Chapter 38
PHAEDRA
Lightning fills the sky, and chaos reigns until Hera calls for order. In an imperious tone, she looks at Athena. “Finish.”
“Gods need followers. Phaedra has them,” she tells the two of them, moving between us and Zeus to get his attention.
“Sixty-ish supernaturals who have worked as tirelessly as her to keep humans safe. Those followers, along with the immortality we gave her when we assigned her punishment, qualified her to become a demigoddess,” she explains.
“It felt like the Fates were offering us a solution.”
Zeus protests. “Fates. We don’t need her to hold the gates. I have power.”
“Not enough,” she carefully responds.
Athena looks around at all of them. “With fewer and fewer followers each year, our powers are dwindling. If our first obligation is to this world and the humans who live in it, how will we defend them if we continue to use all of our reserves to hold the gates?”
She points to the panels. “Hephaestus crafted a box that will hold and amplify a small portion of our powers. Combined with her own, Phaedra will have enough power to hold the gates. By herself.”
My sister… “Will I be able to open and close them?”
Her brow wrinkles. “In theory. Although it will take a lot of power. Why?”
“My sister,” I reply with the first kernel of hope I’ve felt in a long time. Then I look at Mathias. “His daughter. There are many here who were torn from their worlds and thrust into this one through no fault of their own. I’d like to give them a chance to see their families and return.”
A sad expression crosses Demeter’s face. “You can never leave this world to see your sister. It’s imperative you remain on this side. But I don’t see why the others can’t go.”
“She can visit, though?” I ask, refusing to give up hope.
Demeter and Athena exchange glances.
“Maybe. We can discuss this later,” Athena says, giving a Zeus a sideways glance.
Demeter turns toward me. “It’s time.”
I walk over to Ares and hold out the blades. “Thank you. These were instrumental in destroying the enemy.” And quite frankly, now that I’m a demigoddess, holding them scares the hell out of me.
He stares at them for a minute, then studies me. “The Blades of War have never answered to anyone but me. The fact that you, and Mathias, were able to wield them makes you worthy of our gift.” With a sweep of his hand, the final panel appears beside the other five.
Walking over to it, I set the blades down and suck in a breath at the sight that greets me. The bottom panel has five figures standing in a circle around a gold and blue box. Me, Jamison, Mathias, Gatlin, Hawthorne. I look up at him with a question in my eyes.
“Once word gets out that you’re the guardian of the gates, you’ll need protectors,” he remarks nonchalantly. “They’ve proven themselves worthy of that role.”
I look at Jamison, then return my gaze to Ares. “I need all four of them.”
Ares glances around at the other gods, and five of them dip their chins.
Zeus rolls his eyes but doesn’t protest. Hera’s completely silent for once.
“That can be arranged.” Ares snaps his fingers, and a glass appears in front of Jamison.
“What’s going on?” Jamison asks, his brow furrowed.
“Immortality, if you want it,” I tell him, pointing to the glass.
Shocked, he stares at me. “And you, what do you want?”
“A future with you. One where I don’t have to watch you leave me because of old age or illness or death,” I state softly, biting my lip.
My words make his steel-blue eyes burn with emotion. “I’ll take forever with you.” Taking the glass, he drinks it down. As soon as he finishes, the glass disappears.
Demeter waves a hand, and a table appears. “It’s time. Assemble the box.”
I kneel on the ground and pick up the panels and the key and assemble everything. Once every piece is in place, a white light grows within as their power fills the empty box. My hands tingle and adrenaline rushes through my body. It’s heady being this close to their powers.
I reach for the key.
“Give me that,” Zeus says, picking up the key and inserting it into the box. I hold my breath as he turns it and quietly let it out when nothing happens. He tosses it down on the table. “All this and the box doesn’t even work.” He sneers at Hephaestus.
“Everything I craft works,” Hephaestus states with a smug smile. “Phaedra is the key. It will never work for anyone except her. And if she is lost, the gates will have no guardian.” He motions for me to try again.
His comment stuns me and I freeze, thoughts racing with all the repercussions of what those words mean.
Does that mean if I’m not here to hold these gates, the barriers between the worlds will collapse?
Horrified, I lift my gaze to his. Humans would be overrun in days.
Lost to the tide of supernaturals that would fill every crevice of this world.
He gives me a sympathetic smile. “It’s why we set up this elaborate test. We needed to know you would do anything or face anyone…” He pauses. His gaze drifts to Hera for a second, then returns to me. “To find the panels and fulfill the quest.”
I flick a glance at Hera and see a wide smirk on her face. Did she really cooperate with them or was this something Athena devised when she interfered? Not that it matters, of course. As long as she stays away from us, especially Gatlin.
