Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

F iona

"Morning, Grams. Something smells delicious," I said when I kissed her cheek in the kitchen.

It had been a good decision to return home rather than check into the hotel and stay on the island. We'd been able to catch the last ferry back to the mainland, and Bas had worked his magic to get us on a flight back. It was better to process the information with everyone rather than trying to do it in pieces from afar.

Violet and Thanos walked in the backdoor and greeted Grams briefly before Argies, Aislinn, and Kalli came down the stairs. Having almost everyone I loved gathered around the island in the cozy kitchen of Pymm's Pondside was my favorite part of my new life. The sound of everyone filling their plates with the sausages, bacon, eggs, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and toast that Grams' had made was music to my ears and stomach. I loved her homemade British fare.

My stomach twisted when Artemis entered the kitchen, notably restless. The goddess perched with regal poise on a stool at the island and cast a critical eye over our group. "Do you mortals ever solve anything by sitting around eating and talking?" she huffed, her impatience evident.

I couldn't help but smile at Artemis's bluntness, even as I rose to address her. "This might be a foreign concept to you, Artemis, but sometimes the answer lies in collaboration and conversation. And we die if we don't eat," I replied with a diplomatic edge. "Besides, we didn't return from our trip to Santorini empty-handed. We need to strategize so we know where to go next."

Artemis crossed her arms, a hint of amusement softening her stern expression. "Very well. Proceed with your plans," she conceded. It was a grudging acceptance of our methods, not that we needed her permission. I was tempted to correct her and decided against it. This wasn't a battle worth fighting. We'd shown her plenty of times that we did things our way or not at all.

As I glanced around the room, I caught Bas staring at me. We shared a knowing look. Our silent communication spoke volumes about our shared history and camaraderie. Thanos was engaged in a lively conversation with Argies about some sports team or another, their banter peppered with mutual respect and jest. Kalli, ever curious, sprinkled Aislinn with questions about our recent adventures. The little girl's fascination was evident in her bright eyes.

I reached for my phone when a sudden thought struck me. "Before we start, we should FaceTime Phoebe. She might have some insight that can help us," I announced, eager to involve my friend in our endeavors.

Violet and Aislinn both nodded their heads, and Ais said, "Good idea. She's got a lot of resources at her disposal that might be helpful."

I tapped my phone screen, initiating a FaceTime call with Phoebe. Her image appeared, her round belly taking center stage as she greeted us with a warm smile. " Hey, Fi! How's everything?" she chimed in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I chuckled and took in my friend. "Phoebe! Look at you. You are positively radiant," I exclaimed, my voice infused with genuine delight.

Kalli climbed onto the stool closest to me and grabbed my shoulder then leaned into the phone. "You so pwetty. You spawkle. My dwagon wings habe shinies."

Aislinn picked up Kalli with a chuckle. "Let's let Auntie Fiona talk to Phoebe, okay? Why don't you grab a book to read?" Kalli raced off as her mom put her down.

Aidon appeared behind Phoebe, along with her Nana and mother. Aidon was smiling down at Phoebe. "She's perfect, beautiful, intelligent, and so much more." Seeing someone look at her with such love and devotion warmed my heart. Her ex was a jackass that didn't deserve her. I could say that because we'd been best friends for over twenty years.

"Someday, she'll listen," Nana said with a stern look for Phoebe.

Grams snorted next to me. "If only we could teach these young ones that worrying about nonsense takes years off of your life adds wrinkles, and compounds blood pressure problems after menopause. They think they have to be perfect all the time."

Nana leaned toward the device on Phoebe's end with bright eyes. "You've hit the nail on the head. The younger generation is always in such a rush, aren't they? It's as if they've never heard of taking life at a leisurely pace. Sweating the small stuff does nothing but age you prematurely. These young ones need to learn to embrace imperfection and enjoy the journey. They'll learn eventually. Life has a way of teaching us to let go of stress and embrace the beauty in imperfection. If only they'd listen, they'd save themselves a lot of unnecessary worry! "

Grams raised an eyebrow with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Perfection is overrated. Embrace the imperfections. They're what make life spicy."

