Intended

Chapter 14

My hands were practically shaking as we stood by the portal door. Aphrodite lectured Jess and I about proper etiquette around the gods. I was admittedly barely listening, to nervous to stand still.

"Gods Mother," Alex groaned, "They get it, let's go!" I couldn't help but agree and I know Jess did too.

Jess was ecstatic, she said she had always wanted to go to Olympus. I on the other hand... well let's just say I was still scared of getting zapped by Zeus or turned into a dolphin by Poseidon. Aphrodite said that Hades hardly ever came out of his cave, but that doesn't mean he won't be there today.

"Don't speak to your mother like that!" Aphrodite scolds before she relented, "But fine, we can go now, but I expect you all to be on your best behavior!"

"We will be Mother!" Jess says eagerly, getting an eye roll from Alex.

"And you, Cupid?" She says and glances behind me.

I got the sense that Cupid would be in the doghouse for a while after what happened at the club. I felt bad for him, I shouldn't have gone with him.

"Yes Mother," he sighs.

"Excellent," She says, "Well Alex you go first and Cupid you make sure Hannah and Jess get there, alright?"

They both nod.

Alex opens the door and steps through it into the pitch darkness. Aphrodite followed, then Jess.

I hesitated.

As much as I wanted to know who my father is, I was terrified to meet him.

"What's wrong?" Cupid asks, "Isn't this what you want?"

"He's ordered that I come, I don't really have a choice, do I?"

He sighs and shakes his head, "No, but It's ok to tell me if you're scared?"

I wanted to believe him, but I knew he only said that because his mother ordered him to watch over me.

"I'm fine," I mumble and step forward into the abyss.

• • •

Going through the portal was almost like falling.

Or like when you're going down stairs in the dark and you miscount the steps. You feel like you're going to crash down, but then your foot hits the next step and you balance out.

Cupid said that I would get used to it after the first time I went through the portal.

Sometimes I forget that they've lived in this world their whole lives and that I've only been here a week. It feels like it's gone so fast, but also like I've been with them forever.

The portal spit us out of an old looking wood door in an empty hallway. The walls were a white marble with tiny pinkish veins running through the stone. It was elegant, but also earthy.

Jess was just as engrossed with the place as I was. She stared up at the high ceilings and arch ways in awe.

"It's beautiful," I say to no in particular.

"Yes, your father has always favored the more classical Grecian style," Aphrodite remarked, clearly not fazed by our surroundings, "Always a little too rustic for me."

"This is my father's house?" I ask, still amazed by the architecture, the way each stone was perfectly cut and polished.

Cupid fell through the portal finally, there was a delay between each transport.