Chapter Twenty-Two

With a loud crack, Kate's head slammed violently causing black dots to swarm her vision. Her stomach flipped and she bent over getting sick all over the pure marble floors. Wiping her mouth she slouched against a wall trying to catch her breath.

   "The helmet Kate, you need to put the helmet on," the Maiden said urgently, "We are on Olympus."

   "Give me a freaking second okay? Iris just threw me into a wall can I get one second to breathe," Kate reached up tenderly touching her head on the spot that had connected with the floor, she felt dampness and pulled her hand away seeing blood on her fingertips.

   "I am sorry Kate but if you want a fighting chance you need to put that helmet on," the Crone was sterner than usual, and Kate was surprised to find she seemed worried.

    "Fine," she grumbled pulling the helmet from her bag. She hesitated for a moment unsure how to make it work since Hades hadn't given her an instruction manual.

   "Just place it on your head, Kate, it will activate itself," Kate physically felt the Maiden roll her eyes.

   "Don't judge me, it's not like many things are that easy," Kate pulled it on her head and waited. For a moment nothing seemed to happen, then her toes began to tingle. She glanced down and saw that not only had her foot disappeared but her entire leg had also. Her hands echoed the feeling in her feet and she looked to see they had all disappeared as well.

   "Great so now what?" she stood up slowly, her head was still pounding and as she tried to study her surroundings the walls and floor tried to switch places. She held out a hand on the wall to steady herself and make everything stop spinning. Warmth filled the spot where her head ached, it didn't completely take away the pain but it did help the room stop spinning. "Thank you."

   "Of course child," the Mother said lovingly. Now that the room had stopped spinning she was able to take in her surroundings. She was standing in a long hallway, everywhere she looked she saw white, white marble, white gauze, white statues, white everything. It shone so brightly her eyes blurred, she wiped the tears and reached down to swing her bag back on her back.

    "Which way?" Kate asked looking both ways not sure where the throne room was.

   "Go to the right Kate, the throne room is going to be at the end of this hallway," the Maiden said.

   Kate nodded and began to make her way down the hall keeping her eyes peeled for any more surprises.

   "We are sorry about that," the Mother said sadly, "I had hoped she wouldn't be as mad as everyone else seemed to be but I suppose I was wrong."

   Kate could feel so much sadness coming off of the Mother that she had to press her tongue to the roof of her mouth to keep from tearing up. The Mother was taking Iris' betrayal hard, nearly as hard as she had taken Persephone's betrayal but where she had been angry at her all Kate could sense was sadness for Iris.

   "It will be okay Hekate, we will figure out how to make things right with Iris, for now, though I think we should focus on Cassandra." She had made her way to the end of the hall and had stopped in front of a large archway. Along its borders, there were hundreds of symbols etched into it each glowing with a dim light. As she looked closer she was able to make out what some of them were, she inhaled sharply as she realized she was looking at all of the animal symbols of the Gods.

   "You are right," the Crone agreed, "Are you ready?"

   Kate took a breath, and nodded, "My friend is in there I know it, let's take her home, I could use a drink," her lips twitched into a nervous smile as she stepped through the archway.

   As she walked into the throne room a bright light caused her to shield her eyes, she wiped at her eyes clearing them and quickly taking a step to the side looked about her. Looking around she saw large columns that reached so high she couldn't see the tops of them, each was made of white marble but unlike the marble in the hall, these had specks of gold shining throughout them. Her eyes grazed the room seeing twelve large thrones set in a circle with slightly smaller thrones spread between each. Inside the circle of thrones stood a gray stone circle that offered the only other color in the room. Inside of it were what could only be described as heavenly flames. They flared with so many colors Kate was sure she could stare at them forever and she would always find a new color. Sitting on a small, intricately carved wooden chair was a woman covered from head to toe in so much gauze, Kate was only assuming it was a woman by her hands which were the only things she could see. They were small and delicate and covered in gold bracelets and rings. 

   "She is still here," the Mother sighed.

   "Well of course she is, where would she go and if she left who would guard the hearth fire," the Maiden stated as though that was obvious to everyone.

   "And this is?" Kate asked a little annoyed, she didn't want to run into another pissed-off goddess, she just needed to figure out where Cassandra was, grab her and get out as quickly as possible.

   "This is Hestia and she will not be a problem," the Crone said, "Her only priority is keeping the hearth fire going. I doubt that she will even notice us Kate."

