The Taming of Ares

Chapter 12: Gold and glory

"Enough of this," I comment releasing Ares's hand back to him.

I feel the calm in my body rising up and get an idea. If I can calm the molecules of water in the ocean, what is to stop me from calming the molecules of water in humans? The thought has crossed my mind for thousands of years but I always thought it too unethical to try. I lift my hands and push the calm through the air as if pushing it through the water. I close my eyes focusing on every drop of water I could find in the room, in their bodies, and push the calmness through that.

"What did you do?" Ares's voice floats through the air.

I open my eyes and am greeted by all the women frozen like statues. The secretary still maintains her wide smile. I look over at the woman who was caressing my arm. A seductive gaze is frozen on her face as her fingers continue to stretch toward me. I place two fingers on her neck and finder her pulse.

"She's still alive," I comment.

I look at Ares. His eyes are wide as he looks down at me.

"What?" I ask.

"That's impressive," he replies. "I'm impressed!"

I shrug my shoulders. Past us begins a commotion. I hear the jiggle of a door handle and see the flash of gold hair as out pops a very naked Apollo into the hallway.

"What in the name of the gods is happening?!" He exclaims.

"Hello, Atwood Finch, we have some questions for you."

I shoot Apollo a smile. He looks at me. He stands broadly rolling his muscular shoulders back and shrugs. With a purposeful and a you-caught-me smile on his face, he walks toward us as naked as the day he was born. I say naked, but as I remember he had a golden sword in his hand at birth. Which is more than what he has now. I roll my eyes and he shoots me finger point as he walks by. After all, what do the gods have to hide?

After moving one of the frozen women to another couch, we take a seat in an area in the Victorian room. Apollo doesn't put on any clothes leaving me to wonder how well they clean their furniture. I sit up straight and lean forward with my butt barely on the seat.

"Hi, Apollo," I begin. "I am going to get right to the point with as little detail as I can."

"What's the fun if there are no details," interrupts Apollo. His piercing eyes meet mine. My mind flashes back to the days I lived with my sisters in the castle. Their rooms adorned with posters of his smile plastered like he was a famous boy band in the 90's. It used to drive my father crazy. No wonder he didn't let us move out of the castle until many many centuries had passed.

I sigh and push forward.

"Ares was in a fight with someone in a chariot this past Saturday. He doesn't remember who and from what I saw from a distance, the chariot in the sky looked a lot like yours. We need to figure out who that person is."

Apollo uncrosses his legs. The move, I am sure, is comfortable for him but slightly uncomfortable for me as now everything is more visible. I focus on his eyes.

"It wasn't me," he began.

"We know," I reply. "We are well aware of where you were then... which is also why I am so surprised to see you here."

"Call it part of the healing process," he replies clicking the back of the teeth with his tongue.

I move forward to object further but Ares slightly taps my side. It is a move not visible to Apollo. I casually look at him and he slightly nods his head no. I sigh again, knowing he is right, and drop the subject. I need to stay focused on why we are here without trying to dictate everyone's life.