Page 9 of Heroines of Olympus

She uses what little time she has left before the ship overtakes them and assesses her defenses. Removing her hood would endanger her companions. If they have fallen though and it is down to her, at least she has that. Maybe these cursed serpents will be her salvation for once.

In this moment, as in so many others, she is grateful for the weapons training she had growing up. Medusa instinctually reaches for her sword on her right hip, the steely grip a familiar comfort in her left hand, the weight of it making the muscles in her arms flex beneath it. While they do not serve as the security forces at the Temples, and have a much more academic purpose, Acolytes have to be ready to drop their books in defense of their gods should the need arise.

Alec and Yiorgos are still frantically trying to increase speed - to no avail. They shout back and forth to each other, but Medusa cannot hear them over the wind and thrashing water. She looks around the deck for Psyche, but does not see her anywhere. Before Medusa can question where she went too closely, the other boat gets close enough for her to see its deck.

Three men are on the deck of the two-sail ship, but she still has to squint to make out their features.

“Fates be damned!” A wall of sea mist hits Medusa’s face, its saltiness stinging her eyes. She wipes at them with the hem of her tunic, blinking away the blurriness until it clears.

They are closer now and her blood turns to ice in her veins - Castor and Polydeuces. Like Perseus was, the Twins are part of an elite battalion of the Heroes. Overseen by Poseidon, their deep blue cloaks of the Oceanic Legion fluttering on the sea breeze. The Twins have a reputation for being inseparable and immeasurably cruel. They aren’t as terrifying as who undoubtedly accompanies them.HIM.

She does not even bother to look at the third man, as she already suspects who is heading this mission. The world spins.

Breathe. This shall not break me.

Heat flushes her neck and face as she grips her sword tighter, until it hurts, using the only thing that can sometimes pull her out of a spiral - pain. The bite of the cold metal does nothing to bring her back to solid ground, however. Heart pounding and face numb, she continues to descend into a full anxiety attack as Poseidon steps out onto the deck.

5

ICARUS

There are so many people here. The thought thrills and slightly intimidates Icarus as she stands on the ship’s railing that brought her to the city of Olympus. There has to be at least twice as many people milling about here than when she got onto the ship at her home port of Thessaly. The opportunities before her seem endless as she takes in the pulse of the busy metropolis.

The early evening air is brisk, as the sea breeze rolls into the harbor, causing her to debate if it is worth the hassle of digging her shawl out of her bag.

After disembarking and making it a few steps into the dense crowd, she appreciates her decision not to bother. Body heat envelops her, and her pulse quickens as she steps into the busy streets. Following signs for the nearest inn, she takes in the hum of activity - musicians playing for coins, the occasional person dancing along, merchants hawking their wares. The unfamiliar smells hit her as she progresses. Spices, then perfumes, and so many types of food.

It would shock her poor mother to see her baby girl wandering through all of this alone.

A stall full of glittering trinkets catches her eye.Do not stop. Still needing to get settled into the inn, now is not the time to dawdle.

As Icarus walks past, she realizes it is her mother’s voice in her head keeping her from perusing. She is almost twenty-five years old, and tomorrow she competes in the Trials to become a Hero. It is time to let herself live a little.

Rows of glitzy knickknacks greet her when she approaches the stall - little hippocampi encrusted with faux emeralds, chimeras covered in multicolored glass, things she would have adored as a child but do not speak to her now. She runs her fingers over a pegasus carved out of moonstone. Perhaps the white horse can be a good luck token, to help her manifest a spot in the Pegasus Legion? But where would Icarus even put it? Moving on, she browses through the sparkling menagerie. Icarus may be treating herself, but reminds herself not to be too carefree with the meager amount of money in her possession.

Toward the back of the stall, hanging by a delicate thread chain, is a small, fiery gem that feels like it is pulling Icarus. In a trance, she walks over to it and gently picks it up. The reds and oranges that cover the many facets of the stone are semi-transparent, as if they are merely windows. Inside, its core is flickering, but not from the light of the torches on the street, from within.

The woman working the stall approaches to assist her. She takes the gem from Icarus and gently puts the chain over her head. The length of the necklace puts the gem directly over her heart, casting rays of light across her golden skin. It must be the heat from the crowds, or her adrenaline, but Icarus would swear that it heated up.

“How much for this?” Icarus asks, knowing it will be too expensive. Already, the idea of being parted from it has her slightly panicked. This cannot be normal. It has to be because this is her first time leaving home. Just the adrenaline from so many new things all at once.

“The Fates smile upon you tonight. It is a gift.”

“Really? But why?”

“This item has been in my family for generations. Kept on display, never looked at twice by anyone who browsed. We always thought it was just an old legend, but my grandmother told us a day would come when the stone would call to someone. She said we would know when that time came, and apparently she was right.”

Icarus is speechless. She holds the stone again in her palm.

“Are you sure?”

“I think my Yaya would return from her rest just to smack me if I didn’t give this to you.” She closes Icarus’s hand around the stone and covers it with her own, staring into her eyes. “Go now, Sunshine. Destiny awaits. Be fearless.”

A few blocks away, the shock of what just happened wears off. Icarus continues to replay the cryptic conversation and, with every step, doubt creeps in.

Is Icarus really this gullible? Fresh off the ship from the farmlands and immediately falls for some higher destiny nonsense. But how did she know her nickname from her mother?

Her cheeks flush as she looks at the gem again. This thing is probably just cheap glass. The woman likely has an entire crate of these and gets her kicks by tricking naïve country people into thinking they are special. But, it cost nothing. If she were being targeted for being gullible, surely the goal would have been to at least lighten her purse a little. It makes little sense.

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