Then a giant of a man wearing a green silk toga stepped out from the shadows carrying an ancient, double-sided axe. Obviously, Erebos, cartoon Caleb’s next opponent.
Erebos swung the double-sided axe at cartoon Caleb’s neck repeatedly, and each time, cartoon Caleb jumped or ducked, just missing it. Having out-maneuvered Erebos, cartoon Caleb ran to the prison cell to free a damsel in a white Greek goddess gown that bore an uncanny resemblance to Valeria with a very enhanced bust line.
“Nice likeness,” Alex said with amusement.
Valeria glanced at Alex and rolled her eyes. “A bit ‘souped-up’ if you ask me.”
Caleb blushed and shrugged. “Yeah…I…well, that’s just how kids draw chicks.”
“Hmm,” Valeria sighed.
The heroine gratefully pulled cartoon Caleb into her well-endowed breasts as cartoon Caleb’s face lit with a smile.
Then, a silly woman’s voice said, “Oh, Caleb, you saved me! Thank you!” She kissed his cheeks leaving behind bright red lipstick. Then, she pressed him to her ample breasts again and kissed him repeatedly, with sound effects, until cartoon Caleb’s face was covered with red lip marks.
“That’s an awful lot of gratitude when they’re still in danger,” Alex said, still smiling. “So, was your plan to run off with the damsel and ditch the loyal, but lowly, guard?”
“Nah, I was just getting to that part,” Caleb said, but he didn’t type on the keyboard and the damsel just kept kissing cartoon Caleb, who every now and again would look out, blink, and shrug as if to say, “Aw shucks, ‘t weren’t nothin’ ma’am.”
Valeria bit her lip to keep from laughing.
As cartoon Caleb ran his sleeve over his face, the lipstick immediately disappeared. Then he grabbed the hem of the damsel’s dress and yanked, and she was left in a sexy white bikini. He took her hand, they plugged their noses, and together, they jumped into the water.
“I thought you said the loyal guard is saved,” Alex complained with a smirk.
“Yeah, I’m getting to that.” A character that looked like Alex jumped into the water and began fighting and gurgling in the water for help. The damsel covered her mouth in fear as cartoon Caleb rescued the loyal guard.
“Oh, I see,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, this is all about the hero getting everyone safe. Kids wouldn’t like it if someone else was taking all the credit.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Alex nodded knowingly. Then they went underwater with the damsel clinging tightly to cartoon Caleb’s neck, while his hand clung to the collar of the loyal guard.
“This is the coolest part!” They come up on an underwater cell with the arms of a headless skeleton wrapped around bars.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Alex said, suddenly closing Caleb’s laptop.
“But I was just getting to—”
“Yes, I know.” Alex rolled his eyes at Caleb. “Why don’t you go up to the cockpit?”
“Cool!” Caleb exclaimed as he dropped the laptop onto the table in front of him and ran up to the front of the plane.
“Do you think this game is going to cause an issue?”
Alex shook his head. “We’ll deal with it once he’s ready, and decide if it’s safe. For now, I think you should rest.”
With her stomach full, and the gentle hum of the plane, Valeria wholeheartedly agreed. She reclined her seat and the flight attendant brought her a blanket, pillow and a lavender-scented eye mask.
When she awoke, they were preparing for approach at Innsbruck. It was near eleven p.m.
Valeria replaced her contacts, and after deplaning, they went through customs. There was a limo waiting for them outside and she recalled her last trip in a limo with Alex. It was the first time she had met Paolo. She shook that thought off and allowed herself to enjoy the feel of Europe. The limo took them through the countryside and eventually pulled into a large country estate, stopping at a guard shack. The gate opened and she noticed the electric wire running over the tall stone wall that surrounded the estate. Seeing the two-story stone mansion, Valeria suddenly understood the meaning of “old wealth.”
They stepped out onto a cobblestone driveway and walked to the front door.
“Are we staying here?” Valeria asked.
