Avenging (The Rising Series Book 3) (16 page)

He shook his head at her continued resistance. “And what question is that?”

“You want to know who the man with me is? His name is Triton. You might have heard about him.”

He laughed. “Right. Since you continue to defy me, how about we start again from the beginning?” He cupped his hand over her arm.

“I wish Triton had just five minutes to show you his power,” Nicole whispered, bracing herself for the oncoming pain. “You’d be sorry you ever touched me.”

“Yeah, I wish he did too, sweetheart. Perhaps
he
could get you to talk,” he said, just before the cursed agony returned.

***

Triton awoke to the wailing of an injured seal. No, that wasn’t right. Pain radiated from his chest and wrists. Memories flooded back into his mind. He wasn’t in the sea at all, but in a human dungeon. And a woman was screaming.

Nicole!

He stood, fear and anger awaking his mind and body.

Something is different, sea-god. I’m not siphoning anymore. This is impossible!

Even as Sypher spoke, power flooded into his body—the blessed power of a god. He healed his wound as his muscles bulged, brimming with strength. Pulling at his chains, they broke as easily as tissue paper. He reached his hand toward the door and it exploded, wood and stone crashing against the far wall.

The tunnel shook with each step as he ran, following the cries of agony. The room wasn’t far. He could hear Nicole sobbing. She sounded weak.
What did these humans do to her?

He blasted the door apart and stepped in the room. A human, the man they called Rasmus, backed slowly away from him. “You…” Surprise and fear stole his breath as he dropped, trembling to his knees.

“I tried to warn you. I told Hector what would happen to you if you harmed her.”

He looked onto the bed. Nicole lay, now unconscious, her clothes and the bed below her slick with vomit. He searched her body and found no wounds. Yet, he could feel the agony she had suffered. An unfathomable fury erupted in him.

His limbs stretched and his teeth sharpened and elongated. The fire that lit his eyes outshone the flames from the hearth. The beast had taken over.

“Please, have mercy,” Rasmus said, lifting his hand and lowering his head. “I am your faithful servant!”

“My faithful servant?” His voice roared like the sound of a thousand waves. He circled his prey, getting ready to attack. “You tortured the woman I love! I have no mercy for such as you. But, I have one question to ask. Are you alone in this treachery?”

“I… they… it wasn’t my idea. I told them we shouldn’t hurt her! It was all Hector’s doing!”

The lies poured from the human’s lips, stinking up the air like rotting, putrid flesh. Triton leapt at the human and slammed him against the floor. He blasted his way into his mind, searching out the truth. Rasmus
did
work alone. Though Hector was not blameless, as he had not conveyed Triton’s warning. And a human called Baccus had tried to help Nicole, but he was overpowered by Rasmus. He then fled to get help.

“You lie, Rasmus. And soon you will know what it means to incur the wrath of a powerful sea-god.”

Rasmus screamed and continued to scream. But soon enough, there were none but the rats to hear his cries.

***

Nicole awoke in the arms of Ty—her throat raw and her body weak. The scent of fresh soap and clean linens filled her with comfort. She peeled her eyes open and raised a shaky hand to Ty’s bearded face. “Where did the beard come from?” Her voice scratched, and she could barely manage a whisper.

He shook his head and cracked a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Of all the things you should be concerned about, facial hair is the most important? Huh?”

“And your hair is longer too,” she whispered. “It looks good on you.”

“How are you feeling?” a tenor voice asked. Nicole turned her head to see a man, the one called Baccus. He brought her a glass of water. Worry was etched in his face.

She took the cup, and sipped the water—her throat cooled. “You’re Baccus, aren’t you?”

He nodded. “I’m so sorry. I tried to stop Rasmus.”

At the mention of his name, panic gripped her heart, and she clenched Ty’s arm in a death grip.

“Enough!” Ty’s voice boomed as he looked at Baccus. “Leave us.”

“I’m sorry, Majesty,” Baccus said as he placed the glass of water on a bedside table and slipped out the door.

“Where’s Rasmus?” she asked, searching her surroundings. “Is he gone?”

“Yes. He’ll never harm you or anyone else ever again.”

“But how?”

“My powers returned.”

“What? You have your powers back?”

He shook his head. “Not anymore, unfortunately. But my show of power convinced the Pelagi that I
am
Triton. They’ve vowed to help us. I do have a question to ask you, sweetheart.” He looked at her intently, concerned creases forming at the corner of his blue eyes. “I believe it was you that gave me my powers back for a short time. I need you to help me figure out how.”

She took another swallow of water and said, “I don’t know. I… I remember telling Rasmus that I wished you had your powers back for just five minutes. Then he would be sorry.”

“Nicole, I
did
have my powers back. And it lasted about five minutes. Are you saying you wished for it?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you also wish clothes for me? That time they appeared in my hands?”

“I… yes, I think I did.”

“And what about the fruit?”

“I… no, actually. I think that Hanna wished for that.”

