Page 11 of Artemis' Bow
“You see now that this is an emergency?” Jayden asks.
“Yes, I shall recall Hermes and send him directly to my brother to find out what has happened.” Hades nods.
Persephone sits up, grinning. “Now that the serious business is out of the way, how are the little godlings doing? Have you noticed any new and exciting powers?”
“I feel stronger, but I haven’t tried testing my power.” I shake my head.
“No, I think we have all been focusing on the coming war and trying to recover from the last battles.” Jayden glances at me.
“Yes, that was a tough one, not just physically.” Persephone’s expression shows sympathy, but I turn away, unable to handle it from her.
Jayden squeezes my shoulder, gently offering his support even though he’s inadvertently the problem. It’s not his fault but I can’t stop the pain. I don’t know what I’ll do if faced with the same choice as before. I want to believe I would do the right thing, but when do I get to just be selfish for once?
“Hermes is on his way to Olympus to find out what’s happening,” Hades says.
“Just like that?” Raven asks.
“We are gods.” Hades chuckles. “You younglings are still thinking like you’re human. The sky is the limit now for you three.”
“We don’t really have a limit, my love,” Persephone says. “But let’s not overwhelm them. You must come to visit soon.”
“We will,” I say. “Just as soon as the war with the other gods is over.”
“We must be off now. Lots to do to prepare for the war.” Persephone finger waves at us as the mist dissolves.
“Persephone is one of the most laid-back goddesses I have ever seen.” Raven leans back on the couch.
“Her and Artemis both.” I sigh.
“We’ll figure this out, Beth.” Jayden sits next to me on the couch and pulls me close. “We always do.”
“Yes, but a lot of time we had her help.”
“Did we, though? I remember her complicating things more than helping.” Jayden laughs.
“I mean the zoo was a complication, but it did end up helping.” I lean my head on Jayden’s shoulder.
“I still say she knew what was going to happen when you turned off the fence for the lion enclosure. Especially given that she hadn’t even needed us to do that.”
“She definitely knew what she was doing.” Raven rolls her eyes.
A knock sounds at the door just before Hermes pushes it open and steps inside. “Thought I’d give you a warning before I saw something I couldn’t unsee.”
“Haha,” I say. “Do you know what’s happening?”
“I do and I’m glad you’re all sitting down because it isn’t good.” Hermes sits in the armchair across from us.
“Is Artemis okay?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her and neither has Zeus or Ares. Which under normal circumstances wouldn’t be unusual because she spends a lot of time in the human realm away from Olympus.” He runs a hand through his hair.
“There’s no way she’s just on a hunt.” I rest my elbows on my knees.
For the first time, I notice the dark circles under the messenger god’s eyes and how rumpled his clothes are. Hermes is weakening. Maybe our guess was right and Hera will use every advantage she has to play before she will challenge Zeus outright. It means we have time to prepare.
It’s the first good news I’ve gotten in a while. Dax and the Ares students can focus on training while we do what we can to find Artemis and her item of power.
“So she’s missing?” I ask.
