Black Star

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

- Wake up!

The sound of Ian’s voice did indeed wake me up. He looked impatient. He kissed me slightly and I opened my eyes just to see him.

- What time is it? I ask him

I’ve already told you that we woke up around five in the morning, but I never picked up the habit.

- It’s 7:15 a.m., and Menodora will literally throw a bucket of water in your face if you don’t wake up now.

I groan and put my back up. I am in no mood to wake up. Ian sits beside me and I lay my head against his shoulder. He kisses me on the top of my head and I ask him a question even though I already knew the answer.

- What time do we leave?

- Soon. Ismania still hasn’t found the relative in Fiji. We’ll have to hurry.

I heave a sigh.

- What’s the name of our relative?

- Sean, he says.

- Any family name?

- Thorne. Sean Thorne. Fifteen years old.

I nod and think about Menodora and Colin Travis going to England. Ismania in Fiji. Us in Greece.

Ian gets up and tells me to put some clothes on. He leaves the room  and I collapse on my bed. Greece. That’s where it all started.

I choose to wear a small and flirty summer dress. It had elegant and pretty multicoloured flowers all over the blue tissue. Ian would fall for it, which meant that I wouldn’t be unloved on this trip. I needed Ian with me. If he hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have left with Kyle. I would’ve went with Ian, even if I had to leave Kyle alone.

I wear silver gladiator sandals and go down the stairs to the kitchen with my bag and eat an apple as breakfast. On a usual day, I would be at school at this time. But today was no usual day.

I walk to the saloon where everyone is sitting on the couch. Kyle packing his bags and listening to Ian’s words. Colin Travis and Menodora having a conversation. I go to join Ian and embrace him. I gently pat Kyle on his shoulder. I wave at my mentors and we talk for fifteen minutes.

- So what’s the name of Ares’s relative? I ask Menodora.

I remember how I led Arthur to Ares’s relative once I killed the one he had. I told him that there was another one.

Menodora pats the bag on her knees.

- If I recall, her name is Daphne. About thirteen years old.

- And Dionysus’s relative?

- Ismania said it was Jamie. He was about eighteen years old.

- Do we know about Hades’s relative? asks Kyle.   

Colin Travis nods.

- It’s a guy called Braden Turner. Feel so bad for him, has the same curse as me.

Colin Travis didn’t talk much and it was a surprise to hear his deep voice.

- He lives in Fiji as well. Ismania promised to bring him back to us, continued Menodora.

We all nod and I get up.

- So, do we go now?

Menodora checks her watch.

- Yes, now. But first, I want you all to listen. We all stay in our country no matter what. If anything wrong happens, Ian will call me. Ismania had my number too. You all got that?

- Yes, I said.

- Of course, said Ian.

- What they said, responded Kyle.

We all got it.

I never went on a plane before. Ian told me that there was nothing to worry about, but Kyle told me that Menodora told him that the food made you vomit. Kyle and I were the only ones who had never gone elsewhere than Canada, our home country.

At the airport, Menodora and Colin Travis told us that Kyle would have to take the form of an eighteen year old because me and Ian were still considered children. As he turned into an eighteen year old, Kyle freaked because a beard was appearing on his face. I told him to calm down and that he wouldn’t stay like that for long.

Menodora ordered our tickets on line, and she already paid for them. We gave our names and he gave us our tickets.

- Attention passengers. The next flight for Greece will be leaving in fifteen minutes aboard Air Canada. Thank you.

Kyle, Ian and I ran to the plane. But you’d never imagine how slow fifteen minutes was.

Once we were on the plane, we had to wait ten whole minutes.

And after ten minutes, the plane went up and we flew away to Greece.

Greece, where the mythology came from. Greece, where Artemis once lived with the rest of the gods on top of Mount Olympus. Greece, where Hermes’s relative was.

Greece, where the first Black Star was born.