at his hand when it dropped to his side and watched as Balor spun the skull ring on his index finger. He was nervous. “It all makes sense now. The nomadic lifestyle, the strange cult that raised you, your work as a sex therapist…”
Olivia limped over to him and pushed his hair out of his eyes. “Balor, I need you to talk to me. One minute you’re locking me in a castle, and in the next, you’re telling me I’m
not human. What the hell is going on?”
“I have reason to believe that you’re part succubus.”
“Like a sex demon?”
When Balor nodded his head, Olivia burst into giggles. She clutched her chest and laughed until her side ached. “Me? A sex demon? Highly unlikely. I’ve been rejected plenty of times. Just recently, I went out with this guy who waited until after we slept together to tell me that he’s married with three kids. Doesn’t sound like something that would happen to a succubus.”
“You don’t know how to control your abilities,” he replied. “It’s possible that the pheromones you give off when you’re aroused are triggered by accident.”
“Wait...you’re serious.”
“Olivia, we need to find out what the rest of your powers are. It’s unlikely that a succubus was impregnated by a human.” Balor flopped down on the sofa in front of the fire. “We have to look for your parents.”
“No.”
“You’re here for a reason, Olivia.”
“Yeah! Because you brought me here,” she hissed before stomping up the stairs. Olivia retreated to her old bedroom, missing the days when it was just her and her friends lazing about the cabin on their annual vacation. She limped into the bathroom and ran a hot bath. It still felt like there were pins and needles in her legs.
“The fates wouldn’t have brought you to Destiny Falls without a reason, Olivia. You were right. Casey, Diana, and Rina were all meant to do great things…but so were you.” The husky notes of Balor’s voice floated under the bathroom door.
