Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

I gaped at Artemis. " You have to help with Apollo. We need to find Shannon's soul."

Artemis narrowed her eyes on me, and the world seemed to warp and shift around us. For a moment, confusion clouded my mind, the sudden change catching me off guard. "What's happening?" I blurted out.

Artemis regarded us with a severe expression. "I'm sending you to retrieve Apollo," she declared. Her words carried a finality, and it took a second for them to sink in. When they did, it dawned on me like a sudden revelation that we were being transported to fulfill her bidding. Crap. I guess I shouldn't have tried to tell her what to do.

From the dark circles under Artemis' eyes and her sallow skin, I wouldn't have thought she had enough energy to conjure a bow, let alone send us somewhere. Those thoughts dissipated as the world around us shimmered and blurred. One second, we were in freezing Alaska and the next we found ourselves standing on the shores of a deserted beach with the sun beating down mercilessly overhead. The last was a welcomed reprieve from the frigid temperatures .

The sand stretched out before us, golden and inviting. I wished we were there to enjoy the cerulean expanse of the ocean that stretched out to the horizon. It would have been far more pleasurable to have a mai tai in hand and be lounging with my friends than hunting down a rogue god.

"Now, this is my kind of change in scenery," Faith remarked as her gaze swept over the expansive stretch of beach. We stood there for a second just taking in the endless expanse of cerulean water that stretched out to the horizon.

Tegan's brow furrowed in confusion. "Where exactly are we?" She tilted her head to Damon as she squinted against the glare of the sun.

Damon shook his head. "I don't recognize anything. We'll have to search." He shaded his eyes with one hand as he peered into the distance.

With a shrug, I started along the shoreline. The rhythmic crash of waves echoed in our ears and was a soothing yet disorienting soundtrack to our journey. I'd been happy for the sun moments ago, but now, as sweat poured down my spine and ran between my butt cheeks, I wanted at least some of the cooler temps back. My skin was going to chaff something fierce.

"This isn't all I thought it would be," Eve muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "I've never had a deserted island adventure before. Now I know it sucks unless you're in a bathing suit and frolicking in the waves."

I laugh-snorted at that. "I'm ready to go in fully dressed." I lifted the hair off the back of my neck. With each step, the terrain became increasingly rugged.

I changed course and headed inland. Within a couple of feet, the dense foliage obscured our view and added to our sense of isolation. Towering palms swayed in the gentle breeze, their fronds rustling softly as if whispering secrets to the wind. It looked like any tropical locale on Earth, but something felt off. Was it because Apollo was here ?

"Are we even sure we're still on Earth?" Tegan asked. My head snapped over to her. I hadn't thought of that possibility. She might be onto something. There had been no sign of civilization so far.

Eve shook her head. My stomach churned when I noticed her expression was troubled. "I'm not so sure anymore." She trailed her fingers along the smooth surface of a weathered piece of driftwood.

"What do you think, Damon?" I asked.

The wild beauty of the island enveloped us as we ventured further inland. Lush vegetation carpeted the landscape with vibrant blooms adding splashes of color to the verdant tableau. I could still hear the waves crashing and smell salt and sea spray. It was slowly being taken over by the earthy aroma of foliage.

Damon lifted a shoulder. "I'd bet anything we're still on Earth. My father's power tends to begin changing his environment pretty quickly."

"We have to be on Earth," I declared. My words were punctuated by the distant cry of seabirds wheeling overhead. The environment was precisely like you'd find on Earth. If we were in a pocket realm, surely there would be some indication.

"Agreed," Eve added. "But where exactly are we?"

Before anyone could venture a guess, a monstrous roar shattered the tranquility of our surroundings. It sent a chill down my spine. With a thunderous crash, the source of the noise emerged from the dense undergrowth. It was a creature that made me rethink my last thought.

"Perhaps Tegan was right," Faith observed as she notched an arrow in her crossbow. "We've got company."

The creature towered before us with sinewy muscles rippling beneath its sleek, obsidian scales. Its eyes glinted with primal fury as it bared its razor-sharp fangs in a menacing snarl. We sprang into action when the creature lunged toward us. We moved with a practiced precision that spoke of how well we'd come to fight together. I brandished my kris knives. Their blades caught the sunlight as I circled the creature with wary determination.

"What the hell is that?" Tegan shouted. Her daggers flashed and she darted between the creature's legs with lightning speed.

"It's a bastardized version of a snake. This is what happens when too much of my father's power leaks out of him. He's got to be in bad shape if he is no longer controlling himself," Damon replied as he danced around the creature.

"What do you mean bad? What are we walking into?" Eve asked. At the same time, she sent arcs of energy crashing into the creature with explosive force.

Damon met the creature head-on, his demigod strength proving invaluable as he traded blows with the beast. It was like a clash of the titans. "Watch your flank!" Faith called out when an appendage came out of nowhere. How many limbs did the thing have? They weren't quite arms or legs.

The once-tranquil forest echoed with the clash of metal, flesh, and magic. I darted in and slashed at the thing before it swatted me out of the way. One of the others would go in next. We became revolving warriors. But with each passing moment, my exhaustion mounted, and I was betting it was the same for my friends.

Damon's face screwed up in a snarl and he launched himself through the air at the creature. With a final, decisive blow from the powerful demigod, the creature faltered. Its monstrous form collapsed to the forest floor in a tangle of limbs and scales. Bent over, I clutched my side. I had cuts all over and I was pretty sure my right side was one massive bruise from when it hit me. Eve's breath was ragged as she leaned against a tree.

