Immortal Grave (6 page)

A velvety chuckle glided through the air and where the empty chair had caught Ree’s attention, a dark haired woman sat with her legs crossed.

“So, your senses really have heightened.” Smiling, the goddess leaned further back into the chair. “I was wondering if you’d be able to tell I was here.”

“Who are you?” Ree narrowed her eyes at the woman. She was not in the mood for company, and a god was the last person she would want to talk to even if she wasn’t in the mood for quiet.

“Aphrodite.” The woman pursed her lips. “Goddess of love. Yadda, yadda, yadda.”  She waved her hand flippantly, looking bored with her introduction.

“Aphrodite.” Ree stated the name calmly, but the last thing in the world she wanted to talk about was love.

“Of course, dear. There are important things happening right now and I figured you might need a motherly figure to talk to.” Smiling wickedly, Aphrodite motioned at her body. Ree couldn’t help but snort. There was nothing motherly about Aphrodite. She looked like a runway model, complete with designer outfit and awkward-looking shoes.

“Actually, I’m not really in the mood to talk to anyone. But, thanks for the offer.” Ree thought about walking out of the room, but didn’t want to turn her back on the goddess. “Maybe another time.”

Aphrodite uncrossed her legs and tsked under her breath. Standing up, she walked toward Ree and gently wrapped her fingers around her wrist. Tugging carefully, the goddess pulled Ree over to the bed and sat on the edge.

Fighting the urge to pull herself free of the goddess’s hold, Ree sat next to the lovely woman on the bed and frowned. She wasn’t sure what the goddess wanted and it made her nervous to sit so close to a deity that could kill her with one thought.

“Now, tell me what happened.” Aphrodite cocked her head to the side, her expression open and interested. Pulling up one leg up on the bed she turned to face Ree, looking like a girl at a sleep over party dishing for details.

“I’m not sure what you want to hear about.” Ree brushed a hand over her face.

“I’m the goddess of love, Alastriana.” Narrowing her eyes, Aphrodite poked Ree in the shoulder. “Tell me about the kiss.”

“I guess you mean my kiss with Roland? Why do you really care?”

“I have a soft spot for Roland. Let’s say I’m one of the few gods that actually care about how he has been treated.” For the first time, Aphrodite looked fierce. “He’s been treated poorly from the beginning and I have a habit of rooting for the underdog.”

“Then why did you send Paden to watch over me? Why did you put us in this horrible place? Both of them are going to hate me before this is all over!” Ree stood up and glared at the goddess. “Why did you let Roland think he was my soul mate? Why didn’t you keep me from kissing him and hurting Paden?”

Aphrodite stood up suddenly. She seemed much taller than Ree, and there was an angry fire flashing in her eyes. “Sit down little girl. I might be underestimated by my brethren, but I am a goddess and will be given the respect I deserve.”

“You have to earn respect and so far all I’ve seen is manipulation and pain! I’m tired of hurting. I’m tired of watching the people I love hurt!” Ree screamed at the goddess, her rage taking over her common sense.

“Sit down, Ree. And let’s talk.” Aphrodite suddenly looked tired and waved a hand at the bed. “Let’s see if we can’t clear up this mess.”

Startled by the goddess’s change in temperament, Ree’s rage left her and she was even more tired. Sitting back down on the bed, Ree turned to face the goddess and watched her with cautious eyes.

“Casualties in war are an expected consequence.” Sitting down next to Ree, Aphrodite’s eyes stared off into space. “Mothers left with children to rear by themselves, innocent people caught in the cross fire, and heroes that are willing to give their lives so others will be safe. Sometimes when you are coming up with a strategy, there are things sacrificed for the greater good.”

Ree watched the goddess’s face closely. This was the most a god had spoken to Ree, and she didn’t want to miss anything.

“When the dark gods decided to take Roland from Tria, they were hoping Tria would be too soft to kill someone that she had loved. They had hoped his face would make her weak. In some ways, they were right. She hadn’t been able to kill him, but she had proven stronger than anyone could have hoped. She gave her life to return his humanity. She was the exact reason we were fighting for our planet. Humans have an amazing capacity for love. It’s one of your greatest strengths.” Pausing, Aphrodite opened her eyes and looked at Ree shrewdly.

“It’s also a weakness.”  Ree looked at the goddess with open eyes.

