Goddess by Chance (Demi-God Daughters Book 2) (21 page)

Chapter Forty-One

Triton couldn’t breathe as Arienne’s once listless eyes stared up at him. Watching mesmerized, he saw a golden glow suffuse her body.

“Triton,” she croaked.

“Arienne, I thought I’d lost you.”

Tears slipped down his face as he hugged her tight. Her arms came to close around him.

“It’s all right. I’m here.”

“I didn’t know if the ambrosia would work so late, but I’m so glad it did.”

“Me, too. I wasn’t ready to die yet.”

Triton laughed and then drew back to help Arienne to a sitting position. He stared at her, finding her eyes much darker. Her beautiful face seemed to glow.

“Now we never have to worry about that. You’re a goddess now, and I’m never going to lose you.”

Arienne touched his cheek. “Triton, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“The baby. I’m so happy.”

Her brows knitted together. “How did you know?”

“I went to your place, and I saw the pregnancy test. Don’t worry. It’s all going to be okay.”

A tear slipped down her cheek. “Is it really?”

“Yes, it is.”

Triton took Arienne in his arms and looked around them. Cerceis and Athena were still locked in combat, neither of them noticing Arienne’s return from the dead. As Triton held her, the ground underneath them started to tremble and the sand shifted from side to side. Slowly, a large hole formed in the ground. The sands swirled in a cyclone, and a figure emerged from the portal in the sand. He recognized her at once. The Goddess of Legend had come to dispense justice, and Triton feared just what she might do.

****

Arienne drew back from the protection of Triton’s arms and took a look at her surroundings, gasping. Her mother was attacking Cerceis with a blazing sword, and floating in the air above them with sandy winds swirling around her was Cameryn. Arienne could feel the malevolent energy coming in waves from the dark goddess.

“Enough.”

Arienne watched as Cameryn shot a blast of energy towards Athena and Cerceis. The goddesses were knocked apart and fell to the sand. Athena jumped to her feet, moving to attack Cerceis again, but she couldn't because she slammed into a silver force field. Athena screamed in frustration, and Arienne swallowed back tears. Her mother was fighting to avenge her death in a fight that could never be truly won. Athena truly did love her.

Triton helped pull her to her feet, his arms wrapping around her, holding her as if he never wanted to let go. Cameryn turned, inclining her head towards them. “To Olympus.”

The dark goddess turned away, stretching out her hand towards Athena and Cerceis. All of the women started to rise higher and higher into the air until they disappeared.

“To Olympus?” Arienne asked.

Triton sighed. “It seems we have no choice. Hold on.”

His arms wrapped around her waist, and then they were spinning through the air. Arienne tried to swallow the bile in her throat. Her head swam and mercifully she was still.

“Are you all right?” Triton asked. His eyes were wide with concern.

She smiled at him. “Yes, just dizzy. What was that?”

“Teleportation.”

“We’re on Olympus?”

“Yes, and it looks like the Council is about to convene.”

Directly in front of them, standing on a stone depression in the floor were Cerceis, Cameryn, and Athena. Grey stone steps rose in front of them leading up to a massive stone dais where twelve stone thrones curved in a semi-circle. All of them were occupied except one.
That must be Mom’s.

Arienne stared at the gods assembled before her. She knew Aphrodite, but the rest were somewhat of a mystery to her, except for the man with black hair and dark eyes seated on the very end. He had to be Hades, God of the Underworld and Cameryn’s husband. He was quite handsome in a dark, brooding sort of way.

“Hera and Council, I bring before you a dispute that needs settling in a fair and expeditious manner,” Cameryn said.

“No vigilante justice this time. I’m surprised,” a silver-haired goddess said with a smirk.

“That can always be arranged, Artemis,” Cameryn said with a small smile.

Artemis, the Goddess of the Moon, frowned. It seemed there was no love lost between the two goddesses.

“Thank you for bringing this before the Council. What are the charges?” a brown-haired woman with flashing eyes said.

Athena stepped forward. “Hera. Council, Cerceis killed my daughter and my unborn grandchild.”

Hera nodded as her eyes flicked from purple to blue to green and then back again. She looked past Athena with a small smile.

“It seems they both are very much alive.”

“What?” Athena asked.

Hera inclined her head, and Athena turned around, her grey eyes stretching wide.

“Arienne?” With a lack of propriety so unlike her, Athena ran towards Arienne and hugged her tight. She stroked her daughter’s hair. “I thought you were gone. That I’d lost you, too.”

“I killed her. How is she still alive?” Cerceis screamed.

“I stopped Thanatos from taking her, and Triton fed her ambrosia bringing her back as a goddess,” Cameryn said.

“You meddling bitch. How dare you deny me my vengeance?”

Cerceis leapt at Cameryn at the same time Hades rose from his throne. The Goddess of the Underworld didn’t even look at Cerceis. She simply raised her hand in the Oceanid’s direction, and Cerceis was suspended in midair, yelling but unable to move.

“I suggest you all decide what to do with her before I forget about this team player nonsense and zap her ass right out of existence,” Cameryn said.

Hades sat back down, but not before he bestowed a long, loving look on his wife. Arienne had to admit that Cameryn was pretty awesome.

“Cameryn is right. We must decide. If it had not been for her intervention, Athena’s child and grandchild would be dead, killed in cold blood,” a man who looked like Kevin Sorbo said.

Hercules is real. Holy crap.

“And what about my daughter? Athena killed Pallas, and she has never paid for her crime,” Cerceis reminded them.

“Pallas’s death was an accident. She was not killed in cold blood, and you are partly responsible for her demise,” a voluptuous brunette with blonde streaks said.

