Chapter 74

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News traveled fast, and so did the fact Luke had revealed he was the traitor, and I am not gonna lie or even try to hide it… I was happy, not because they would probably try to get me back … but because soon all of Olympus will regret having betrayed me.

The question now was, was I going to follow Hestia if she decided she wanted to go back to Olympus, or would I part ways with her until I was strong enough to do something about the situation. I loved Hestia, she had been the one person that had always been there for me.

I suppose the question now was, did I hate Olympus more than I loved Hestia?

"What do we do now?" Hestia asked, breaking my depressing train of thought, with a warm smile, "Soon, Zeus will try to fix his mistake… meaning he will invite us back to Olympus," she added with a deep sigh.

I looked at her perplexed as if something had finally clicked, not at her statement, but at something I couldn't fully comprehend, but in reality I didn't need to understand it, the important thing was that I knew now that wherever she went I would go with her without hesitating, like I also knew… she would never abandon me.

"I don't know," I breathed out, rubbing the sides of my head, "I think it's more of… what do you want to do…"

Hestia looked at me for a second before she replied, "I… I told you before I would stand by your side,"

I smiled, "I know… that's why I love ya," I hugged her, making her giggle.

"So… we are going to reject his offer right?" Hestia asked between arms, her eyes looking into mine.

"Yes," I answered, feeling a shadow of doubt crawling down my spine, I knew how much Hestia wanted peace, and everyone to be happy, she was just like that… a fire of love, and unfortunately for her, she had sided with me… someone that unlike her wanted to burn those who hurt me.

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[Zeus POV]

Luke had revealed himself as the traitor, meaning Adam was… innocent, Hestia and Hades had been right all along.

"Zeus we need Hestia back," Hera stated in concern, "If Kronos is coming back, we will need every God available…. even Adam if the news about his ascension are true,"

"I know," I sighed.

"The fastest way to get them back should be by apologizing," Hera offered, me… apologizing?! "At least to Hestia, if she comes back… her little hound dog will come back with her,"

"Hestia is at fault for not obeying a simple command!" I roared, "I told her to come, and she deliberately disobeyed me!" Hestia was where she was now because she had forgotten I ruled the skies! I ruled Olympus!

"Whatever the reason is! Right now we can't afford to be prideful in such trivial manners!" Hera roared back, slamming her fist on her throne, "I don't care who is right or who isn't! All I care is if we have or not enough power to stop Kronos and his army from rising again!"

I stood up fuming in anger, and slapped her, "Don't you dare… to shout at me ever again,"

"I will do as I please," Hera hissed, "I am… even if you tend to forget it, the Queen of Olympus, and I bow to no one, not even the King,"

"Is that a challenge!?!" I growled.

"Not that I don't like seeing a good show," Demeter interrupted as she entered the room, "But Hera is right, we need Hestia and Adam back, without Hestia we are weaker, and Adam is a newly ascended God, which means he could help us more than any demigod could in war,"

I sighed, "I have sent word I have pardoned them for their crimes,"

"How can you forgive someone for something they didn't do?" Demeter inquired.

"The Kronos situation is out of their record," I replied, "But disobeying my orders, hiding from me and avoiding my punishment… for those crimes I have graciously offered them a royal pardon,"

".... I will look for them," Demeter sighed, "Otherwise we won't get them back,"

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[Artemis POV]

Adam was innocent, I had tried to kill my innocent brother… I had tried to end his life without any hesitation… what have I done…

"Sis, don't worry… you know Adam… he doesn't have in him to hate anyone," Apollo offered with a reassuring smile, if only he knew… how much Adam had changed, how much his once innocent gaze had turned into the eyes of a lurking predator.

"Apollo… I saw him, and I know the Adam we once knew is king gone," I replied, holding my bow tight, "His time in Tartarus changed him… the only person he stills looks fondly at is Hestia, and we tried to hunt her down… he will never forgive us,"

"I know we messed up," Apollo sighed, "But everything with time heals, I would know… I'm the God of healing…. so don't worry, if he doesn't forgive us I will kick his ass, until he does," he chuckled.

I eyed him for a second, "It will take a millennia before he forgets what we did… what we would've done…"

"Well… if that's what it takes… is a good thing we are Gods right?" Apollo chuckled humorlessly.

"Immortality also means an opportunity to hold a grudge for all eternity," I added, my lips closing into a thin line, "We failed our mother, we failed our brother, and there is nothing we can do about it anymore…"

"Trust me sis," Apollo smiled, "He will forgive us… I will make sure of that,"

"Naive," I sighed, "I know he won't forget all of this as easily as you wished he would… because I wouldn't… because you wouldn't… we still haven't forgive what Hera did to our mother… and that happen a few millennia ago, our family is good a holding grudges… and he is our brother,"