Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“ W e’re about an hour’s ride from Thuria,” Daris said, pulling up to Terena’s side. She nodded without looking at him.

When she didn’t reply, he said, “Let’s find the boy’s father quickly and secure rooms in town.”

“You and your men should go on,” she said, proud of the steel in her voice. “We’ll find his father.”

She dared a look at him. His face was impassive, but she saw the surprise in his eyes. He dipped his chin and pulled on his reins, his large stallion moving left as he pealed away.

Terena rode off in silence with Rydon, Gabriol and Croak. She looked down after a moment to see Nikos fast asleep in her arms, his head resting on her chest with his lips parted.

She hoped she was going in the right direction, as she was loathe to wake the boy. He’d said earlier they had to keep going this way, assuring her the cave would be ahead ‘in a long time’.

Terena didn’t know what ‘in a long time’ meant to a boy his age.

The path he’d told them to take led them down, and Terena looked back the way the others had gone to see she was much lower, about the level of the base of the ravine.

A black shape appeared ahead and Terena frowned.“ What is that?”

Gabriol squinted. “Do you see that?”

“Should I wake him?”

“I think?—”

Before Rydon could finish the thought, the dark shape resolved into a sheer cliff, the shadow of it falling to a foot in front of them as Rydon and Gabriol dismounted. Terena stayed on Nyx and pulled to a stop.

The men walked forward slowly until they reached the wall of rock. Rydon looked back at Terena but she couldn’t see his face.

The boy stirred in her lap at the lack of motion, blinking up sleepy eyes at her. “Are we there yet?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “It’s dark and we can’t see.”

The boy looked around, his face brightening. “Aye! That’s it!” he said, pointing right at the cliff wall where Rydon and Gabriol stood.

Just then, Gabriol gave a shout, waving his arm. Terena urged Nyx forward and the boy wiggled in her arms, excited.

She pulled on the reins as Gabriol jogged over, holding his arms up to take Nikos when they stopped. The boy went easily, so excited he squirmed in Rydon’s arms. Terena dismounted and followed Rydon. Croak and Gabriol fell into step behind her.

“Here!” Nikos squealed. He wiggled and Rydon cursed. The boy dropped from his arms and raced forward. Terena shoved at Rydon and bolted after him.

“Your leg, Nikos!”

The dark enveloped them, the void pressing all around her. She willed herself to calm and a moment later, Terena came out into a large cave.

And froze, eyes wide in shock.

Rydon and Croak appeared on either side of her, Gabriol exclaiming softly behind her as he shoved Croak aside and moved up next to her. Croak protested, but Terena didn’t dare take her eyes off of the scene before them.

Terena’s mouth slackened. She stared at what looked like hundreds of people, bodies writhing to sultry music filling the cave. Smoke wrapped around their ankles like wraiths .

Terena took a tentative step forward, her hand grabbing hold of Rydon’s wrist when she saw couples engaged in public sexual acts. Some didn’t even bother to find furniture to take advantage of. Chandeliers heavy with crystal and dripping candles hung from invisible cords, suspended in the air above the orgy unfolding in front of them.

Terena cast a side eye at Gabriol, who gawked at the scene.

“Are you seeing this?” she whispered to Rydon, her eyes darting around at the half-naked and— yes, that is a naked man; oh there’s another .

“Where are we?” Gabriol asked.

“Paradise,” Croak sighed.

Terena squared her shoulders and took a few steps forward, grateful she wasn’t alone. As they passed people, Terena nodded and smiled, hoping she looked unaffected as she caught sight of a woman greedily sucking on a man’s?—

“Who are you?”

Terena jumped at the booming voice.

The people around them vanished. Gone were the countless bodies, the music, the smoke, replaced by stalagmites jutting up from the ground in patches around the edges of the cave.

And a man—an enormous man looking like he had muscles on his muscles—was standing on the far side of the cave. His blond hair hung in braids to his shoulders and he had gold bands on both his arms like belts that would fit Terena’s waist nicely. He wore no breeches, only a long tunic belted at the waist and sandals laced up his ankles.

