35. SOPHIE
The afternoon sun blazed down on the Gardens of Incrementum. The faint sounds of the Isle’s waterfall gurgled away in the air. Sophie sat on the crisp grass, blooming all sorts of flowers and vines. The goddess side of her power came a little easier now and with Danna present beside her, showing off the same powers, it was like a festival of flowers had decided to impose itself on the Isle.
“Since you’ve got the pretty side of your power down pat, I think it’s about time you start learning how to unlock its darker side,” Danna said, a hint of pride shining through. Her long silver hair was bound up into a bun to abate the heat.
“Finally!” Sophie groaned. She was finally making headway. One step closer to controlling her power that would one day beat the shit out of Kaine, Queen Calliea and Terr. With her goddess power, she could create, but she could also destroy.
Truth be told, Sophie had already practiced her offence powers. Late at night before bed, or early in the morning just after breakfast, she practised using the nature around her to form different-shaped weapons then coating them in the Fae elements she’d mastered. Her favourite combination was a giant flaming flower sword. It made no sense, but gods was it good to swing it around. She was living her childhood fantasy and finally she had a chance to test her mettle against someone or something.
As Sophie got up from the ground, ready to move onto more strenuous work, a puff of white smoke appeared between her and her mother.
From the smoke, the strawberry-blond Eros materialised, floating softly to the ground, flexing every single muscle until he formed what Sophie could only describe as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s double bicep and back pose. Sophie blinked her eyes in a little bit of surprise, but mostly confusion.
“’Tis I—” the god began dramatically, his white wings spanning out slowly.
“Eros, what on earth are you doing?” Sophie crossed her arms, not the least bit impressed, but a smile broke from her lips.
Eros let out a little whine of annoyance and huffed, crossing his arms. “Ash said you wouldn’t be impressed. Guess he was right.” Eros stood there, blowing a curl from out of his face with an exasperated breath.
“Oh did he? Well in that case colour me impressed because that was . . . that was really something.” Sophie fought a laugh.
Eros’s furrowed brows quickly turned into a bright smile. “You hear that, Ash! She said she was thoroughly impressed!” Eros crowed between his cupped hands.
Not my words, but sure.
Sophie turned to find Ash with a nasty scowl across his face. He only broke the scowl to greet Sophie’s mother.
“Danna,” Ash nodded curtly before returning to scowl at Eros.
Deymos, all dark and gloomy, landed in the fray with a loud boom. His darkness flowing around him in tendrils. He nodded to both Sophie and Danna.
“Sophie!” Nemysis called from behind. Sophie turned in time to receive a forceful pat on the shoulder from Nemy. Her chestnut-coloured wings were extra shiny today.
“Good to see you, Nemy,” Sophie responded, putting a hand to the angel’s shoulder. They hadn’t seen much of each other outside of training, but thankfully, Nemy had dialled down her thirst for retribution, quickly making them training partners.
Danna was in full conversation mode with Eros, exchanging bits of laughter. Nemy moved to greet the goddess of all lands.
To Sophie’s surprise it was Deymos who moved closer to her. His grey wings coiled tight behind his back as he leaned into Sophie’s ear to whisper something. Except, he didn’t whisper at all. “Ash, the grand master of weapons wanted to see you before we left,” he teased. Move over terror and dread, Deymos was clearly a comedian.
Eros oohed from across the garden, stoking the fire that now burned in Ash’s smoking eyes. Lightning skittered into the air.
Deymos, unfazed by Ash’s turbulent power, turned to the master of weapons and butt-tapped him. Literally, butt-tapped him. The sound was sharp. “Don’t get too riled, up Ash, I was only joking.” He smiled before running over to Danna to kiss her cheek in greeting.
Sophie could no longer hold on to her laugh. These angels were so human it wasn’t even funny. “Ah, it’s always a good time when they’re around,” Sophie sighed happily.
Ash muttered profanities under his breath before clearing his throat. “Sorry, they can get out of hand sometimes.”
“Don’t be sorry. I like the teasing.” Sophie smiled. “So . . . what’s up?”
