Return of the Goddess

Chapter 4

Blaze waited for her accomplice. She had several swords, daggers, and shields for him that he has been in want for as well as information. She thought of leaving, but then she saw a silhouette up ahead.

     “You finally decide to show up,” Blaze called to him.

     “Sorry, it was hard to leave the others. I had to wait until they were asleep,” Charlie stepped out of the shadows. “How’s Cass?”

     “Charlie, I’m scared. She left right after the skeleton vanished. Cass went down to make a deal with Hades. It’s pretty bad.” Blaze was thoroughly worried.

     “It’s o.k. Blaze. Do you have the weapons I asked for?” Charlie looked over her shoulder.

     “Yes, six daggers, two swords, and two compatible shields. Here you go,” Blaze handed them over. “I thought you only had six members of Sage’s clan. Where did that girl come from. I didn’t make an extra dagger,”

     “We found her yesterday in central park. She wouldn’t need a dagger. I don’t think she’d be able to use it.” Charlie admired the fine gold and silver on his new sword.

    “I have to go,” Blaze looked uneasy, “It’s almost day-light and Justin will be suspicious.”

     “O.k. just keep an eye on my sister.” Charlie piled all the weapons into his hands.

     “She’s not the one I’m worried about,” Blaze said and ran off.

     Charlie brought the weapons back to the gang, who were all in the process of waking up. He always had a hard time explaining where he got these items, but today he just said that he got them from a Hephaestus demigod passing by, and they didn’t argue. Genna still refused to eat anything, which made the group anxious. They all thought of how long she would be able to hold out without food in her system. She would be weak very soon nonetheless.

     Charlie distributed the daggers oddly. Lucy got one dagger that she put on her belt. Seth didn’t get a dagger, but Sage got one and Chelsea got two. Charlie kept one for him and gave the other to Calvin. Then the swords went to Sage and Charlie because both were extremely experienced fighters. Genna got nothing and when she asked they only said it was because she was not trained. It did not feel right to her to be unarmed. The main reason Charlie would not give her a weapon was he was afraid she would get a dagger, then stab them in the back, literally.

     Seth and Cal seemed magically under a spell of hers, and no matter what he did he couldn’t get them to realize that she was a threat. Chelsea and Lucy liked her, but when he told them of the things she may be capable of they promised to be careful.

     But as the days went on Charlie realized there was no threat. In fact he began to like her. He thought her as kind and considerate towards others.      He assumed she was around thirteen, but she acted older. He decided to give her his dagger one day. She admired its shining gold than returned it to him saying, “I don’t need a weapon. I thought I did, but it does not make me any less of a target, and I can not fight with it, so you should keep.”

     This logic makes him trust her with his life. The resistance to fight was in her, but also the want for blood and he felt the same way. He could feel how she wanted the dagger, but knew that is was not a good idea. She was taught to fight with her mind not a weapon. He watched her play with the bracelet she had in her bag. He could see the confusion on her face.

“What are you trying to do?” he went over to her. She was sitting on a park bench with Sage.

    “I think this thing does more than stay on my arm,” Genna messed with it.

     “She thinks it can turn into a weapon of some sort,” Sage said, “Frankly I think it is just a piece of jewelry.”

     “I had a dream last night that I had on a bracelet, and when I looked away it turned into a shield. It must have an activation button.” she pressed her finger against every crystal animal.

     “Hand it over,” she gave Charlie the bracelet and he examined it for a minute. Placing it on Genna’s wrist he twists around so it’s spinning. It picked up speed then turned into a stunning gold shield engraved with a picture of a silver bow and arrow against the gold. The bow and arrow were in a full moon. “Wow, this is one awesome shield!”

     “That’s the sign of Artemis. She gave this too you,” Sage interpreted it.      “Who gave you that dream last night.”

     “I don’t know. It was a woman, maybe Artemis. What does this mean?”

     “Artemis can’t me your mom, she’s a maiden goddess, so why would she give you this shield?” Sage thought.

     “Can we discuss how I think she is my sister,” Cal walked over.

     “What!?” all three said at once.

     “She has the Aphrodite glow. That is why men are so entranced by you.      My mother would not give some one the glow unless it is a child of hers,” Cal gave them his information.

     “But she could be my sister too, Cal, she had the earring and lets not kid here, she is a true strategist.” Sage said.

     “She could be any of our sister, we don’t know if it’s her mom or dad and demigods don’t always show signs.” Lucy said as her and Seth came and sat on the ground.

     “This is sp frustrating! And it doesn’t help that we have no food or water!      I hate how you never help us Charlie!” Seth started to raise his voice. They were in a park full of people somewhere in New Hampshire. He was going to burst and they all hated it when he made it storm.

     First it started to rain while he was crying. Then the temper tantrum came and so did thunder and lightning. The forceful wind swirled around him for he was the center of its power. The people around the park thought the storm odd, but disregarded it and went into shops.

     “Seth, you have to calm down,” Sage had to scream over the wind, but it was hopeless. The little boy was only eight so he was always emotionally unstable. It usually took hours to get him back to normal and by that time this happened they were going to be noticed.

     “I don’t want to calm down!” Seth screamed at Sage.

     Genna started to walk towards him. His eyes were a thunderstorm grey,      “Seth you are going to calm down.” she gazed into his eyes.

He strained against her powers but after a few seconds his eyes turned back to blue. The rain stopped and the clouds, lightning, and thunder passed.

     “How did you do that Gen?” Chelsea said incredulously.

    “I just asked him.” Genna said.

     “No, you did it in a voice that was different from your regular voice.” Chelsea was a little frightened.

     “Well, I guess I can’t explain it. I really wanted him to calm down then I asked him.” Genna said, “That’s it.”

      “O.k. well then we should just get moving.” Chelsea said.

      “Let’s go,” Charlie began to pull out his compass, “If we move due north then we’ll hit the house by tomorrow night.”

     They found a thick forest a couple miles from the town. Charlie loved sleeping in the woods unlike the others. It was quieter and less likely for them to get snatched up by park security. The last few days were really difficult. They had no water and little food and Genna still refused to eat. Usually someone would be so weak by now so Charlie was baffled by how little she was showing that she has not eaten in days. Lucy volunteered to take the first watch for danger while the others got some rest. The forest was alive around her as she stood up. Trying not to wake anyone as she played her flute, a different tone than before, a portal opened. She walked through leaving the others behind in the forest.