CHAPTER SEVEN

 

 

Hestia ambled down the trail from the other direction in a bright orange tunic. Leather straps on her sandals wrapped around her legs up past her calves. Sunlight peeked from behind a cloud, haloed her crown of auburn hair, and a golden ray followed her like a personal lighthouse blaze. “What kind of trouble are you two stirring up, huh?” The temperature on the quad warmed slightly. “You all look so stinkin’ cute together. Metis, I’m so glad you finally left Atlas. Zeus is a far better choice. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother.” Tia’s smile broadened, reaching her thin almond-shaped eyes.

Metis looped her arm through mine and squeezed my arm. “Yeah, I think I’ll keep him.” She threw a sidelong glance at me. “For now. Maybe.”

Tia stopped right in front of us. Her cheer vanished. Her celestial green eyes darkened. She gazed directly toward Metis. “I’m willing to let the water go under the bridge about the drama you brought to our campus last term. But if you have more shenanigans planned, you will feel the full wrath of the students here. Understand?”

Metis nodded with a soft, knowing smile. “I deserved that. I did. But trust me, there is no one who has this guy’s back more than I do. And I love being a part of the extended family.”

“Just so you know, I was actually pulling for you two. You can ask Meter.” Tia stepped forward and embraced Metis. The skin on her arms around Metis’ neck glowed like sun-warmed sand. “I’m glad you’re here. And as such, we must be off. It’s day one of classes. Headmistress Rhea won’t tolerate tardiness.”

“I know.” I remembered how volcanic Professor Phoebe was when Poseidon and Hades showed up late to Shapeshifting last term.

“We’re right behind you, Tia.” Metis bumped me with her hip. “Though, we may soon have someone else to deal with.”

Tia stopped cold. “What? Who?”

“Some new girl that just arrived this morning,” Metis said. “Came on a chariot led by swans and doves.”

“By what, you say?” Tia asked. “Doves and swans?”

I nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“What’s her name?”

Metis and I both shrugged. “She’s in with Headmistress now.”

“Hmmm …” Tia pursed her lips. “Does she seem nice?”

“I’m not quite sure nice is the best descriptor,” Metis said. “Though she is that.”

I finished her thought. “More like, ummm … straightforward.”

“Straightforward, I can deal with.” Tia adjusted the flower blossom over her right ear.

Tia led the way around the side of the gymnasium. Her orange tunic rippled in the gentle breeze. I slid my palm over Metis’ and threaded my fingers with hers. She leaned into me while we walked.

As we reached the center of the yard, with the Megaron Hall to our right, a sudden explosive sound rose to our left. The wooden doors to the gymnasium flew open as if a tidal wave of force had blown them wide. Through the doorway strolled broad-shouldered Poseidon and Amphitrite, who looked pretty lithe and athletic. The perfect girlfriend for Don.

Don called back over his shoulder, “You got it, Coach Pontus. I’ll be here.”

Don, dressed in a cobalt blue tunic, placed his hand at Amphitrite’s back as they approached.

“Pffft. Well if it isn’t the fish and the fin together again.” Tia joked. “You guys training already?”

“There’s no award given for laziness, Tia,” Don quipped.

Amphitrite stepped forward, unraveling the braid to allow her dark indigo hair to flow freely down to the middle of her back. “Banners don’t win themselves, do they? I already hung some swimming banners at Othrys Hall last year. Time to bring ‘em back home to MO Prep with my dorsal fin here.” She turned a sidelong smile toward Don. “The couple that works out together, stays together.”

Metis bumped my hip. “Hear that, Zeus? We need to step it up.”

“I don’t much like swimming,” I replied. “But I throw a mean javelin. I could hit a whale in the eye from forty paces.”

“Paces?” Don laughed. “You can walk on water? That’s a neat trick.”

“Pssht. I can barely swim in water.” I slid my arm around Metis. “Mind if we tag along on the workouts?”

Amphitrite folded her arms. “I’ve known Metis a long time … since lower academy. If you can get her to work out, you’re the guy of my dreams—”

“Hey!” Don interjected.

“It’s true,” Phi continued. “That girl is as prissy as they come.”

“Am not!” Metis countered. “I just prefer intellectual pursuits.”

“Like I said,” Phi chuckled. “Good luck, Zeus.”

Tia embraced Amphitrite. “In any case, Phi, I’m glad you’re back over here again. Our family is growing. My heart is swelling.”

“So,” Don said, “Metis and Phi are the only new additions this term, right? We still need to keep a tightly-knit circle here.”

