Chapter 8 - Quaid
When I grab Star’s arm, three things happen at once.
First—the world blinks and everything—including Star and me—turns into nothing but a teal green outline.
Second—the lighter flicks off, so everything around Declan and Aric, goes dark.
And third—the space in front of Aric goes… blurry, or something. And he goes flying backwards, landing on his ass.
Then, Star screams.
Out of instinct, I clamp a hand over her mouth, because that blur disappears again, but not before I get a glimpse of horns.
I pull her to my chest and walk backwards, melding right into the wall and removing us both from the situation.
Then I whirl her around—everything about her outlined in teal green—and deactivate the tech inside my glasses.
Her eyes are wide with surprise, looking at me like I’m a freak.
Because the world is not supposed to be nothing but a glowing outline.
But it only takes a moment for that to disappear and for us to become ‘real’ again.
She opens her mouth to scream, but I clamp my hand over it again and shake my head. Then I whisper, “Don’t make a sound. We’re out of immediate danger, but if we landed where I think we did, it won’t be safe for long. Do you understand me?”
She doesn’t move. Doesn’t even blink.
“Star!” I whisper yell, kind of shaking her at the same time. “Do you understand?”
I get a nod this time.
“Good. I’m gonna take my hand away from your mouth and you’re gonna remain silent and still.” Slowly, I remove my hand.
And immediately, she’s broken her word! “What the hell! What the fuck?”
“Shhhh,” I say. Very insistent now. “We’re in a lot of danger and—”
But my words are broken by a scream somewhere else in the maze.
Star whirls around, looking in all directions in the dark. “What the fuck was that?”
I sigh. “Declan, I think.”
“What?” Now she’s looking at me again.
“Don’t worry. He’s a demigod. He’ll pull through.”
Star grabs me by the collar and starts shaking me. “What the fuck is going on!”
I grab her wrists and hold them tight. “I get it, it’s confusing.
You lost your memory. You have no idea who you are.
And the three of us all showing up on the same night—well, it’s a lot.
So I get it. But you need to calm the fuck down and listen to me.
Because both of those men back there, they claimed you.
I don’t know how Aric did it, but Declan did it with that trick of a kiss and—”
“Kiss?” She’s hysterical. “Who the hell cares about a stupid kiss! Three seconds ago, I was a glowing green outline! We… you… I went through a wall! A wall, Mr. Nobody! A fucking wall!”
I push her away from me, kinda hard, too. “Don’t call me that! I was the one who saved your ass! Twice!”
She stares at me, stunned by my angry outburst.
Which affords me the opportunity to take a breath and get myself under control. “I’m just gonna spell it out for you, OK? Because you’re clearly in a state.”
She puts her hands on her hips. “A state?”
“You’re not who you think you are. You’re not even mortal. This life you’re living? It’s all a lie. You were sent here to the mortal world because you’re a lynchpin in an ancient Titan prophecy.”
“You’re insane! Get away from me!” She turns and tries to run, but I quickly lean forward, grab her around the waist, and push her up against a wall. Immediately, she and I are struggling, but she’s very small and I’m not, so she’s got no chance at all.
“Listen,” I say. Kinda shoving her into the wall a little.
This one word comes out way too strong, and in combination with the shoving, scares her.
So she recoils. “Your real name is Pleiades Eight, not Star. You’re the missing Sister.
Daughter of the sea nymph, Pleione, and King Aegeus.
You were hidden away by Hera upon your birth to prevent a prophecy from coming true. ”
“What?”
“You don’t remember because Hera wiped your memory.
You’re some kind of keystone in the return of the Titans.
Somehow, some way, you help them escape from their eternal prison in Tartarus.
Naturally, this is a very bad idea. Hera didn’t want to kill you outright—she wasn’t sure what kind of power you might wield.
So instead, she sent you to live in the mortal world. ”
“You’re crazy! All that stuff is just myth! And anyway, it happened thousands of years ago!”
“No. It’s clearly not a myth because you were imprisoned with two demigods just ten minutes ago. They were both sent to retrieve you. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. All I know is that they can’t have you.”
“So you took me.” She’s furious now. But at least she’s listening.
“Yes. I was sent by Apollo.”
“So you want me as well?”
“Of course. Everyone wants you, Star. You’re the key to everything. But we’ve got a serious problem.”
“No shit. We’re in some kind of maze. I might not be a history expert, but from my recollection, the Labyrinth is the home of a monster and everyone sent inside is eaten by it!”
“Not exactly. And, this isn’t the real Labyrinth, obviously.
Your half-brother killed the Minotaur about a decade back.
Olympus is not a myth. It’s just another dimension.
They live on a similar timeline, so it’s all happening at the same time.
This world, that world, it’s all connected.
Declan is the son of Hermes, messenger to the Gods.
A traveler. That’s how he passed through the worlds.
That’s how he got us out of the sheriff’s station.
Aric is the son of Ares. And trust me when I say this, that guy is bad.
Ares is the God of War. He’s a savage brute and it would be a huge mistake to assume his son is any different.
I don’t know how Aric got here. What I do know is that he put a seduction curse on you to make you want him.
That’s why you were throwing yourself at him last night.
And Declan, he got you to kiss him back there.
I don’t know what the rules are about kissing, but if what he said was true, and it’s a claim, then we’ve got a huge problem. ”
She’s tapping her toe, her arms crossed over her chest. “Let me guess. You have to claim me too.”
I point at her and smile. “That’s correct. If I claim you now, they can’t take you and—”
“What makes you think I don’t want to be taken?”
“Well,” I laugh. “Excuse me for assuming you didn’t want to be used as a pawn in a war between the Olympians and the Titans. My bad.”
She goes silent for a moment. Then, finally says, “What does your claim involve?”
I nearly grin, only barely managing to tuck it down. “Just a little piece of jewelry.”
“Let me see it.”
I reach into my coat pocket and pull out the bit of leather and silver.
Star squints. “Is that a…” She leans in. Then looks up at me. “Is that a collar?”
I press my lips together and nod. “It is. It’s not just any collar, though. It’s connected to these.” I point to my sunglasses. “Which are connected to Apollo.”
“Who you work for.”
“Correct.”
“And he’s the god of…?”
“Oh, hell. That guy can do just about anything. But mainly, as it pertains to you, he’s in charge of your prophecy.”
She taps her toe again. “I see.” Hands on hips again. “Well. Isn’t that convenient.”
She’s not gonna let me put this collar on. I can see the argument coming. But this is not a choice, and she’s not in charge here, I am.
Our eyes are locked when these thoughts go through my head and it’s like she’s reading my mind, because she turns to run.
But I simply change us back into the in-between state of glowing green outlines, confusing her long enough to slip the collar around her neck and seal it forever with the magic of Apollo.