Terena swiveled her eyes to Rydon before she held up her hands to the man and took another step forward.

“My name is Terena Luca. We saved a boy in the ravine back there, and he brought us here.”

The man looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. After a moment of awkward silence, he took a few steps forward, his eyes shifting to Rydon, then Gabriol, and finally Croak.

“And these three? They were with you? ”

Terena looked at Rydon from the corner of her eye, then back at the giant man. “Aye.”

“Who saved the boy? Was it you?”

“Uh…” she frowned at him. “Aye. I mean, it was a group effort.”

“Who killed the wolves?” he demanded, stopping close enough Terena craned her neck to look up at him.

“She did,” Rydon said at her side.

She glanced at him and then back at the stranger with her hand splayed. “Aye, but,” she motioned with her finger encircling all of them, “…group effort.”

The man looked at her so long Terena fidgeted.

What is happening? How did he know about the wolves?

“So… where is Nikos? Are you his father? Where did all the people go?”

The man’s stare never wavered. “You look like him,” he whispered in awe.

A chill slid down her spine. She blinked up at the man.

“Who?”

The man took a step back. “Your father. Ares.”

Rydon’s jaw hurt from how far it had dropped. While the revelation she was a god was still fairly recent—and something they’d suspected anyway—he was stunned to hear her father was the god of war.

Ares.

From the way Terena’s body stiffened and her face leeched of color, Rydon thought she must feel the same. He eyed her, watching the emotions chasing across her face, a stab of sympathy for the woman pierced her chest. She had spent much of her life searching for her parents, and having the greatness of who she was thrust upon her like this was a heavy burden for anyone, much less for someone so young .

“Ares… is my father?”

The stranger tipped his head as he regarded her. “You did not know?”

Terena shook her head.

“Do you know who her mother is?” Rydon asked.

The man arched a blond eyebrow at him. “No.”

“How do you?—”

“If you were a boy, you’d look just like him,” the man said. Then added with a smirk. “Not as pretty as him, though.”

Poor Croak looked like he was close to passing out. Gabriol clapped a large hand on the boy’s shoulder to steady him. Croak glanced over at the others, his eyes wide.

Rydon made a noise, and the man turned his gaze to him.

“Eudaemon,” the man said with a nod at him. Not a question, Rydon supposed, but a confirmation.

“Aye,” Rydon said, shifting closer to Terena. “And you, Stranger? Who are you?”

This close, the man’s light grey eyes seemed unnatural. He turned away, dismissing Rydon as his gaze sharpened on Terena.

“I am Melanos,” he said, his voice booming through the empty cavern. “I must say, I never expected to see you.”

Another shock.

This man is a myth!

“You’re…?” Terena couldn’t finish her thought.

The man—Melanos—cocked his head. “It certainly took you long enough. I’ve been here for centuries.”

Croak found his tongue at last. “You’re Melanos? The demigod?”

Melanos turned those strange eyes to him and scowled. “I’m no demigod, boy.”

Terena made a sound and Melanos whipped his gaze back to her.

“You’re… but all the stories…”

“I don’t know what stories you’ve been told,” he said, his voice rumbling through Rydon’s bones, “but I am no demigod. I am the son of Helios and Clytia.”

“Clytia!” Terena exclaimed .

“Enough of this,” the god said as he drew himself up straighter. Rydon and the others backed up a step.

“You’ve come for Bethana.”

Terena nodded. “Aye. But how?—”

“As I said, I’ve been expecting you.”

“Wait,” Terena said, holding up a hand. “Have I done this already?”

“Not this,” Melanos said.

“I’ve not been here before?”

Melanos looked at her, concern flashing in his grey eyes. “Are you simple?”

“What?”

The god turned to the others, his gaze landing on Rydon as he frowned and pointed at Terena. “Is something wrong with her? She doesn’t seem to understand.”

