End of Night

Chapter Four

"Is he dead?" Amora asks as she peers at the dark haired god that lies unmoving on the table in the cafeteria that I'd occupied earlier. She's pale and shaking, like she can't bear the thought of losing this stranger like she lost Egan. Whatever connection she has to him, it must be a strong one.

    More in control of my powers than I was before, I close my eyes and prod the unconscious god with my powers. The answer to Amora's question isn't a simple one. The mystery god -Jeremy, Amora had called him- isn't quite dead but he isn't alive either. As soon as I begin to feel his death - a new addition to my powers, thanks to dark Wade - his soul is sucked back into his body. On and on it goes. Quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he died, considering the severity of his wounds when he'd stumbled onto school grounds. Aubrey had done her best to heal him, since she's the only one of us with the ability to heal, but the rest is up to him.

I look down at the god's deathly pale face and frown. Who the hell is this guy? The power he has over the sky is incredible, but impossible. I went over all of the sky and thunder gods after we brought Jeremy's unconscious body into the cafeteria and the Pantheon's record books showed that every single one of them has already been found. None of them went by the name Jeremy. I asked Andrea to keep looking. I need to know who he is - and if he's working for Bel - but I can't exactly ask an unconscious man, can I?

    My eyes slide over to Amora, who's holding Jeremy's limp hand in both of hers. Jeremy might not be able to tell me who he is, but maybe Amora can.

    "It's touch and go," I tell the demigod of Aphrodite, answering her earlier question. She nods sadly, accepting the news and begins to turn away but I stop her. "Amora -"

    "You want me to tell you about Jeremy," she interjects before I can ask. I close my mouth, a little surprised. I smile impishly and nod.

    Amora takes a seat at the table next to Jeremy's where Arawn, Hades and Adam sit, trying to figure out how the god got past the Academy's protective barriers. I sit on Arawn's lap, relaxing when his arms wrap gently around my waist. The boys look up in interest and Seraphina, Aubrey and the rest gather around. Amora takes a deep breath and begins.

    "It all started when Leon - Ares' new god - kidnapped me. Leon and I had dated a while back but we broke up because he was so . . . violent all the time. Angry. He swore he'd make me pay for dumping him and he left the Academy," she says, looking pained. She runs a hand over her face and sighs. "He must have found Theo after that and gotten him to change him into a god. Anyway, he was still bitter about our break up so he kidnapped me and took me back to Theo's warehouse. That's where I met Jeremy."

    Her blue eyes flick over to where he lies and a look of sadness fills them. "He was in charge of guarding me. I was so afraid but he talked to me and made me feel safe even though I knew I wasn't. When Leon tried to get to me, he would stop him and he even stayed the night watching me if he thought that Leon might try again. Jeremy was the one thing that kept me sane throughout everything."

    Amora casts another worried glance at the unconscious god and I recognize the flash of guilt that passes through them. Jeremy kept her safe all this time, risking his life trying to protect her and now he might die because of it. That feeling is one that's all too familiar. I fell in love and now thousands of gods, along with a few demigods and humans are dead - I can relate.

    Life, it seems, isn't fair.

    Arawn seems to not see the pain she's in and, I suppose, I'm not surprised. He's never been very good at reading people other than me.

    With furrowed brows, he demands, "how did Jeremy get involved with Bel anyway? If he's such a good guy then why is he working with a deranged murderer?"