After Dusk

Chapter Five

Tamira gasps, "so it's true. She does have two sire gods!"

Uncomfortable under the Pantheon's stare I glance towards Declan and Theo again. Theo's expression is that of dawning understanding. Declan, who doesn't seem surprised at all, sends me an encouraging smile. For some reason, this gives me a boost of confidence. I stand straighter and turn towards the Pantheon, who have just finished a hushed conversation.

"Laila, sweetie, why don't you grab your artifacts and come here?" Mckenzi asks kindly, with a sugary sweet smile, concern shows under her smile.

Compliantly, I pick up the necklace, then the sword, straining under their surprisingly heavy weight. Taking the objects from me, Lucian, with a twinkle in his eyes, says, "let's see who these belong to, shall we?"

I nod shyly, my mind still buzzing with questions.

He inspects the sword first, running his fingers over the surface of the blade as if searching for something. Then, after what seems like an eternity, he says, "this belonged to Erebus, the Greek god of darkness."

Erebus. The name fits the biker dude I'd seen in my kitchen well. I wonder why a god like that would choose me to give his powers to. I'm no warrior. 

Lucian hands the sword to Mckenzi and picks up the necklace. My heart thunders in anticipation. Who is the other worldly woman who started all this?

Finally, Lucian speaks, "this necklace belonged to Nyx, the Greek goddess of night."

My mind savors the name. Nyx. It's familiar. I must have read something about her when I'd looked up Greek mythology in boredom. She's night personified.

"So, they've finally decided to create a demigod," Keith mutters.

My eyebrows pull together in confusion, "what?"

Sofi rests a gentle hand on my shoulder and says, "roughly twenty years ago, when the Gods figured out they were dying, they made the decision to create demigods to give their power to so that the things that they embodied wouldn't die out. None of us were born, just created by the gods to be a sort of vessel for their powers. For the longest time Erebus and Nyx wouldn't hear of creating a demigod, no one knows why. Turns out they did make a demigod. You."

I'm not sure how to react to this information. I was created? What about my parents back home? Was I . . . adopted? No, that couldn't be right. I'd seen pictures of my mom pregnant. I frown. None of this is making a lick of sense to me. Why are the gods dying? Why did both Nyx and Erebus chose me to be the own to gain their powers?

"You must be tired, sweetie," Mckenzi says, gently touching my cheek, "Theo, Declan, would you mind taking her to Olympus Hall? She can room with Amora. Here are the keys to your room, Laila. Your list of classes will be delivered to you later. Classes will begin the day after tomorrow."

I take the key from her outstretched hand, noticing that both Theo and Declan grimace at the sound of Amora's name. Wasn't she one of the demigods I'd found on the website? Yes, I did see her name on the list, I recall. Her sire goddess is Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

As I leave the building with Theo on my left and Declan on my right, I can't help but glance back at the Pantheon. Their amazed eyes stare right back at me. I whip my head back around and stare straight ahead. What have I gotten myself into?

As I step out into the night, I pause and stare up at the moon above me as its light trickles down upon my pale face. And suddenly, as I look upon the night sky, I feel reassured. Everything around me might be a mess, but right now, it feels okay, like it's going to be all right.