“A double-edged sword.” Aphrodite nodded. “But I think you are strong enough to use it in the right way.”

Running her hand over her face again, Ree grunted. “I don’t feel strong enough. I have no idea how to navigate this mess, and I feel like I need to figure it out before it explodes in our faces.”

“You already know who your soul belongs with.” Aphrodite stated it calmly and Ree nodded. She did know Paden was the person that completed her. It shouldn’t be possible to know that, it should be harder to tell, but it wasn’t. Something in her knew he fit her in every way, but she also didn’t want to hurt Roland.

“But Roland…” Ree trailed off, not sure what she really felt for her friend.

“Ah, yes.” Aphrodite frowned. “Roland has been led to believe he waited all this time for you.” Something in the goddess’s voice made Ree look up. Aphrodite was clearly angry about how Roland had been misled. “I was overruled on that one. Some felt he was a weapon we could not afford to lose.”

“So, what? He’s an acceptable casualty?” Ree shook her head in anger. “I love him, Aphrodite. It isn’t what it should be, but I love him. Me, not just my memories of Tria. He is a good man and he deserves better than this. He deserves better than hundreds of years of torture and disappointment.”

Nodding her head, Aphrodite looked pleased with Ree’s announcement. “I told you I have a soft spot for Roland. I think he has suffered more than enough. That’s why I’m here to talk to you. I worked out a deal with one of the other gods.”

“Hecate.” Ree breathed the word as understanding pulsed in her heart. There was a small tug of jealousy, but it wasn’t enough to outshine the relief that ran through her body. “You sent Melanie for Roland.”

Aphrodite nodded. “Yes, just like I made sure Bryce and Juliette wouldn’t be alone. I knew they would both be watching you, and I wasn’t willing to split them up for eternity.” Narrowing her eyes. “I’ve been pushed around enough. Love can be your strongest ally, your sharpest weapon, and your biggest weakness. It’s time the other gods learn a little respect.”

“What if we lose? Or if one of them dies?” Ree asked, her voice trembling.

“If you lose, it won’t really matter, will it?” Aphrodite shrugged. “And I have a feeling it’s going to take all of you to win. That’s why I’m here. They don’t understand the true power of soul mates. They thought to hedge their bets with having two men in love with you, but that kind of drama would only serve to distract, rather than empower you. ”

Ree took a few breaths to try and calm her racing heart. Was it possible one of the gods was actually worried about their happiness, not just what they could accomplish?

“How do I fix this with Paden? I betrayed him.” Ree swallowed and looked at Aphrodite, for the first time really trusting a goddess.

“You’ll figure it out. And trust me, Paden feels like he has messed up just as badly.” Aphrodite smiled. “I think he always figured you would end up kissing Roland at some point. Roland needed to say goodbye to Tria, needed to be able to let go.”

“I let him kiss me, though. I made the decision to kiss him back.” Ree shook her head, feeling forlorn. The worst part was, while she regretted hurting Paden, she didn’t really regret kissing Roland. It had been coming, it had to happen, and she was glad they had moved past it.

“He’s attractive and intelligent.” Aphrodite made an amused noise. “You remember how Tria felt for him. Of course, you kissed him. Love comes in many shapes and sizes, Alastriana.”

“How can Paden forgive me?” Ree’s voice was small and tired. “How could I kiss someone that wasn’t my soul mate?”

“That’s a question you will have to ask him.” Aphrodite smiled. There was no condescension, or pity.  “As for kissing someone that isn’t your soul mate? People do it all the time. Not everyone incarnates together for every life. People often date and enjoy other people until they find their soul mate.”

Nodding, Ree looked down at the floor. She would have to talk to Paden soon, but she still didn’t know what to say to him. The bed shifted next to Ree and Aphrodite stood up.

“Thank you for explaining so much.” Ree looked up and met her eyes.

“You’re welcome.” Aphrodite smiled. “I know things feel like a complete mess right now, but I think you will be able to figure it out.”

“I hope so.” Ree gave the goddess a small smile. Aphrodite winked and disappeared just as another thought crossed Ree’s mind. “What about Weylin?”

No one answered.

Chapter Seven

After a long, hot shower, Ree climbed into her bed and fell asleep almost immediately. Unfortunately, her dreams were anything but restful. She flitted between scenes of Roland and Tria, to images of Paden and Ree in different lives. Some of the moments were happy, others were bittersweet, but in each one the amount of love was palpable.

