Ágnostos

Chapter 21

Althea

I laid on my back after being defeated by Nike for the millionth time in the last four months. Sighing, I stayed put as Nike leaned over with a smirk.

"You're ganna be here a long time," she said.

I hated Nike most of the time. Cocky bitch that she is. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I only saw her when we were fighting, thus when she was beating me.

"Doesn't Bia need me to like, I don't know search for the Gems of Harmony?!" I asked, flopping my hands in the air in agitation. "No one can defeat you — you're the damn goddess of victory!"

"Doesn't mean I'm undefeatable," she said.

I scoffed. "The only way to beat victory herself is to..."

I sat up quickly, realizing what I needed to do to beat Nike. "I got! I know how to defeat you!"

"Give me your best," Nike said.

"No," I said. "I can't train with you. I need Loki."

***

"What do you — what do you mean Loki is dead?" I asked Bia.

"Thanos killed him," she said.

"Well you're the goddess of power — revive him!"

"Revival is a hard magic that comes with much damage to the mind, Althea," Bia explained.

"You did it with my dad," I said. "And with Nona's adoptive sister."

"Special cases, Althea," she said, causing me to roll my eyes. "And I did it with the help of Brigid and Hade."

"But he doesn't deserve to be dead! Hade said it herself, those who died during Thanos' rise of power hadn't reached their true time!"

"Death is meant to be permeant," Bia said cooly. "A lesson you need to learn as you become the Queen."

"I don't want to be the Queen!" I snapped. "I really, really don't! But if you're going to stand here and force me to not only be Queen but to also risk my life for you're will to be done, then the least you could do is bring back a friend of mine!"

"Althea, my daughter —"

"Don't," I said. "You May have birthed me, but you are not my mother!"

"Althea." Nona put her hand on my shoulder to calm me down. "Mother, I think Althea would benefit from having Loki revived. He could train her to use her image manipulation and not only physically defeat Nike, but also trick her way to defeating Nike."

Bia hummed in consideration which only served to irk me even more. "Alright. I will get Brigid and Hade and we'll bring back Loki tonight."

I scoffed, pushing Nona's hand off of my shoulder. "Some mother you are, Bia. My life would be so much better if I never even knew who my mother was!"

I stormed off, feeling hot tears fall down my cheeks. I made my way to the garden, untying my corset to better breath.

It sucked living your whole entire life never knowing who your mother was, only to find out she's a power hungry goddess who only cares about herself. Some Queen...

I suppose it's better this way, though. Pepper was always a mother to me. More than Bia ever will be. And I should be content with that. But there's something about being biologically entangled with someone that makes you crave their attention and validation and love — and I haven't received even one third of those cravings in my year of being here. It was breaking my heart.