“In a just cause the weak will beat the strong.” ~ Sophocles
Featherlight kisses brushed her cheek and brought her out of her heavy slumber.
“Koukla.”
That one word almost started an avalanche of tears. She tried to move but realized her head was lead and wanted to tip forward. Battered and bruised, her midsection ached, but she couldn’t yet recall the why of it.
“Don’t move, you’ve suffered some very bad injuries. I have given you some of my blood to heal you faster. You didn’t fair too well, koukla.”
Her hand jerked immediately to her abdomen. Xen turned her head to him. His fingers brushed her cheek. The look in his green eyes told her what she feared, she was no longer with child. A thousand images swam through her head, trying to grasp at what point it must have all happened. She remembered fighting Hal. A kick had sent her flying into a hard wall, the pain harrowing. She remembered when her head connected with the wall, then someone turned out the lights. She watched as Xen saw all her recollections. There was a deep sadness in his eyes. She knew he had been reading her.
“Koukla.”
And then that one word succeeded in breaking the dam. Hot tears spilled, causing every fiber in her body to spasm and shake. She was so overwrought with grief, her lungs tightened. It was so hard to breathe. Xen pulled her close. He whispered to her, only endearing words. Words which her brain memorized because she needed to anchor to something in order to get through this, and Xen and his soothing voice were the only thing she could hold onto without losing her mind completely.
Hours later when the rivers ran dry and she could not shed another tear, she stood in her zombie state. Her legs felt weak and numb, and her body was not responding to her commands. She was somewhere else. Xen rose from his position and wrapped his arms around her, firmly holding her up.
“Can you help me take a shower?” Her voice cracked.
“You need only ask, koukla.”
What would she do without this man? He had changed her whole life. He’d given her a gift and she’d lost that precious gift. Guilt punctured her heart.
“Koukla, this is no fault of yours, and I will not have you blame yourself for it. The man who did this to you is dead, and I for one wish he weren’t, so that I could watch him die slowly and savor it.”
Turning her head, she saw the rage in his eyes. He looked at her and she noticed his eyes were puffy and red. He was crying too. Her immortal warrior had been shedding tears over their loss.
She wobbled but managed to grab him in an embrace. They stood there, not saying another word, just holding on to each other for dear life.
She pulled back a little and looked him in the eyes.
“I want to speak to Ares.”
“Ask. He will answer you.”
“Father,” she said in a whisper.
The air sizzled and crackled. A flash of bright light bounced off the wall in their room. Ares stood before them. She let go of Xen, feeling somewhat better.
“Kori mou, how are you feeling?” he asked as he reached out to smooth her hair from her face.
“I’m dry from crying. I’m deeply scarred and wounded by this outcome, and above all I’m pissed to high Hades.”
“Careful, kori mou, don’t ever mention my uncle Hades. You don’t know what he is capable of.” His voice dripped with calm, but a warning came with it.
“But why would he answer me?” The thought that Hades would answer sent a sharp spike of fear down her spine. She’d suffered enough and didn’t need more.
“As to the why, I cannot answer, but know this, Daughter ... if you call, they will come. You are the only demi-god on this mortal plain with the power to do that.” He paused. “You seem to have unlocked that talent.”
Carissa stood with her mouth open. Her father leaned over, placed a finger under her chin and pushed it up. She felt color shading her cheeks. Xen let out a laugh and that was the first time since she woke that she’d heard him laugh. She’d missed it.
“What other fancy little talents do I possess that I should know about?”
“Well, that’s a good question. You showed remarkable talents early—a new one every six months to be precise. I don’t know the extent of them because I had to bind your powers. I just know they must have stopped because your mother stopped calling me. I figured you were done, but one can never know, Carissa.”
Xen spoke before she could ask the same thing. “What you’re saying is that, unbound, she could be a live wire, so to speak.”
“Exactly!”
Carissa took a minute to digest the enormity of what her powers might be and realized there was no going back. If she was born with these talents, as well as any that might pop up in the future, then she would have to deal with them. Ironically, her one-God belief system echoed in her head: “God would not give you something if he thought you couldn’t handle it.”
Xen tilted his head at her thought. His lips curved.
“I want you to unbind my powers, Father, and then I want you teach me how to use them, but it doesn’t end there. I want retribution for my loss. Hal’s death does not soothe me enough, as he didn’t die by my hand. I need to voice my anger to the gods.”
Ares laughed. “Daughter, no one voices their opinion to the gods. It’s just not permitted.”
“I don’t really give a damn what is permitted.” She bit back the anger rising to the surface.
“Those gods sit up wherever they are and pay no attention to the progeny they so carelessly leave in the human realm. Someone needs to be responsible. I want my say, one way or another. If you don’t help me, Father, I will find my own way. And I assure you, I may be battered and bruised right now, but I will recover, and when I do, I’m going to want heads just as much as Xen does.”
A loud laugh echoed around the room. Ares thought it was funny.
“This isn’t a joke.”
“I didn’t say it was. I was admiring how brilliant my daughter is that she wants to fight. Just like her father.” Ares walked over and embraced her. She hugged him back. Before she could say anything else, he whispered a few words over the top of her head. She felt his breath.
“Apolyo,” he spoke the ancient Greek word.
She didn’t understand the word but Xen projected a multitude of meanings to her mind. Unbind, release, set free.
The air shifted. Ares tightened his embrace. Light tingles started at the top of her head and worked their way down her body. It felt like thousands of pinpricks; it intensified and her body burned from the inside out. It happened quickly and she could see Xen standing closer, his face frozen with concern.
I’m okay, she projected.
He let out a breath.
“You are now unbound, Daughter. Be ready in three days. I will come for you.” He pointed to Xen. “He stays here.”
“She will not be going alone, Ares,” Xen gritted out.
“She won’t be alone. She will be with me,” Ares bit back.
They stood nose-to-nose, toe-to-toe.
“Can you two quit talking as if I’m not here? Oh, and she as you both put it, can make up her own mind.”
“Koukla, I’m so—” Xen didn’t finish his sentence because Carissa cut him off.
“In three days, Father and you will agree to whatever I decide at the time.” He gave her a knowing look, but she pushed on. “Audience with all the gods, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“You’ll have your audience because I will be on trial for Hal’s murder. You aren’t the only one who wants retribution,” Ares responded. “Oh, you should also know that if they give you an audience, it is because you are not only my daughter, but the descendant of the great Cecrops. He was the founder and first king of Athens.”
“He was half man, half serpent. A myth.”
“Daughter, so am I,” he said, giving her a subtle wink.
Bright light engulfed the room. Her mouth hung open and so did Xen’s. She put a finger under his chin and pushed it closed. He pulled her into an embrace.
She had three days to learn the extent of her powers as well as how to control and use them. She would not be unprepared or underprivileged when she stood before the Greek gods on Olympus.
Xen’s phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and answered. “Yes she’s here. Who’s this?” Carissa could hear a frantic woman on the other end.
“For you,” he said and handed her the phone.
She took the phone from Xen and put it to her ear.
“Carissa, where the hell have you been?”
“It’s a long story. What’s up?” What on earth would she tell Ligi without bringing her into all the madness?
“Kelly.”
“What’s happened? Is she hurt?”
“No, she’s been kidnapped by some badass named Lox.”
“Lox who ...?” The words died on her lips when her eyes met Xen’s and saw his paled complexion.
“Gamoto.”