Cry of the Moon

Chapter 5: An Unexpected Visit

I retreat back to my palace before any of the Titans wake up. I hope they will just assume I awoke before all of them and left. The truth is, I'm scared they will see everything that had just happened written clearly on my face.

Once home, I feel asleep curled up against one of my bulls until a loud knocking woke me up. Bright light filters in from the ceiling and I guess it's about midday because I can see my brother's chariot directly above me.

Another knock sounds and I groan, pushing myself to my feet and brushing straw off my dress. "Come in," I call, hoping my hair isn't a mess.

The door flies open and Eos runs in, heading straight for me and throwing her arms around me in a tight hug. "Thank the heavens you're alright," she laughs. "When I woke up and you were gone, I worried something had happened to you. I should have known you'd leave the second I took my eyes off you!"

I laugh hesitantly, hoping she doesn't pursue the matter any further than that. "Was everyone okay? I left before anyone woke up. After I woke up, I mean. Everyone was still asleep." I shut my mouth before I can keep rambling.

Eos gives me an odd look before answering. "Everyone was fine, I think. Father woke up first and ushered Mother and I out as soon as we were awake, so I didn't really see anything."

He must have seen Kronos and not wanted anyone to see the king in his state, I think to myself.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Eos says, hugging me again. "Mother, of course, wasn't worried. I think she's more embarrassed than anything. She passed out face-first into her plate. Helios, however, won't stop bothering me. I barely had time this morning to start the Dawn before he got in his chariot and took off, saying something about trying to find you from the sky.

I glance up towards the open ceiling where the sun's rays still shine down on us. "Should I go outside so I can make sure he sees me?" I ask sarcastically.

"You should go outside so everyone knows you're still alive," Eos says, grabbing me hand and pulling me to the door.

"Is it really that serious? I told you, I left before anyone woke up and came straight back home."

Eos stops and stares at me, a look of annoyance crossing her face. "Selene, think about it for a second. Almost every single Titan somehow got knocked unconscious at the same time. When we woke up, all of us had someone else see us there before we left except for you. Don't you understand how suspicious that sounds?"

"They think I poisoned them? Why would I come back to my palace where everyone knows I live afterwards? Wouldn't a guilty person, I don't know, hide on a remote island or something? If anyone wanted, they could just come arrest me right now."

With timing so impeccable only Phoebe could have predicted it, another knock sounds at the door, causing Eos and I to jump.

"You had to say it, didn't you?" Eos mutters letting go of my hand and walking towards the door. "And now I'm going to be found with you, you little -" Her words cut off with a choking sound as she opens the door and comes face to face with a tall woman in full bronze battle armor carrying a shield and a spear pointed right at Eos. Eos shrieks and takes a step back. The woman follows her into the room, keeping her spear trained on my sister. To my surprise, Zeus walks in behind her, also dressed in full battle armor.

"Demeter, we're here to make friends, not enemies," he says to the woman. She keeps her spear trained on Eos for a moment before propping it against the wall and taking off her helmet. Long locks of golden hair pool around her should and I recognize her as the tallest of Zeus's sisters.

"You're - you're that cupbearer," Eos exclaims, taking a step away from the pair and pointing a shaking finger at Zeus. "You're the one that poisoned us! I saw you carry out all the goblets, and you weren't there when we woke up." She turns to me, a look of betrayal on her face. "Do you - do you know these people? Are you helping them?"

"Eos -" I take a step towards my sister but she backs away from me.

"So you did help. Last night, with everyone passed out and you gone before anyone woke. And here I told Astraeus he was crazy for accusing you." She shakes her head in disgust. "I can't believe I stood up for you, and all along you were working with these... these beings." She spits the word at Zeus with such distain he flinches away.

"We prefer the term 'Gods'," the woman, Demeter, interjects. "And your sister has not been helping us. The only reason she didn't succumb to the poison was because she was the only one smart enough to not put her faith in the cupbearer of a paranoid Titan."

Eos stares at her in confusion, then turns to me. "Selene, who exactly are these... these Gods?"

I sigh, shooting a glare at Zeus before walking over to my sister and taking her hand. I conjure four stools in a circle and she sits down. I don't really have the energy to have this conversation right now, but I don't see any way to get out of this.

"A few centuries ago, I was walking along a beach down in the mortal realm when I ran into Queen Rhea. She was carrying a baby and told me she needed help hiding it from Kronos."

"Rhea never had a baby," Eos cuts in but I silence her with a look.

"Queen Rhea told me she had had six children - three girls and three boys. Kronos had swallowed all but the last at birth, fearing their arrival would also mean the arrival of the prophecy foretelling his death. To protect the last child, Rhea wrapped a rock in a blanket and gave that to Kronos instead, then fled the palace. She found me and I helped her hide the child with a family of nymphs on a secluded island." I pause to catch my breath and Eos looks at me expectantly.

"Where is the child now?"

I glace over at Zeus who grins abashedly. "That would be me."

Eos looks between the two of us for a moment, her mouth hanging open before turning her gaze toward Demeter. "And how does she fit into this?"

Demeter extends her hand toward Eos. "I am the eldest daughter, first to be borne from our father's stomach."

Zeus winces. "Please never introduce yourself that way again."

"Just because you grew up on a pretty little island with plants and trees instead of the miserable, stinking pit of our father's stomach -"

"Guys," I snap and they both turn back to us. "Now that you've officially lost me the trust of my sister, will you please tell me what you're doing here?"

Zeus looks at me apologetically. "I am sorry about dropping in while you're sister is here. I assumed you were alone, since your brother is, well..." he gestures to the glow of the sun above us. "I forgot your have another sibling."

"Thanks," Eos mutters sarcastically.

"Either way," Demeter cuts in, casting both of them an exasperated look, "we are looking for Titans to join our side in the upcoming battle."

"What battle?" Eos asks.

"The battle between the Titans and the Gods, of course. Once Kronos find us, and he will find us, he's not just going to let us live our lives in peace. So we have to make the first move. However, there are only six of us compared to who knows how many Titans. Although it's almost a guarantee some Titans will stay neutral, we are still gravely outnumbered."

"Have you talking to anyone else?" I ask.

Zeus nods. "The brothers Epimetheus and Prometheus, Hecate, Metis, the lady Styx and her children, Oceanus -"

"Oceanus?" Eos says, sounding shocked. "He would move against his own brother?"

"Kronos has not exactly been kind to him, banishing him to the sea and whatnot," Zeus reminds her. "And anyway, he didn't as much join us as swear to stay neutral."

"Is that all?" Although I want desperately to help Zeus and his siblings and get rid of Kronos, it's too big of a risk. As an immortal, I cannot be killed. However, there are many ways Kronos can make the rest of eternity a living Tartarus for me and every other Titan that supports the Gods.

Zeus sighs. "As a matter of fact, there is one more Titan who has agreed to help us. He wanted to tell you himself but... your brother, Helios, has agreed to fight on the side of the Gods."