The Goddess Test Boxed Set: Goddess Interrupted\The Goddess Inheritance\The Goddess Legacy (59 page)

No. I couldn't think like that. Rhea would help us.

“This way,” she said, and we walked through the narrow aisle to
a door toward the back. I expected an office, but instead we stepped into a
cramped garden blooming with all sorts of flowers and herbs I didn't recognize.
My mother would've loved this place. “Now, why have you come?”

“You know why,” said James, albeit respectfully, and he sat
down on a crate that served as a bench. “Cronus has destroyed Athens. Hera has
abandoned us to fight with him. Hades is on the brink of fading. We are
desperate, and we need your help.”

Rhea began to tend a bush with tiny white flowers. “You know my
stance on war,” she said. “I cannot support it in any way.”

“Please.” James screwed up his face. Going against her was
clearly painful for him. “If you don't help us return Cronus to Tartarus, he
will destroy humanity and kill us if we're lucky. If we're not, we'll spend the
rest of eternity as his slaves. Without Hera, we aren't strong enough to fight
him on our own.”

Placing the blossoms she picked into a basket, Rhea said
nothing. After nearly a minute, James's shoulders slumped, and I knew it was
hopeless. Not even the threat of extinction was enough to convince Rhea.

I scowled. It was one thing to not want to fight on either side
of a war—I wasn't crazy about wielding a sword and running screaming out onto a
battlefield either. But this was different. “We're not asking you to fight,” I
said. “We're asking you to help us prevent more deaths.”

“I know my husband,” said Rhea. “If I were to get involved, I
would be forced to fight, and I will not hurt a living creature no matter their
intentions. That includes Cronus.”

“Even though he'll kill billions of people and nearly the
entire council in order to get what he wants?” I took a deep breath, forcing
myself to stay calm. Getting upset wouldn't help matters. “You know as well as I
do that inaction isn't supporting peace. It's turning a blind eye to what's
really going on. And without your help, we
will
lose.”

James reached for my hand, but I pulled away. If he wasn't
willing to fight, then I would.

Rhea slowly turned toward us. Her serenity vanished, replaced
with frigid disapproval, and I steeled myself against it. She could dislike me
as much as she wanted. I wasn't going to back down.

“I would be no help to you regardless of what I did. My husband
will not listen to reason,” said Rhea. “I will not raise a hand against anyone.
My children are much better served by what I do here.”

“But your children are
dying,
” I
said. “You could stop that. You could save their lives—you're the only one who
can. If you don't, they'll die, and it'll be because of you.”

The moment the words left the tip of my tongue, I knew it was
the wrong thing to say, but I couldn't take it back now. I glanced at James, a
silent apology and plea for him to help me. He stayed silent.

Rhea straightened, her powerful gaze focused directly on me.
“No, daughter of Demeter. They will die because of
you.
”

My face burned, and it took everything I had not to run out of
there as fast as I could. How did she know? Could she sense the guilt floating
inside me, buoyed by every life already lost because of my stupidity? “My name
is Kate. And I'm sorry. I'm
sorry.
I didn't
know—”

“Ignorance is not an excuse for the consequences that result
because of it.”

“You don't think I realize that?” Hot tears stung my eyes. I'd
never hated anyone as much as I hated Rhea in that moment. Not Walter. Not
Calliope. Not even Cronus.

No, that was wrong. I hated myself more than I could ever hate
any of them.

“He has my son.” My voice grew thick, and my hands trembled.
“For some unfathomable reason, he wants me to be his queen—”

“It is not unfathomable,” said Rhea with unnerving calm. “You
showed him kindness and understanding when no one else has in millennia. Even
the most blackened and twisted of souls cannot help but respond to
compassion.”

I hesitated. “How do you—”

“I know everything I wish to know.”

I bit my lip. “Then you must realize why this is so important
to me. You know what I promised Cronus. You know what he's been doing to me, the
sick—”

“I am aware,” said Rhea. “And you have my sympathy. Standing at
his side does not make you his equal in his eyes, and it is a hard life, one you
do not have the power to fight.”

“I don't, but you do,” I said. “Henry's your son, right? He's
dying. He needs you, but instead you're here with strangers—”

“No one who walks this earth is a stranger to me.” Her eyes
flashed, a strange combination of the sun and the ocean. “I am not neglecting my
son. He knew the consequences of his actions when he committed to them, and it
was a risk he was willing to take to save you.”

I exhaled sharply. She wasn't listening. She didn't
understand—or maybe she did, and she just didn't care. “What about my son? He's
Henry's, too, you know. And he's your grandson. His name's Milo, and he's not
even a week old. Why does he deserve to be raised by Cronus?”