“But all of these happened when someone made a wish?”

Nicole sat up—happily stunned to finally have a mystery solved. “So that’s it! Someone needs to make a wish?” she said. A smile stretched over her face, and she felt like shouting for joy.

Triton didn’t look pleased, though.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m not sure. I’m more worried for you than happy. How much power do you have? How far does it extend? Could the world be destroyed with a single wish?”

Nicole’s shoulders drooped. “I sure hope not. Maybe Zeus had a good reason to siphon my powers. Maybe I’m too much of threat.”

“No! Siphoning your powers and altering your memories is not the answer.”

“We’re not even sure exactly how my powers work. I do think I know what we need to do to test it out. You need to wish to get your powers back.”

“Wait, not so fast. I also want Sypher out of my head.”

“But I don’t want her dead.”

“Do you trust Sypher?”

“Of course.”

“No, really. Do you completely and implicitly trust her?”

Nicole thought about all the times Sypher protected her, comforted her, and finally saved her life, fully expecting to die because of it. “Yes,” she answered firmly.

“Then I wish for Sypher’s freedom to come and go from any mind
she
pleases without threat of death.”

Nicole waited, wondering if she’d see Sypher when she left. Would she look the same? “Is she gone?”

Triton scowled and shook his head. “No, she’s still here.”

Nicole sighed and racked her brains trying to remember the exact circumstances surrounding each of the times her power showed itself. “Wait, maybe you need to be touching me.”

“Right.” His eyes lit up as if he remembered. He took Nicole’s hand in his and repeated his wish.

She waited for several moments.

The light extinguished in his eyes, and he shook his head.

Nicole’s shoulder’s sagged. “I really thought we’d figured it out.”

“I think we’re almost there. There’s just something we’re missing.”

Nicole yawned, her eyes heavy.

Ty kissed her forehead. “You look exhausted, love. You’re safe now. Why don’t you get some more sleep? We’ll figure it out later.”

Nicole nodded, and that was the last thing she remembered before she found herself in the great hall on Olympus.

Darkness surrounded Nicole. A spot of light appeared in the distance. It increased until a vision filled her view, stealing her breath and gaining her full attention. She was in the great hall of Olympus. How she knew, she wasn’t quite sure. The room was bright with white marble floors and columns that reached up into the blue sky. The place was filled with people, all wearing robes of various colors, many of them stitched with gold thread and fine needlework. Each person glowed, casting light as bright as the sun on everything around them. Nicole was shocked to find she could look directly at them, despite the brightness.

She looked down. Her mother was sitting on a golden throne. To the left of her sat a large, muscular man with black hair. Tyche smiled at a newborn cradled in her arms. “Beautiful princess,” she cooed.

The baby’s blue eyes sparkled with merriment as she sloppily sucked on her fist.

“Here they come, my love,” the man sitting next to her mother whispered in her ear. Tyche looked and scanned a crowd as it filled the court. A dark man with burning, red eyes approached the throne. Nicole could smell the spicy scent of applewood and mahogany burning off his skin. The fire of his power blazed in his eyes as he looked the baby over.

“Petros, my brother… my king, you know I owe you for my freedom, and for my ability to exercise power. I owe you much and my gift to your daughter is this. I will take the life of any who wishes Nikoleta harm and grant immortality to another of her choosing. This must be done simultaneously—a death for a life. All she needs to do is speak the words.”

The baby was named Nikoleta?
Nicole’s eyes widened as she looked at the babe and realized she was seeing herself. Her attention diverted as the air shifted around her and power surged, emanating from the god—the gift had been given.

“That is generous, Hades,” Petros said.

“No more generous than you have been to me.”

Another man came next. Each step he made sounded like the rushing waves of the sea. The irises of his blue eyes swirled around his pupils as the scent of the briny sea blew across the hall. A smile touched the man’s lips as he looked at the babe.

“Brother, welcome.” Petros smiled.

“Thank you, Majesty. My gift to your daughter is this. I will raise an island just for her. It will be lush, beautiful—a place of refuge, should she ever need it. No other shall step upon its shores without her invitation—with the exception of her father, of course.”

Her father smiled. “Of course.”

Again, great power rushed from this man—that gift, too, had been given.

A third man came next. Electricity crackled and sparked as his feet struck the marble floors. He was smiling, but Nikoleta shrunk away from this man. This was Zeus, she was sure of it. The man spoke. “Brother, sister-in-law, I have not seen a star in the sky, moon in the heavens, nor sun that shines as brightly as your daughter. Even Olympus pales in comparison. My gift to her is clear skies and calm winds wherever she walks.”

Petros nodded. “Thank you, brother. I am pleased.”

“I am glad, My King.”

A woman came next. Her majestic demeanor melted away at the sight of the child. “Oh, My Queen!” She rushed forward and knelt down at Tyche’s feet. “She’s beautiful.”

Nicole’s mother beamed. “Thank you, Hera. She is, isn’t she?”

