Simplicity | Book 1

The Crooked One

Solace found herself in Tartarus. Kronos was laughing around her, trying to persuade her. The girl ignored him and Stellaluna appeared before her.

"Ignore him, sister. Don't make my mistakes."

She disappeared and Solace was transported to Calypso's home.

"Calypso?" The immortal called tentatively.

"Sol," the Titan walked into the room. "He's trying to turn me, Solace. How can I resist? He's trying so hard and my resolve is wavering."

"I...I don't know. I'm sorry, Cal. I should be more careful around others. I hurt you. I shouldn't've. I'm sorry. I've made so many mistakes and I don't know how to correct them."

"Find the biggest eraser you can and start wiping them out. And apologize and help the person you hurt."

"I'm sorry, Calypso. I really am."

"I know you are. But you need to wake up."

"What?" Solace asked. "What's wrong?"

"Kane has good and bad news for you. Now wake up!"

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Solace shot up in bed with a gasp.

"Sol!" Kane exclaimed. "I have some news."

"Shoot," she told him. "I've got a lot to tell you, too."

Kane passed her a cup of nectar as he began.

"I found the person Chiron was talking about. The only problem was that he wasn't in school. He and a little girl were running in the woods around the school. I offered help but he didn't accept. He said he and... what was her name? Lanabeth, right. He and Lanabeth didn't need help, that they were doing fine on their own."

"Wow. Um, I got some bad news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

"Sol—" Kane began.

"Wonderful." Solace put down the nectar and began talking. "Kronos is trying to turn me to his side. I'm safer if I'm Roman, but I freaking love being Greek. Luna is literally a wandering spirit—when she was judged no one said anything, so I need to guide her back down.

"Calypso is also being spoken to, so if I ask that favor now, I can't ask her to fight with us. That's the bad news and the bad news. Um, I'll also see if I can track down these demigods."

Then she tilted her head to the side as Kane went still.

"Demigod in trouble!" They both shot to their feet.

Solace grabbed her bag hanging on the bed frame and changed her clothes with a wave of her hand.

Neither spoke as they rushed out of CHFH. Anyone who didn't move was pushed out of the way. As soon as they were in the woods, Solace transported them to the location of the demigod.

She was struggling with a cyclops, but what struck Solace as weird, was that she had glowing green eyes. Not just green, but they were glowing. Not bright, but it was noticeable. Especially to an immortal.

She looked over at Kane who'd clearly noticed it too, but Solace shook off the shock and ran forward to help.

The cyclops grinned. "My lord Kronos gives me a message to tell you!" He boomed. Solace went rigid and the girl went flying backward. Kane started to heal her with his panpipes.

"Your sister may have died and his plan may have been foiled, but he knows who your soulmate is! He'll be his leader!"

Solace screamed in anger and jumped up. She drove her sword through the cyclops' chest. She threw her weight down and the sword slid down, cutting the monster in half.

"NEVER INSULT MY SISTER!" Solace let out a howl so loud that the girl was jolted into consciousness.

Kane grabbed Solace's shoulders.

"Sol! It's okay! Stellaluna is okay! We need to guide her! Remember?"

The girl limped over. "I, um, thank you for saving me."

Solace stood on shaky legs and started to stalk off.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing," Kane shook his head. "She's just sensitive about her sister. She was eighteen in immortal years when her sister was corrupted by Kronos. In human years, it's nine hundred. She's nine hundred ninety-eight now. She ignores people when she's mad or figuring something out."

"Oh. Well, um, I'm Amalie Crystel. You?"

"Kane Glahn. That's Solace, by the way. Why are you out here on your own?"

"I ran away. I tried to protect my family by running, but the cyclops was boasting that he'd eaten my cousin. It was disturbing, to say the least."

"Cyclopes are disturbing. That's the simple way to put it."

"Honestly, that's really accurate."

"Alright. You might want to jump on my back. I'm going to run and even Solace has trouble keeping up. I don't want to leave you behind."

Amalie just nodded and climbed onto Kane's back. Kane broke into a sprint and easily caught up to Solace.

"I HATE YOU KRONOS!" Solace was screaming. She raised her middle finger to the sky. "AND LEAVE ME ALONE ZEUS!"

"I'm Amalie Crystel," Amalie told Solace who nodded.

"Grab onto my arm," she said. "And don't let go until we're there, otherwise you'll get lost in oblivion."

Kane rolled his eyes. "Drama queen."

"Thanks."

Amalie and Kane grasped her arm and Solace jumped.

They landed a few feet in front of the cave.

"You need to work on accuracy," Kane said.

"Says you," Solace shot back. "You'd have taken us to China, which isn't even in the right direction. We're in America."

"We're only a few feet away," Amalie put in. She winced as she put weight on her bad leg.

"Here," Solace gave her a piece of Ambrosia. "It'll help you heal."

"Thanks."

They walked to the cave where Cassie was waiting. She saw the injured girl and quickly dropped her mad expression.

"Let's get you to the infirmary, dear," Cassie said quickly. She shot Kane and Solace an annoyed look before heading into CHFH.

"We pissed her off," Kane said fearfully. "I'm dead."

Solace patted his head. "We'll survive."

"Barely," he said darkly. "Once Cassie's mad, you're as good as dead."

"Great!" Solace said cheerfully. "I can't wait for her to try to kill us."

"I hate you," Kane grumbled.

"Thanks," Solace rolled her eyes.

They walked into CHFH. Chiron trotted over immediately.

"Do you know how worried we were?" He demanded. "We thought something had happened."

"Technically," Solace said, "something did happen. Just not extreme. Amalie Crystel was in danger. We just killed a cyclops and I got mad at Kronos and Zeus for the second time in two days. Anyways, I want to go to lunch."

Fourth chapter in two days? Wow! I've got an inspiration burst!

That was sarcasm by the way.
~ Ella