What’s up? Fucking hell.Sophie didn’t know what to do with her arms, or her entire body for that matter. She was as nervous as a bag of cats at a greyhound meet and it was all because of the moment they shared last night in the Meadow of Yearning. Nothing else really happened after that but they were teetering on a tightrope of friendship and as each day passed, the more the tightrope was bowing and bouncing out of control.
Ash’s smirk snapped Sophie back into reality. He could tell she was nervous. And he liked it. Sophie immediately went back to hating the arrogant angel.
“We just received a mission. The Tienthan have been tasked to clear the surrounds of a portal that has just opened in Faery.” Ash paused. “As their demigoddess, I thought it was best that you know . . . The portal opens to the Shadow Realm and it looks like it’s there to stay.”
Sophie’s gut sank.
“Who opened it?” Sophie asked, a little panicked.
“Kaine.”
“And what about the people of Faery?”
“It’s something we’ll assess when we get there,” Ash said with a grim look on his face.
Fear struck itself in Sophie’s chest for a little bit, but after a brief pause and breath, the fear abated and, in its wake, came the feeling of fury. Sophie was stronger. Wiser. Better. And she had a target aimed straight at Kaine’s head.
“Let me know what you find,” Sophie said more confidently.
“I’ll keep you updated.”
“How long will you be?”
“A day or two. I’m not too sure.”
“Well good luck then. Don’t let those miscreants make your head explode.” Sophie grinned, pointing to Eros, Deymos and Nemysis. They were still in a deep conversation with Danna.
Ash moved a touch closer.
Sophie’s heart beat a little faster.
It was as if he was about to embrace her, but he didn’t. He stopped just a short distance away. “I know I’m your only friend here, so try not to miss me, alright?” Ash grinned, earning a narrowed look from Sophie.
He sparked into a hearty laugh. He baited her. It was exactly what he wanted.
Idiot, Sophie thought as Ash walked away toward his friends.
With curt nods and quick waves, they all blasted into the air – the picture of divinity at its finest. Except Eros, who instead of propelling himself into the air with a mighty push of his majestic wings, conjured a little nimbus cloud, hopped on it like it was a bed and proceeded to draw in little tendrils of white smoke, a love heart with the initials A + S in the middle of it. He even had the audacity to wink as he ascended into the air.
Sophie just shook her head as he disappeared into the brightness of the sun.
“So, want to tell me what that was all about?” Danna wagged her brows. Her skin was glowing just a bit extra after that encounter.
“Absolutely not—”
“Tell her about what?” a deep male voice cut in.
Sophie startled and snapped her head to the voice that came in from the side of the garden. It was Commander Ares. He emerged from a rose bush, with his battered wings, tanned skin and golden hair.
This whole appearing out of nowhere thing is extremely exhausting.Sophie let out a frustrated breath.
“You’re late.” Danna frowned with a hit of a smile.
“Apologies.”
“Late for what?” It was Sophie’s turn to chime in.
“He volunteered to help you with your offensive tactics. What greater opponent than the god of courage and war himself?” Danna beamed.
If Sophie could melt away into the ground and somehow slither out of this situation, she would. Sure, she was ready to up the ante with her powers, but she wasn’t ready to face the god of war.
Sophie turned on her heel quickly and groaned. “Fine. Let’s get this over and done with.”
“Was it something I said?” Ares said under his breath.
Dash. Slice. Throw.
The mana buried deep inside Sophie seemed to have no end. The more she threw out her mana, the more her well filled back up again. She was getting stronger, and her body was thrumming from the adrenalin of it all. With speed, Sophie launched herself into the air using a mound of dirt. She tumbled on a whisper of wind and came crashing down, collecting variants of vines and flowers to form a longsword that burned to life. She rained a downpour upon Ares before striking down with her flower-encrusted blade of fire. She felt invincible like this, weaving her elemental Fae magic and her core powers as a demigoddess.