“Still, Cerceis lost a child, and recent events have given us all a taste of loss and grief. She is simply a mother seeking vengeance,” Artemis said.

“We know how Cerceis feels, but what about you, Triton? Do you still wish for vengeance against Athena?” Aphrodite asked.

Arienne faced her lover, waiting for his response.

****

All eyes were on Triton, and he swallowed beneath the intensity of their combined gazes.  The day he’d thought would never come was here. All he had to do was agree with Cerceis and Athena would finally be punished, but Pallas would still be gone.

“No.”

“No? You fool. You dishonor Pallas. You care nothing about the memory of our daughter.”

Cameryn jerked her hand, and Cerceis was rendered silent.

“I see. So what has brought about this change?” Hera asked.

“I realize that I was blinded by an imaginary turn of events. Athena loved Pallas, and she would’ve never done anything to deliberately hurt her. My daughter’s death was an accident, and had I been a more observant father, I might’ve realized my daughter was not an immortal.”

A weight lifted from Triton’s chest. Speaking the truth had taken away the pain in his heart, and his desire for revenge lived no more.

“I truly am sorry, Triton. Pallas was my best friend. That’s why I took her name and created the palladium that sits outside your palace,” Athena said.

“I know, and I forgive you. Let there be peace between us for Arienne’s sake.” Triton extended his hand.

Athena clasped it in hers. “It shall be. I can see how much you love my daughter. I wish you both happiness.”

“Thank you.”

Triton turned from Athena to face the Council. “Now what will be the punishment for Cerceis?”

****

Arienne couldn’t believe what was happening. Triton and her mother had made peace, and Athena had given them her blessing.
Miracles do happen it seems.

“For the crime of killing a mother, an unborn child…”

“And my father and all those innocent people at the Space Center,” Arienne broke in.

All eyes turned to look at her. Hera nodded and continued.

“And for the other crimes mentioned, Cerceis, Daughter of Oceanus, will be imprisoned for all eternity. What say you all?”

One by one the gods nodded, affirming, except for Artemis. She just folded her arms and glared.

“Very well. Majority rules. Cameryn, Hades, would you take care of this?”

Hades rose from his throne. “Yes, sister. There are plenty of dark corners in the Underworld where we can stick her.”

The handsome god walked down the stairs and took his wife’s free hand.

“Cameryn.”

The dark goddess turned halfway. “Yes, Athena?”

“Thank you for saving them.”

“You’re welcome. All I ask is that you be a better mother to Arienne than Persephone was to me,” Cameryn said.

“I will.”

Cameryn nodded, and then she and Hades disappeared with Cerceis.

“The Council is now adjourned.”

The gods rose and began to depart. Aphrodite ran down the stairs and threw her arms around Arienne.

“See. I told you. True love will always win out.”

“Okay. You were right.”

Aphrodite drew back and winked at her. “Of course I am. I am the Goddess of Love.”

Arienne laughed. “Like I could forget that.”

Smiling, Aphrodite stepped toward Athena, looping her arm through her sister’s. “All right Sis, let’s leave the lovebirds alone. This has been a long day for both of them.”

Athena looked at Aphrodite and rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smile was on her face. “Fine. I’ll check on you two later.”

“I love you, Mom.”

Athena’s eyes grew misty. “I love you, too.”

And then she and Aphrodite were gone.

“Well, son, how about introducing me to my new daughter-in-law?”

A brown-haired, bearded man with green eyes approached them. Triton drew her close, a radiant smile on his face.

“Arienne, this is my father, Poseidon, God of the Seas.”

Poseidon took her hand, smiling. “I’m so happy to finally meet the woman my son loves so much.”

“Thank you. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“You make an old man happy my dear,” Poseidon said before turning to his son. “Make sure you stop by soon so your mother can meet her.”

“I will, Dad.”

Poseidon clapped Triton on the back. “I’m holding you to it.”

With a smile, the God of the Seas was gone.

Arienne released a breath. “I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll take you home.”

Arienne didn’t protest as Triton pulled her into his arms. She closed her eyes against the dizziness that enveloped her, and when she opened them, they were in her bedroom. She fell on the bed, and Triton stood in front of her, making no move to join her.

“Triton?”

“I know a lot has happened, and I’m sure you need some time to think.”

Arienne shook her head. “No, I don’t. Now come here.”

Triton joined her in the bed, and she moved to lie on his chest.

“The thing that scared me the most was the fear that you didn’t love me and it was all an act. But you proved me wrong. You came to my rescue when you could have finally had your revenge with me dead, but you didn’t take it. You did everything in your power to save me and our child, and only a man in love would do that.”

Triton cleared his throat. “So you forgive me?”

“Yes, as long as you don’t skip out and leave me to raise this baby by myself.”

“Never.”

His hand rested on her stomach, and Arienne blinked back tears. “Good.”

Triton chuckled. “So how does it feel to be a goddess?”

“A goddess by chance? I’m not really sure. I haven’t wrapped my head around it yet.”

“How do you know it’s by chance and not destiny?”

Arienne sat up and looked at Triton. A smile hovered on his face.

“What are you saying?”

“It wasn’t by chance that you came into my life, taught me how to love again and became my partner for all eternity. We were meant to be.”

A tear slipped down Arienne’s cheek. “So this is my happily ever after?”

Triton caressed her cheek. “This is just the start of it.”

Their lips met in a kiss of passion and promise. The dark days were behind them now. As Triton pulled her to lie beneath him, Arienne decided she’d ask him later how she was supposed to be the new Princess of the Sea when she wasn’t fond of water. Triton’s lips trailed down her neck, and she moaned.