57. In Which Athena Teaches a Lesson the Council Can’t Ignore
Chapter 57
In Which Athena Teaches a Lesson the Council Can’t Ignore
C amulos positioned himself between the pissed-off goddess and the company. His stance foreboding. His dark wings opened and stretched, adding to the protection of his men. He was cagey, ready to pounce should Athena strike first, but his voice was steady and calm. Dangerously calm.
“Athena,” he warned.
“You brought this on yourselves, Camulos.”
“This is your only warning, Athena. Leave. Leave and let the council deal with our misgivings.”
She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not leaving without the Serathena.”
Maximus flanked Cam, protecting the lower-ranking officers and putting himself in a position of leadership. Evander and Liam stood beside each other, although Liam was further out of the protective formation than normal, choosing the fringe than standing with the company. Max shifted his eyes between the two men, an unspoken understanding passed between them.
No one speaks.
“Where is she?” Athena repeated. Anger flashed in Liam’s eyes; his lips thinned as his expression became clouded. His usual impish features hardened into rigid planes. Evander knew he was deadly when wrathful, but there was something in his stare, something else, that flowed over him like a lethal storm. The room grew colder, frost covering everything in a thin layer.
Athena took a step. “Check the chambers.” She flicked her wrist, and one of her guards moved towards Syren’s door. Liam’s steps were light and quick, blocking the door, his wings spread open. He growled, baring his fangs at the guard.
“Athena,” Camulos warned, deadlier than before. Evander could feel the protection lowering, feel the company preparing to battle for their lives against their maker.
“She isn’t here, is she?”
No one spoke. No one breathed.
“Leave, Athena. Let the council decide,” Camulos gritted out.
She snarled, pointing her spear. “You think I can’t deal with insolent warriors on my own? The council deals with grievances against Olympus. You four are well past grievances.” She arched an eyebrow. “Where is she?”
Still, none of the warriors spoke. None moved. The tension was palpable.
“Pity. Telling your goddess what you did with her sacrifice might save your life.”
“Ellie is not a sacrifice,” Evander heard himself say.
Camulos gave him a harsh glare over his shoulder. Athena’s eyes flashed and he knew he was moments away from being turned into one of the Chthonians behind her.
“You,” she clipped. “You dare speak to me after what you’ve done? I sent you to kill her, to eliminate the threat against Olympus. You ignored your orders. To go back on your vow. Your vow is to me, Evander. Your life is mine to do what I wish. You forget who holds your soul. You were disloyal to the Circle of Epsilon, disloyal to me, disloyal to Olympus. Your act amounts to treason.”
The earlier anger coiled inside him like a serpent ready to strike. He felt his power surge, something he hadn’t let loose in a century. His palms turned cold, like blocks of ice; the frost gathering turned to ice. The temperature in the room plummeted as he slipped into chaos.
“Ellie isn’t your sacrif—”
“The Serathena ,” she barked, “is a threat to all of us. She is an abomination. Her very existence is a threat. Her death protects us. All of Olympus. You put yourself above Olympus, above the gods? You have forgotten what’s important, where your loyalties lie. Just like a man to slate his lust when he should have been following orders.”
“Enough, Athena,” Maximus snapped.
Evander whipped his head in Max’s direction. He hadn’t expected his leader to defend his egregious actions. He knew he was out of line. Way out, if he were being honest. His actions put his company in this position. And right now, as Athena squabbled with them, Ellie was in Valerius’s clutches. He had failed everyone he cared about at every turn. He prayed she was still alive if he made it out of this.
“It will be enough when I have my answers, Captain .” Her tone cruelly mocked him. “Where is she? You’re protecting her. She isn’t here, so where did you hide her, Camulos?”
“Gone,” Liam whispered.
Athena snapped a glare at him. “Gone?”
“Because of Syren.” Evander cursed under his breath for once again speaking without thinking.
The smile that turned up Athena’s lips sickened Evander’s stomach. “I was informed of my warriors and their treasonous behavior. She told me she would be here, hidden away by you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Maximus’ face grow ashen. “Who?”
A thin, sinister grin etched itself across her lips. “Why a little bird, of course.”
Understanding flooded Evander as he whipped around and met Liam’s stoic expression. He had been right. Syren was indeed a siren. A siren kidnapped Ellie, brought her to Valerius, and went to Athena. She was the one who double-crossed them, playing them all for fools. Liam panted, his entire body tense like a rubber band threatening to snap. He had been harboring a siren, and whether he knew it fully or suspected it, he had kept that information from his company.
Camulos moved. His hands cut into the air as he released a powerful bolt of magic. Athena hissed when it hit her shoulder, and she retaliated with her own. The warriors flanked her on either side, their swords drawn, ready to defend their goddess. Camulos took off after her as she came for him at a dead run. The two converged in the hallway. The blast of their collision splintered the dim light of morning, causing Evander to squint against the pain. He rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them, they were on the training field outside the home. The grass was soft under his sandals, and the earthy smell of morning hung heavy in the air.
