The Elemental Book 2: Air

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

My Birthday Party Doesn't Go Very Well

We flew quickly and made it back just as our time limit was up. I had Shadow fly over the sea, and I dived headfirst into the water from his back as he flew back to the stables. I summoned a current to carry me back to the Poseidon temple where I quickly changed into dry clothes, and I ran a brush through my wet hair. I walked out as my dad walked in, looking for me.

"Hey kiddo," he said. "How was your swim?"

"Great," I lied. "I made a friend."

"Who was it?"

"A baby dolphin. I named him Skills."

My dad laughed. "Only you, Ari."

I smiled. I couldn't stay mad at him. He was my dad, and I had just found him again after twelve years. I wasn't gonna let anything get between us. Not after I spent all that time thinking an abusive and drunk bounty hunter named Marcus (who is now currently spending the next twenty years in jail. They would've had one less prisoner, but I wasn't allowed to see him) was my father. Don't even get me started on my mother, who I thought was dead for six years.

"What can I say," I told my dad. "I'm a friendly person."

My dad smiled, but then turned serious. "We need to talk, Ariana."

I knew he was gonna tell me what I overheard. He only calls me Ariana when I'm in trouble (which is a lot-don't you know who I am?) or when he needs to tell me something serious. Like if a god is out to kill me. Again.

"Can it wait?" I asked, knowing he'd stop my plan once he knew I knew what was going on. "I'm supposed to go meet with Piper, Jake, and Brendon to plan my birthday party. I'm having a dance."

My dad frowned. "That's unlike you. You hate formal things."

I shrugged. "It's my sixteenth birthday, might as well make it one I'll remember."

My dad nodded. "Okay, we'll talk later. Have fun."

I nodded and ran off in search for Piper. I found her sitting by the fire pit, tapping her fingers nervously on her leg.

"Hey," I said, sitting next to her.

"What happened?" she asked automatically.

I responded at once, remembering that Iris had warned that I would be trusting Piper with my life if I told her everything I had learned. "Deuce was Zeus' thirteen year old daughter. She disappeared because she saw something about Ouranos since I'm the Elemental, but I have to wait for it to tell me everything. Iris also told me about some weapon called Zeus' Dagger that I have to find in order to find Deuce since she stole it as a key to finding her whereabouts."

Piper frowned. "Weird. I don't remember learning anything about the gods having special daggers."

I shrugged. "Maybe everyone thought they were myths, like how mortals thing we're myths."

Piper shook her head. "No, they would've told us. Zelus tells us every story or myth that involves the gods, regardless if it's real or not. Something is going on if we haven't learned about this."

"It must be the Fates," I said. "They might be trying to tell us something. We might have to go find that dagger if we want some answers. Iris told me only Deuce can tell us what we want to know."

Piper nodded slowly. "You're probably right. We'll go searching for this dagger, but we'll need permission from Zelus first. It helps make sure that the Fates know what we're up to. He consults with them to get hints to what our quest is about for us since we don't have an oracle."