   "Okay," Kate felt slightly reassured, she scanned the room, she didn't see Hera or Cassandra anywhere, she had been so sure that she would be here but so far she only saw Cassandra.

   "Patience Kate, she will be here, Hera may be the queen but she doesn't have her realm, she shares Olympus with Zeus so there is nowhere else for her to be," just as the Maiden finished reassuring her there was a pop in the air and Hera was standing in front of one of the larger thrones, but to Kate's dismay Cassandra wasn't anywhere near her.

   She sighed as she eased herself onto her throne and her eyes fixated on Hestia who had stopped waving her hands around the flames and become still.

   "Come Hestia don't stop because of me," Her voice was so condescending it made Kate want to smack that smug smile right off of her face.

   Hestia only lowered her head and turned away from Hera, she didn't seem all that interested in performing for her.

   Hera's smile grew wider as she looked at the archway, Kate turned to see Deimos and Phobos strolling into the throne room with a shaking Cassandra standing between them.

   "What's this?" she asked looking at the girl with a sneer.

   As soon as Kate saw her she took a step closer, "Not yet Kate," the Maiden said trying to stop her.

   "She is right there, why should we hesitate now?"

   "She won't shut up grandmother," Deimos said glaring down at a silent Cassandra.

   Hera tilted her head and looked at each of her grandsons, "She seems to be quiet now."

   Phobos knelt in front of Cassandra making her cringe, "Tell our grandmother what you have been sharing with us seer," he said softly, venom lacing his words.

   "Why should I?" Cassandra asked surprising not only the gods in the room but Kate as well, she knew Cassandra was living her nightmare as she was so scared of the gods Kate was surprised she hadn't fainted being in three of their presences.

   Hera was the only god who didn't seem surprised by her defiance, "I knew there was a fighter in you," she said rising to her feet and slowly making her way to Cassandra.

   "Let us have control Kate, it's time," all three of Hekate's voices echoed in Kate's mind and she closed her eyes trying hard to relax she pulled herself back and let her take the reins.

   "Tell me what you know mortal, I may even let you leave here if it's any good," Hera said staring down at Cassandra.

   Hekate stepped next to Cassandra still shrouded in Hades' helmet and reached out placing her hand on Cassandra's shoulder. The girl jumped slightly but did not take her eyes off Hera.

   "You have done so well Cassandra but let us help you know," Hekate turned and looked between Deimos and Phobos disgust crudling her stomach. Reaching out her hand she called the wind to her, as it whipped around the throne room both the gods looked around searching for its source.

   "I knew you would come sooner or later," Hera, who had stopped approaching Cassandra, said as the wind whipped her hair and clothes around her body, "Show yourself Hekate."

   "Do we look stupid to you Hera, why would we go through all the trouble of borrowing a helmet that makes us invisible if we were going to just whip it off when you asked us to?" that was the Maiden, Kate thought as the goddess stepped in front of Cassandra trying to find the best way to protect her.

   "Because, my dear future daughter-in-law," Hera said making Hekate snarl, "How do you plan on getting the mortal out? The helmet only works one at a time."

    "Once you are all down there won't be any need for the helmet," Hekate said pushing the wind harder at her. The goddess only stood there letting her clothes and hair become a massive swirl, she tilted her head and looked back at Cassandra.

   "All this for one mortal?"

   "All of this for a friend," she replied, she could feel Deimos stepping closer to Cassandra, and spinning she threw a small ball of fire into his face. He roared rearing back and scrambling at his face, he looked in front of Cassandra where the fire had come from and swiped his hand out trying to take Hekate by surprise. Knowing Deimos had a problem with control Hekate waited until he almost hit her then ducked and reached out grabbing his wrist and letting the fire in her burn through her hands. He pulled and twisted trying to get her to release him but she was enjoying his screams far too much to just let go. Without warning she felt Phobos' clawed hand reach out and swipe across her back, making her release his brother and jumping out of the way. Both gods circled Cassandra looking everywhere waiting for her next attack. Instead of attacking them, she turned her attention to Hera. She quickly made her way to the queen, stopping in front of her she reared back and put all of her strength into the punch she aimed for Hera's perfect face. The sound of bone crunching caught Deimos and Phobos' attention and they turned to their grandmother in a panic as they watched golden blood trickle from her