Queen Of Hell & Paradise (Immortal gods: Book 1)

Chapter 25- Helios, god of the Sun

One week after Zeus' announcement...

Athena could feel it in her gut- something was wrong.

She had always been her father's favorite, and even Hera seemed to have taken a liking to her. Perhaps it was the fact that Athena wasn't born from a woman but rather from her father's head that quenched Hera's jealousy. Or it could be the fact that she preferred to stay away from Olympus and its inhabitants as much as she could to avoid conflict. Whatever the reason was, the fact remained that she was held in high regard by the king and queen of the gods.

And yet, she knew it was odd her father hadn't summoned her to the palace in the last week. Normally, she and he spent time together at least once or twice every seven days. They would go out chariot racing or hunting for boars whenever they could. But it was almost suspicious how quiet her father had been since the council meeting.

Is it possible I was right in thinking he's been hiding something? Athena thought. She hadn't thought about her father's odd behavior since she left his courtyard to go eat with Artemis. The sudden decrease in his mood swings and his piqued interest in her uncle's marital life were enough to make anyone suspicious. Athena loved her father, but she knew that he wasn't okay if he suddenly ceased to be agitated. It's just how he was.

So his recent distance from her was pretty concerning. With a cringe she thought perhaps he knew of her suspicion and was plotting her punishment- but she knew her father, and if that were the case, he would have done so already.

Lowering her bow and arrow, the deer Athena had been spotting made its getaway, trotting a safe distance away from her watch.

Beside her, Artemis drew her arm back and positioned her fingers on the nocking point, her gaze firmly locked on her unsuspecting prey. Athena watched her graceful -but carefully calculated-movements as she finally let go of the arrow and sent it flying smack in between the boar's shoulder blades and into the center of its heart. Bull's eye.

Artemis lowered her bow, not taking her eyes off the wild hog. Seeing as Athena had no plans with her father, she accepted her invitation to go hunting. Several hours later, here they were, finding and spotting prey.

"Why did you let the deer go?" she asked, wiping sweat off her brow and forehead. The light veil of sweat covering her skin gave her a youthful glow, reminding Athena they were in Artemis' element. Athena shrugged.

"I'm not in the mood. An animal shouldn't have to die in vain if I don't have any intention of killing it," she said, looking around for the deer she had targeted earlier. Artemis nodded and smiled.

"I appreciate that," she said, motioning for her to follow her and approaching the wounded hog. She knelt down beside it and checked to see if it was still alive, brushing her fingers along its open wound to put it out of its misery. Artemis rarely hunted for sport, whenever she killed an animal, it was usually out of necessity.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, lifting the dead boar off the ground and throwing it over her shoulder. She had covered its wound to keep it from oozing out more blood and from creating a mess. For someone who appeared to be small, Artemis was quite strong.

"My father," she answered honestly, putting away the arrow in her hand and slinging her bow across her shoulder. Artemis raised her brows, materializing a bottle of water and taking a swig.

"Is this about him not calling you?" she asked, lifting the water bottle and spilling its contents on her head. It was hot where they were, even though the Western Hemisphere of earth was in fall. Even in their breathable hunt-wear, the two goddesses felt the heat slowly creep its way onto their bodies.