Rhea said nothing, and I couldn't stop the flow of words that
poured from me now.

“He'll never know me. He'll never know his father. He'll grow
up calling the bitch who kidnapped him his mother, the egomaniac who's killed
millions of people his father and he'll never know that I'm out here loving him
more in a moment than they could in an eternity. What could he have possibly
done to deserve that?”

“Nothing,” said Rhea softly. “Your son has done nothing to
deserve that, as the people of this village have done nothing to deserve
brutality and starvation.”

“Then help him like you're helping these people,” I begged.
“Please, I'll do whatever you want—”

“I want you to leave me in peace.”

“Okay.” I took a shaky breath. She wasn't going to help the
council with the war. If she wouldn't do it for the billions of helpless people
in the world, then nothing I could possibly say or do would change her mind.
“I'll go away, I promise. Just—please. Help Henry. At least give my son a chance
to know his father.”

Once again, Rhea was quiet. Her eyes grew distant the same way
Cronus's had in the nursery, and her hand stilled halfway to the basket. I
glanced at James. Was that our cue to go? He shrugged, and together we
waited.

“Very well,” she said at last, breaking the silence. “It is
done.”

“What's done?” I said, giving James another bewildered look,
but his brow knitted in confusion. “Rhea, please—what's done?”

“Give your mother my love,” she said, touching my shoulder. The
pain in my arm from the dagger vanished. “You are strong, Kate. Stronger than
you know. As long as you resist my husband, you do not need me to have what you
most desire.”

“It isn't about what I want,” I said, seconds from bursting.
How could she heal me but not help save the people who really needed her? “He's
going to kill everyone, this village included.”

She didn't respond. Instead she picked a few more blossoms and
turned to reenter the clinic. I started to go after her, and James grabbed my
wrist with an iron grip.

“Don't,” he said. Before I could protest, another voice
whispered through the garden, hoarse and cracking. But real. So, so real.

“Kate?”

My heart hammered, and I spun around, yanking my hand from
James's. Nestled between a gnarled tree and a patch of ferns stood Henry.

Chapter 7

Athens

I flew across the garden and into Henry's arms, kissing
him like it was the last chance I'd ever get.

It was really him. His skin was warm, his moonlight eyes
focused on me, and the way he lifted me into the air and kissed me—no one, not
even a Titan, could make my insides turn to mush the way he did. He splayed his
hand over my back, his palm so hot that I could feel it through my shirt.

“I missed you.” My voice broke, and he pressed his forehead to
mine so all I could see was him.

“You're all right.” He ran his fingers through my hair the same
way James had on the flight over, but that was nothing more than a distant
memory. Henry was here now, and part of me clicked back into place.

He stumbled, and I immediately dropped back to the ground,
searching his face for any sign of pain. Instead of grimacing, he smiled and
took my hand. “I'm all right. Just need rest.”

I wasn't so sure I believed him, but James stood and gestured
to the door Rhea had disappeared through. “We should thank her and get on our
way,” he said, eyeing Henry. “I reckon you aren't in any condition to get us
back to Olympus, so we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Sunset's in a few
hours.”

“Wait,” I said, helping Henry forward. “There's someplace I
want to see first.”

* * *

Henry and I sat against the wall in the Zimbabwe
airport, my fingers laced through his. I hadn't let go since I'd flown into his
arms in Rhea's garden, and he hadn't tried to make me.

I'd sneaked kisses in the cab all the way back to the airport,
ignoring the faces James made in the front seat. Now that we were in public,
Henry seemed hesitant, but he never refused me. How could I have ever believed
Cronus's ruse? No one, especially not the King of the Titans, could ever replace
Henry.

“Do you want to see Milo?” I said as we waited for James to
return from the ticket counter.

“Yes,” said Henry without hesitation, though the exhaustion on
his face gave me pause. Rhea had removed every last trace of Cronus from his
body, but he still moved as if he were in pain. What would going through that
quicksand barrier do to him? Would it make him worse?

“Once you rest,” I said, gripping his hand. “You can sleep on
the plane.”

His expression flickered with disappointment, but he didn't
argue. If he'd been well enough to see him, he would've fought like hell to get
me to agree, and uneasy satisfaction settled within me. At least I'd made one
right choice today.

“What happened?” He spoke quietly, but even in the middle of
the loud airport, I heard every word. “Why are we going to Athens?”

