The room filled with the sound of ringing steel and the tangy scent of blood. Ares grew twenty feet tall before I could take in what was happening. Raw, unconfined power emanated from him, dwarfing the creepy vibes that rolled off the Lords of War.
“I partake in these tests of my own volition. You do not control me. You worship me.” Ares’ voice was magnified and carried images of death so strong I could see nothing else. Battle fields, old and new, coursed through my mind’s eye. I saw men in furs with huge broadswords that severed heads from necks with roars. I saw ancient warriors in metal plated armor buried in showers of arrows. I saw green helmeted men in breeches praying as shells dropped from the sky before everything was consumed by fire.
When the visions of war ebbed, I saw that all three lords were on one knee before Ares. A fatigue washed over me, and with the tiniest sideways glance, Ares shrank back down. My vision closed in a little, dizziness threatening to take me, and I heard Zeeva’s voice in my head.
“Focus on your well of power. Steady yourself.” I felt for the burn of restless energy under my ribs, and found it depleted and tiny. It was still fierce and hot though, and I concentrated on it, a feeling of pride buoying me. Ares had used my power to do that. They had been right, I was getting stronger. And if Ares could do that with my power... Could I?
Well done, war magic. You did good, I told the remaining little ball of power. My vision cleared, strength seeping back through me.
“Panic, the announcement, if you will.” Terror’s voice had lost its silky smoothness, a tight anger in his tone now.
Panic moved to his throne, avoiding looking at Ares, and the iron flame dish sprang to life. White hot flames leaped up, before giving way to a gentle orange flicker. A mirror image of Panic appeared in the flames.
“Good day, Olympus,” he beamed, all trace of his run-in with the God of War gone. “I am pleased to host the second test of the Ares Trials. Ares and Bella will be facing a little quest. They must find the fighting pit hidden deep in Skotadi, the most dangerous area of my kingdom. Once there, they must defeat a dragon, by plucking no less than three scales from its body.”
A dragon? My jaw hung open.
Nobody had mentioned dragons. Trepidation rolled through me and I tried to dismiss it. Surely a dragon couldn’t be much different to an acid breathing Hydra? We’d defeated that and survived. Just.
“We shall send the heroes off in style, with a small ceremony in one hour. Until then, farewell.”
The iron dish fell lifeless again as the flames died.
“How do I call Eris?” I said, staring at my Guns N’ Roses t-shirt with a frown. “I don’t think I’m supposed to go to the ceremony in this.” We were back in the tiny cabin, and in an effort to distract myself from thinking about the upcoming Trial, I was trying to get ready for yet another pointless ceremony. But the closet in the cabin was empty, and all I had to wear was what was in my backpack.
“I have not been able to contact my sister since we returned.” I looked sharply at Ares, where he was sitting on the peach-colored couch.
“Really? Should we be worried?”
“No. She answers to nobody.” I didn’t doubt that.
I blew out a sigh. “Any ideas on what I should wear, Zeeva?”
The cat looked up from where she was dozing on the bed, her sleek body curled into a small ball. I resisted the urge to go and pet her, as I had for years before. It was too weird now that I knew what she really was.
“I can probably borrow a headdress from my mistress for you. But as for clothes, I can’t help.”
“Oh, thank you,” I said. I hadn’t actually expected her to offer anything. She stretched slowly, then vanished in a puff of teal light.
“I too, would like to offer my thanks.” I whipped round to Ares at his words, even more surprising than Zeeva’s. His helmet was off, his hair loose around his shoulders. And the way he was looking at me... “You willingly allowed me to use most of your power to intimidate the Lords. That means... a great deal to me.”
I shrugged awkwardly. “It means a great deal to me too. They deliberately sent me to a demon-y death, and they’re all dickholes. They deserved taking down a peg or two.”
“Has your power replenished yet?”
I felt inside myself, already knowing that the burning ball of energy was full and ready to go. “Yes.”
“Good. That means we did not reach your limit, and you are indeed growing in strength.”
“So that was a successful experiment in sharing power?” I said tentatively.
“Indeed.”
“So... Can you teach me to use it better?”
“No.”
I threw the t-shirt down in annoyance. “Why not? I’m trying to prove to you that I’m not working against you! Show me how to do something useful! How did you make all that war stuff happen?”
“It’s what I do. I invoke the power of war.”
“Show me.”
“No.”
“Then show me how to grow.”
“No.”
“You’re an asshole.” Ares got slowly to his feet. The single, booming beat of a drum sounded loudly in my mind, and just that one sound sent tingles through my body in heady anticipation. With some alarm, I realized that I was beginning to crave these moments. The aching that spread through me, settling in a delicious desperation, was far from unpleasant.
There was a small flash of teal and Zeeva appeared, a gleaming gold tiara before her.
Ares sat back down.
“This should be enough to make it look as though you’ve made an effort,” the cat said dismissively, then curled back up on the bed.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, and picked up the tiara. It was beautiful, made from fine gold and set with a wavy row of tiny sparkling rubies. “I hope it goes with black t-shirts and khakis, as that’s all I’ve got.”
7
Ares
I could not help but admire Bella’s confidence as we arrived in Panic’s glade. The mossy ground moved under her heavy boots as she immediately sought out a serving satyr, and I saw the raised eyebrows of the other, immaculately dressed, guests as they took in her casual, very human, attire.
She didn’t need a dress to look beautiful though. The gold headband Zeeva had given her glinted over her braided hair as she tipped her head back to take a long sip of her drink, and her t-shirt hugged her chest as she moved. An ache I knew was utterly inappropriate pulled at me.
She had left me. Walked through that portal knowing I couldn’t beat the Trials and win the Trident without her. And I had deserved it.
I had deliberately tried to take all her power, knowing how much she would hate me for it. In fact, I’d taken her power exactly because she would hate me for it, but instead of severing this all-consuming bond between us, it had only solidified my feelings for her.
Whatever connected us went deeper than my burning physical attraction to her. Her excitement was infectious, and I found myself longing to see her smile. How could one person take so much pleasure from the world around her, when she had been treated so unfairly? More blasted guilt trickled through me.
Even her unending questions were annoying me less, and I was finding myself in possession of a reluctant respect for her tenacity. She was desperate to learn how to get stronger, and that resonated within me. I knew she wouldn’t give up, just as I wouldn’t in her position.