Page 131 of Poseidon's Trident

Electricity forms in my hands as I stare at Rebecca. Whose side is she on? Who are we dealing with right now?

“It doesn’t matter that Athena is my mother. I am on the side of the academy.” Rebecca holds her head high.

“Bullshit,” I growl. “You’re not on our side. Especially after asking about Zeus’ misogynistic rule. Are you even hearing yourself right now?”

“You must have seen in your history lessons and even in your missions the way women are treated. Hera plans to change everything to a matriarchal society where women rule the world.” Rebecca stomps her foot.

“Hey, Jayden,” I ask sweetly. “Who rules the world?”

“Women definitely rule the men who rule the world, baby.” He pulls me back into his chest.

“Exactly. We can change things, but not the way Hera is going about this. She’s crazed and making enemies left and right. She’s focused on revenge and hatred instead of actual change and that’s why she’s going to lose this war.” I straighten my spine.

Sometimes brute force is the answer and sometimes it’s finesse, but the gods obviously don’t understand that concept. They just fuel their own desires and treat others as pawns. The demigods that side with their parents on the side of Hera will become cannon fodder.

Some of them I couldn’t care less about like Mia. She will undoubtedly let her hatred for me fuel her ire because of my relationship with Jayden, but others like Adrian will hurt more. If he sides with Apollo, I don’t know what I will do. I glance at him under my lashes and his gaze lands on me with a conviction I’ve never felt before.

I blow out a relieved breath. Even though Apollo has sided with Hera, we still have our seer, our friend. He’s been with us since the first mission, even if it was only through his visions. We need him, especially if the oracle is on Apollo’s side.

“Whose side are you on, Rebecca, because you can’t be our headmistress and side with Hera too.” I grip my sword.

I will fight her if I have to. I have no problem doing that even though she’s older. I fought a millennia old Titan just hours ago. I don’t really want to, though, because she’s the one who has always been there. She was the one who told me what I am and started this whole journey. Was it all a lie? Did she only bring me here to die at Hera’s hand?

“I’m on the side that makes the most logical sense. So many have suffered at the gods’ hands.” She deflates.

“I met Medusa on this fucking mission and if I remember correctly, it was Athena who turned her to a gorgon while pregnant with Poseidon’s twins. Isn’t Athena your mother? She was the one who damned her. Not the misogynistic hierarchy.”

“If Poseidon…” Rebecca trails off when I raise a brow.

“Yes, Poseidon was horrible in what he did to her. Full stop. But what your mother did blaming the victim and turning her into a monster was far worse. So Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, and whatever other goddesses are in their corner decide that their ways are better than Zeus and Poseidon need to look in the mirror because there is blood on their hands just as thick and crimson as the gods.”

“Beth,” Jayden says, pulling me back.

“No,” I say. “Even Persephone sees it. She understands what’s happening is wrong and refuses to stay in the mortal world for spring and summer. This shit needs to stop before things happen that none of us can take back.”

“That’s not possible, now, Beth. There’s a war on the horizon. Whose side will you be on when the final bell sounds?” Rebecca eyes me.

“I’m on the side of what’s good and right. I’m on the side of the humans who will be caught up in this fucked-up war. I’m on the side of my father and the Olympians that don’t follow Hera. I will do whatever I can to stop her from winning.” I nod to Chiron behind her and he snatches Rebecca up in his arms.

“What would like me to do with her, little goddess?” Chiron bows his head to me.

“Take her somewhere safe until Hermes can retrieve her. We aren’t taking any chances in this war. Detain anyone who tries to stop you.”

I’m done with being the nice, compassionate one. Hera wants a fight, she can have a fight, but on my terms and only once I know who my real allies are.

“No, you can’t do this to me. I’m the headmistress of this academy,” she screams as Chiron carts her away.

I slump against Jayden and scan the crowd that has formed. “Look, I get that some of you want to align with your parents, but some of them have been complicit in trying to kill us all four fucking times. How many did we lose in the battle of the academy?”

I scan the growing crowd. “How many did we lose in the battle for Ares’ shield? What happens to your human families if these gods succeed? They have already killed thousands in their quest, for what? For vengeance for some utopia that doesn’t exist and you’ll never be a part of?” I ask.

“How do you know we will never be a part of it?” Mia calls, her voice grating on me.

“Because you’ll never survive the war that’s coming, Mia. A daughter of Aphrodite like you has no chance.” I shake my head.

She steps forward, but one of her sisters pulls her back and whispers something in her ear. Mia’s eyes widen before she glares at me and steps back.

“Good. From now on, Chiron’s in charge and we’re doing things very differently.”