I hesitated. There was no easy way to say it and nothing I
could do to make it less painful, so I pulled no punches. I told him everything
that had happened since Calliope had attacked him. The assault on Athens, my
visions, everything Cronus had said and done—everything except for the part
where I'd promised myself to him. I couldn't bring myself to say it, and with
the way the muscles in Henry's jaw twitched as I described how Cronus had held
our son, I didn't want to make things any worse than they already were.

“I will kill him,” whispered Henry. “If I have to tear the
world apart to do it, I will.”

“And then you'll be no better than him,” I said. “We'll figure
out how to get Milo back without anyone else dying, I promise.”

Henry nodded and seemed to relax against the wall. At least I
thought he was relaxing until I felt the telltale waves of dark power emanating
from him.

I touched his knee. “Henry, as badly as I want to rip the
bastard's head off, you're in no condition to get into a pissing match with a
Titan. Rest first, and we'll figure something out later.”

After a long, tense moment, that resonating power vanished. I
looked around nervously, searching for any signs that the people milling around
us had noticed anything, but no one seemed any the wiser.

Twenty feet away, I spotted James talking to a woman wearing a
massive backpack. He pointed down the length of the terminal, and she gave him a
grateful smile and ran off in that same direction. I frowned.

“Not exactly the best time to stop and give directions, is it?”
I said as he rejoined us. James shrugged.

“Not exactly the best time to gather enough power to wipe out
half of Africa either,” he said, looking pointedly at Henry. They glared at each
other. “Besides, giving directions is what I do. Among other things.”

“Like rob banks,” said Henry.

“That was
once.
” James shook his
head and produced three tickets. “The airport in Athens isn't there anymore, but
I got us as close as possible. Are you sure you want to do this, Kate?”

I nodded numbly. As important as reporting to the council was,
I had to see the damage. Cronus had left the Parthenon untouched for a reason,
and maybe there was a clue there, or something that could help us. Besides, I
had no doubt Henry would dive into the war the moment we returned to Olympus,
and he needed a break before he went head to head with Cronus. Keeping him away
for as long as possible was the only solution I could think of.

Henry pressed his lips to my temple. “Going to Athens won't
help,” he said quietly. “It won't change anything.”

“It could. We might find something. Those people died because
of me—”

“Of course they didn't.” Henry's frown deepened. “It has
nothing to do with you. Cronus would have attacked humanity eventually, and
nothing you could have done would have prevented it.”

James gave me a look, but I averted my eyes. I couldn't tell
Henry how wrong he was.

“Come on,” said James, offering Henry a hand. He refused, and
James's arm dropped to his side. “Our flight boards soon. We should arrive with
enough time to reach Athens before the next sunset.”

“Why does that matter?” I said, steadying Henry by the elbow as
he stood shakily.

“Because the closer we are to Cronus, the more danger we're
in,” said James. “I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to risk it for
very long.”

Part of me didn't care, the part that had died along with the
people of Athens. But the part of me that held Henry's hand and dreamed of
holding Milo cared, and I nodded. The less time we spent in Greece, the better.
I had to go, though. I wouldn't budge on that.

“Maybe you should go back to Olympus,” I said to Henry. If
Cronus discovered Rhea had healed him, Henry would be dead the moment he stepped
within reach. How wide was it now? How far could Cronus extend? To Athens? To
London? To New York City? How long before he broke out of the island prison the
others had managed to construct? He'd broken out of the Underworld on the winter
solstice. Would he do the same this December?

Of course he would. That was why the council was fighting him
now.

“No,” said Henry with gentle firmness, and his fingers
tightened around mine. “I will not leave you again.”

And selfishly I couldn't ask him to either, even though it
might cost us everything.

Our flight was nearly empty. It was like the reports I'd
watched on television hours before a hurricane was supposed to hit a town; the
freeways leaving were crowded with more people than they'd ever been designed to
handle, but the roads leading into town were deserted.

That was us. We were alone in first class, a necessity now that
Henry was with us and needed space to rest. I sat in the seat beside him,
watching him sleep and trying to coax him to eat something once the fancy meals
came around, but he didn't do much more than pick at his chicken and remind me
gods didn't need food.

“He'll be fine,” whispered James from the seat in front of me.
Though Henry had fallen back asleep, he continued to squeeze my hand. “Should've
never left Olympus in his condition, the stubborn ass. Once we get back, he'll
recover a lot faster.”

“You think?” I pursed my lips. “That's part of the reason I
wanted to go to Athens. I figured the minute we get back, he's going to want to
fight with the others. He won't give himself the time he needs to recuperate. At
least this way he'll get some rest.”

James eyed him. “You really think he'll change his mind about
fighting?”