I changed the subject before this went into territory I didn't want to venture into. "I'm working on not getting worked up about pointless things. What has me worried right now isn't one of those meaningless topics. It has the potential to be world-ending." I focused my gaze on Phoebe and continued, "We've got another case that we need help on. The potential for disaster if we fail, is high," I shot Artemis a glare when she sucked in a sharp breath. "Not that we plan on failing."

That got everyone's attention on Phoebe's end, so I launched into a rapid recap of recent events, eager to share our adventures with her. "We haven't gotten too far into this case. Artemis just brought it to us," I began and continued before anyone could interrupt me.

I recounted everything from our encounter with the shield hunting down Artemis and our visit to Hephaestus's temple, where we uncovered a cryptic clue about thunder. Violet and Aislinn filled in the details as I went. "I wanted to include you guys in our discussion about the next steps. We need your expertise," I added, emphasizing the importance of Phoebe's insight.

Artemis's eyes flashed with irritation as she turned her gaze toward Aidon. "You allowed them to speak freely about my situation? Have you forgotten the consequences of such exposure?"

Artemis's sudden outburst disrupted the lively atmosphere, causing a ripple of tension to spread across the room. The air crackled with the remnants of her temper. It manifested in rattling surroundings and the sound of breaking glass.

Aidon narrowed his eyes and pinned Artemis with a firm expression. "Artemis, you need to calm the hell down! You're being too hard on them. They're here helping you . They need all the help and information they can get. You know better than anyone what type of a goddess they are dealing with. No one can solve this alone."

Artemis crossed her arms, her frustration was evident. "I don't appreciate being put in a vulnerable position. They should understand the gravity of their words and who they share them with. This will destroy me if it gets out there."

Aidon sighed and inclined his head. "You need to get over yourself and learn to trust. No one here will betray your confidence. And since I know you are more concerned immediately about me. I vow that this will not leave my lips."

Artemis huffed but seemed to relent slightly. "Fine, but I expect discretion from now on. We can't afford any more missteps." Her expression had softened slightly in a reluctant acknowledgment of Aidon's words.

With the immediate crisis averted, my heart rate slowed. I took a deep breath. While I was upset that the house had broken windows, we were lucky it was still standing.

Aidon nodded in agreement. "Understood. Now, let's focus on finding a solution."

Around the kitchen island, the camaraderie between our companions was palpable. Bas exchanged knowing glances with Grams, their unspoken connection a testament to their shared experiences. Thanos and Argies engaged in a spirited debate about ancient relics, their banter punctuated by laughter and mutual respect.

I redirected my attention back to Phoebe and Aidon, eager for answers. "We found something at the temple. It was in ancient Greek sigils or something. Some of them we saw when we were on Mount Olympus."

Aidon's jaw dropped open, and he snapped, "You took them to the mountain? "

Artemis scowled, and thankfully, Violet lifted her phone. Her fingers danced across the screen before she turned it to show them an image. "I managed to capture an image of the markings so we could check my interpretation," she interrupted with a glint of excitement in her eyes.

The picture displayed inscriptions carved into ancient stone, illuminated by the dim light filtering through the temple's interior. She read aloud the cryptic message as she had interpreted it. "In the shadows of Zeus's wrath, the forge of destiny was created under the gaze of the divine. Seek the echoes of thunder, where time stands still."

Thanos stroked Violet's back as he looked at the image from the side. "That sounds right to me. These words bear the weight of ancient wisdom," he mused with a touch of reverence in his voice.

Artemis leaned in, her eyes narrowing as she examined the image. "It appears you've stumbled upon something significant," she acknowledged, her tone betraying a hint of curiosity.

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. "It seems we're on the right track," I remarked, glancing around at my companions. "The question is, what does this mean, and how do we use it? Where do we go from here?"

Grams smiled softly, her eyes twinkling with pride. "You've ventured into the heart of this divine puzzle," she remarked, her words laced with a knowing undertone. "The way I see it, we need to figure out what this passage is referring to. I suspect this references the origins of the shield. Will knowing that help us locate the thing so we can have Nylah deal with it?"

Artemis straightened, and her gaze was fixed on the image once more. "The answer may indeed lie in uncovering the echoes of thunder. I tend to stay out of my father's business, so I can't help much with that."

