Chapter 9: A Godly To-Do List

Books fill Athena's suite. Books, and ancient military artifacts. A WWII-era US Army helmet. A German WWI helmet. An ancient Roman spear. Even MREs from decades ago. She could have ordered this stuff on eBay or found it online. These could be replicas. But some of it still looks OLD.

Her living room furniture is, of course, done in green and white, like everything in this place. Athena strides over to the tumbled stone wet bar. "Would you like a drink?"

"Sparkling water."

Assessing me, her gray eyes register approval. "A man in control of himself."

I shrug. "I'm on duty 24/7. When you own your own business, you never really clock out."

While she pours us glasses of sparkling water, she looks at me thoughtfully. "You want to be your own boss. Perhaps that is why your grandparents chose you as their heir."

"Well, they sure didn't tell my parents about this place."

No point in concealing anything from her. She probably knows all about me, like everyone inside these walls.

Athena gives me a sympathetic look. "A legacy can be a heavy burden. Maybe they thought your parents weren't up to the task."

I think about my parents, Ashton and Davina Thomas. An insurance broker and an IT professional who became a stay-at-home mom and started one of those mommy blogger sites years ago, then monetized it. She still works in IT. Very logical, practical people.

Sipping my water, I take a seat on the chenille sofa. It feels like it's attached to me. It's so soft, in a way that the sofas in the other rooms aren't. "My parents are suspicious of everything. They barely even vote in elections. And always third-party candidates, even though the numbers don't add up."

"Ah. So, even in a democracy, they don't trust the system," Athena sums up.

"Exactly. They analyze everything to death."

"Wouldn't they believe their own eyes?"

I snort. "My dad spends his days looking at statistics about accidents, and he always finds the flaw in someone's claim, no matter how perfect it is. My mom looks for bugs—problems with software."

Athena sips her drink. "Not much room for the mystical."

"The strange part is, they were philosophy majors in college. They started out in philosophy, studying Nietzsche, Plotinus, and Plato…and then my mom got pregnant with me."

"Ah."

I shrug. "It was during the dot-com bubble and the Iraq War. A lot of economic uncertainty. Mom switched majors to information technology and Dad picked business."

"Perhaps they didn't abandon their intellectual training," Athena observes. "Plato…well, he believed in the good life. He had a very regimented view of it."

I grin at the criticism. "You don't approve of his views?"

"I don't believe life is so rigid, that people are born into a certain class because they're meant to be. Also, Plato was what you would call a male diva. Poor Clio—the Muse of History—worked overtime. He hated writing. She practically had to hold his pencil." Her eyes never leave mine. "You have a book in you. Don't you?"

The question makes me choke on my water. I splutter, the bubbles burning in my throat.

"Sorry." Athena pats me on the back, then holds me until the coughing subsides. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"A little warning would be nice."

Her warm arms and soft skin aren't doing much for my composure. Her embrace feels intimate. But it can't be. She's the virgin goddess.

I wriggle out of her embrace. "Is this another test?"

"What?"

I flush. "You're acting as if you like me. I mean, LIKE me. I know that can't be true."

I sound like I'm in middle school.

She lifts her head, and the haughty aristocrat returns. "I am a goddess. Except for that whole Apple of Discord fiasco, I don't toy with mortals in that way."

"And you took a vow of chastity, too."

Pleased, she smiles at me. "You're well-informed. That's why I wanted to take care of you. Is that really so surprising? Can't a god do something for one of your kind without strings attached? On second thought, don't answer that."

"Oh." My face turns red. "I meant no disrespect. I apologize."

"I accept your apology. Given my family's reputation, it's not surprising you'd assume I was trying to—"

I cough again, this time out of embarrassment. "Well, it wasn't very professional of me."

"You're allowed the occasional misstep. Just don't make a habit of it." Her eyes soften. "I'm impressed with your gift for seeing beyond the obvious. If I hadn't taken that vow, you'd be a fine match for me."