Tia patted my shoulder. “Actually, Zeus is still the newbie. Metis and Phi both went here before the split.” She laughed. “Oh, and apparently there’s another new something or another meeting with Headmistress right now. Guess we’ll meet her later. Enough of that. Who’s hungry?”

“We’ll be along after we wash up,” Phi said as she and Don turned in the opposite direction.

“Hey, Don,” I said. “Can I talk to you?”

We both broke away from our girls and approached one another. I couldn’t tell if he was still upset with me or if he had resting scowl face. In any event, I led off, offering him my hand. “Sorry about last night. I was a bit overcome after seeing the whole scene back on Crete. I’m still a bit taken aback, really.”

Poseidon clasped my arm. “I’m not saying your anger is misplaced nor unworthy. I simply would’ve wanted you to use a bit more caution. We got off easy. You were in over your head at Othrys. None of us were in any position to help you out of the dung storm you got yourself into. Iapetus is no joke. What if Rhea hadn’t been there?”

I nodded.

“Keep your head above the waterline, brother.” He drew a deep breath and walked off. His words had seemed nice enough. But, I sensed residual tension just below the surface.

I rejoined Metis and we all stalked off toward the Megaron Hall like a pride of lions. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, we entered the Andron eating area. The silver-haired Muses smiled through their meal in the foreground. Their high-cheekboned faces warmed, eyes brightened at the sight of us filing into the room. I guess the drama of last term was a bit much for all of us.

Hades and Demeter sat at a far table near the windows. Shade’s dark olive-toned, sinewy muscles flexed as he devoured a selection of meats as if it were his last meal. Black cuff bracelets sheathed his forearms and clanked on the table as he ate. Meter repositioned her leather hair restraint to keep her dark, wavy tendrils from falling into her plate full of vegetables. She looked up when I approached the table. A sparkle flashed in her grayish-green eyes. Her eyelids had a fresh coat of gold dusting across them.

“Meter, it really is good to see you full of color again,” I said. “You looked like a ghost when we rescued you all from Tartarus.”

Her blushed cheeks bulged with food like a squirrel. She held her finger up while she finished chewing. “Don’t remind me,” she said, finally. “A girl was in desperate need of vegetables and sunlight. And Kosmetikos.”

“Indeed,” I said. “Though, as talented as you are in creating your wares … you make the Kosmetikos attractive. Not the other way around.”

Meter beamed and blushed simultaneously. Her gaze bashfully fell back to her food as she stuffed her mouth again.

Shade chimed in, “Don’t worry, sis. We’re never going back down to the Underworld. Especially after the trial. They’re going to lock Kronos up for good.” He pounded the table.

I wheeled around toward the food table. Tia and Metis had already descended upon it like scavengers. The presentation of food resembled a war-torn countryside by the time I reached it, lumps to peaks mixed with bare patches. I cobbled together a balanced meal of goat’s meat, sardines, figs, olives, and nectar. Always nectar.

Hera and Headmistress Rhea strode into the Andron together, mid conversation. Rhea stopped, grabbed Hera’s shoulders, and turned her so they were face-to-face. “Hera, listen. I understand your concerns. And frankly I have some of the same. But I will address the entire student body in my office after the morning meal.”

Hera nodded, smoothed down her red tunic, and turned toward the food table.

“What was all that about?” I asked when she came to sit down with us, her plate piled high, wondering if she’d met the new girl yet.

Hera sighed. “I just question if these trials are going to be fairly conducted. After all, much of the most damning evidence is our word, students’ word, against that of Elder Deities. And a headmaster, at that.”

“True,” I countered. “But we saw what we saw. And so did Tia. And so did Meter and Don. We’ll be okay. And I know what happened when we were attacked on Crete. We simply have to speak our truths.”

The green in her eyes strengthened, intensified. “You know what? You’re absolutely correct. Thanks, Zeus. We will get through this. Together. We’re going to hang Kronos’ ass from a yardarm!” She clamped her grip to my upper arm. Her bicep bulged against her brass armlet with the lion’s heads. She laughed, and then turned to look at her plate and the picked-over banquet. “I can always tell when Shade’s been through here. He’s about as subtle as nightfall.”

I gestured toward the gargantuan claw hanging from around her neck by a leather band. “Ummm, what’s going on there?”

She glanced down and smirked. “Dragon’s Claw. At beginning of every term, I like to remind you all who the queen is.”

Couldn’t hate on that hustle. I joined the raucous chatter and laughter at the tables with all my friends.

Then the new girl entered the room.