Last Shadow || Deception Book III

Chapter 12 Pt.II

A/N: I'M SO SORRY 😭😭😭😭

I know I've said this before when I haven't been able to update, but I can't help it. School is eating up my time like pacman eats those dots.

I can't give you guys anything other than apologies and gratitude for being so patient and waiting for me and this story.

Seriously, I love you guys so much. Thank you 💖

I can't (obviously) do weekly updates anymore, but I promise I will try to update at least once a month going forward in the future. I didn't manage to update in September, so today's a double update.

Please continue reading, voting, commenting, and supporting this series! It honestly give me so much motivation to put aside my work and write because I know there are people waiting for the next chapter.

Again, I'm so sorry and thank you all so much. 🥺🥺🥺

Enjoy :)

*****

Don't kill me don't kill me don't kill me, my brain chanted as I neared the shining white palace at the top of the mountain. I chanced a glance down at the city far, far below me, its streets and skyscrapers minuscule at this height. If Zeus blasted me out of the sky the way he did with Bellerophon, I'd be a splat puddle on one of those streets beneath me.

I heaved a sigh of relief as Blackfire swept towards the palace and landed smoothly on the paved cobblestones in the courtyard outside the throne room. Thank you, I thought. For not killing me. I took a deep breath to steel myself, finding strength as I reminded myself of why I was here and pushed open the gleaming white oak doors.

This time, there was no confetti exploding in my face, giant squeaky toys going off, or Apollo bursting into song as I walked through the door. I swallowed thickly, feeling the tension in the air, but forced myself to keep calm. All the gods were there as if they were waiting for me, and I didn't risk looking in their eyes to see who I could depend on to back me up if things went wrong.

As far as I was concerned, the usual god who hated me still hated me (Ares), Athena and Artemis were wary of me because I'd ghosted them since the winter solstice, Hermes was angry with me because of Luke, Apollo, Poseidon, and Hephestus didn't know what the hell was going on, and Dionysus and Demeter couldn't be bothered to care. I could only sort of count on Aphrodite and Hera to back me up, and neither counted for much. And, of course, Zeus was angry with everyone and everything so he was out of the question.

I walked into the room, my footsteps echoing around the silent chamber, broken only by the splashing of Bessie who was swimming in his bubble, blissfully unaware of the hell show that was about to happen. "My lord," I said and bowed stiffly to Zeus. "Everyone else." I bowed again.

"That was very bold of you," Zeus rumbled darkly after a long silence. "To fly straight up to Olympus without an invitation."

This is my home too, I thought but bit down my words. I knew when I could argue and talk back, and when I needed to keep my damn mouth shut. Today was one of those days.

At least, for now, until I was sure I had the unconditional support of more than half the council.

"I have an urgent matter to discuss," I said quietly. "Forgive me for my offence."

"What matter could be so urgent as for you to break protocol like this?" Poseidon said gruffly, though there was no menace in his voice.

One, I thought. It's also probably better to just cut straight to the point. I turned to him and met the Sea God's eyes. "Your son is missing. He's been missing for two weeks. And I intend to find him."