"A goddess just turned me down and made my day at the same time." I shake my head. "What else does this inn have in store?"

"More than you can imagine," she says with an air of mystery. "And one of us, I mean gods in general, will choose you."

My mouth hangs open. "Really?"

A god or goddess, picking me as a romantic partner?

Athena nods. "Oh, yes. It's time."

"What do you mean by that?"

Another mysterious smile. "I can't reveal everything right now. It's enough that you know a little of your destiny. You have much to learn before that particular path is open to you."

I'm gulping water like it's going to vanish. I wasn't this nervous when I thought she was making a play for me. Maybe it's the uncertainty of this destiny she talks about. That might sound like a weird contradiction but knowing that an unknown romance is going to happen is about as useful as a fortune cookie fortune.

"I don't get a hint about who my future love interest is?"

She taps me lightly on the arm. "No. No one here will tell you, either."

"EVERYONE in the hotel knows? Does Daji know?"

"Of course."

I wonder if Daji could be persuaded to tell me. Sun Wukong seemed to toy with me about Athena's interest, or I thought he did. Maybe he was just testing the waters to see how I'd react to a god pursuing me. Maybe if I got him drunk…

Athena looks at me seriously. "You mustn't seek to know about it before it happens."

"Why not?"

"You have many other tasks before you."

I fold my arms. "Such as? Where's my to-do list? Or is that some secret destiny, too?"

With grace, Athena gets up and crosses the room. Snatching a scroll from a pile of them, she unrolls it and comes back with it, then hands it to me. "Have a look."

I glance at the to-do list.

1. Restore the magical wards protecting the resort from demons and other malicious entities.

2. Ensure that the inn's security systems, including magical measures, are functional and updated.

3. Meet the dietary and environmental needs of the inn's guests, such as providing seafood for Poseidon, offering a suitable martial arts area for Sun Wukong to teach classes, and setting up an aviary for Odin's ravens.

4. Organize outings, events, and entertainment for guests.

5. Organize transportation and accommodation for guests.

6. Arrange meetings and consultations with the inn's guests, whether it's mediating disputes between gods or holding high-level celestial meetings.

7. Curate, add to, and preserve the inn's collection of historical and magical artifacts.

8. Ensure the inn's financial stability by managing expenses and ensuring the inn remains profitable through hotel bookings and other means, such as offering exclusive services to guests in exchange for additional fees.

9. Establish and maintain relationships with various mythological and magical creatures and entities, such as dragons, fey, elves, and gryphons.

10. Oversee the inn's staff and ensure they are well-trained and knowledgeable in dealing with the inn's unusual guests.

I shake my head. "Collection of historical and magical artifacts?"

"It's in a protected wing," Athena explains. "On the staff, you and you alone have access. Your grandparents used to have regular viewings of the collection. I can take you there."

"I think I'd better see it. And where are these dragons, elves, fey, and gryphons?"

Athena smiles. "There's an object in your office that will allow you to call them."

"What, like a magic-only red phone?"

"Something like that. Also, Odin was complaining about the lack of aviary. The inn had one once, but it got destroyed. The firebird burned it up."

"Then I'll post a sign: 'Firebirds Strictly Prohibited.' I gaze at the list. "When do I need to accomplish all this by? Three months have already vanished."

Athena sighs. "I know. That's why we all launched a campaign to get your attention. It didn't occur to us that you knew nothing about the inn. You've been doing a good job, even in your ignorance. But time is short. You only have until New Year's Eve."

"But that's three months away!"

Athena pauses. "The time frame is the same for everyone, but maybe I can talk to my fellow gods and mystical beings and grant you more time."

"Are you kidding? If I'd bothered to ask more questions in the beginning, I'd have known all this by now." I put on a brave face. "I'm used to tight deadlines for deliverables. I can make this deadline."

"Good." Athena's eyes are intense, like swirling clouds. "Because if you don't, this inn, and the answers you seek, and your grandparents' legacy, will cease to exist."