“Of course. They have Milo.” And no matter how stubborn Henry
could be, he wouldn't abandon our son. “Are there any others?”

“Any other what?”

“Titans,” I whispered. “There were others in the myths,
right?”

James scowled, the line between his eyebrows deepening. “Yes,
there were others, but they won't be any help. They were buried in Tartarus with
Cronus.” He must have seen the look on my face, because he added hastily, “We
don't have to worry about them. Cronus would never allow them to leave, first of
all—he wants to be king, and they'd challenge his rule. Second, they were all
captured before Cronus was, and the measures the original six took to make sure
they'd never see the light of day again...” He winced. “The only reason they
didn't take those measures against Cronus is because Rhea begged them not to. It
more or less kills them,” he added. “Or at least as much as a Titan can be
killed. And because she's their mother, they listened.”

“Is that why they didn't imprison her?”

“She didn't fight in that war either.”

“Right,” I said. At least she was consistent.

“You should get some sleep,” said James. “Busy day ahead of
us.”

“You, too,” I mumbled, and for the rest of the flight, I tried
to follow his advice. But sleep either meant visions and Cronus or nightmares of
Titans rising up from the earth, and I couldn't stomach either right now.

The plane landed, and I reluctantly woke Henry. Without any
checked luggage, it was an easy trek through the airport to catch a cab, and
once again we settled in for a drive.

Athens hadn't been the only place affected by the aftermath of
the tidal wave. Signs of devastation were everywhere: refugees huddled together
in large tents on the outskirts of the airport, debris of what had once been
Athens was scattered across the coast, and the towns we drove through were
practically empty.

“The earthquakes, they have scared our people away,” said the
cabdriver. Once again I recognized that the words he spoke weren't English, but
I understood them anyway. That ability must have developed between my summer in
Greece and now. “After what has happened to Athens, many believe we have been
cursed.”

“Earthquakes?” said James and I at the same time, though he
spoke in what must have been Greek, while I used English.

“You have not heard?” said the driver, and for a moment James's
eyes grew distant. I couldn't hear what he was saying or who he was saying it
to, but it was obvious he was communicating with someone.

“Phillip says there have been dozens of minor earthquakes
around the Aegean Sea since the attack on Athens,” said James in a hushed voice.
“Two major ones.”

“He is trying to escape our barriers by going through the
earth,” said Henry on my other side.

“It isn't working, is it?” I said, and both he and James shook
their heads. “Good.”

I spent the rest of the cab ride in silence. The hours slipped
by as we drove through the Greek countryside, heading toward the destruction
while everyone else was leaving. I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. I sat
rigidly beside Henry, whose eyes slipped shut for long periods of time, and not
even our driver seemed very chatty once he'd updated us on everything that had
happened. James told him which turns to take, and despite looking annoyed at
being given directions by a tourist, he didn't argue.

At last, after I'd wondered if we would ever reach Athens, the
taxi came to a stop on a road that wound up a steep hill. “I cannot go any
farther,” said our driver apologetically. “There is nothing left for us to go
toward, and I have barely enough fuel to make it back.”

“That's fine,” said James, handing the man a wad of bills.
“Keep the change.”

The three of us piled out of the car, and I hugged Henry's arm
as James led us down the road. It slanted upward as it circled the hill, and I
didn't see any sign of the city, but he seemed to know where he was going.

“You need to prepare yourself,” said James as we rounded the
corner. “This won't be easy.”

“I didn't come here for easy,” I muttered. Henry didn't say a
word, but he slid his arm from my grip to wrap around my shoulders instead.
Warmth spread through me, and though it wasn't enough to make me relax, it did
help. Just Henry being there did wonders.

We reached the other side of the bend. I don't know what I'd
been expecting—more green landscape, more trees, more Greece, but the moment I
saw what lay before us, I stopped cold.

The ocean glittered in the distance, churning threateningly as
dusk approached. Before it, where Athens had stood, was nothing. Land that had
once been covered in buildings and homes and people going about their daily
lives was now barren and brown. Rubble stood where skyscrapers once had, and
though rescue crews were scattered across the ruins, I would have never guessed
that less than a week before, this had been Athens.

“It's gone,” whispered James, and I groped around until I found
his hand. His fingers were cold. “It's just—gone.”

On my other side, Henry met the scene in front of us with stony
silence. Pulling myself away from the destruction long enough to gauge his
reaction, a wave of nausea swept over me. He didn't look any different. His
expression was impassive and his eyes distant, but there was no horror in his
eyes. Only the same sadness that was always there.