The ridiculousness of our situation struck me then. We were on a FaceTime call across two continents with two powerful gods. If it wasn't for Phoebe's warm presence, the call would have been awkward as hell.

"It's always smart to remain off of Zeus's radar. Let's talk this through. In the shadows of Zeus's wrath... echoes of thunder..." Aidon mused aloud, his deep voice cutting through the connection. "It's definitely referring to something, but what?"

"What if it was the eruption of Krakatoa?" Thanos suggested.

Artemis shook her head. "No, that doesn't feel quite right. What about one of the hurricanes?"

Aidon wrapped his arms around Phoebe and put his hands on her stomach. "I doubt it was a hurricane. I think it's referencing the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. The mortals don't know this, but a lightning bolt caused the volcano to blow up. It blasted 12 cubic miles of gases, dust, and rock into the atmosphere and onto the island of Sumbawa and the surrounding area. Only something Zeus had a hand in could cause rivers of incandescent ash to pour down the mountain's flanks and burn grasslands and forests. And that was only the beginning. The ground shook, sending tsunamis racing across the Java Sea. An estimated 10,000 of the island's inhabitants died instantly."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Mount Tambora? Where is the island of Sumbawa?" I asked, leaning closer to the screen, eager to delve into this new lead.

Aidon ran his hands lovingly over Phoebe's baby bump. "It's in Indonesia in the middle of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain. Not only was the eruption cataclysmic, it also caused a global climate anomaly known as the 'Year Without a Summer'."

"Metis could have orchestrated the creation of the shield during that chaotic period," Artemis said with a contemplative expression. "Many of us were preoccupied with helping stabilize things during that time."

Before anyone could respond to that, Kalli, Aislinn's spirited five-year-old daughter, twirled around in the background her infectious laughter filling the room. She was holding up a picture book and looking at the images. Her antics drew a fleeting smile from Artemis, softening the edges of her lingering frustration.

"This Mount Tambora seems like the most likely possibility," Phoebe interjected. "Do you think she used the lava there as a forge?"

The familiar face of our new Relic Keeper popped up on my screen, interrupting our discussion. Nylah's name flashed across the screen, prompting a collective pause on our side.

"Phoebe," I said. "Nylah is calling. I need to find out if she was able to track the shield, but I think having her on the call might help. She will need to know as much as possible so she can handle it once we find it."

"Conference her in," Phoebe responded.

I pressed the button to answer her call and put Phoebe on hold. The kitchen at Pymm's Pondside buzzed with energy as I answered. "Nylah," I greeted as her image appeared on the screen. "I'm so glad you called. Before you get into why you called, I have Phoebe on FaceTime. I'm going to conference you in. Oh, and just so you are up to speed, we've stumbled upon a riddle involving Zeus's wrath and echoes of thunder."

I pressed the buttons, and my screen split in half joining all of us on the same call. Phoebe and the others greeted Nylah whose face had lit up with curiosity as she listened to Aidon's summary of the potential historical event.

"I've never even heard of Mount Tambora," she mused, her fingers tapping on her chin. "I wonder if Metis might have used the island for other artifacts, as well."

Artemis, her interest piqued, leaned forward. "Do you think the shield could have ties to that era?" she inquired as she kept her gaze fixed on Nylah. "I assumed it was much older."

Nylah gave Artemis a funny look. "Why wouldn't it be possible? She might have had the raw metal enchanted for a long time and was only able to forge it into a shield when this eruption occurred. The eruption's aftermath sounds like they created conditions that were ideal for divine intervention," she explained, her tone laced with excitement.

Our conversation continued, the air alive with speculation and the shared pursuit of answers while Kalli's exuberant laughter echoed in the background. The digital faces of our assembled group flickered on the screen, each figure bathed in the soft glow of the FaceTime call. Phoebe's serene expression was juxtaposed with Nylah's focused gaze.

"Before I forget, I've been trying to track the shield, but it seems to elude my abilities," Nylah admitted, her voice tinged with mild frustration. "Artemis, can you provide more details about the relic? How do you know it's Metis behind this?"