Ares, donning his infamous golden helmet and spear, quickly whisked away the water with a swipe of this spear. He jumped up to meet Sophie and they clashed in a flurry of strikes and hits. Sophie landed few strikes, her floral sword falling away with each impact. The sword had some kick to it despite being made of flowers. Ares, being centuries old, had the skill and dexterity to outmanoeuvre Sophie. He wasn’t tired by any means, but he was panting just a little and that was enough of a win for Sophie.
They landed on the ground and almost cracked the earth beneath them. Sophie crouched low, breaking away her flower sword to pull out her favoured rope dart. She hadn’t had much practise with it, but it called to her in this very moment. With a flick of her wrist, she encased the rope dart with her favourite fire and shot it out, aiming for Ares’s jugular. Sophie tunnel visioned as she saw the sharp blade of her rope dart fall short and nick his bicep instead, drawing the tiniest gash of blood.
Sophie gulped. In an instant, Ares’s golden spear tip was pressed firmly onto Sophie’s neck. If she moved, she’d be done for.
Sophie’s rope dart fell unceremoniously to the ground with a clatter. Her body as still as stone as Ares’s spear drew tiny rivulets of blood from her neck. Ares was as still as a predator in the jungle. His face unmoving and all serious. It was only after a beat of silence that he pulled back, wiping the blood that dripped down his bicep and healed it all in one motion.
Sophie pulled back too. Standing from the crouch, she placed a hand upon the tiny cut the spear had made upon her neck. She channelled her healing powers to it. With a slight tingle, the bleeding stopped, and her skin was new. Sophie dared to look up. Had she just royally pissed off the god of war?
Oh.
Ares stood with his arms stretched out wide and a proud smile on his face. In all accounts of history, the god of war was cruel and punishing but in all the times Sophie interacted with him, he was nice. She expected a call for blood or her instant death by spear, not him standing there looking like a proud father.
A smile broke from her lips.
Ares threw his spear into the air. It disappeared into an invisible abyss as he drew his hands together and clapped. “Bravo, Sofreya. You’ve got grit and you’ve clearly got the power. It’s not often anyone draws blood from me. Dare I say that rope dart is as slippery as a hydra,” Ares claimed, moving forward to clasp Sophie on the shoulder.
“Really?” Sophie was wide-eyed now.
“Really. Don’t let it get to your head though.” Ares winked before turning, heading toward the refreshment table.
As his back turned, Sophie let out a silent yes, fisting her hand and pumping it in the air several times, before righting herself and heading for the refreshment table too. Sophie grabbed a glass of water and perched on the table beside Ares.
“A rope dart is possibly one of the hardest weapons to master. I’m surprised you handled it so well, especially wrapping it with your elemental fire. Very clever.” Ares lifted his cup to Sophie in a salute of sorts.
“I haven’t mastered it as such, but I guess having a great teacher helps in any case,” Sophie explained.
“Acheron.” Ares scoffed. “I swear by the Fates that the boy needs to just look at a weapon to master it. The man, I should say. He’s been through a lot . . .” Ares moved into a state of reflection, his eyes glazing over as if peering in the not-too-distant past.
Sophie didn’t want to pry. It didn’t seem like it was her place to do so. What happened in the time that they were torn apart in Faery?
Ares sighed heavily and pushed off the table. “Anyway, let’s do another—” He was cut short as a small, levitating scrolled appeared beside him on a puff of smoke. He snatched the scroll from the air and read it with a huff.
Curious, Sophie asked, “Is something the matter?”
Ares disintegrated the scroll in the air and pulled out his spear from the invisible pocket of reality he’d managed to tuck it away into. “It’s from Acheron. One of the Tienthan have gone AWOL in Faery. I’ll need to handle it. Perhaps we can reconvene in a few days. You are strong, Sofreya, and I’d like to see your power honed into a dauntless reckoning. Keep up the good work.” Ares nodded before disappearing into thin air.
The compliment made Sophie beam and her cheeks flush. It was the confidence boost she never knew she needed. Against Kaine, Queen Calliea and Terr, Sophie actually stood a chance.