Greek Blood

Chapter III: Light

"H-how do you expect me to do that? I am only human. If what you say is true, and you aren't just messing with me, there is nothing I can do about… about your problem. I can't save anyone, and I am about as useful as a pebble against the Titan lord" I sputter, freezing in my spot, not noticing the sting from the crescent moon shaped marks Hera's nails made in my skin.

Hera shrugs and gazes around the room. "Yes, well, apparently a pebble will bring him down." She looks back over to me and narrows her eyes. "Now, are you ready to go, or must you require more information that you will learn as soon as we get there? Take in mind that no matter what you say or do, you will end up in Olympus before the sun rises over the sea. And if you cause me to be late, I will hand you over to Aphrodite to play with before someone figures out she has you."

"I'll go with you" I whisper, closing my eyes as a bright light starts coming from Hera. The same type of light that Apollo had before he disappeared. Oh gosh, this has to all be a bad dream.

When the light fades, I open my eyes with hesitation. Gleaming gold and white walls stare back at me, decorated in the familiar ancient Greek architect. The perfection of it all, with nothing out of place, makes my head throb ever so slightly. Gazing around, I remind myself to breath. It's all so perfect, like a huge palace. It's beautiful, otherworldly. One flaw does stand out though, a huge hole in the middle of a wall that holds two giant gleaming doors. The hole is a bit bigger than my head, and its presence disturbs me. If these really are gods, than it was probably a god’s temper that did that. They did have famous tempers in mythology. Weirdly, the hole in the wall helps me cope with all that I am learning, applying an imperfection to the perfect beings I just discovered are, apparently, not just myth.

"I see you like it. That hole you have been staring at is your fault, my son did that because he was angry that we took him away from you" Hera says from beside me, dropping my wrist and stepping away. Her frown is back, a permanent fixture on her face it seems. She walks towards the colossal doors and gestures for me to follow. "Come. Let you learn your importance to us and let us feed your pride, girl."

I follow, but I doubt that she would have cared if I didn't. She’s not too friendly, for the Queen I guess bitter resentment against your own family does that to a person. I watch as the doors open on their own accord for her, and she walks into the room on the other side. The barest hint of it tells me that it is the throne room of the gods, and my heart stops. I struggle to make myself follow her, succeeding but feeling more nervous by the moment. Eleven gods and goddesses look down at me, six male and five female, or that is five until Hera joins them on her throne beside a blonde god who stares at me. The god beside her must be her husband then. Zeus. His stare is the strongest, and makes me wiggle in discomfort. Let’s play a game, it’s called make the human feel as uncomfortable as possible. The teams: twelve gods against one girl. A wry smile creeps onto my lips.

I don't have to wonder why Hera seems a prissy person when her husband is staring at other girls this way. I wouldn't put up with it, but I guess she has no choice. She is the goddess of marriage.

"Dana Logan. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have heard quite a bit about you from Aries and Artemis. Unfortunately," Zeus says, his deep voice booming through the room like a command to be listened to as his eyes flash with the internal lightning of his very being, "Apollo would not share any of the knowledge he has learned of you.”

My eyes wander over the side of the gods, and they stop on the boy I spent my night with. He grins at me, raising a hand to hover over the arm of his throne and giving me a half wave.