Artemis, her presence commanding even through the screen, straightened slightly. "I felt the resonance of Metis's power when the shield drained me," she explained. "It's the same essence that once imbued her creations. And it was just as tenacious as she is."

Aidon's brow furrowed as his hands continued caressing Phoebe's baby bump. "Metis is a wily bitch. She managed to evade imprisonment along with the other Titans, which was hard to do way back when."

Artemis snorted. "She's also hidden her true colors. She's snowed everyone on Mount Olympus. Father refused to listen to me, and I stopped talking to him about my problems with her. She's been looking for the perfect opportunity to take me out as long as I can remember. "

Ever the pragmatist, Bas asked, "Why wait so long to act?" His expression was a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

A touch of amusement was in his expression as Aidon shook his head. "To a goddess, a thousand years is a mere blink of an eye," he explained, his tone weighted with centuries of perspective. "When you have nothing but time, there is no urgency to act."

Artemis nodded in agreement. "Metis operates on a timescale far beyond mortal comprehension," she added, her eyes scanning the group. "Her motives are shrouded in an ancient grudge from her deranged mind."

The conversation flowed, punctuated by Artemis's insights and the collective wisdom of our companions. I got lost amidst the complexities of divine intrigue and ancient artifacts. I couldn't comprehend their attitude or approach to dealing with one another. Artemis was blase on the one hand and highly agitated about being rendered powerless on the other. Aidon wasn't quite as bad, and I imagined he had Phoebe to thank for that.

Aidon's contemplative expression shifted, and he leaned forward slightly. "Consider this," he began, his voice resonating with a thoughtful cadence. "What if Metis had been biding her time, waiting for the right conditions to wield the shield against Artemis and those circumstances include the three of you? Something made her act now. That is just as important to know. It could clue you into whether or not you are in danger."

Fiona raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident. "And how do we find that out when we can't even locate the damn shield?" A thought occurred to me. "Should we be worried about our safety? Do you think she can get to us here on my family's land?"

Artemis exhaled softly, her gaze distant as she considered Aidon's hypothesis. "I wouldn't have stayed here if I thought she could get past your wards. The Auric Blaze and Selene's ashes boost your familial shields and create something difficult to see through. It's the reason we haven't seen the shield appear here yet."

"That's good," Nylah nodded in acknowledgment and then addressed a subject I'd been meaning to ask her about. "I hate that I can't help more. If you find a way to share the shield's resonance with me, I might be able to discover more," she suggested, her voice laced with determination. "There might be clues hidden within its energy signature."

"If we get close enough to grasp it, you will be the first call we make," Aislinn promised. "Although, we might not live through the encounter."

"We aren't going to be able to determine more right now," Aidon's deep voice interrupted the conversation. "I need to feed Phoebe, and she needs rest. Keep an eye out for clues and stay in touch." His gaze shifted to Artemis as he said, "Think about others who might have assisted Metis in crafting the shield. I know you learned everything you could about her and her closest friends. Talking to one of them might lead us to the relic."

Artemis's eyes widened with a sudden realization, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. "I should have considered that sooner," she admitted, her voice tinged with chagrin. "I was too focused on never letting the shield touch me again. When I had to cut off sections of my skin to get it off of me and stop it from siphoning my power, I could think of nothing aside from evading the damn thing."

The group fell into a horrified silence. I couldn't imagine what that must have been like for a powerful being like Artemis. The panic had to go soul-deep. Grams broke the quietude. "We will keep in touch and let you know what we learn. Let us know how much lead time you will need to come and help with the relic when we do locate it, Nylah. "

I nodded in agreement. "Please tell me you can keep it from harming you while you transport it. You're connected to Artemis too. If we are in danger from it, you could be as well."

Nylah's image on the screen flickered slightly. "I am on shift tomorrow and then off for three days. Brylan can fly me there in a few hours. Keep me posted on any developments. When you find the shield, I'll be ready to nullify its power and add it to my vault," she stated firmly.

Phoebe nodded in agreement, her expression earnest. "You can count on us staying in touch," she assured us with a smile.

Violet, Aislinn, and I exchanged determined looks as the call ended. I knew their minds were already set on the next step. "We'll head to Mount Tambora and investigate," I said, voicing what I thought they were thinking.