Chapter Ten: The Marcella

Hestie knew she shouldn’t be afraid of her Grandpa Hades, but she was. It wasn’t because of anything he had ever said or done in her presence, but because of things she had read about online and in books. So, when she couldn’t find her parents, or Uncle Hip, or Aunt Jen, or any of the Furies in the Underworld, and her Grandma Persephone was still recovering from having been swallowed by Zeus, she decided to go looking for Hecate.

Poros and Hermie, having nothing better to do, followed.

She’d already gone to ask Morpheus if he knew anything, but he seemed more interested in Iris than in what was going on between the gods. Besides, it was her opinion that he and Iris deserved a little down time, after what they’d just gone through.

Still adjusting to her new god senses, she was startled by the sound of Hecate’s voice emanating through the walls of her chambers. The goddess of the crossroads and of witches was chanting in a language Hestie recognized as ancient Greek. Again and again, the goddess said, “Water, sky, rock, and sea, show me the helm of invisibility.”

The helm was missing? Hestie turned to her companions.

The boys shrugged, apparently as clueless as she was.

In the next moment, Hecate said, “I see you there. Come inside.”

The three teens obeyed, and when neither Poros nor Hermie offered Hecate any kind of explanation, Hestie took the lead. “We want to help the cause. What can we do?”

“Nothing for the moment,” the goddess said.

“Is the helm really missing?” Hermie asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Hecate admitted. “And Artemis has been taken. Your father gave me the news moments ago.”

“Not swallowed,” Hestie said, hoping she was right as her stomach tightened with worry.

Hecate shook her head. “We don’t know where she is. My first priority is locating the helm so that I can use magic to retrieve it, then I’ll look for her.”

“Is that possible?” Hermie asked. “Using magic to retrieve the helm?”

“It’s never been done before, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible,” Hecate said.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” Poros said. “I’m stronger than my father. I should be helping.”

Hecate put a hand on Poros’s shoulder. “There will come a time when you’ll be needed. But, for now, stay out of trouble. Be ready. Okay?”

Poros nodded.

“Can we hang out with you?” Hermie asked.

“Not now,” she said. “I need to concentrate. Run along, okay?”

The teens left, aimlessly following the Phlegethon.

“I want to go home,” Poros said.

“You mean to the ship?” Hermie asked.

“Yeah. I want to shower and change clothes and, …I don’t know… I feel lost.”

“But Prometheus said to stay here,” Hestie pointed out.

“I can’t.”

“What? Why not?” Hermie asked.

“I just can’t,” he said simply.

Hestie wasn’t sure what to say, but she didn’t want Poros to go alone. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, Hestie,” Hermie warned. “That’s not a good idea. Both of you should stay here.”

“I’m going crazy down here,” Poros finally admitted. “I don’t know how anyone can stand it. I miss the open sea and sky, not to mention my room and all my things.”

Hestie kicked a loose pebble into the river of fire. “You’re homesick. I am, too. I miss my house, my room, the forest, the lake.”

“Let’s go find our animals,” Hermie said. “I miss Noodle and Kitty. They’ll make us feel better.”

“Go ahead,” Poros said. “But I’m leaving.”

Hestie sighed. “I can’t let you go alone.”

“Hestie, come on,” Hermie insisted.

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m going with Poros.”

Hermie shook his head. “Then I guess I’m going, too.”

Hestie took her brother’s hand and then, rather awkwardly, took Poros’s.

Poros smiled down at her, seeming to be aware of how his touch affected her. She wished more than ever that she could keep the blush from giving her away, but she failed. Abysmally.

“Let’s go to my room,” Poros suggested, before the pressure of god travel enveloped them all.

As soon as they’d arrived safely in Poros’s bed chamber, they heard voices. They sounded like the voices of Prometheus and Athena, and they were coming from down the hall, near the bow of the ship—probably from the captain’s quarters.

Poros put a finger to his lips and said, telepathically, Prometheus has excellent hearing. Don’t say anything. Just listen.

