The Trials of Aphrodite: Righting the Wrongs

Peace In

The Trials of Aphrodite

♦ Chapter Ten ♦

We explored Seattle, stopping to get coffee and warm clothes. It had started snowing again, and even the mortals noticed how strange it was. Our breath steamed in the cold, but Hylla and Reyna seemed unaffected. Their hard expressions and dark eyes made them nearly identical.

We were making our way across a parking lot, toting shopping bags from Walmart. I loved shopping, but a) I hate shopping for food and b) when you're expected to save Olympus in a week it kind of puts a damper on having any fun.

I glanced at Hylla's gold belt and frowned. "Won't that attract attention?"

Hylla didn't turn around. "The Mist makes it so that mortals see something they can explain. A normal belt, probably."

"Oh."

"Where are we supposed to go now? We don't have a single lead," Reyna said, her dark hair whipping her face. 

"I'm working on it," I said, though I wasn't. 

"We're doomed," she muttered.

"Oh, I don't think so!"

That was an entirely different voice. The three of us whirled around and found ourselves face-to-face with a lady with a shopping cart.

She had enormous hoop earrings, a mane of curly blonde hair, hot pink legwarmers, a frilly black skirt, and a black top that exposed her shoulders. Her cheeks were rosy with rouge, and her lips were a healthy pink. The words: PEACE IS IN, NOT OUT! were stitched in rainbow letters across her top, with a peace sign underneath. She had a dazzling smile, and she looked like a girl from the '80s.

"Who are you?" Hylla demanded.

The girl twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Of course you mortals don't recognize me. I'm Harmonia!"

I blinked. "Who?"

She stuck out her lower lip. "I'm your daughter, duh! I was your favorite, like totally!"

Reyna frowned. "You're the goddess Concordia? But didn't you turn into a snake and die?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it was real grody. Snakeskin is so ew. I hated eating mice! No, I never died. Since when does a goddess die?" She drummed her fingers on her shopping cart. Her long fingernails were as pink as her legwarmers.

Hylla's eye twitched. "How are you not a snake?"

She shrugged. "It was only temporary. Cadmus and I are fine now."

Her identity pieced together. She and her husband, Cadmus, had been changed into serpents after several family feuds between the gods. They'd been cast into the Underworld for millennia. They must have found a way out. I couldn't believe we'd found her outside of Walmart.

Harmonia's pearly white teeth flashed, nearly blinding us. "I'm here to help you on your quest. We don't want the enemy wiggin' out and taking over Olympus, hmm?"

"We don't," I agreed.

"I can't tell you who you're facing," she began. 

"Come on!" Reyna said, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Just tell us and make it easier!"

Harmonia wagged her finger at the daughter of Bellona. "That would ruin the fun. You know that gods can't give you shortcuts. But I can give you directions."

"Really? Tell us where to go," Hylla said.

The goddess of peace and harmony smiled wider, and two dimples graced her pink-tinted cheeks. "Look for the place where the river narrows."

"That's it?" Reyna said skeptically. "That isn't helpful at all!"

Harmonia winked. "You're a smart one, Reyna Ramírez-Arellano. You'll figure it out. Well, this conversation was rad! Peace in!"

She giggled and wheeled her shopping cart in the opposite direction. We stared after her, dumbfounded.

"Peace in? Isn't it peace out?" I asked.

Hylla scowled. "That isn't important. We have one lead, no matter how vague it is. We'd better load up on information about 'the place where the river narrows.'"

Reyna nodded and fished a credit card from her purse. "Let's find somewhere to stay for the night. I don't want to continue standing in the cold."

"Agreed," I said, thinking about what we'd just seen.

It's a bit short, but if I added what I'm about to add next chapter, it would be way too long. So I'll just stick with this. I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

Trivia Question: What is Festus the dragon's name translated to English?