“This doesn’t have to happen, Athena,” Camulos shouted, his spear in hand. “You can stop this. Call off your lap dogs.”
Widening his stance as he spoke, Camulos positioned himself to defend his men. Evander knew Athena would never back down. Once she felt wronged, she wouldn’t stop. He didn’t have to look around to know his company was ready for the fight she brought to their doorstep. Max drew his bow; Liam wielded his spear. His brothers were primed.
“I gave you a chance, all of you. I gave you one chance to prove your loyalty to me, and what did you do with it?” Her voice rang out over the quiet field.
The sun gleamed from behind a cloud, casting a perfect beam into the heart of the two opposing sides as if it were waiting with bated breath for the fight to start. Evander glanced around, half-expecting the rest of Olympus to join her.
“You ignored my orders,” she continued. “Your company is corrupt, Maximus. Ignoring my orders is a dark sentence by the council.” She turned to Evander. “Instead of honor, you drag your company into the Shadow Realm with you. Defiling the sacrifice is an unforgivable act, Evander.”
“Ellie isn’t a sacrifice, Athena,” he repeated. He refused to let Ellie be reduced to what the goddess gained. She meant much more than that to him, no matter what she could do to Olympus. “She’s an innocent human.”
Athena threw her head back and laughed. “Human?” she spat out. “You can’t be that na?ve, Evander. I’m sure you’ve seen what she can do; she is powerful. She has ichor running through her veins, doesn’t she, Camulos? The Serathena is no more human than you or I.”
A warrior had been slowly slinking closer as Athena shouted insults over the ground. Maximus lunged, and the field erupted, a roar of voices and clanging weapons. Evander spun just in time to block one warrior approaching from behind. He had mere seconds to release his swords from their sheaths before a battle-axe came crashing towards him, coming millimeters from severing his other arm from its shoulder. The metal blades sparked with the force of each swing, converging above Evander’s head.
He pushed off the wet grass and sliced through the air with swords whirling around him as he stepped back. He shoved one sword forward into the belly of the warrior. The man recoiled, dropping his axe, and making a gurgling sound before he fell to his knees. Pulling the sword back, he had just enough time to swing in a round arc before another warrior was upon him.
A claymore slashed through the air as Evander swung. He turned, bringing his sword up, crashing into him with his shoulder. The force of the hit knocked the claymore from the warrior’s grip, and Evander used the hilt of his sword to jab upwards, connecting with the other warrior’s jaw, making a sickening crack. He raised his arm to swing again, aiming higher. The sword connected with the head, detaching it from its body in a stomach-turning sound of metal on bone. Evander felt the warmth of blood splatter across his cheek as the head of the warrior rolled into the grass. He touched his cheek and pulled his hand away, red coating his fingers.
A shout from a distance caused Evander to jerk his head up. Liam was poised with a blood-covered battle-axe raised above his head. He swung it down and lodged the weapon into the ground. Picking up his spear from the hands of a dead warrior, he turned on his heel and stabbed at a Chthonian behind him. The creature let out a bone-chilling scream and burst into black dust. Evander lurched forward, picking up the sword he had dropped during his battle, and began running towards Liam, full force, barreling along the wet grass. He swung out at one warrior coming at him, slicing at his attacker. The man doubled over and fell to the ground when Evander connected with his middle. Jumping over the fallen warrior, he pivoted. One Chthonian had Maximus cornered, and he fought him off with fists, their weapons abandoned on the morning grass—the familiar sounds of grunts and knuckles hitting bone rung out over the field. The Chthonian held Max to the ground with his shadows like anchors. Wielding his sword, Evander swung in a wide arc, slicing into the back of the mercenary, causing the creature to scream out.
“Move!” yelled Evander at Maximus as he stabbed forward, hitting the Chthonian in the chest. He pulled his sword out and watched the creature burst into black dust.
Max whipped to the side to avoid the blade when Evander ran him through. Nodding, the two turned and surveyed the carnage. The smell of blood hung heavy in the air. The sounds of fighting floated in the morning breeze as Camulos and Liam were still under attack. Liam was in the corner of the field, two mercenaries flanking him. He was doing his best to stave them off, but they beat him back, tiring him out. Their shadows converged and were snaking their way up his legs and torso.
Evander took off at a sprint, leaping into the air, his wings snapping out from him, catching the wind, and lifting him off the ground. He flapped twice, pulling his wings in to maneuver towards the ground. He didn’t see the Chthonian until they collided in a flurry of feathers and muscle. The creature slammed into his shoulder, causing him to spin out of control, falling back towards the earth. Evander hit the ground hard, bouncing and sliding to a stop, the smell of earth under his cheek.
He heard the thundering of feet before he could get his bearings and rolled onto his back just as a scythe whipped through the air. It caught the shoulder that held his prosthetic and sliced through his armor into the muscle; he hissed, his shoulder on fire. He knew he had to move; the mercenary would cleave him in two if he stayed. Letting out a strangled grunt, he rolled and scrambled to his feet just as the Chthonian swung again. The sun glinted off the scythe as it approached in a graceful arc, swinging down. This time, it connected with his prosthetic arm, a metallic clinking as metal hit his arm, sparks flying. The vibration of the hit radiated up the machine, groaning as a burning sensation moved along his arm milliseconds later, as if his flesh had torn. Evander jumped to his feet, his robotic forearm shielding him.