The corners of his mouth turned up and he shook his head as he raised the large brass knocker and dropped it. Then he turned to her abruptly and said, “Oh! I should probably warn you—”
When the door flew open, Valeria was completely startled to see the tiny figure with a sprite of white hair and oracle blue eyes—Shinsu!
For a moment, Valeria wondered if this was a trick and the council was inside. Then she saw the expression on Alex’s face.
“You are right on time!” Shinsu said, with a twinkle in her eye.
“Alex, what’s going on?” Valeria asked.
“Come in and find out.”
Shinsu hugged Valeria. “Well, it has been quite a long day I would expect. Did you manage to get any sleep on the flight, dear?”
Valeria nodded as Shinsu turned to Caleb and he stuck out his hand, with his glove on. Shinsu’s smile brightened. “Young man, I have been waiting to meet you! You are really something else! Smart, courageous, and very clever! ” She winked at him.
Caleb smiled shyly. “Cool.”
Shinsu led them past the grand entry with its cream décor and massive moldings and past the overstuffed furniture with subtle complements of pastels and gold.
“There are some people who have been very anxious to see you all.”
Valeria noticed that they had left their luggage in the limo; it must be a short meeting. She wondered why this couldn’t be conducted over the phone, rather than at the risk and expense of a private jet and a meeting in the middle of the night. She glanced at Alex as she pushed her brows together in question. Alex widened his smile as he winked at her.
Leading them through a corridor, Shinsu headed into what appeared to be a large family room. Alex was ahead of Valeria when she heard the voices. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw her adopted family. Lars and Mani were closest and they hugged Valeria first.
“Mani,” she wiped a tear from her eye. “I haven’t seen you since…since New York.” She remembered that horrible time that was now four months and a reality away. Then she spotted Camille, with her long, straight black hair, and her beautiful Kewpie doll eyes of brilliant blue. They hugged and cried for several minutes.
“I thought the last time I saw you was going to be the last!” Camille sobbed. “I should know Alex better than that by now.”
Ava joined them and threw her athletic arms around Valeria and Camille. “So great to see you, sweetie! The Three Musketeers, reunited.”
Valeria, Camille, and Ava hugged again and then Valeria glanced over and saw Daphne, the beautiful redhead who thought Alex belonged to her, standing with her arms crossed, nearly fidgeting in her discomfort of their emotion.
“Good to see you both survived,” she said, in her clipped British accent, bordering on embarrassment.
“Thanks, Daph.”
Valeria felt awkward not hugging Daphne, so she reached toward her. Daphne pulled back and rolled her green eyes, complements of Bausch and Lomb, tossed her long red hair over her shoulder, and then gave Valeria a light almost-hug. Camille and Valeria were talking excitedly when Alex kissed Valeria’s neck.
His eyes sparkled happily. “Glad you came, beautiful?”
Afraid of the emotion in her voice, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and kissed his chest. Then she heard Tavish clearing his throat. She turned and hugged her favorite Scotsman with his dark gray beard, wearing his kilt and a sneer that substituted for a smile.
As she worked her way around the room, she suddenly felt the air sucked out of her lungs—Paolo was there. She couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at him in disdain. He still looked Hollywood handsome with his black hair and olive complexion. She couldn’t help but remember that the last time she had seen him, they had been engaged. That seemed an eternity ago…before his second betrayal that had almost cost Alex and Valeria their lives. She had to remind herself that it had all been part of Alex’s plan and that Paolo had just been playing his role.
“Why are you here?” she asked, with a hint of accusation.
“I’m sorry, bella, I was invited,” he said quietly, almost as an apology.
Paolo turned his face to the side, his expression unreadable.
There was no avoiding the fact that Paolo had been the cause of so much pain in her life, even if he had—as he claimed—done it all for his version of love. Valeria knew that, for Paolo, it was more about besting Alex and getting retribution for Kristiana, Paolo’s sister—despite the fact that Kristiana and Alex
were truly
ancient history!