The irony of it all steals my breath. Me. The person who endangered humans in the first place is now the one who will protect them for all eternity. I smile. That’s a deal I’ll accept every day.
With trepidation, I pick up the key. The brand on my hand begins to glow, connecting with Hephaestus’ symbol on the key, and I realize what he’s done. I’m literally the key. I insert it into the lock and turn it. Five portals with locked golden gates appear in front of me.
Athena steps forward. “Clockwise to open. Counterclockwise to shut. If you open the gates, the power will regenerate, but it takes quite a bit of time. So, use it wisely.”
“I will,” I promise them all. Entrusting me with this duty is humbling and a show of forgiveness I never thought I’d see from the gods. I remove the key from the lock and the gates disappear.
I glance at Jamison, then back to the gods.
There’s one more issue to resolve. “Humans are aware of the supernaturals, and they now have the technology to identify and kill them.” I don’t mention where they got the tech.
“We’d like to tear up the treaty between the gods and supernaturals and begin to discuss a future that includes a place for everyone. ”
Zeus’ brows draws together in a ferocious scowl, but Hera’s low laugh makes him stop in his tracks. “The prey has become the predator. Good for them.” She nudges Zeus, who capitulates with a heavy sigh.
“Fine, but if we see the human population decline because of the supernaturals, we’ll step in,” he warns us. “They are our chosen children, not you.”
Jamison dips his head, acknowledging their decision. “Understood.”
Zeus looks at the other gods and shakes his head. “It’s on you if this fails.”
Hera winks at Athena. “Good luck. I’ll be watching.” Then she takes Zeus’ arm, and the two disappear.
“That went better than expected,” Apollo says with a bright smile. “Good luck, Guardian of the Gates.” His words make the title sound official.
Artemis snaps her fingers and takes the bow and arrow from Jamison.
The two of them disappear.
Athena walks over, and Hawthorne hands her the spear. “Sorry, it’s my favorite. Maybe Hephaestus will make you a new one.”
My jaw drops. “How did you get them to give you their weapons?”
He shrugs, but I see the gleam in his eyes. “I asked.”
Hephaestus rolls his eyes, then turns to Gatlin and Mathias. “Keep the swords. I have plenty.” Then he looks at me. “If you wish to thank me, make them bring back the statues in my temple. And paint the center. It looks like shit.”
Demeter rolls her eyes, then her lips curl in a satisfied smile as she looks at Mathias. “I know what it’s like to be separated from your daughter. Maybe now you can find some peace.”
The three of them turn toward me. “We’ll be watching. Don’t abuse the power we’ve given you. Or we’ll take it away and close the gates forever.”
“I won’t,” I promise.
Gingerly picking up the blades, I hold them out for Ares to take, but he shakes his head. “Keep them. They’ll protect you against anything that walks in this world.” He pauses. “Well, except gryphons, but nothing can kill them. You chose your protectors well.” He walks into a shadow and disappears.
I immediately set them down and step away from them. “I’m not sure I want to carry weapons that can kill me too.”
Gatlin wraps me in his arms. “See, told you.” He leans down and gives me a hard kiss. “You’re never getting rid of me.” He glances at the blades. “Since I’m the only one they can’t kill, I’ll take them.”
Mathias pats Jamison on the back. “You’re the only immortal mage in the world. How does that feel?”
Jamison’s gaze finds mine. “It means our lives are just getting started.” He pauses for a second. “Thank you for bringing up the treaty. It’s time for humans and supernaturals to find a way to live together in this world. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do.”
“I agree.” I look around the temple. If I don’t see another temple for a hundred years, I’ll be happy. “Let’s go home.”
Hawthorne picks up the box and key. “Wait until Rupert and Henry hear that the gods consider the Keepers of the Cursed your worshippers.”
“I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of it. Letz would have laughed,” I say, thinking of how he started it all.
“He would have loved it,” Jamison remarks with a sad smile. “The man lived for drama.”
Stepping outside, I look around and spot Charlie standing at the bottom of the hill.
As we get nearer, a look of relief crosses his face. “Everything settled?”
“It is,” I assure him. “Want a ride home?”
Jamison opens a portal, and feeling eyes on me, I glance back and see Demeter standing at the top of the hill smiling at me. I return her smile. If it weren’t for her, the gods would have gotten rid of me long ago. Now look at my life. Maybe good things do come to those who wait.
I link my arm with Gatlin’s. “This calls for grilled cheese sandwiches and a couple bottles of 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, don’t you think?”
His smile is broad and full of the same happiness I feel in my heart and soul.