AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stumble over my feet at the sight before quickly righting myself. My mind refocuses on the four gods before me, not wanting to show any of the emotions running through my mind. The concept of my father possessing wings is still so new and foreign to me.
“I urge you to remember your place, Victor,” my father says evenly in a bored tone. “Do not overstep your bounds, council members, or I assure you, there will be dire consequences.” His words cut through the tension, and their sounds of displeasure cease abruptly. An ominous silence rings through the air.
The four gods lower into a bow before them, the shadows of their wings eclipsing the councilors’ forms. Mateo glowers in my father’s direction before refocusing on the council. Leaving me unsure if his annoyance is caused by their deference to their leader or the fact that he wouldn’t get to cut any of them down. I suppress the grin that begs to stretch across my lips. I suspect the reason is a bit of both.
“We’re sorry, majors, please excuse the disrespect. I think we’re all just confused as to why a student is being escorted by two majors and—” a female god starts, her eyes darting to us as we take the few final steps to the front, coming to rest by my father’s side “—and four other gods.” A wicked gleam shines in her cunning eyes. Despite her words, I can’t help but hear the disdain dripping from them—her tone betraying her true thoughts and feelings towards the majors. Her long, sleek black hair flutters around her as she rises from her bow. The others follow along shortly after.
“Disrespect is disrespect, no matter the reason, Helene. I would contemplate my next move if I were you,” my father warns, eyeing her back in much the same manner. Obviously, all of these gods have some sort of history with each other. I will need to navigate the tense reprieve in their better than thou attitude carefully.
The amber-eyed man goes to rub his face but winces from the contact. The red marks still looking aggravated. “The question does still stand though—sir,” Victor adds reluctantly.
“Why does a student need so many gods to meet with us?” Helene asks again, blinking innocently, gesturing to herself and the others. As though Victor wasn’t just towering over us, bellowing his demands.
“And what exactly ties you all to her?” Victor asks suspiciously, his heavy gaze assessing me thoroughly.
To my surprise, it’s Kyros that steps in front of me. His eyes narrowed on the amber-eyed god before him. But before he can get a word out, my father steps forward, interrupting him.
“Not that it’s any of your concern, Victor,” he says dryly. His cutting gaze causes Victor to flinch. “But Olivia is my daughter, so whatever you have to say to her is very much my concern.”
Victor’s face blanches at his words, his eyes nervously darting to his fellow council members. They take a step back, though, distancing themselves from him and letting him fend for himself. Eying my father cautiously.
“And these four—” he gestures to the four blood brothers surrounding us “—are her mates,” he relays calmly, as though it doesn’t bother him in the slightest.
Gasps sound around the room, and they jolt in surprise. Helene’s mouth gapes open, while Victor just stares back dumbfounded.
“All four?” A golden-haired god stutters, her white and gold robes billowing out around her lithe frame. She stumbles back a step as though the four gods would smite her where she stood for even being party to Victor’s questioning. Which, in her defense, may be a real possibility with the way Mateo eyes each of them in turn. A triumphant, self-satisfied grin crosses his face at my father admitting he is my mate.
“Well, that—uh—changes things.” Victor coughs, straightening again and finally composing himself. At his words, Helene picks her jaw up from the floor. Shaking her head in disbelief.
“No, it changes nothing,” she declares, advancing a step in my direction. Mateo leaps forward before she can make another move. Baring his teeth at her. Despite his appearance, she doesn’t even bat an eye. She merely sneers back at him, not cowed by him in the slightest. Her lips straighten as she faces my father, morphing into the feigned respect she displayed earlier.
“We are still the council, and we still have authority over your daughter as long as she’s in our jurisdiction,” she continues snidely, raising her head to look down at us. Basking in every inch of her perceived authority.
“Well, she won’t be here for much longer,” my father declares. “Since she’s not a demigod, she does not belong at the academy. I will resume her studies and train her as a god.”
“Ah, but the problem is, she still does not know how to control her powers. Just like a demigod.” She shrugs, not swayed in the least by the sounds of protest coming from the guys. She raises her hand in an attempt to quiet them. But merely begins talking over them when they ignore her gesture. “How can we, in good conscience, let her walk from these halls, knowing she may harm someone due to her inexperience?” she questions innocently, her voice laced with feigned concern. I grit my teeth, knowing exactly what direction this conversation is heading in.
“Helene is correct,” Victor clears his throat, jumping back in. “We must make sure your daughter—” That’s it, I’ve had just about enough of this, I tell myself as he begins, my annoyance and disdain ratcheting up with every word falling from his pretentious lips.
“Olivia,” I interject, stepping around Kyros. I meet his eyes as I pass him, seeing his brows crease with concern, but he allows me through. Maximus, on the other hand, starts after me, only to be stopped by my father. I look back, seeing the approving nod he gives me. It helps burgeon my confidence as I step towards the council members. I don’t miss the scowl Maximus levels me with, and I have to work to suppress the giggle that bubbles up in my throat.
“What?” Victor balks, taken aback by my brazen move. He looks to each of the gods behind me, looking for some sort of explanation.
“No, you wanted to speak to me, so speak to me.” I jut my hip out, letting my hand rest there, eyeing him up, looking him up and down apathetically. “My name is Olivia, so if you’re going to address me, you can call me by my name. Otherwise, this meeting is over,” I announce, over all the bullshit. Not only had I just sat back and watched my father and my mates discuss me, taking a back seat to their discussion. My brain still tries to reconcile my father with the all-powerful leader of the light majors. Now I’m expected to endure these strangers speaking about me as though I’m little more than a chess piece they can move around at will. Not fucking likely.
“I beg your pardon,” Victor scoffs, his look a mix of anger at me abruptly moving to steer the conversation.
“Yes, you should beg my pardon,” I agree wholeheartedly, reveling in the scornful look he gives me. I let loose the small chuckle, serving to antagonize him further.
I won’t let others control my life, control my destiny. Not anymore. Being brought to this school, this realm showed me that there’s more to life, more to my fate than an ordinary mortal existence. So despite my hesitance to use my powers, I need to embrace that more. I need to learn to use my abilities in a way that makes me neither a slave to the power nor a victim waiting to be attacked, scraping by on the skin of my teeth.
I glance at the others, surprised to see an amused smirk on Helene’s lips as she eyes me with curiosity and intrigue. I ignore it, not letting my confusion at her shift in attitude show on my face.
“You came in here with the thought that what? I’m some naive girl with powers you can take advantage of. Then when I wasn’t the only one to show up, you flipped, knowing your plans were ruined?” I question, focusing my knowing look on Victor. He harrumphs at my questions but doesn’t make any move to dispute them.
“You obviously have some plan up your sleeves.” I level them all with a glare, letting them know I don’t only pin this entire mess on Victor. They all had some part to play, despite their willingness to sit back and let him take the heat. “So let’s stop with the games. Drop the act and tell me straight up what it is you want.”
I eye them expectantly, done with their little attempt at a show of dominance.