Valeria nodded at him coolly. He nodded back, but stayed in his seat, laying his arm over his crossed legs. She noticed that Alex was by
her side as soon as she neared Paolo. Still, Paolo had saved their lives, at great risk to his own. But Valeria wasn’t ready to put it all aside. She wondered why Alex invited Paolo to this reunion, or why Shinsu—a member of the council who had sentenced her and Alex to death—was here, in what appeared to be her home. Valeria found this home to be more Shinsu’s style than the tiny flat in Florence where Valeria had stayed just a month before.
Lars brushed Valeria’s shoulder. “Why don’t you both take a seat and we’ll get started with our business.” Alex took her hand and led her to a loveseat, pulling her down next to him as Lars began speaking.
“Valeria and Caleb, I’m going to update you on what has happened in the past month. Alex is already aware of the details.” Alex winked at Valeria.
“The Council of Delos was not created to be a judicial force, except where immortals were causing major world problems. Even at that, execution was never a right or responsibility of the council.
“Every member of the council in this room except, officially, the two of you, Paolo, Daphne, and Shinsu, has withdrawn their allegiance with the Council of Delos. We have now formed our own council. Shinsu has created our code of honor. Shinsu?”
Shinsu rose and opened a tan scroll, reading, “We of this council share these common and basic beliefs:
“We believe that mortals and immortals, regardless of their race, creed, or color, are created equal and have the rights of equals.
“We believe that all mortals and immortals have an inalienable right to live their own lives and to defend themselves against attack.
“We believe that all mortals and immortals have the right to think freely, to talk freely, to write their own opinions freely, and to counter or speak those opinions, without fear of punishment.
“Those who would like to join this new council are invited to sign this declaration.”
Alex and Valeria rose and went to the coffee table by Shinsu and signed the scroll.
Shinsu glanced at Caleb. “Would you like to sign, young man?”
Caleb shrugged and smiled. “Sure!” He rose and then took the pen from Valeria. But then he stopped and looked up at Shinsu. “I don’t want to mess up your nice paper but I’m not really sure I’m supposed to. I don’t know if I’m an immortal and well…I’m just a kid.”
Shinsu smiled. “Caleb, do you believe those are important rights to believe in, to support, and to fight for?”
“Hmm, I guess. I mostly don’t want anyone to hurt my family.”
“Well then, young man, you are most welcome to sign!” Shinsu said.
Caleb smiled, took the pen, signed the form, and then raised his fist. “Sweet!”
Valeria smiled happily and kissed Alex’s cheek.
Lars cleared his throat. “We have a council member who we would like to recognize for acts of valor. Caleb, will you stand please?”
Caleb looked around, embarrassed. Lars approached him with a military ribbon. “This was presented to me by the great Roman Emperor,
Marcus Aurelius in 163 AD.” Lars handed the ribbon to the boy and he studied the Latin inscription. “It’s yours now, Caleb. You are hereby awarded the Council’s Medal of Honor, for acts of valor performed last June in Paxos, Greece. Your actions saved the lives of at least three immortals, and this council is grateful to you.”
“Wow! Cool!” Caleb stared at the medal in awe.
Lars went back to the front of the room. “On to other business. Paolo, I believe you asked to address this council.”
“Yes,” Paolo said softly as he rose and turned to face Lars, avoiding Valeria’s gaze.
Valeria shivered and looked away, remembering how Paolo’s last statements at the council meetings had affected her. Alex tightened the grip on her hand, smiled, and winked, evidently unconcerned.
“I would like to apologize for my previous petition and any pain it caused.” He drew a swift breath, “I wish to withdraw that petition.”
Paolo stared at the ground. “Also, as you know, my sister, Kristiana, has been in hiding for 2,500 years and, by her actions, has ended her marriage to Alex.” Paolo turned and looked into Valeria’s eyes. “On behalf of my family, I agree to officially dissolve the marriage of Alex and Kristiana.”
“Alex, do you agree to this dissolution?” Lars asked.
“Absolutely!”