DIVINE » l. valdez

iv

❝together, we'll search for your sign ❞

The entry hall was already cold, but the throne room was below zero. Hina was certain if she stopped moving she might freeze, literally.

Her breath hung in the air, and Hina shivered. She wished she had kept Leo's jacket, even if it reeked of hot sauce.

Along the walls, purple tapestries showed scenes of snowy forests, barren mountains, and glaciers. High above, ribbons of colored light—the aurora borealis—pulsed along the ceiling. A layer of snow covered the floor, so they had to step carefully. All around the room stood life-size ice sculpture warriors—some in Greek armor, some medieval, some in modern camouflage—all frozen in various attack positions, swords raised, guns locked and loaded.

Hina assumed they were statues, until Jason stepped forward. He went to step between two statues. Suddenly, they moved at lightning speed, joints cracking and ice flying everywhere. The statues crossed their spears, blocking Jason from advancing.

From across the room a deep voice boomed out in French. The room was too long to see the end and the extra clouds of mist from the cold made seeing harder. Whatever the man said caused the statues to uncross their weapons.

"It's fine," Khione said. "My father has ordered them not to kill you just yet."

"Super," Jason said.

Zethes prodded Hina in the back with his sword. "Keep moving, Jason Junior."

"Please don't call me that."

"My father is not a patient man," Zethes warned, "and the beautiful Piper, sadly, is losing her magic hairdo very fast. Later, perhaps, I can lend her something from my wide assortment of hair products."

"Thanks," Piper grumbled.

They kept walking until they reached the end of the room. The mist separated, revealing an old man, dressed in a stylish white suit, his purple wings folded behind him. He had a long beard, with matching hair. Both were enveloped in icicles, making it impossible to tell what colour his hair was. He had angry arched brows, that sat over top his sparkling eyes. They seemed to glitter kindly. At least kinder than Khione's eyes.

"Bienvenu," the king said. "Je suis Boreas le Roi. Et vous?"

Khione the snow goddess was about to speak, but Piper stepped forward and curtsied.

"Votre Majesté," she said, " je suis Piper McLean. Et c'est Hina et Jason, fils de Zeus."

The king smiled with pleasant surprise. "Vous parlez français? Très bien!"

Hina was surprised by Piper's sudden fluency of the French language. Jason was too as he asked, "Piper, you speak French?" She frowned.

"No, why?"

"You just spoke French." Piper blinked.

"I did?" The king said something else, and Piper nodded. "Oui, Votre Majesté."

The king laughed and clapped his hands, obviously delighted. He said a few more sentences then swept his hand toward his daughter as if shooing her away.

Khione looked miffed. "The king says—"

"He says I'm a daughter of Aphrodite," Piper interrupted, "so naturally I can speak French, which is the language of love. I had no idea. His Majesty says Khione won't have to translate now."