“Do you really believe I wouldn’t have risked my wellbeing to be with you?” Athena was saying.

“No,” Prometheus replied. “I know you would have. And that’s the point.”

“So, you decided for me,” Athena said bitterly. “I hate you for that, Prometheus. I doubt I can ever forgive you.”

“I’d rather see you free and angry than imprisoned for all eternity,” Prometheus said gently.

“Is that what your visions foretold? That if you came back for me, I’d be imprisoned?”

“I had no vision of our future,” Prometheus replied.

Athena said nothing for a long moment, and then she said, “My father might have forgiven you, in time, if you’d asked.”

“I didn’t want his forgiveness. And if you think I had anything to be sorry for—except for leaving you—then you don’t know me as well as I thought. Mortals could not have survived without fire. I will never regret giving it to them.”

“In time, he might have come to admire your devotion to humanity,” Athena insisted.

“He’s a jealous god. I doubt it.”

“But we’ll never know,” Athena said. “We’ll never know what might have been. You robbed us of that.”

“Sweet Athena,” Prometheus said softly. “Why focus on what might have been? Let the past stay in the past. You’re here now. We might still be together, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Just then, another voice, loud and shrill and female, cried out, “Prometheus! Poseidon is under attack!”

Then Prometheus said, “That’s my mother. Did you know about this? Were you just a distraction this whole time?”

***

 

In front of Poseidon’s palace, Than conjured his sword and plunged it into the heart of Phobos while he simultaneously threw a spear at Echidna. Phobos fell, but the snake woman evaded the spear and lashed back at him, gripping him with her serpent’s tail. The pressure against his chest began to squeeze the life out of him. He felt himself reintegrating into the one helpless version of himself, trapped and on the verge of death.

Poseidon came to his rescue, paralyzing the monstrous half-woman, half-snake with a jolt from his trident. Than watched with relief as Echidna, as stiff as a statue, began to sink to the bottom of the sea, with only her eyes, fearful and angry, showing any signs of movement. As soon as Than had wriggled free of her slimy coils, he disintegrated again. He noticed Hip making headway with Keto, and, across from him, he saw Poseidon throwing bursts from his trident at Ares, Deimos, and Nike. But Phorcys charged past them and breached the doors to the palace, and on his heels were Hera and the one-hundred-headed serpent, Ladon.

Thanatos followed them into the palace, where Therese, Amphitrite, Helios, and Rhode attempted to hold the line. Apollo appeared from behind, shooting arrows at each of Ladon’s heads. The beast went wild with fear and rage, thrashing his many heads through the water. As Than attacked Hera from behind, Therese and Apollo took down Ladon. But then Than noticed Hip in Chimera’s lion-footed clutches, where he integrated into one. Than swung his sword at Chimera and missed. He charged again but was attacked from behind. Someone’s spear pierced his back. He stared at the spearhead jutting from his chest, covered in his blood.

Before he reintegrated, he saw it had been Hermes who’d attacked him.

Unable to believe that his beloved cousin could do such a thing, he paused for a split second, in shock. It was just enough of a pause for Ares to swoop in and cuff Than from behind with adamantine chains.

As he was carried off with the spearhead still jutting from his chest, Than heard his father’s shouts. In the distance, he saw his father in his chariot, coming toward him through the sea. The chariot was still miles away when Thanatos spied Zeus in his own chariot, trailing behind Hades with a lightning bolt in his hand. Before Than could warn his father, Ares flew into the sky with the helm of invisibility.

Now, Than was lost to his father and to the rest of the rebel alliance. While the helm hid Ares, it hid all he touched. No one knew where Than’s captor was taking him.

Then the pressure of god travel enveloped him, and suddenly, he was dropped from the sky into a throng of outreached arms belonging to the Cyclopes.

***

 

Hermie followed Hestie and Poros to the salon of The Marcella, where they’d overheard Prometheus order Jinsoo and Mina to stay while he flew to the upper deck. Hermie was surprised to find that night had fallen.