A tear leaked from the woman’s eye as she caressed the babe’s cheek. “Oh, how I wish…how I wish I had a babe…” Her words choked off, filled with emotion.

“Someday…” Tyche began.

Hera stood and lifted her head high—once again regal, her eyes sad. Then her eyes widened as a wrenching wail tore from her lips. She collapsed in on herself, sinking to the marble floor.

Nicole’s mother leapt up amidst sudden commotion and screamed. “Hera! What’s wrong? Please, gods. Someone help her!” The whole Olympus court rushed in to watch. But no one approached the goddess writhing in pain on the floor. All around her stood petrified gods and goddesses, looking on in horror. Nicole’s mother turned to her husband. “Here, take Nikoleta.” She shoved her into his arms and flew to Hera’s side.

“Hera.” She knelt down. “What is wrong? How can I help?” She put her arm around her.

“It hurts!” Hera screamed as she curled up on the floor. “Something is tearing out from within me!”

At those words, her wail turned to a scream so loud that Nicole’s ears rang. Then there was a popping and gushing sound as a flood of fluid drenched Hera’s dress watery red. And then—silence.

The quiet sound of rustling fabric and gurgling breaths came from Hera. The folds of her skirt moved. Something lay beneath it. A squeaky cry wailed out like the cawing of a crow. Hera screamed and tried to scramble away.

“No!” Tyche yelled. “Don’t move.” She lifted Hera’s skirt and reached underneath.

No one dared breathe.

“What’s wrong?” a man called out from behind the crowd. “Where’s my wife?” The crowd parted, and Zeus came through just as Tyche lifted up a wet, squirming baby from under Hera’s dress.

Hera took in a ragged breath. “That’s… that’s my child?”

Tyche sniffed, choking back tears as she nodded.

“But, but… I was not pregnant.”

“Of course you were,” Tyche answered.

Hera shook her head, frowning. “I wasn’t.”

The babe didn’t seem to like being held up in the cold. He wailed long and shrill.

Tyche placed the baby into Hera’s lap. Hera’s hands shook and her arms lay loose around the child. Her eyes darted from god to goddess around the room. The babe’s cries softened when he shoved his thumb in his mouth and tucked his head against Hera’s stomach. She looked down and relaxed into a smile. “My baby?” She sighed as she tightened her grip and pulled the babe against her chest. “My boy.”

Nicole’s mother smiled and sighed. She searched the crowd for Zeus. His eyes were icy-cold as he glared in hatred at the child.

The vision around her faded, and another materialized into view. Nicole found herself in a lavish bedchamber.

“But I don’t understand, Petros. Why can no one else see our baby?” Her mother paced around the spires of their golden, four-poster bed. Her slippered feet padded across the white marble floor.

“Don’t you think it odd?” he said. “Hera gave birth to a baby she didn’t even know she was pregnant with
and
this happened just after she wished she had a child?

“Well, yes, maybe… I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

“Each of us discovers our god powers in different ways.” He looked at Tyche and then the child playing in her cradle.

“You think our daughter did that?” Her mother trembled. “How? She’s but a babe, far from her twenty-first birthday. How could she have the power?”

“My powers showed when I was a child too.”

“But you’re the most powerful god on Olympus, and your powers didn’t manifest until you were nearly ten years old.”

“Perhaps Nikoleta is more powerful than I am. Let’s see what she can do. Wish for something. Let’s start with something small and insignificant.”

“You have to be kidding.”

“Okay, I will. I wish I had a glass of wine.”

They sat waiting. Lying in her cradle, the baby kicked her legs and swatted at a hummingbird.

“Nothing happened,” her mother said.
              “Wait a minute,” her father said. “Hera was touching Nikoleta when she made the wish, wasn’t she?”

“I… I don’t remember.”

He quietly approached her. The baby grabbed his finger and attempted to pull it into her mouth. “I wish for a glass of wine.” He held his hand out as if he expected one to appear in it.

Tyche looked at her husband and then looked at his hand. No glass of wine appeared. But then a flash from the corner of her vision caught her attention. She turned and gasped.

The king’s brows pinched in confusion until he followed her eyes.

Sitting on his bedside table was a silver goblet filled with red wine. “That wasn’t… it wasn’t there before, was it?” she asked.

“No,” Petros answered, shaking his head.

From Nicole’s vantage, overlooking the scene, she noticed a shadow pass across under the closed door. Someone was out there.

“Let me try again,” the king said. “I wish for a bowl of pomegranates.”

Nicole held her breath as she waited for the bowl to appear. But there was nothing.

“Hmm. I don’t understand,” her father said.

“Perhaps you only get one wish,” Tyche answered.

“You may be right.”

“I’ll wish for something this time.” Tyche touched her baby’s cheek and opened her mouth to speak.

“Wait!” Petros shouted. “Be careful what you wish for. No one can know what our daughter can do. Do you see how dangerous that could be for her?”

Tyche bit her lip and nodded. And then she made her wish.