Ode to the Queen (25 page)

Cronos let out a groan of frustration, trying to push Aidan’s hand away and break the spell that was being cast. The concentration scarred his face, already contorted with hatred and determination. He knew this was going to end with one of them dead and this time he wasn’t going to let Zeus win.

But the bud of the lightning bolt had been sowed and there was no stopping it. The light grew and grew, stretching and forming until the solid shape of a lightning bolt jutted from between his fingers. Cronos pushed harder, trying to shove Aidan’s hand into the pavement to keep it away from him but Aidan struggled to free himself.

All at once he threw his fist into Cronos’ chest. The bolt didn’t do much but electrocute him for a moment forcing his limbs to release Aidan enough so he could stand. Cronos’ body convulsed as the power surged through him, light seeped through every orifice. His mouth went wide and filled with a bright white light while more of it poured from his nostrils, his ears and even his eyes. It was a horrific sight.

Coughing and spluttering Aidan tried to catch his breath but he held on, he kept the lightning bolt firmly gouged in Cronos’ chest. As his strength returned the power of the electricity grew, and Cronos was finally blasted across the room.

The power that surged from Aidan’s hand held the bolt there for longer than before. This time there would be no mistaking Cronos would be dead. His screams were tripled as they bounced off the walls and echoed, the sounds of his terror and pain of his suffering burned themselves into my memory.

After a few minutes Aidan seemed to slump, exhausted by the exertion of the magic and the bolt disappeared.

Cronos though was the one who truly disappeared. The power of Aidan’s and my magic had literally disintegrated the Titan into nothing.

Aidan collapsed on top of me slightly, panting from his effort. He took a moment to catch his breath before rolling over to look at me.

“Savvy…” He whispered, taking my cold hand in his own and rolling it over in his palm so that he could thread our fingers together. “Savvy; wake up… Please. I can’t do this alone.” He pulled himself up against me as his free hand reached out, brushing my hair off my face and tucking it behind my ear.

I could feel my heart speeding up in my chest, an uncomfortable knot forming in my stomach. I could feel the warm emanating off of him, encouraging my body temperature to return to normal but I still couldn’t move no matter how much I longed to turn around and face him.

His face pressed against the curve of my neck, pulling me closer and tighter against him. Every time he exhaled in soft pants I could feel the wet warmth against my jaw, the air brushing the loose hairs across my skin before they settled back in place.

“I don’t know how I’ll do this without you.” He whispered softly, his voice strained and threatening to break.

The hand that was still threaded in mine shook slightly from nerves as he licked his lips to continue, “I need you. You’re my strength, you’re the reason I can do all the things I’ve done. Without you I’m nothing Savannah. Don’t you understand? Come back to me, please… I need my Queen… I need my soul mate.”

The coldness within me began to withdraw; my limbs softened and relaxed in the way plants would defrost after a long winter. I took a soft shaky breath, just enough to test the limitations of my newly returned functions and then tried to wriggle my toes.

The motions were soft and contained but they were movements a moment ago I had been unable to do. Aidan didn’t seem to notice though, lost in his thoughts and fears. His hands still clung to me tightly, afraid that if he let go he’d lose me forever physically just as Cronos had disappeared.

“Come back.” He said again, squeezing my hand harder than before. “Come back. I love you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I coughed finally, gasping for a deeper, more sufficient breath.

“Savannah.” Aidan breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled me more into his arms. I managed to free one arm from his grip to hold him tighter against me. His muscles were still tense with fear and worry as we lay there for a moment, the silence surrounding us. His face was still pressed to my hair, almost afraid as though if he moved I would disappear.

I struggled to understand but I didn’t understand his desperation. I hadn’t been dead. I had still felt alive, I could see everything that was going on and I could feel the magic I’d given him but if I was dead I wouldn’t feel those things right?

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault this happened to you.” He spoke quietly and I started to protest. This hadn’t been his fault; it was simply the miscalculations of a power-hungry Titan. This had nothing to do with him or me, only Cronos. Aidan wouldn’t let me speak though, shushing me instantly and continuing on.

“I shouldn’t have been such a coward. I shouldn’t have pushed you away because I was afraid of hurting you. You got more hurt by me holding you so far away. If I had been better, more willing to try I could have protected you from all this. And I’m sorry Savannah. I’m sorry for pushing you away, breaking your heart, betraying your trust and almost getting you killed. It won’t ever happen again. I’ll die first before I ever let any of this happen again.”

He spoke with such conviction and certainty. But I was tired. I was tired of the petty arguments. I was tired of the uncertainty and indecision. I was tired of the games and plots. I was tired of the lies and backstabbing. We were Gods; we were supposed to set the standard not fall short of it.

In the past, maybe we had our fights and our differences but this was a second chance. Everyone was quick to remember that but failed to act on it when the time came. It was too easy to fall back on old jealousies and rivalries seeded deeper within us than we could understand.

Tonight had definitely taught me one thing. Enough was enough. We weren’t going to waste this opportunity we had been given by leaning on the crutches of the past. I was going to decide my fate from now on and Hera would just have to accept that.

