Twelve

ch 12: A Means to an End

"There is a weapon that can permanently end your curse: Artemis's silver bow and arrow."

Meg and Ini raised an curious eyebrow. "That's what originally killed him."

Apollo unsuccessfully hid a satisfied smile. "Indeed."

"That is useful information, but we have no means to obtain the weapon," Eran stated plainly.

Apollo waved a passive hand. "Worry not about that. I have an associate taking care of that. If that fails, there is also another way to end your curse. It isn't a weapon so much as a person."

Meg and Ini titled her head while Eran quirked a concerned eyebrow.

"A person? A human person, or a god?"

"Neither a human nor a god. One of you, a constellation."

Eran sucked in a breathe out of annoyance. "Just tell us who, Apollo."

"I am not allowed to."

"On everything that is mythical I swear you best tell me now, Apollo," Meg and Ini said in a low tone as she leaned closer to the god.

Apollo pursed his lips into a paper thin line. "I really really can not. But I have a riddle that, when solved, will reveal who your means to an end is."

"We're not playing your damn games." Eran said as he slammed his palm against the table, attracting a few looks from humans.

"Calm yourself, Cancer. This is not a game to me. If only you knew."

Eran narrowed his eyes and glared at the god. "Do you really think that we are unware that you are using us as pawns? Give us a damn name."

Apollo bit his tongue. "Nepa," he responded quietly. "One of his names is Nepa. You know him by another. Any weapon he wields will kill the Hunter."

"And what if the Hunter kills this Nepa first?"

"Disaster will fall. Some may die. Let's just avoid that entire scenario."

"You said that this Nepa can wield any weapon, but what of Artemis's bow and arrow? Is he the only one that can use it?"

Apollo's lips pursed once more. "Only the strongest of you can use it."

Eran gritted his teeth. "What the hell does that even mean? That would have been useful to know before you lifted our hopes. The only other piece of information that may be remotely useful is Nepa, who's real identity we are completely clueless about."

"Is that all you had to tell us?" Meg and Ini questioned tiredly.

Apollo nodded and handed her a slip of paper. "This is the riddle that will reveal to you Nepa's identity."

Meg and Ini accepted the paper wordlessly and rose to leave. Eran followed in suit without so much as a parting glance to Apollo.