“I’ll be honest with you, lord,” Rydon chuckled. “We’re all having trouble understanding. It’s been a strange few months.”

Melanos looked over at each of them, then crossed his gigantic arms across his chest and sighed. “This is the first time you’ve been here, child.”

Terena scowled at him. “The oracle said ‘seven circles completed’. Does that mean anything to you?”

Melanos pinched his nose. “You’ve spoken to the oracle and you don’t know? If the oracle told you you’ve completed seven circles and you’re only now coming to me, then,” he clicked his tongue as he regarded Terena, “I am worried about the fate of mankind.”

“How many do I have left?” Terena asked.

“This is the last circle. Whatever happens in this one will determine the fate of the world, regardless if you live or die.”

Rydon balked. He did not know what that meant, but it couldn’t be good. Judging from the look on Terena’s face, he knew he was right.

“Why… why are there eight circles? I don’t understand any of this.”

Melanos quirked an ashen brow. “Every new god is given eight circles. Time loops. You die, it starts a new one. It’s an initiation from the Fates to prove our worthiness. Usually, if a god fails at whatever task the Fates set for them,” he shrugged, “they fade into obscurity. The Fates have a different plan for you, it seems.”

The god looked at Terena a moment longer before he dropped his head and snapped his fingers. Behind him, a sitting area appeared, with beautifully upholstered plush chairs, a matching couch and a large table filled with fruits and delicacies Rydon couldn’t fully pick out from that distance. Melanos turned and motioned for them to follow.

Rydon looked at the others, who turned their dazed faces to one another before Terena walked off after the god. Croak jogged forward and stayed near Gabriol.

When they sat, Croak leaned forward, his expression of awed eagerness worrying Rydon.

“Any chance you can bring back the scene we walked in on? I mean, just for background noise,” Croak said, shooting an apologetic look at Terena as Gabriol slapped him across the chest.

“They’re not real. Those are Relics. Mortals I can bring back from memory for short periods of time. They look and feel real, but are essentially a figment of my mind. That is how I amuse myself sitting in here waiting on the Heir that was promised. The boy is a Relic, too. Another test for the Heir.”

“The Heir?” Rydon said, his eyes widening. He glanced at Terena, her gaze already on him.

“Aye,” Melanos said. He reached out and plucked a fig from a plate before them. “Athena came to see me once, long ago. Before they were banished. She said the Heir of Ares would come find me. And when that happened, the Heir would free me, but only if I helped the Heir take Bethana’s fangs.”

Terena put a hand to her head. “I’m sorry. What?”

“How did Athena know she’d come?” Gabriol asked.

Melanos shrugged. “She’s smart.”

“And how does Terena free you, exactly?” Rydon asked. He was concerned about Terena. She clearly looked more shaken than he’d expected .

Melanos stared at Rydon while he chewed. “That I do not know. Hoped you would,” he said with a glance at Terena.

When she didn’t respond, Rydon nudged her arm. Terena blinked at him, then looked up at Melanos.

“I will do it if I can,” Terena shrugged.

“Fantastic,” Melanos clapped his hands, startling Croak. With a wicked grin, he leaned forward. “Let’s get started then.”

“What is the real story behind the myth of Melanos and Bethana?” Gabriol asked.

All eyes pivoted to Melanos.

He chewed thoughtfully as he regarded them. “By the looks on your faces, I can only imagine what you’ve all been told and believe as truth.”

“The story I know,” Terena said after it became apparent no one else would speak up, “is that you and Bethana fell in love after she saved you. You’d been fatally wounded in battle. Though we all thought you were a demigod, so mortal, and that your love for each other saved you.”

Melanos snorted.

Terena went on. “But Poseidon was in love with her, found you two together and killed you. And then turned Bethana into a serpent.”

“He was in love with her,” Melanos agreed softly into the thick silence that followed. “And he did find us together. But I am immortal and he could not kill me without risking my father’s wrath. So he cursed me to this cave. It wasn’t until Athena found me that I had any hope of leaving. Of course, you took your time about it.”