But I didn’t doubt that she would be on my side. Tonight, more than ever, I realised how much we had in common with each other. No matter what, my heart came first and that was something that was true for both of us. Nothing could come before Aidan and Zeus, nothing ever had and nothing ever would.

“It’s alright.” I said softly, carefully loosening the grip of his arm as I rolled over slowly to face him. “I didn’t blame you about this. I was trying to protect you from it.” He smiled and reached out, brushing my hair out of my face and sighing softly.

“But that’s not your job. It should have been me protecting you from him, from Charlotte… I was too busy trying to protect you from me and I hurt you anyways. I should have known that separating myself from you wasn’t the answer. You’re my strength, magically and emotionally. I couldn’t have defeated Cronos tonight, not without that push from you.”

“You felt it?” My eyes lit up gently and I smiled.

“Of course. Your magic is warm like you said, but my coldness destroys it. Not this time, this time it was pure. It was all you, flowing through me and, while it should have felt like an invasion, it felt natural. The coldness, that’s the invasion. Being obsessed with popularity, or power in Zeus’ case, is what turns men into things like Lincoln and Cronos. I don’t want to be that. I don’t think Zeus does either. He likes being the King, but he also values equality and love, two things I don’t think Cronos has ever understood.”

I smiled, leaning in to kiss the tip of his nose softly. “I think,” I said carefully, mulling over my thoughts first before finishing my speech, “you’ll make a wonderful King, Aidan. You may not have realised your potential yet but when you do… Gods help us.” I teased with a soft laugh, “you’ll turn this world upside down and it’ll be the greatest thing anyone has ever seen.”

He laughed too and leaned in, kissing me gently at first before his hand slipped up the curve of my body to my cheek. His fingers pushed my hair off my skin as they buried themselves deeper in the strands. He clung to my lips with his own like they were the last source of oxygen in the world. I fell headlong into the kiss, losing myself for a moment in his arms.

The pain and numbness that still clung to my bones after waking up disappeared as time stopped for a minute. It was just he and I, nothing else. That’s when I knew my world was already turning upside down.

He might still have a ways to go before convincing the others of his Kingship in Olympus but he was definitely the King of my world.

“I’m not… Interrupting am I?” We pulled away from each other quickly, Aidan’s characteristic smirk managing to find a way back onto his features as I blushed sheepishly at Valentina.

“No, not at all. We were just celebrating our survival, Jailbait.” Aidan said as he sat up slowly, reaching out to help me sit up as well. My bones were stiff as I forced them to return to normal. I stayed close to Aidan though, fearful that my joints just might give out on me and I’d be back on my side before long.

“I told you not to call me that.” Her face scrunched up but there was no malice in her tone. I guessed she liked the idea of Aidan having a nickname for her; he certainly didn’t give out nicknames to anyone else. Except me.

“How’d you manage with the dog?” He asked as he slowly stood up, bringing me with him and keeping a tight arm tucked around my body. She turned to look back into the darkness behind her before smiling.

“Fine. He seemed to like me. Don’t know why, then again I
have
always had a thing for three headed dogs.” She joked before moving closer to me. “Are you okay Savannah?”

Her eyes were flooded with worry as she assessed the damage to my collar and cheek. “When you didn’t come back and Charlotte made that awful scene in the throne room I knew something was wrong. I just didn’t know what to do. Thank goodness Aidan was looking for you too. I don't know if I could've made it here without him. I hope that’s okay.”

I smiled, “of course it is. I think if it wasn’t for you a lot of things would have ended differently today.” Aidan leaned down, kissing my temple with a smile and Valentina blushed before grinning proudly.

She had every right to as well. If not for her maybe we wouldn’t have reconciled and he wouldn’t have admitted to doing what he’d done to ‘keep me safe’. We were definitely going to have to work on his protective instinct if he thought pushing me away would keep me safe.

“Good, I’m glad. Who was that?”

“Lincoln, well, that wasn’t really Lincoln. I don’t think Lincoln has been around for a while… Sadly I think his God overpowered him. Cronos, however, is gone, for good. I hope.” I smiled weakly, still shaken by the idea of what had happened to him. I couldn’t imagine giving Hera that much power, enough to destroy the part of my soul that belonged to me. Then again I didn’t think Hera had the ability in herself to want that kind of power. There was a balance between us, a sort of emotional and magical understanding that we were one in everything, especially now with Aidan at our side.

“Oh…” Valentina’s eyes widened with worry and I sensed she didn’t fully understand my meaning but didn’t want to ask any more questions on the subject.

That was for the best anyways, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of scaring her about the possible pitfalls of our situation. Not when poor Valentina still hadn’t figured out who her Goddess was. But I had an idea, one I would have to confirm with Aidan later.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Aidan continued, turning me back toward the hallway they had come from. “It’s over and that’s the important thing. We should just focus on getting out of here because it stinks and it’s cold.” Both Val and I laughed softly though the echo of the cavern made it seem so much louder.

Aidan and I made our way toward the door and Aidan tossed over his shoulder, “c’mon Jailbait” with a smirk. I shook my head at him and let him lead us out of there with Val coming up from behind.

