Children of the Lost Ruler- Ghost Goddesses Book One

Fucking Thanks, Ligeia!

When I woke up, I was lying in the world’s comfiest bed. Rolling over, I opened my eyes to see I was in a large white bedroom. “Fuck, I slept.”
I got up to explore the hotel room that probably Ligeia got me. After walking through all its huge empty rooms, I finally decided to change clothes, seeing as mine smelt terrible and were covered in dirt and ichor.
Everything was still a blur. I remembered every little thing, yet I couldn’t put any of it together. Shaking my head, I decided I didn’t have the energy or feel the need to do my normal amazing outfit or makeup, so I just threw on a pair of black leggings, my black sneakers, and a soft purple sweater, no makeup, and ventured downstair to start looking for food… and I guess people.
Twenty minutes later, after somehow getting lost three times, I managed to find the breakfast area. Looking over, I saw my friends sitting in the corner, talking amongst themselves. But as I got closer, I heard they were arguing. Something inside me hated it, but I just couldn’t find the energy to yell.
Damn. We’re real fucking exhausted.
I felt my other half nod in agreement. Ya think? Now, I’m not really in the mood for arguing, and neither are you, so let’s just go back to the room and order room service.
I agreed with her. I shadowed back up to my room, and dear fucking gods was that a bad idea. Food first, then shadowing.
After ordering and eating a nice normal breakfast, I felt my energy come back, and I was back to normal… mainly. Deciding I didn’t want to get involved with whatever was going on downstairs, I lounged around for a bit until I heard a soft knock on the door.
Looking through the peephole, I saw Ligeia, Kalabhiti, and Salem. Sighing, I let them in. Ligeia instantly hugged me. “Don’t fucking scare me like that! You’ve slept for three days!”
“Not my fault, but anyway, have we made any progress?” They all stared at me before Salem whispered no. “Then what the fuck happened while I was gone?”
“Well,” Ligeia said. “We followed a lead, but it didn’t help us at all. It actually hurt us.”
“How?” I asked, fucking worried.
“They know…”
I was pissed. “They know about us?! Is it really that hard to hide?”
“They know about me,” she rushed. “Now you, though.”
I glared at her. “It’ll literally take them ten fucking seconds to figure it out once they actually see me. I guess we better go get this the fuck over with.”
Absolutely pissed, I shadowed down to the commons where everybody was gathered at. I started to get a warm welcome, but then, just as I expected, it started.
Percy, being the “leader” he is, walked up to me accusingly. “Did you know that Lara-Ligea-whoever the fuck that is, was a goddess?”
I crossed my arms. “Yeah, so?”
“Are you a goddess, too?”
I glared at him. “What would make you think that?” He glared back and lunged at me with Riptide, but I easily kicked it away and pinned his hands behind him, my blade to his throat. “Answer me?”
“You’re just so close with her,” Annabeth said for Percy. “And since you had a quest together, we just figured.”
“Well,” I replied, letting go of Percy and shoving him away. “I guess we’ll answer that question when you die or not.”
Luckily, they were smart enough to know what I was about to do as I changed to my goddess form and smirked. “Come on! Look! You wanted to know so badly!”
Ligeia tapped my arm, and I sighed. Turning back, they all glared at me, most of them three seconds away from charging. “I guess that answers our question, Piper mumbled.
I turned to the group as a whole. “As much as we are all fucking pissed at each other right now, we need it get back in track. Everyone’s here, all the secrets are spilled, now we need to fucking get over ourselves and work together.”
Everyone except Percy reluctantly nodded, and I turned to Ligeia. “Did you at least look into what I told you?”
She looked frustrated with herself and sighed. “No. I completely forgot.”
Rolling my eyes, I muttered some curses under my breath. “Okay. Well, I guess we’re just leaping in.” I shadowed us to the origin of Zeal, what’s in present day called Massacre Rim, Nevada. Most of them seemed confused, but instantly Hazel, Nico, Ligeia, Andy, Kalabhiti, and I all saw it. Right in the middle of the dark night sky was a shadow door.
“Does anyone else see that?” Hazel asked the group, and all the kids with shadow blood nodded. “Okay.”
Floating up on all the surrounding shadows, I put my hand out and felt that the door was indeed solid. Ligeia and Kalabhiti helped float the other three and themselves up to me, and I shadowed the rest of the group back to the hotel. “No need in bothering them if they can’t help.”
Opening the door, I saw none other than the room that all of Zeal’s messages have come from. Ligeia seemed to notice this, too, as we entered the abandoned room, fire still hot.
Looking around, I tried to think of or find anything out of place, but I didn’t. Just as I was about to give up, I remembered something that happened quite a while ago. Doing another quick scan of the room, I frowned. “Either he knew we were coming, or he’s about to do something big.”
“How do you know that?” Andy asked.
I looked at Ligeia, knowing she probably forgot about this clue as much as I had. “He took the Helm of Darkness with him.”
Everyone stared at me, and Ligeia widened her eyes. “How can I be so fucking stupid! I completely forgot about him even taking that!”
“Don’t feel bad. I did, too.”
----------------------------------------------------
After another quick scan of the room, we decided to go back to the hotel. After telling everyone what we discovered, and explaining how we knew about the Helm, I went back to my room.
By the time I got out of the shower, Kalabhiti was already lying in bed listening to his music, since he wasn’t much of a sleeper, either. I sat down on the couch to chat with Daeva. The first thing she said. Why didn’t you kiss him today?
I stared at my notebook for a minute, surprised but not really at the question, before finally responding. The other day. I don’t know what that was. Fear, panic, things I don’t want to feel. I don’t want to rush into anything if this isn’t real. I was full of fear that I was going to get blamed for another death, and he was full of relief that he hadn’t died. It was a mistake.
Suddenly, my temple started throbbing. No! That’s not true. If it was such an accident, then why are your pajamas literally just your underwear, and one of his big, baggy shirts?
I looked down to see she was right. I hadn’t even noticed I’d done that. I don’t want it to be a mistake, but I don’t want to get hurt if it was.
I could see her ‘wow, you’re stupid’ stare as she responded. I don’t think it was a mistake, but even if it was, take advantage of it. The door is locked. Nobody can see you to blame you. Go be with him.
I don’t know if it was more because I’ve been trusting Daeva a lot more lately, or because of my own selfish want, but I got up and walked into the bedroom.
Entering the room, Kalabhiti looked up and smiled. “You finally decided to join me?”
I couldn’t help but smile back. “Yeah.” I walked over and crawled into bed, snuggling up against him. He leaned down and gave me a long kiss, and when it was over, I plugged in my headphones, turned up my music, and laid my head on his chest to recharge as the continuous motion of him running his hands through my hair, and his slow and gentle breathing, synchronized with the beat of my music.
Just as the night was settling down and becoming the eerily amazing silence that occurred around three a.m., I felt a tug on my chest.