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I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful for the distraction from the lust burning through me right now.
“This is not the time,” I grind out, low enough for only my mates to hear.
“Are you sure, princess?” Maximus says, his voice a deep seductive rumble that makes me want to dissipate the hell out of here and back to anywhere we can be alone. “Because we can—“
“Shh,” I snap, cutting him off before he’s able to lure me anywhere. Adrian chokes on his laugh, using his other hand to slide up my inner thigh in a soft, teasing touch to the bottom of my shorts.
I really wish I’d worn pants right about now, rather than a tank top and shorts for training. At least it’s not a skirt though, then I’d really be in trouble.
“Osias has sent word to your godly parents, outlining the expectations for your training, and we expect most of them to arrive tomorrow,” Kyros says, thankfully distracting me again as excited murmurs echo through the field. “We’ll be going over your powers, both defensive and offensive, and deciding how they will be used best during this conflict. I want to reassure you that no one who is not ready or is not able to use their powers on the frontline will be there. Even still, you will not be in this fight alone. We’re currently working on plans for how to distribute our forces, including gods, demigods, and guardians.”
Kyros motions to the box where the rest of us are sitting, and the students turn to look up at us. My chest tightens at their scrutiny, and despite all I’ve learned, and the mastery I’ve gained over my powers in such a short time, it still feels strange to be called a god. Only a couple of months ago I still thought I was a demigod, that I was still half-human. I scan the crowd searching for my friends, but I can’t make them out in the sea of faces as they turn back to Kyros.
“Now, we’re going to split you into different groups based on your magic abilities. Those who need to work on accessing their powers will be put with Professor Pallas to work on internal blockages. We’ll have Professor Barros working with offensive powers, and Professor Gabris will work with defensive powers,” Kyros explains, pointing to the three professors spread out along the field. “Demigods and gods with the same category of magic will be circling as well, ready to jump in with any strategy that might be helpful.”
My stomach twists as I search the crowd still. I’ve been so focused on the battle and everything that came after I haven’t even checked on Nelle. Worst best friend ever.
Kali is taking care of her, I remind myself, but it doesn’t do much to dispel the nervous energy thrumming through me. Nelle is my family, and she’s still dealing with her life being turned upside down. Adrian gave me the gift of having Nelle with me on this journey, of performing the blood bond so I could tell her about this new life. I had her with me when I needed her the most, and yet I haven’t been able to be there for her in the same way yet. But that ends now.
“Please go to the group you feel best suits you. We’ve made our own lists and will make adjustments where we see fit, but we don’t want anyone who is struggling in silence to be forced along too quickly. Once we have a better idea where everyone is in the next few days, we’ll make adjustments and move into battle techniques, which is why our training will be conducted outdoors in the arena from now on.”
“Our work never ends,” Orrin sighs, pushing up from his chair with a loud scrape. His golden hair shines brightly in the sun as he makes his way to the stairs to join the other gods and demigods moving onto the field.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have so many kids, then you wouldn’t have such a key role in training,” Adrian snorts, and I choke back a laugh of my own. He’s not wrong. I already know two of his daughters, and there could be countless other mini-Orrins out there for all we know. Hell, I bet he doesn’t even know how many children he has.
“That would be a disservice to the world.” He grimaces as he spots a few students already crowding around the bottom of the stairs, their blond hair a dead giveaway as to who they’re waiting for. “Duty calls.”
“The fact that he actually thinks getting human women pregnant is a sacred duty is hilarious,” I scoff under my breath.
“Tell me about it,” Mateo groans, frowning as we watch the swarm of students crowd around the God of Wisdom. “For someone so wise, you’d think he’d figure out that a million children as pompous and annoying as he is, isn’t what the world needs.”
“Please remember that, Mateo,” my father groans. “I don’t need any grandchildren with an ego as large as yours.”
“Ugh, Dad, no,” I blurt, clapping my hands over my ears to try to drown him out. “Don’t even talk about that. I’m only twenty, and we have an eternity ahead of us. I don’t want to hear the word grandchildren for at least a few centuries.”
“Good,” my father chuckles, shooting a smug look at Mateo as he passes him and descends the stairs.
I expect Mateo to fling an insult back at my father or sneer at his back, but to my surprise, a laugh slips from his lips. He shakes his head as he watches my father descend the stairs and stride towards where Kyros stands off to the side of the stage, meeting with a few of the other gods.
I glance around the box, my brows furrowing when I realize Octavia hasn’t followed him. She’s seated in the back row still, staring off into the distance, her mind seemingly somewhere else.
“I’ll meet you down there,”I project to my mates, turning back to them.“I think I’m going to talk to Octavia.”
Anxious energy thrums through me at the thought of being with her on my own, but I know I have to do this. There really hasn’t been a time I’ve been alone with her since finding out the truth. I’ve always had Mateo there with me as a buffer. She’s my mother though, and sooner or later, I’m going to have to get to know her.
“We’ll see you in a bit, angel,” Adrian murmurs, looking back at Octavia pointedly. My chest tightens, but I nod. Mateo follows him, nodding in understanding before he makes his way down the stairs too. Maximus grumbles something under his breath and follows them, his emerald eyes locked on me each step of the way.
I’m pretty sure that even if I don’t see him, my protective mate will be watching me from afar for this conversation, hell, maybe all afternoon.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, turning to face her. My lips quirk to the side as indecision wars within me. Octavia is my mother. I’ve accepted that now. I’ve seen her love for my father, but I don’t really know her.
“I just—I don’t know where my place in all this is,” Octavia says, a sad smile tilting her lips as she stares out at the field. She folds her hands primly in her lap, her thick black embroidered dress shifting slightly. “This is what I always wanted, what I imagined for years, to be here with you and your father, but I don’t know how to help. Planning, sure, but helping students prepare for an attack isn’t something I can do. My powers are . . . different.”
“Well, I know someone you can help,” I say hesitantly, unsure if I should open this door. I want to know her, I want to see her as a mother, as my family, but it’s not going to happen overnight. This might just be the perfect opportunity to start though. “Me.”
“Yes,” she breathes, relief relaxing her expression. “I can help you master the shadows.”
“No, I mean ... “ I take a deep breath. “I used the power of death in the battle. Abigail. She was seconds away from dissipating back here and killing my friends, and it just happened. The shadows swallowed her whole, leaving no trace that she ever existed.”
