Hunter

Chapter Forty Three - Rekindled Relationships

Another night, another dream. This time, I wasn't in a beautiful palace wearing a dress of flowers. This time, I was in a cavernous room with high ceilings: the Throne Room of Olympus. The goddess of love was kneeling before me in the center of it all, her hands bound by luminous chains. We were surrounded by twelve seats, each representing an Olympian. The room was built in a semicircle, and at the head of it all was Zeus's throne. Behind me, numerous stairs descended into Olympus. The gods overlooked everyone from where they were perched, and from where I stood, I could see it all. Behind me, Zariyah appeared, her eyes darker than I had ever seen them before. She stood next to her goddess whose hair was matted and brittle sitting atop her sickly green skin.

"Welcome, Hunter." I didn't say a word. The beautiful melody that once was her voice was gone, replaced by a raspy croon that sounded like it came from the lips of an old man. I simply stood before her, waiting for her to proceed.

"You took too long," she murmured, her voice rough. "Artemis and Apollo have consulted the gods, and they have decided that Aphrodite is guilty of a crime that she did not commit. She is bound by chains that consume her power." Zariyah motioned her hand behind her. "I hope you understand that this is your last chance to save her."

"Why should I?" I probed. It was a question that I should've asked from the very beginning. I was expecting her to respond in a holier-than-thou manner, insinuating that Aphrodite was a goddess and my loyalty was to her and her siblings. She didn't. Her response was very human and very real.

"Why shouldn't you?" She observed me carefully. "If you claim to be the hero that you want to be, then shouldn't you be aiding the innocent and convicting the guilty?" She had a point, but I didn't know who was innocent or guilty. How was I supposed to determine that?

"Listen to me, Hunter. I believed that I would have had more time to speak with you, but I do not. I suspected that it would have taken Hephaestus at least a day to make the binds, but when the gods asked him, they were already prepared. As Aphrodite's power wanes, so does mine. I am using the last of it to contact you because I believe that you, and only you, can help her." She panted as she spoke, her voice hoarse and lacking the variation that it once had.

"What do I have to do?"

"I have used what is left of my energy to convince Hermes to transport you to Olympus. I need you to visit my chambers and search. I know that whoever is behind this is planning on planting evidence there that will find me guilty. Find the evidence before the gods do. You will have until sunrise: that's when the search begins. Once you retrieve the evidence, bring it to me, and I will know who is to blame."

"How--"

"That does not matter! Make sure that you are not spotted. Hermes is waiting for you at your ruined school. My chambers are in the Southeast Wing of Olympus." My dream was beginning to fade. Behind Zariyah, Aphrodite looked like she was having difficulty breathing, and it was hard to see a goddess like that. A goddess reduced to the status of a mere mortal by some magic chains.

"I believe in you, Hunter."

My eyes snapped open. Dee's face hovering over my head added to the pounding of my heart. I knew why she was there, and I was surprised that she actually was. There was a frown on her face for a second before she brushed it away. Something was bothering her.

"Don't make a sound. Jasper and Aiden are waiting for us outside. You need to get ready so that we can go." I nodded and got out of bed. I donned my hunter's kit carefully, feeling as if this would be the last time in a long time that I would wear it. I grabbed my travel pack from where it was stuffed and threw it onto my back. I pulled on my boots and popped my hood.