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Our conversation turned to other things. Catina and I chatted on while we sipped our coffees, which arrived not long after we ordered. It was great to hang out with her. When I was with her, I felt like a human again. I didn’t miss my past life at all—I didn’t miss being human—but I liked connecting with Catina and being reminded of what it was like to be vulnerable, to be reminded of the world all around me and the people I’d grown up with. I didn’t want to forget where I’d come from, even though I’d technically been a goddess all this time. I wanted to remember I had a human side and planned to stay in touch with it.
Being with Catina, working a regular job, focusing on things humans focused on kept me grounded. My head was in the clouds, but my feet were flat on the ground, and I believed I could find the perfect balance.
Once we finished our coffees and we’d talked about everything there was to talk about, we left the coffee shop then parted with a promise to meet up again soon. I checked my phone for messages and when I saw the time, I decided to change directions. Instead of heading home, I drove to the other side of the city. I’d decided to visit another friend who’d helped me overcome X. I owed it to her to give a personal thanks.
The road I headed down had small stores with large windows that displayed their goods. On the corner, in a unit with windows that were full-length, a little flower shop was advertised as opening soon. I smiled and pushed the door, stepping over building material, embraced by the most fragrant, floral smell. Divine.
“Hello?” I called out.
Persephone came from the back. “Oh, Elyse! Please excuse the mess. The human builders take so long.”
I laughed and gave her a hug, and she smelled like a bouquet of roses. “I know. They take forever.”
“You’d think that forever wouldn’t be an issue for me, being immortal and all. But I only have six months on Earth at a time, and I need to ensure most of the construction is done while I’m here. I’ll have to leave in a couple of months, and then the shop will have to do without me until next spring.”
“You haven’t figured out how to break the curse yet?” I asked.
She shook her head, her golden locks cascading over her shoulders. Hades, Persephone, and I had discussed the spell that forced Persephone to stay in the Underworld for six months out of the year and finding a way to free her. Hades had managed to get out of the curse that made him believe he’d loved Persephone, and we all believed Persephone would be able to be on Earth as much as she wanted. All we had to do was get rid of the spell.
We just didn’t know how yet.
In the meantime, she was opening a flower store. She liked the idea of having a routine, of living as a human. And since she was the Goddess of Spring, and new life came to Earth when she was here, it seemed so fitting that she wanted to sell flowers. I didn’t know what else she was going to do with her life, but this was a good start.
“So, how are things?” she asked, walking through the shop as I followed her. She pointed out some things the builders had worked on while we talked, like a mirror wall on one side of the room, a tiny café in the opposite corner. I knew I’d come here with Catina a lot when it was ready.
“Better than ever,” I said.
She smiled at me, her eyes sparkling. “I’m so happy to hear that. And the four gods? What are they doing? All of them staying here?”
I nodded. “For now, yeah. Of course, Hades has to go to the Underworld from time to time to run things. And Poseidon occasionally goes to his palace, or to talk to Zeus in Mount Olympus. But Apollo and Ares have decided to stick around for good and call Chicago their home, when they’re not performing godly duties. After all, Apollo, god of light had fallen behind on many of his tasks to bring more light to the world. Ares, as the god of War had battles to watch and influence. But when they had time off, they spent it with me, enjoying Earth more than they ever had. Plus, Ares bought himself a bike.”
Persephone pressed her fingers against her lips, her eyes smiling at me. “That is so funny. Is he trying to join Apollo’s little gang?”
We both laughed and I agreed. “They both dress in leathers and race around the city like they belong to a motorcycle club. Men and their toys.”
Persephone still giggled, and talking to her always cheered me up. I didn’t have a lot of close friends aside from Catina, and the more time I spent with Persephone, the closer we grew.
“I’m glad they’re happy. And that you are, too.”
Just after X had been defeated, I’d worried that the four men would want to leave and go back to Mount Olympus, since their job on Earth was technically done. But they all wished to stay with me just as much as I desired to be with them, and even though the future was still a little uncertain, it was great to know that for now, we had everything together.
“I think I’m going to go,” I said to Persephone after we chatted a little while longer. “I want to catch the city in the last light of day.”
She gave me another hug and let me out of the shop. I climbed into my car and drove out of the city, toward the hill that overlooked everything. The sun was setting behind the horizon and it touched Chicago with long fingers of gold. It was beautiful, but I didn’t take any photos. I parked and climbed out into the fresh air.
Instead, I sat on the lawn in front of my car and looked out over the world, breathing in the crisp air and thinking about how lucky I was.
I’d come a very long way from the scared little girl who’d needed help, who’d had no idea of her worth. I’d done it all without my parents’ help—thanks to Heracles—and I never believed I’d be able to do something like this. But the gods were all with me and Heracles was still ready to come back the moment I asked him. Zeus, even though it seemed like he didn’t care, watched over us from Mount Olympus. Caring in his own way.
And I had my new power I trained with all the time, getting to know exactly who I was and what I could do—how far I could push myself…and my four men were already willing to train with me.
The grunting roar of motorbikes sounded near, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I didn’t need to turn around as the sound grew louder, or when the crunch of wheels closed in behind me. I sat there, feeling more at peace with myself than I had in a very long time.
“Hey gorgeous.” Ares’s voice had me turning around as he strolled over in leather pants and jacket. He sat next to me, pushed his hand into my hair and drew me in for a kiss. Passionate and steamy, exactly like him.
When another set of footsteps closed in, I turned to find Apollo taking a seat next to me, his grin brighter than the sun. He wore jeans, and a long-sleeve top that sculptured his muscles.
I leaned toward him, stealing a kiss that became so much more. His tongue danced with mine, and I placed a hand on his rock-hard chest, while Ares’s arm looped around my back.