Athena had positioned herself on the edge of the fighting, watching as the four warriors laid waste to several of her best fighters. She gathered her magic, and Evander felt the power course through him as she struck. A bolt of magic flew across the grass towards one of the last Chthonians. It hit him, blasting him in the chest, the magic spreading throughout the creature, turning from red to gold before he splintered into pieces in front of Camulos. She gathered her magic again, ready to strike, letting it fly at her intended target.
Evander didn’t have time to react; he sent a magic bolt straight into the line of fire. While he was nowhere near as powerful as Camulos or Athena, he had powers he kept to himself, ones he refused to use. The magic splintered Athena’s bolt, slowing it down. Ice shards flung into the air on impact, raining to the ground and sending ice skittering out from the blast. He sent a second bolt towards the magic headed for his battalion leader, and this time, it created a shield of ice that burst apart. Camulos raised a spear in the air and slammed it into the ground; the force shook the earth under their feet, rumbling like the world splitting in two. The shaking knocked Evander and the last warrior off balance, stumbling to hold on to anything as the ground beneath them shifted.
“Enough.” His voice boomed like thunder over the dew-soaked grass. He twisted his fist into the air, and Athena froze, her hands out in front of her, poised, ready to strike. She paled at the sight of Camulos’ raised fist, her eyes widening in fear.
“I can end you, Athena, don’t make me,” Camulos warned.
“Athena!” Her voice cracked over the field, snapping across the roll of the hills and stopping everyone in their tracks. Hestia moved quickly, phasing in two steps to where Athena stood. She had two council members with her that Evander didn’t recognize. They wore the red sashes swept from one shoulder to the other. Athena snorted at the intrusion.
“My Goddess,” the council member addressed her. “We have reason to believe that this company was acting in the best interest of Olympus,” he jabbered, the other nodding in agreement.
“They have committed treason,” she snapped.
“Speak! Tell her, now!” Hestia glared at the two timid council members.
“The human is not the Serathena. We have proof.” He waved his hand, and a scroll emerged from thin air. Grasping it, he unrolled the edges and scanned the document for what he needed.
“Ah, yes,” he said, shuffling the scroll as he rolled and read. “Here. It says that the Serathena is a phoenix warrior, a woman of Delphi. We do not believe that human is anything but a human with special abilities. She isn’t a phoenix, nor is she from Delphi. The prophecy is very clear. A phoenix warrior, a woman from Delphi, a queen will be the Serathena. The human doesn’t meet the requirements.”
“She was born in Texas, not Delphi,” the other council member piped up, his voice nasally, as if his words caught in the back of his throat.
“She poses no threat to Olympus,” repeated the first.
Athena stared down the two ambassadors from the council, and they shrank back under her scrutiny. Hestia rolled her eyes at their cowardice.
“Athena, stop this now,” Hestia warned, her hair flaming as she spoke, like coals burning. “This warrior company saved Olympus from making a grave mistake. The human woman poses no threat. Her magic could be useful to us.”
Athena shrieked into the sky. “They lied, Hestia. They commit treason by going against my orders. Evander has broken his vow. The doctrine of Epsilon is explicit, no sexual encounters of any kind. A life of celibacy. There is no room for misinterpretation. Maximus harbors a dishonored member of the Circle of Epsilon.”
“Do you move against the ruling of the council?” Hestia challenged, stepping between the two shrinking members. “The council sees no threat in the human. They will rule on Evander’s conduct; he will be summoned for his offenses, and the appropriate punishment will be handed down. But for now, this company is innocent in the eyes of the council. A council, you remember, you insisted on creating to keep the interests of Olympus.” Hestia lowered her chin, daring Athena to object. “If you continue with your vengeance, Athena, the council will have no recourse but to go before the high court and bring the matter to Zeus and the king’s council.”
Athena looked over at Camulos and shouted. “You have chosen the wrong side of Olympus this day, Camulos. Your company will pay, Maximus. Mark my words.”
In a blink, they were all gone. The only ones on the field were the four and several bodies of fallen warrior comrades.
Blood splattered their faces and mud on their armor. Liam’s saffron-colored band of fabric was ripped in several places. Maximus had large gashes to his armor, and a portion of his cloak was torn. Camulos stood on a slight rise on the side of the hill, spear still in hand, every bit the mighty warrior he was. Sweat dripped into Evander’s eyes as he glanced around at them, his company, beaten but not destroyed. Not yet. He wiped his face with his hand, running it from top to bottom, smearing dirt and blood on his cheeks. Weapons still poised as they had seconds earlier while fighting for their lives.
Camulos turned, the light breeze whipping his cloak around his ankles.
“We go to the Shadow Realm.”