“Athena!” they heard Clymene wail. “Why are you here? To distract us from the attack?”

“I knew nothing about it,” Athena said. “I swear on the River Styx.”

“Are you with us, or against us?” Clymene asked.

“I, I…” Athena didn’t finish her reply.

Hermie was shocked when Poros revealed himself by leaving the salon and taking the steps to the upper deck of the ship. Hestie followed before Hermie could stop her.

“What happening?’ Mina asked Hermie with wide eyes.

“There’s been an attack on Poseidon’s palace, I think,” he said. “But don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Wait here.”

“We must go immediately,” Dione insisted from above.

“I can’t abandon the ship and leave the kids behind,” Prometheus said.

As he climbed the steps to the upper deck, Hermie heard Poros say, “I’ll watch the ship. You go.”

Prometheus did not look happy when he said, “I told you to stay put.”

“I know,” Poros said. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t. I’m the most powerful god. Shouldn’t I be helping?”

“What does he mean, he’s the most powerful god?” Athena asked.

“Whose side are you on?” Dione asked the goddess of wisdom.

“Are you with us, or against us?” Clymene asked again.

“Where’s my mother?” Athena asked.

“Hidden,” Prometheus answered. “As you should be, Poros.”

“I said I want to help,” Poros said.

Prometheus pointed a finger at Poros. “You’re also your father’s number-one enemy, his greatest threat. You’re exposed here. You were safe in the Underworld. I can’t protect you and defend Poseidon’s palace at the same time.”

“I can protect myself,” Poros insisted.

“There’s no time to waste,” Clymene urged them. “Declare yourself, Athena!”

“Are you our friend or foe?” Dione asked.

“I don’t know,” Athena said, before she disappeared.

“I’m going to fight, son,” Clymene said to Prometheus. “With or without you.”

Clymene and Dione vanished.

Prometheus looked at all three of the teens with more anger on his face than Hermie had ever seen on the Titan before. “You put yourselves in jeopardy coming here, against my wishes.”

“Poros is right,” Hestie said. “We should be helping. We’re gods now, too.”

“Barely gods,” the Titan said. “And as soon as our enemies learn of your whereabouts, you’ll become their leverage.”

“Give me more credit,” Poros said.

Prometheus frowned. “I need to go, but I can’t leave you here, out in the open. We have Mina and Jinsoo to consider. I’m taking the whole ship to the Aegean. I know a quiet cove not far from the palace. I’ll hide you there while I help defend the rebels.”

Hermie was scared but was glad he had come. He couldn’t imagine how frightened Mina and Jinsoo would have been if Prometheus had left them alone on the ship, even if it was well hidden. At least now, they had gods to defend them, and one of them was the most powerful of all.

The pressure of god travel enveloped them, and suddenly the ship was on a different sea altogether.

“Be on your guard and don’t leave the ship,” Prometheus said, before he disappeared.

Hermie turned to his sister. Poros flew up in the air to have a look around. Hestie followed.

“Wait!” Hermie said. “That’s not safe.”

Thankfully, they returned to his side.

“We need a plan,” Poros said.

“Prometheus said to wait here,” Hermie said. “We need to protect Mina and Jinsoo.”

“Protect us from what?” Jinsoo asked, as he reached the upper deck.

“The gods are at war,” Hestie explained.

“Where are we?” Mina asked, as she appeared behind her brother and glanced at their new surroundings. “And how we get here?”

“Don’t worry,” Hermie said. “You’re safe with us.”

Mina took Hermie’s hand. “You protect me.”

Hermie smiled bashfully and gave her and awkward nod.

His embarrassment didn’t last long, however. The overcast sky was suddenly alight with electricity.

“Is that a storm?” Jinsoo asked. “Or gods?”

“Both,” Poros said. “We better go below deck.”

“I’m hungry,” Mina said.

“We still got kimchi,” Jinsoo said.

Hermie rolled his eyes. He had hoped he’d never have to see or smell kimchi again. But, he supposed if tolerating it was the bravest thing he’d have to do that day, then he’d survive.