Megara: Ancient History

Elusion

The mountain is like any other mountain. It's got hills and valleys, rocks and trees, a couple wheel ruts along the clearest paths. The difference is that no one climbs any higher than the foothills, not unless they want a quick, clean death by Zeus's lightning bolts.

This is why we stop the chariot at the rope bridge. A brittle, swaying bridge, built by some good-hearted human who wanted to give the gods an easy way to cross the canyon and come to us. As far as legend is concerned, it's the dividing line between livable space and celestial ground.

And this is where Ethos takes out the vial of Elusion tonic.

"To our healthy return," he says, uncapping the vial.

I swallow back my apprehension and grab the vial out of his hand. "To our wealthy return," I correct. I tip the vial up and drink half the liquid. It's horrid, sticky stuff, but the best potions are. I cough against it, handing the vial to Ethos. He downs the rest.

I don't feel any different, but one look at Ethos and I know the potion is working. A black mist is rising off his shoulders, clinging close to his skin. I turn my arms over and see the same on me.

"I hope it was worth the price I paid," Ethos says.

"Rastus doesn't overcharge," I defend. This vial may have cost a good portion of Ethos's fortune, but for what this potion is supposed to do, I consider it a low price.

The real test will be getting over the bridge. Ethos climbs into the chariot and extends a hand to help me up. I ignore it. I'm a big girl, I've been climbing into chariots on my own for years now.

That doesn't mean I'm not absolutely terrified to drive over the shambles of the bridge. It's not so broken that a person couldn't walk over it, but a horse? A chariot? I find myself clenching Ethos's arm to keep steady as we start rumbling forward.

Curiosity makes me look down into the cavern. Panic makes me wish I hadn't.

"Ouch."

I realize how hard I'm digging my fingernails into Ethos's arm, and I try to loosen up. We're halfway across now. Halfway's not close enough. I squeeze my eyes shut and don't open them until Ethos stops the horse.

We're across the bridge. We're across the bridge! "Thank the gods, we're alive!" I exclaim, leaping out of the chariot and onto the solid ground.

"Don't thank them yet," Ethos says. "They might not want us alive."

Good point.

We start walking, leading the horse alongside us. The chariot is mostly for holding all our equipment, and besides, to walk on celestial ground like this is something not many people experience. I know I'm going to take every chance I get to enjoy it.

"So," Ethos starts, guiding the horse up over a short ledge. "How many life debts will I owe you for climbing the mountain?"

"How many lives have you got?"

He snorts.

I pick up a pebble and toss it off the side of the slope, watching it disappear down below. "So why exactly do you want to win this bet so badly?"

Ethos doesn't answer for a second. "Well. I guess I need to prove myself."

"We all do, loverboy," I say, helping him coax the horse over a pile of loose rock. "You're not special."

"Fine," he says, giving me a look. "I want to win because I need the money to finance all my outrageous adventures."

"If you survive this one," I add sarcastically.

Ethos smiles at me. "I've survived everything else."

I've seen his type before, and I'm not exactly the kind of person to break it to him softly. "You like taunting death?"

"Maybe I love it."

"Who is this person you're betting against?"

That makes his smile fade, and he doesn't look at me when he answers. "My brother. He's the better racer, businessman, artist, politician. I never measured up to him."

"Ah," I say. "So if you climb Mount Olympus..."

"... then he'll never measure up to me."

I knew Ethos was here for redemption, but really, he's here for revenge. I can't say that I blame him.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something crashes into the chariot. I barely turn around in time to see the boulder rolling down the hill, taking splinters of wood with it. The horse spooks as more rocks begin tumbling down the hill in a torrential slide.

"Megara!" Ethos shouts, dropping the horse's lead and running over to me. He pulls me out of the way just as a stone crushes into the ground where I'd been standing. We fall to the ground, scrambling backwards as the rockslide slows down, covering our broken chariot.

My heart is just starting to return to normal when I see something streak through the sky. It stops above the rocks and hovers there for a second. My hand flies to my mouth.

It's a god.

I've only heard the stories, seen the statues. I've never laid eyes on one. His skin is blue, and his wings beat so fast they're a blur.

Oh, Rastus, this potion better work, or Ethos and I are already dead.

"What is it, Hermes?"

"Soteria. Did you see the horse?"

I glance over at Ethos. The black mist still hangs around him, and I mouth the name Soteria. Goddess of protection. She roams the perimeter of Olympus, keeping the gods above safe.

"Alone?" Soteria says, descending from above. She's radiant, with yellow hair and skin, glowing like the sun.

"It was pulling a chariot. But it must have gotten lost and wandered up here."

"Poor thing," Soteria says. She lands on the ground not three yards from us and walks across the grass in the direction our horse had fled. She walks past without glancing in our direction. I find myself gripping Ethos's hand.

"Should I tell Zeus?" Hermes says, fluttering after her.

"No," Soteria says kindly. "He has much bigger things to worry about. Persephone comes back today."

Hermes mumbles indistinctly and peers over the edge of the mountain. "Trouble from the big guy down below, huh?"

"I'll take the horse back down," Soteria says. "You'll manage the watch without me?"

"My pleasure, Soteria."

Hermes flies away, and Soteria disappears after the horse. Ethos and I look at each other in amazement. We just saw gods.

But Rastus's potion worked. They didn't see us.