CHAPTER XXXI

CHAPTER XXXI

The sentencing was held in the auditorium, a large, draughty oval room found at the top of Mount Olympus. Held up by large white pillars, the dome had walls but no door, so the mountain breeze swirled through it until Amara could see dust spiralling in the sunlight. As she walked forward, her sandals slapped gently against the marble flooring of the purest white laced with onyx streaks. The sound of her feet bounced off the walls, painted in a blood red around her. Rumour had it Zeus had insisted on the colour in case any blood needed to be shed. Given the frostiness breathing through the auditorium, which had nothing to do with the weather, she could see why.

Ahead of her, there were twelve thrones in a semicircle, each carved from marble that matched the floor and the columns around them. Of course the two closest to the middle were the largest, one slightly bigger than the other still, to represent the King and Queen. Actually, now Amara came to look at it, her eyes sharpening as they squinted, she could see that each chair was sculpted and adorned according to eachowner.

To the left of Zeus’ throne was one that rose up on a wave − Poseidon. Next to his was Demeter’s with maize growing up the throne back. Beside her was Apollo’s, a bow and arrow carved into either arm and the sun above his seat. Next to his chair was his twin sister’s, Artemis’, who also had the bow and arrow, as well as the moon, engraved on hers. Beside that was Athena ... an owl sculpture carved into one arm of her chair, as if it perched there forever.

On the other side, to the right of Hera’s throne was Ares ... bloodshed and war scenes etched into his. Beside him, Hephaestus had flames licking up his chair. Next to his was his wife’s, Aphrodite’s, adorned with roses. Next to hers was Hermes, his staff resting against his chair. And finally there was Dionysus’, which had the markings of a grapevine growing over it.

Hermes’ words echoed in Amara’s mind as she continued walking forward towards the semicircle of thrones. “Rumour on the Greek grapevine though is that Prometheus has claimed you as hisown.”

She gulped. Seven of the chairs were occupied.

She named them in her head as she took deep, steadying breaths and continued to stare straight ahead. Dionysus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hera, Zeus, Artemis, and Athena.

Hermes walked beside her until she came level with three women who were huddled to the right of her. She could see that they had someone bound on their knees in chains. When one of them tugged on the chains to force their captive’s head back, Amara gasped.

So, it was not to be hersentencing.

Relief and bile rose to the back of her throat as gratitude collided with the grotesque image of Prometheus’ face. He’d had one eye gouged out and venomous claw marks down the right side of his face that had penetrated bone. She went to take a step towards him but Hermes’ hand on her forearm stopped her. It was only then, when he shook his head, his eyes bowed, that she realised Prometheus was being held by the Gorgons. She immediately averted her gaze and heard them cackle.

Hermes took his seat and Amara was left standing on her own.

“The priestess herself,” Zeus rumbled. “So this is who one of my oldest friends would betray mefor.”

This was not a goodstart.

She was careful not to look any of them in the eye, particularly her patron goddesses, for fear they saw her seething hatred for them in her eyes. Instead, she dropped into a bow so deep she may as well have been sitting on the floor.

“Rise, child,” Hera commanded coldly.

Hera was swathed in layers of blue and green silks. Her hair was pulled back under a heavy gold crown that was encrusted with teardrop emeralds and sapphires. The veil was thinly woven gold, so thin that it looked like the Queen was enshrouded in gold dust.

Next to her, Zeus wore a plain white toga that wrapped over one shoulder and around his groin, leaving his scarred torso otherwise bare. Each scar was a proud battle wound that depicted how Zeus had won his seat and the white of his toga was so bright it dazzled.

They were a formidable pair.

“Well it appears everyone is here, unless the Moirai deign to join us?” Hera asked haughtily, her voice high and cold as it echoed throughout the chamber.

“No, my Queen.” For she was not his love. Zeus truly loved no one but himself. Hera, his queen, wife, and sister did not love him either, not like she once had. But she loved the power he wielded and afforded her and so it was a marriage of benefit for both. For a king must have a queen for his legacy and a queen must have her power.

“A pity,” Hera muttered, though she could say no more than that. The Moirai answered to no one, least of all the gods. Theirs was a role unto themselves, even if their actions had been the initial cause of this hearing.

“Athena, present yourcase.”

“My Lady.” Athena stepped forward off her throne and turned, taking a bow courteous enough to show her respect to Hera but not so deep as to say they were not family. It was a subtle political manipulation, as Athena was not Hera’s daughter, but the public acknowledgement that she considered her so should swing her some favour. If there was one thing everyone knew Athena was good at, it was reading political situations with care.

Hera smiled.

“Pray tell, what was the Goddess of Wisdom’s logic in sending a priestess to Earth to roam amongst the humans when it had been expressly forbidden byme?”

“I hoped to save my father fromheartache.”

“Oh?”

“Humans are a dying breed. Their lack of faith in anything other than themselves has brought them to the edge of collapse. I didn’t wish to see something that we all so carefully curated beingdestroyed.”

“A dutiful daughter.”