After a while, the images started to fade and were replaced with a fog Ree could barely see through. Voices drifted to her, and she moved in their direction. Taking careful steps, the fog started to clear and she found herself in an ornate hallway. A large golden doorframe bracketed the end of the hallway, and she crept cautiously forward.

“She needs to be punished!” Ares’s angry voice rang through the hallway and Ree froze, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

“We need her.” A man’s calm voice carried to Ree’s ears, and she felt her feet moving again. Inching toward the door, she carefully peeked into the room. It was filled with thrones, most of which were occupied by different people. Recognition came quickly, and Ree bit her lip to keep from making a sound. This was the gods’ throne room. The same place Hecate had warned her not to return. Unfortunately, she had no idea how she had gotten there the first time and no idea how she had gotten there this time either.

“She cannot show so little respect. I am the god of war. She should fear me.” Ares’s angry voice made Ree wince. He was talking about her and she knew it.

“I think you’ve already managed to scare her, Ares. Perhaps that’s why she called the power in the first place.” Hecate’s calm voice was smooth and peaceful.

“She is human.” He spat the last word out as if it was an insult. “I can do as I please to her.”

“She is the Alastriana and should not fear us. We need her to fight for us.” Hecate’s tone turned placating, as if she was talking to an unruly child.

“Fear is a good motivator.” Another god spoke from the other side of the throne room. Ree couldn’t see his face, but his voice made her shiver.

“Anubis, your tactics would defeat our purpose.” Athena’s voice was calm and collected. “The Alastriana is not someone who will take well to fear. She is likely to rebel and fight against us.”

Hushed whispers spread through the room, and Ree wished she could get closer to hear what they were saying about her.

“You should not have chosen such a headstrong soul for this job.” Anubis said again. His voice was dark and heavy with an accent Ree had trouble making out. “She may buck your carefully laid plans.”

“Nonsense. Only a strong soul would be able to take on the demands we have laid at her feet. She had to be someone that would rise to the challenge.” Hecate’s voice cut into the conversation.

“We are not here to discuss your strategy.” Ares’s angry voice echoed through the room. “We are here to discuss her punishment.”

“Why did the Alastriana feel the need to call the power in your presence?” Another woman’s voice asked, this one filled with bitterness.

“Hera, I think the better question is why Ares was bothering the Alastriana in the first place.” Aphrodite’s bored voice made Ree’s eyes widen. Was the goddess really as bored as she sounded, or was she actually taking up for Ree?

“Stay out of this, Wench.” Ares’s voice was disgusted. “Why don’t you go find someone to play with?”

“Don’t be angry that I don’t like your idea of fun. Chains and whips aren’t my style.” Aphrodite’s voice stayed bored, but there was an undercurrent of disdain. Ares growled when a few chuckles followed her comment.

“Settle down, Ares. Aphrodite has a good point. Why were you bothering the Alastriana?”  The man that had originally said they needed Ree spoke up, and it was obvious the people in the room respected him in some way, because the room quieted down immediately.

“I wanted to see if she was ready for the upcoming battle.” Ares’s voice was quieter, more controlled.

“Perhaps.” The man’s voice sounded dangerous and Ree wished she knew who was doing the talking. “Or perhaps you were trying to further some other agenda.”

“Mighty Zeus, what would Ares have to gain by hurting the Alastriana?” Loki’s voice made Ree’s skin crawl.

“Not as much as he might think.” Athena’s voice replied calmly. “It should be understood that anyone seen as a traitor will be treated as such. I give my solemn vow I will hunt down anyone that would see this world taken out of our control.”

“Peace, sister.” Loki laughed as if enjoying some private joke. “No one would want you on their trail.”

“I am not your sister, Loki. Do not address me as such.” Athena’s voice stabbed through the room, and Ree was glad she couldn’t see the goddess’s face.

“I will be on the hunt as well. I will not stand for a traitor.” A much younger-sounding voice echoed through the room. “Athena would not have to hunt alone.”

“No one would want to be on the opposite end of your hunt, Artemis.” Loki’s voice sounded respectful, but Ree would never trust that god. Maybe he did fear the young-sounding goddess, but Ree didn’t doubt he would think it a game to try and outfox her.