“Savannah, I hope you don’t mind me asking but what are you going to do about Charlotte? She’s made quite an… exile of you.”

“That won’t be a problem.” Aidan said firmly, glancing over his shoulder at Valentina and pausing to let her catch up. “I should have stood up against her the moment she did it. But if she hasn’t vacated your throne by the time we get back then I’ll remove her myself. With flourish.”

“That’s good… But I mean about the things she said about Savannah, the poison she’s spread with her lies.” We were both quiet for a moment mulling over the whole situation. Charlotte had certainly been a thorn in my side but how far did I want to go for revenge when I knew I had won no matter what?

Aidan was mine. Aidan only wanted me so what did it matter what Charlotte thought? Once Aidan and I were on the throne the things she had said would be nothing more than the fading whispers of an echo long since forgotten.

I reached out, sliding an arm around Valentina’s shoulder and pulled her closer in a hug.

“Don’t worry about what she said about me, none of it’s true so none of it matters.” My voice was confident for the first time in a long time.

Aidan seemed to sense my change of attitude and he leaned in, taking my hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. The simple gesture said a thousand things all at once while his hand warmed mine, sending sparks of desire coursing through my veins.

Unable to help myself I smiled dreamily and glanced up at Aidan. He smiled back gently, more of a mischievous smirk than anything but I could tell the difference before I turned back to Val.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue Valentina, it means a lot to me. I’m sure Aidan couldn’t do it without you.” I squeezed his hand coaxingly before glancing back at him and then back to the petite brunette at my side.

“Yeah, thanks Jailbait for dog-sitting.” That was as much of a true thank you she was going to get from Aidan. He was ever the proud creature and as much as he didn’t want to admit it he knew I was right. He couldn’t have done this without her. He would have never been able to tame that dog. If not for Valentina nothing would have sedated it.

Despite the heavy sarcasm in his words Valentina still flushed with pride as she smiled shyly and nodded in acceptance, “Savannah’s my friend, I needed to help.”

The words were so simple but so genuine it felt as though a vice gripped my heart for a moment as I turned to Val and took her in. She meant it. I could see from the look in her eyes she meant every word of it and for the first time in my life I believed it.

I’d never had a friend as true as Valentina.

“Here.” Was all Aidan said when he stopped short suddenly, one hand outstretching to push open a door I hadn’t seen before, pausing to wait before both of us went through it.

Valentina went first, determining the location we were to head to. Only as I stepped in with Aidan behind me, did I realise we might have wanted to go before her in case she were to choose this place subconsciously.

Freezing in my step, all eyes in the room turned to the three of us as Aidan, Val and I came to a stand still in front of the crowded throne room audience. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment, conscious now of everyone staring at me.

“What happened?” Royce shoved his way through the crowd, his eyes clouded with worry as he approached the group hesitantly.

My body shrunk against Aidan uncertainly, still unable to discern where Royce’s true loyalties lay. But his eyes were glued to me and I suddenly remembered the gashes Cronos had scratched onto my face. No doubt I was covered in blood too and a little more worse for wear than I had been when I first got to the party.

“Savannah, are you okay?” He slowed his pace until he stood in front of me, still resisting an urge to reach out and check me himself. Instead his eyes shifted to Aidan for answers and I felt something inflate within him as his hand fell from mine and he moved forward.

“Savannah was kidnapped by a friend to most of you tonight. I know he led a lot of you to believe he was a good guy, that he had your best interests at heart but Lincoln was nothing more than an egotistical megalomaniac. He sought to steal our powers and make them his own in order to take over the world for himself.”

Someone laughed, it broke the awkward tension in the room as the sound rippled through the crowd. A few uncertain people joined in but that only proved to anger Aidan more as his stance took on a very stiff posture. Pushing her way through the crowd, bodies parted in front of us to reveal Charlotte. Of course she was the perpetrator.

“
He wanted to take over the world?
” She repeated back, cackling with mirth once more before she shook her head.

“Please Aidan spare us the dramatics. I’m sure it was self-inflicted,
whatever
it is she managed to do to herself.” I half expected Aidan to be the one to snap at her bait but to my surprise it wasn’t. Instead it was Valentina who launched forward in a verbal assault against Charlotte.

“Yes, that was exactly what he was trying to do.” Her eyes swept the length of the crowd before settling back on Charlotte. “He wanted to use Savannah as bait for Aidan. He tried to use his love for her against him by taking her and holding her captive in the caves. He left a three-headed dog to watch over her in hopes that the dog would tear Aidan apart for him and save him the trouble of killing our King himself. But I was able to calm the dog down while Aidan fought Lincoln: killing him!”

Charlotte couldn’t bring herself to mock the younger girl and the excitement and earnestness in Valentina’s voice made everyone hard-pressed to disagree with her.

Everyone in the room stood in shocked silence for no more than a few seconds before the room erupted with questions and panic.

Both Valentina and I turned to Aidan, watching him for a cue of what we were expected to do. He seemed calm despite the chaos, standing there watching everyone for a moment and his eyes lingered on Charlotte blazing with nothing short of hatred. Had he always felt so strongly toward her or had I envisioned the desire I had believed he felt for her?