Just a Kiss Goodnight

Just a Kiss Goodnight (17)

G's POV.

Dark, cold, pain. 

Those were all I could experience, all I could sense.

A wet dripping sound came from my left, the noise ringing in my ears for far longer than normal, speeding up my heart beat again. Where I was? I couldn't say. All I remember was Hera smiling down upon me, her eyes smoldering and glinting in a crazy fashion and then black. I wish it'd stayed black because then the pain wouldn't have come. My ribs on the left felt bruised, warm and wet and the pain made me want to cry out loud but I couldn't. Fear had taken my voice away from me, a thief in the night.

Alex sprung to my mind and I couldn't help but feel ashamed of myself. Only hours.. or days? Previously had I become aware of my feelings for him, though I know now that I'd had feelings from him since we went on our stupid date in Burgerking. It all seemed so far away now. His smile and warm embrace. Sad to say but I missed sharing a bed with him. I'd never realised the sense of security I had when he was around me until now, until it was too late. I hated myself for it. He probably wont even care that I'm gone, he'll be happy with his silly whores and their fake bodies. I'd treated him like dirt for no real reason and I shouldn't have. 

I bit my lip, stopping all sound from escaping my lips as I sobbed to myself.

Nemesis.

Hera waltzed around Olympus as if she were untouchable, her radiant smile made me sick. She'd got the girl, that much was obvious. I could eel the scales of balance tipping inside of my core and I needed to do something about it. I needed to tell Zeus without Hera knowing I'd done it. I needed someone else who knew about the Labyrinth and could get a message to him.

Athena strolled by, her grey blonde hair floating behind her, her battle armour taking away the grace you feel around her at first glance. Deadalus was her son, she would know, wouldn't she? I sent a silent prayer to Tyche, his blessing over luck sending my answer at the right time was more than mere coincidence.

I allowed my gaze to settle on Athena for just a fraction too long, knowing that she would sense my desire to speak with her instantly. Her grey eyes flickered in my direction and she drifted towards me with a frown upon her features.

“Nemesis.” She stated, her eyes cold and calculating. It wasn't an unusual thing to witness from the Goddess of war strategy and wisdom, her brilliant mind never rested.

I nodded towards her, letting her know in my own way I needed to seek her counsel with her away from prying eyes. We walked together to the empty throne room in silence, our footsteps barely scratching the quiet around us. 

“What is troubling you, Nemesis.” Athena asked, her tone more familiar now that she wasn't on display. She understood the feeling of unbalance due to her connection with wisdom.

“I need you to carry a message to Zeus for me concerning his daughter, Georgiana.”

Alex's P.O.V

I was going mad. Georgiana had been gone since Monday, three days ago and there was nothing I could do to help her. I should have listened to myself when I thought she was in danger and not given up on my instincts. I should save her but I don't know how to.

I threw my sword into the grass at my feet. Children of Aphrodite are not made to be fighters, we're lovers and that made me useless. It made me useless while Clarissa, Dean, Zeke and Zoe made plans to find her, thought through who it may have been that had taken G and why they did it. I couldn't bare the idea of her being hurt. It was killing me.

Clarissa's POV

I watched Alex fling a sword around and felt the bitter twang of sadness creep up on me. We had to find her soon, she was so important to everything. I turned away and looked through my notes again, wondering what I could have missed.

We'd decided it was more likely to be Hera than any of the other Gods, her reputation of being cruel towards Demi-Gods and her status as the Goddess of marriage made her prime suspect seeing as Georgiana was everything she could possibly hate. Other than that we had nothing. Nothing at all to help the boy who had made himself my brother over time and the girl that had his heart on a string. I rested my head in my hands and sighed deeply, wishing I had more to go on.

“Lissa...”

I looked up, not surprised to see my mother, Athena, in front of me. She had a habit of appearing when I was struggling. “Mother.” I sighed, knowing that I looked helpless. She smiled softly at me and walked to give me a hug. I clung to her in hope that her wisdom and intellect would somehow find its way into me by touch.

“My girl, I wont simply leave you to figure this one out. Nor shall I give you clues.” She whispered. I looked up at her, confused. “I can only tell you the answer to thins puzzle as even I wouldn't have been able to rationalise my way through it on my own.”

I felt my eyes widen in shock, those weren't words you heard everyday from a woman like my mother. “What is it mother?”

She pulled away from me and shuffled through my notes. “You're halfway there my girl.” She said, a proud smile on her lips. “It is indeed Hera that is behind it all, though so is Nemesis but not in the way you might think.” I blinked at her, trying to come up with the answer before she told me. “Who was the most famous of my children?”

“Deadalus.” I answered immediately, not feeling the sibling rivalry many would when asked that question.

“Correct. And why is he famous?”

“The Labyri- Oh!” It made sense. All of it. “Hera's taken Georgiana into the Labyrinth...” I breathed.

Athena smiled at me before kissing my head and fading away slowly. “You must tell Zeus...” she called out before she faded completely and I nodded eagerly, suddenly so happy that I could burst.

Alex's P.O.V

We were all sat in Georgiana and I's room, ready for Sarah to send a prayer to her mother, Iris – goddess of rainbows and communication – so that we could contact Zeus.

“No remember, we must not mention my mother or Dean's mother in this at all.” Clarissa told us all yet again. We all nodded, knowing that it was better to agree than to argue.

“Okay guys, here we go.” Sarah said, smiling. A thin stream of water glinted and shimmered into the image of Zeus sat on his throne looking heartbroken. When he realised he was being watched he returned to his normal brooding look.

“Demi-Gods.” He stated, his way of acknowledging we were there.

“Lord Zeus...” I said, my hands trembling, “We know where Georgiana is and who was behind it.”

**

“... we can;t go down there alone, Sir.” I swallowed. “And she's your only daughter, we thought you'd help us.” I finished, my mouth cry and my fingers sore from the fumbling I'd made them do.

Zeus stayed silent for a second more. He didn't need to let us know he was angry, we could hear the clouds outside rumbling away. “I will not help you, Demi-Gods.”

We looked at each other, eyes wide and mouths open. “But surely sir you-”

“I shall not help because you will do nothing. This is something I must do alone.” He said, looking me in the eye through the rainbow. “I thank you for telling me this, it will be remembered.” He put a hand through the stream of water, cutting off the connection and leaving us sat in silence.

“That went well...” Sarah muttered.