Page 32 of Artemis' Bow
“New Orleans, sir,” Adrian says. “They also alluded to former allies helping along the way but only if we go ourselves.”
“Okay, but you couldn’t see the goddess, correct?” Chiron asks. “Something powerful was blocking her?”
“How did you know that?” Adrian asks. “I’m pretty sure we didn’t mention that.”
“Centaurs have a small gift for prophecy. I couldn’t see the huntress either, so something powerful is blocking her for sure.”Chiron shakes his head. “Are we positive that she’s not being held at a different temple?”
“Not positive but it makes the most logical sense.” I shrug.
“We need to send other teams to the other temples. At least two other teams and one will need to go to Sparta to make sure that the queen hasn’t tried to pull anything.”
“Chiron, sir,” Adrian says. “The vision was clear that it has to be us who go after Artemis. The four of us along with Greyson. Anything else and it could end in disaster.”
“I’m not sending anyone else to Ephesus, but we need to clear her other temples to be sure.” Chiron stamps a hoof.
“This is dangerous and no one else has the experience dealing with this as we do. They don’t have the power we do. If you send others, will they return or are they just cannon fodder?” I ask.
“We aren’t sure where the goddess actually is. They may have separated her and the bow in different temples. It will do no good to retrieve the bow without saving the goddess.” Chiron glares at me, unflinching.
He’s not wrong, but this decision isn’t sitting right with me. My gut is screaming that we’re the only ones who can do this. It isn’t my ego. More students could be lost to us if we do it his way.
“You trusted me to be the headmaster of this academy and help the students here survive and end this war, Beth.” Chiron clamps a hand down on my shoulder. “Trust me to help you now and give us the best chance for success on this next task.”
“I still believe that we are the only ones who can save Artemis and retrieve her bow,” Adrian argues.
“I understand your concern, young seer, but you all trusted me with the job of guiding you and now you must allow me to do it,” Chiron says.
The frown on Chiron’s face is the only outward sign that he’s uncomfortable with this decision. We don’t have much choicein the matter, though. He’s not wrong that we should send someone to each temple, and if we could be in two places at once, this whole situation would be less dire.
“I don’t like it, but it makes the most sense. Send two other teams to other locations but no one can be told where we are going.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Agreed. No one will be informed of where your group will be going so they can’t tip off the enemy accidentally.” Chiron nods.
That’s settled now but my gut churns with unease. We could be making a terrible mistake that could cost our friends their lives, but the alternative is worse than anyone is prepared to deal with.
It would be the end of everything.
9
“Quiet,” I yell over the arguing students we gathered to get volunteers to go on the mission.
There are two groups, one to my left and the other to my right, and the scene pisses me off more than I care to admit. The Athena, Aphrodite, and Apollo students remaining are to my right and everyone else to the left. Clear lines have been drawn.
“Our very own oracle has had a vision showing how to stop the end of the world and rescue Artemis and set the world back to rights in this endless sun.” Chiron stamps his hoof, getting everyone’s attention.
All whispers and angry words silence as the students’ eyes widen. Curious gazes stare at our group on the platform, probably wondering what’s going on. We’ve never announced one of Adrian’s visions or our departure on a mission.
“We’re looking for volunteers,” I call. “We are putting two other teams together because Artemis has several temples, and we need to cover them all in a short period of time.”
“Will it be dangerous?” Dax calls from the crowd and glances at an excited Kira.
“There is always the potential for danger when we leave the academy. We don’t really know the state of the world, given the sun hasn’t set in days and monsters can be anywhere.”
“I’m in.” Kira fist-pumps the air.
I grimace and shrug at Dax who’s expression is devastated. He obviously wants to go but doesn’t want Kira to go. I can relate to that every time I drag my friends outside the wards on yet another dangerous mission.
“I’ll go too.” Dax raises a hand.
