Page 25 of Hades' Shadow
The headmistress waves us all in and we take our usual seats—me in the armchair facing her desk that she leans against.
“I’m guessing that you are here about the prophecy.” She raises a brow at us once we are all settled. I turn sharply to Adrian who shrugs.
“I didn’t get a prophecy, Headmistress. Just a vision of the four of us.” He shakes his head, crossing his ankle over his opposite knee, and leans forward.
“I had a visit from the oracle. He said that the gods are weakening, but I’m guessing you all already know that.” She scans our expressions.
“Yeah, the students are struggling and blaming it on me. They think because my magic has grown that I’m somehow stealing their magic.” Jayden tilts his head back with a groan.
“That is asinine,” Rebecca says. “But it begs the question, why are your powers stronger when the others are weaker and the gods are weakening?”
“I think Zeus gave us a gift.” I speak up so she doesn’t think like everyone else.
“I still think that’s ridiculous,” Jayden grunts.
“Is it really? You helped us retrieve his lightning bolt and save the Hermes kids. I don’t care who your father is, you deserve the same gift as me and Raven.” I cross my arms over my chest before I do something immature like zap the asshole.
“What new gift did you get, Beth? I haven’t seen you do anything new.” Jayden glares at me from under his lashes.
“I haven’t been pushing myself to figure out if I have anything new. I have been working on control. Do you want to see what I can do with my whip?” I reach up to the lightning bolt charm on my neck, ready to show the asshole exactly what I can do.
“Kinky.” Raven chuckles and it almost breaks the tension, but Jayden and I are still in a standoff.
“Raven,” Rebecca groans. “Can we get back to the reason you all are here, please?”
She looks down at her watch as if she has somewhere more important to be.
“What did the oracle say?” I ask, glancing away.
“Not much, I’m afraid. The dark one rises and the gifted must come to the gods’ aid.” Rebecca shakes her head.
“Okay, well, the gifted is known, but who is the dark one and where do we find them?” I chew my lip.
This damn prophecy doesn’t tell us shit. Adrian shifts on the couch, pulling my attention to him.
“The dark one? Well, shit. Maybe we interpreted my vision all wrong and Hades isn’t asking for help but is the one that’s rising?” He grimaces. “Sorry, Jayden.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time my dad has tried to take on the other gods.” Jayden shrugs.
“Yeah,” Raven says slowly. “Mine tried to help him once.”
It’s nice of Raven to remind everyone that the gods aren’t perfect and it’s not just Hades who has tried to destroy my dad and the others. I think people forget that quite often and paint Hades as the bad guy because he’s the god of the afterlife.
No one likes death and dying, and Hades is the personification of that.
“I think we just need to keep an open mind about everything. We won’t rule anything out just yet, okay?” I slump back in my chair, rubbing a hand over my eyes.
“That is the right way to go about this, I think,” Raven agrees.
“I’m not saying I think Hades is behind this, but the dark one rising doesn’t sound great.” I chew my lip.
“Could it be a Titan rising from Tartarus?” Adrian asks, eyes wide.
“That is an actual possibility, yes.” Rebecca nods but there is terror in her eyes. “If that’s happening though, then we all better pray we help the gods get stronger.”
“The Titans hate the gods and humans. If they get out, we’re all fucked,” Raven says.
She said it best right there. That is the worst thing that could possibly happen.