“Right,” grumbled Terena, twisting her lips. “So I have to kill Bethana?”

Melanos spit something at Croak, who flinched back.

“Well,” the god said with a big exhale. “Technically, you only need her fangs. I’ve had a long time to think about it. She’s my lover, after all, and since I’d be very upset over her death, perhaps there’s another way to fulfill this part of your labors without killing her.”

“My labors?”

Melanos gave her a flat stare. “You’re not yet two and twenty, are you?”

“No,” Terena said, her brow furrowed.

“You’re destined to bring back the Olympian gods,” Melanos said, pointing a finger at her as he leaned toward her. “This is the test the Fates have created for you. You think they’re just going to let you bring them back? They almost destroyed this realm.”

“The Fates don’t want the gods to come back?”

Melanos only stared back at her.

“What does my being twenty-two have to do with it?”

“That’s when you come fully into your powers. And when you’re supposed to start your trials. For some reason, you started early, which is why you keep failing.” He popped a piece of cheese in his mouth and chewed. “How do you not know any of this?”

“I don’t know I’m supposed to know any of this,” Terena grumbled. “I went to the oracle and?—”

“Psh!” Melanos waved a hand dismissively. “Pytho? She’s useless.”

“Ha!” Croak guffawed and Terena glared at him. “What? I knew she was full of shit.”

“Hmm,” Melanos said, smirking at him. “Smarter than you look.”

“What happens when I come fully into my powers?”

Melanos spread his hands. “I honestly don’t know. Hasn’t happened yet. I only know when you do, this one will no longer be tied to you. He’ll be mortal again,” Melanos said with a glance at Rydon.

Surprise widened Rydon’s eyes, and he sat back. “In truth?”

“Aye,” Melanos grunted. “But be careful. The closer she is to her majority, the closer you are to mortality. It’ll take longer to heal if you’re wounded. Once she’s immortal, she won’t need you.”

Terena pitched forward, her hand reaching out to grasp Rydon’s wrist. “I will need him. I will need you, Rydon. ”

Rydon grimaced. “I appreciate the sentiment, Ren. And I’ll continue at your side, if it is your wish.”

“Not that anyone’s asked,” Gabriol said as he puffed out his chest. “I will be with you as well.”

Croak snorted. “You’re only staying because of Rydon.”

Terena shot him a dirty look before she smiled at Gabriol. “Thank you, Gabriol. I definitely need you as well. We don’t know what will happen in the next six months until that time, and I will need all the help I can get.”

“So?”

Terena leaned back in her seat, confused. “So…”

“Do you want to hear my plan or not?”

“Huh?”

Melanos hung his head, then shook it and sighed. He lifted his gaze to Terena again and motioned with his hand. “Bethana?”

“Oh. Yes, of course.”

“Well,” Melanos said as he looked out over the selection of food in front of him, “since you only need the fangs, you don’t need to kill Bethana. You just need to take her fangs. You’ll need something large, like, I don’t know, a branch or something. Get her to attack you and then,” he slammed his fist down on the table, crashing plates onto the floor.

Croak jumped onto his seat, holding the chair arms as he shrieked in fright.

Melanos roared with laughter.

“She sinks her fangs into the wood,” Rydon said to Terena, “and you can pry the fangs from her mouth.”

“See? Even the Eudaemon gets it.” He pointed at Croak and laughed. “That was funny, boy.”

“Where can I find the serpent? Bethana.”

Melanos regarded her in silence for a minute. “There’s a warren of caves beneath the falls where she and I first met. That’s where Poseidon imprisoned her after turning her into the serpent.”

“And imprisoned you here. ”

“As you see.”

“So, do I free you now or after I get the fangs? How’s that work?”

Melanos chuckled. “Your guess is as good as mine, Heir. Come see me after you’ve acquired the fangs, to be safe.”