The coldness in Hera’s tone was not to be missed. Humans had brought more pain − or more accurately wounded pride − to Hera than anything else.

“Granted, they are nothing more than pawns, my Lady. But surely it is better that our amusements are put on them rather than squabble amongst ourselves again?” Athena asked.

After the weaver, the one who had challenged Athena, had so cunningly displayed how the gods used and discarded others, there had almost been a mutiny. Tithes and sacrifices had dropped and Olympus had been on the brink of war, for bartering was how they got things done around here. The humans had also been a convenient way of allowing the gods to have their fun without ruining their society ... and Hera did like the life of luxury that power afforded her. No one had suspected her imposed hiatus on them to last forever.

“And what of you two?” Hera asked, looking between Aphrodite and Artemis, her delicate hands curled over her throne and her thin forearms, where you could practically see bone, coiled and ready to strike.

Aphrodite spoke first.

“The beloved priestess has suffered more than we would have wished. We would not have done so if we did not think it was trulynecessary.”

“And it was necessary to not ask for my permission, wasit?”

“We wished to disrupt life here as little as possible and vanquish unseen foes with as little detection as possible, my Lady,” Artemis intervened.

Hera paused for a moment, taking one of her hands and playing it along the gold bangles that decorated her wrists. A nervous gesture for someone not truly comfortable with power that was not her own or a calculated way to make them suffer in silence, it was not clear.

“And you, what say youPrometheus?”

One of the Gorgons pulled the Titan by the thick chain around his neck to his feet and kicked him in the back to push him forward. Prometheus bowed his head as he dropped to one knee. Hera smiled, clearly pleased with the depth as a mark of his respect. Then he raised his head and made eye contact with his one good eye. Defiant asever.

“My Lady, King, it needs not be said how I feel about the mortals.”

Hera’s laugh was like a tinkle that froze blood. “No, I supposenot.”

“While I was privy to the goddesses’ plans, my intention had been to find the priestess and return her to you before any unnecessary damage had been done.”

“But you didn’t, did you?” Hera purred. “Why Dionysus here claims that he caught you drinking with the priestess but a fortnightago.”

The god in question shot a coy smile at Prometheus once Hera wasn’t looking.

“You will have to forgive me, my Lady. I made an error ofjudgement.”

A stunned silence broke out across theauditorium.

“You, the bearer of foresight, made an error of judgement?” Hera asked incredulously.

“How?” she demanded when Prometheus held hissilence.

“I didn’t anticipate falling in love withher.”

All eyes quickly swivelled to Aphrodite.

“What is the meaning of this?” Hera demanded.

Aphrodite rose from her throne. “My Lady, when our priestess was exposed to the fear of humans, I did what I must to protect her. Our intention was for her to eradicate the fear. Unfortunately, events occurred and I was forced to intervene. Ares will attest to that.”

Aphrodite waved a hand towards her lover, who nodded once in agreement.

“I did indeed bear witness to the intervention. Aphrodite was well within her rights as the patron of love,” he stated before yawning and flexing his muscles.

“And as I can tell you all, only love can drive out fear once it’s taken root in the humans. Given that Prometheus was hell-bent on finding the priestess, it was my onlysolution.”

“Why not simply send love throughout the humans if it could eradicate this fear?” Zeus finally asked, apparently no longer bored of this meeting.

“The love has to be pure, Father. So rare is it these days that humans trust the purity of love from another now that they have commercialised and packaged it.”

“And how did you know she would trust Prometheus’ love?”

“I didn’t. But the Moirai assured me that I was making the right moves.”

“A gamble nonetheless,” Zeus acknowledged, stroking his beard.

“All games in love are a gamble, Father.”

“A gamble that has cost us greatly, Daughter. For it seems your love-struck Prometheus here took matters into his own hands.”

Zeus’ piercing blue eyes landed on his old friend and confidant and all eyes swung back to Prometheus.

Zeus stroked his beard before sighing. “I did not know it was forlove.”

Prometheus’ knees began tobuckle.

“And she really is quite a beauty,” he mused, clearing his throat when Hera cast him a glacial stare.

“But did you or did you not deceive your King in order to present your priestess with the white fire of knowledge from the tree of life?”

A hushed silence fell over theauditorium.

“I did,” Prometheus acknowledged quietly.

“And did you, or did you not, do so knowing theconsequences?”

Murmurs broke out amongst those at thehearing.

“SILENCE,” Zeusroared.

“Idid.”

“It pains me to do this, old friend, but you have left me no choice. You knew after the last time you were insubordinate that, should you be punished again, it would echo throughout the heavens. I need your punishment to serve as a reminder to everyone of exactly what I am capable of. Even for oldfriends.”

“I understand,” Prometheus said softly, a small smile on his face. He had known his fate before he’d walked in here. Had known it all along if he’d been honest with himself. He just hadn’t wanted to see it.

“I, Zeus, decree that you will spend the rest of your days tied to the crag on the mountaintop you stole from, that your liver be ripped from your chest cavity as an act of purification and your eyes pecked out by the birds for your lack of foresight. You will serve your sentencefor—”

“Wait.”