Page 5 of Artemis' Bow
“That makes a lot of sense,” Thad speaks up for the first time since before the clusterfuck of an assembly. “We need to plan and figure out where her temple might be in relation to the country.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” I nod.
“Well,” Jayden says, pulling me along, “we’re going to the right place to start the search.”
“One of the upcoming battles,” Raven mumbles. “Are we just speeding up the timeline? They need to be ready for when the time comes.”
“All we can do is hope that the others will take this seriously and start training instead of running.” I shake my head, exasperated.
“Maybe letting them experience the actual danger will make them realize what’s at stake,” Thad says.
“So, we are supposed to let them make stupid decisions and nearly get themselves killed to prove a point?” I ask, narrowing my gaze on him.
“Some people need to see to believe. I can’t help those kinds of people to understand what I’ve experienced because they think it’s an exaggeration.” He shrugs.
“He’s not wrong, Beth,” Jayden whispers. “When I first came to the academy, I had been in the underworld, but I still had some healed wounds and the other students didn’t believe that monsters were attacking me at every turn.”
“My own siblings didn’t believe me,” Raven says. “I didn’t have any wounds but when I got to the academy, I thought everyone experienced the same things I had. I was shocked when so few people spoke in my defense.”
“That Athena girl? She was one of a few who told similar stories about being attacked,” Jayden agrees.
“That doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies about our chances against half the pantheon,” I say as Jayden opens the door for me.
“They’ll learn,” Adrian says. “I may not have seen it but outside factors are at play for many of them. Especially the Hephaestus and Hermes students.”
“Can you see anything about the upcoming task?” I ask.
“No, but I agree that it’s more than likely Artemis’ item of power that’s been stolen. I fear what my father could potentially do when Artemis is weakened. He could never raise a hand against his twin but if he’s stronger, I don’t know what he’s capable of.”
Silence fills the stairwell as we trudge up to the twelfth floor to my suite. It’s basically become our base of operations. Students hurry up the stairs ahead of us, dipping into the floor they live on with their siblings, and I sigh as Dax and Kira come into view.
“That went well,” Dax says.
“We didn’t plan that out. It was last minute.”
“I wasn’t being sarcastic. The best thing that could have happened did. The Athena students remaining are backing us. That’s huge.” Dax grins.
“Yes, exactly what I was saying,” Raven says. “From a strategic standpoint, that’s the best scenario we can hope for when the time comes.”
“Is what you said true?” Kira asks. “Do you think there are other battles to face before we all actually get to fight?”
“You sound like you’re waiting for battle, not dreading the fight like the rest of the students.” I raise an eyebrow.
“That bitch tried to take out our forge and blow the academy sky-high with the rest of us inside. Hell yeah, I want to make them pay.” She clenches her fists at her sides.
“I can respect that. Most of the students are forgetting that these assholes tried to destroy us all on multiple occasions.”
“Shortsighted idiots,” Dax grumbles.
“That may be true, but they’re scared. College students, no matter the powers they wield, shouldn’t have to fight in a war unless they choose to.” I sigh.
“I get that but at the same time, they have already faced one battle so they should be prepared,” Dax snarls.
I nod. The first battle he faced with us, he was turned to stone momentarily, so he knows more than anyone what’s at stake here. Everyone fought hard for their lives in that battle, but it was also the first time any of them had seen anything like this and they were at the academy at the time. That’s why they feel safer outside the academy. I can understand their reasoning too.
It doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.
“I can see both sides, but I hear you, Dax. We’re going to have to find some way to prove it to them that this needs to be done.” I pat his shoulder as I pass them.