Limping to Eve's side to check on her, I said, "We may be on Earth, but I've never seen anything like that before." And in fighting it, we'd destroyed this section of the jungle.

"I second that," Faith chimed in, her expression mirroring my own incredulity .

"As nice as it has been to see my father, we need to make him return to his realm," Damon replied with his gaze fixed on the dense foliage that stretched out before us. "But first, we should ensure there aren't any more surprises lurking in the shadows."

With wary eyes and weapons at the ready, we pressed forward into the heart of the island. The dense foliage enveloped us in a verdant embrace and the canopy above provided respite from the blistering sun. It was a nice break from sweating to death. Our footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet of moss and fallen leaves.

We were trudging through a dense section when we stumbled upon a hidden oasis. There was a shimmering pool that sparkled like liquid sapphire in the dappled sunlight. The water's surface rippled gently. I swear it was inviting me to pause and take a dip. It would feel so good.

Tegan's eyes widened with wonder as she gazed upon the tranquil scene. "Would you look at that? It's a piece of paradise tucked away from the world. This would be nice to have nestled in pack lands where we could go often."

"That would be a dream come true," Eve agreed. She approached the pool cautiously. "We need to be careful. Looks can be deceiving, especially in a place like this."

Undeterred by Eve's cautionary words, Damon ventured right up to the water's edge. I held my breath as he bent and splashed some on his face and arms. When nothing happened, we joined him. The cool liquid stung my cuts but felt good. Our attention was drawn to a hidden grove off to the side of the pool. It was adorned with exotic flora. Vibrant blooms of every hue dotted the landscape, their delicate petals swaying in the gentle breeze.

We didn't linger. Just long enough to open some coconuts and drink the water inside. The island's dense foliage seemed to press in on us as we forged ahead. Our every step was accompanied by the rustle of leaves and the chorus of unseen creatures. The air hung heavy with humidity that wrapped around us like a suffocating cloak, while the distant crash of waves provided a constant reminder of our isolation.

It felt as if we'd walked forever. I would never drink another bottle of coconut water after this. We'd stripped every tree we could find and guzzled. We'd have died of dehydration hours ago if we hadn't. Just when I was about to give up and return home, we stumbled across a secluded sanctuary.

The clearing opened before us. It was another secret oasis amidst the verdant jungle. The warm glow of sunlight filtering through the canopy above bathed the area. The earthy scent of moss and ferns mingled with the delicate fragrance of wildflowers. It had another clear pool of water. The flowers were everywhere but there were also fruit trees of every kind. And a bevy of young women in bikinis. In the middle of the giggling was the god, Apollo.

"I should have known," Damon muttered under his breath before he strode up to his father.

Apollo lifted piercing blue eyes to his son. "Damon! So good of you to join us." He waved his hand and conjured another lounge chair. "Have a seat."

Damon shook his head. "You need to send them home, Father. We found and freed Aunt Artemis."

That got Apollo's attention. Another regal wave of his hand and the young women disappeared. That was cold. He sent them home without a single glance in their direction. Damon sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You need to return home, Apollo." Damon had never used his father's name before, and I had to admit it made his demand carry a punch that made me wince.

Apollo's response was swift. His pride flared clearly at the audacity of Damon's demand. "And who are you to dictate my fate?" he shot back in a tone laced with contempt. "I told you the last time we were together that I was not returning to my realm. I like it here. I haven't yet become bored with technology. "

Faith stepped forward. She had some big lady balls. I cringed when she settled her glare on Apollo. "Miletus is plotting against you. He's planning to use you in a ritual that will give him your power so he can take over the world."

Apollo sneered at her and rose to his feet. His oily, golden chest didn't deter from the lash of his angry energy. "You speak nonsense, mortal," he scoffed. His demeanor bordered on disdain. "I can handle my son."

Damon looked like he was about to say something, but Artemis materialized before us. She looked more like herself as she stared her brother down. "They speak the truth, Brother," she informed him. "Miletus has nearly all the ingredients he needs to finish his spell. Not to mention, we no longer belong here. Our presence is causing the rip in the veil to widen. Others will come through and it will not take long to get to the point it was when Atlantis was sunk."

Apollo's resolve wavered under Artemis' stern gaze. We held our breath until he finally exhaled loudly and said, "Very well. I will return to my realm. But only if you promise to confront this threat, Damon."

Damon inclined his head. "I will do everything in my power to stop Miletus. Don't be a stranger, Father. We can still talk, even if we can't be with one another."

Apollo nodded and embraced his son. When Apollo let go of Damon, Artemis clasped Apollo's hand. The look she turned on me then made me straighten. "You must repair the tear in the veil keeping the gods out or Miletus will be the least of your problems. And before you ask how this is your problem, consider that it was your power that brought me here thus causing it."

I swallowed against the lump in my throat and nodded. Artemis and Apollo vanished from sight before I even opened my mouth. That was perfect because I didn't think I could manage to get a word past the ache suddenly besieging me. The chaos their presence on Earth caused was all my fault .

A sense of urgency gripped me, and my thoughts raced with the daunting task that lay ahead. "We need to seal this tear and end this." I might have sounded slightly insane. You couldn't blame me. I was responsible for yanking a goddess through a barrier. That action had allowed at least one other god to come through as well. Had anyone else made it through? My stomach twisted into a knot. I didn't want to know the answer to that. The prospects were far too terrifying at the moment.