Page 123 of Until the End of Ever
Lucian groaned, half falling against me. Desperately, my hands reached for his skin, finding his face, as I pushed healing energy through it, all the while knowing it was entirely pointless.
Zeus was already prepared, another bolt at the ready, and his eyes on us. On me. There would be no survive a second hit, not for either of us. It was already a miracle we hadn’t been burned through by the first.
What was it that Lucian had said?It takes a god to kill a god.
Except, neither Lucian and I were divinities on the level of bloody Zeus. We were immortal, yes, but we had more in common with immortal prawns and jellyfish than this greater than life monster.
My mind returned to that Monday, mere weeks ago, where I’d chatted with one of the monsters now flanking his king.
You were forged, then discarded. No one trained you up, or made sure you took your godly vitamins and all. You’re weak now.
He was right. Even though I now knew who’d forged me, and he talked of great potential, I was essentially just a little witch, who didn’t know how to do anything except heal people. How had we survived the first strike, though it destroyed the flesh and bones of so many?
I remembered later the very day when I met Apollo, when I devoured the most delicious fast-food in existence.
Ambrosia.
Yes, until that moment, I’d never been given any godly food, but Mack gave me some, mere weeks ago. And Lucian and Silver, too. Would any of us have survived without sprinkle of godly essence inside us?
And yet, the pain was so intense, my body so very weak, I knew my luck was going to run short now.
Zeus was also assured of his victory. Lazily, completely ignoring me as I finished my healing spell, while Lucian pushed some of his energy inside me, like nothing we could do was of any consequence, the god turned to his companions.
"Children," he called. "You know your targets. Once they’re found and taken care of, destroy the walls, then the shields in the foundation."
Targets.
They were here to kill more than me.
The gods were gone in a blink, moving faster than shades.
Silver struggled to her feet, trembling.
"Well, what have we here?" Zeus taunted. "I have not sensed you, daughter."
Daughter.
And just like that, I knew.
“And no wonder. Someone locked your power.Interesting.”
As Silver’s eyes flashed, I remembered that smile that seemed amused or even cruel when directed at us, and yet so kind when he looked at her. I remembered the bow left behind for her.
I saw the million times when I'd watched Silver follow a trail only she saw in the woods, or greet a deer, a rabbit, a boar supposed to want to kill her.
The wilderness had always been her home.
"It's a disappointment to find you amongst the pests. Where will you stand this time? With your father, or against him?"
Silver sneered at the god, yet again completely fearless. "I have no father."
Zeus was so, so fast. Both Lucian and I threw up our shields, but his bolt blasted right past them, either too swift or potent, likely both, to even register our protection.
The lightning aimed right at Silver's center.
“No!” I screamed.
She wouldn't have time to move, strong as she was, fast as she was.And she didn't, but in a flash, a shot of red pushed her out of the way.
