Ode to the Queen (26 page)

“Enough!” His voice bellowed around the great hall and instantaneously everyone became silent. Asserting his authority his voice was firm and direct, commanding everyone in the room to him and consequently me, as I still clung to his arm for support, the weakness from our fight still burning in my muscles.

“Lincoln has been taken care of. As will anyone who threatens my position as King of the Heavens or has the nerve to threaten Savannah.” His arm looped protectively around me, and my mind momentarily clouded with desire. Reason reminded me I was meant to appear like a Queen now before my subjects. Straightening my back and ignoring the dull throb still echoing through my body I stood as tall as I could at Aidan’s side.

“Lincoln was corrupted with power, his body and mind seized by his God’s lust for control. Cronos was unforgiving when he took over his host as would any God be if we give them the power to do it. Let Lincoln’s death serve as an example to everyone. We’ve given our Gods a second chance but with an opportunity they’ve never possessed. Atlas chose us for the vessels of our respective Gods because of the influence our mortal lives give us. We cannot abuse this gift because if we forget where we come from, if we forget what it is to be mortal than all of us will succumb to the fate of Lincoln. All of us will be consumed and lost forever.”

It was a powerful speech, enough that I was willing to bow down to Aidan if that’s what it took to show my loyalty but his grip held me tight against him and only then did I realise he was shaking slightly.

I smiled to myself and turned to look up at him, nodding briefly to show my alliance before slowly making our way through the crowd and toward our thrones. Aidan helped to half-carry me along the way. He knew I was weakened but I had him and that was all the strength I needed.

Side by side we made our way up to the throne and slowly he lowered me down on it before taking a seat at my side. Everyone’s eyes had followed us to the seats and watched as we sat down. Valentina had followed us to the front but obediently stopped at the bottom of the steps.

Once we were seated she led the charge and bowed slowly, sweeping herself down as gracefully as she could in her tight dress and before my eyes everyone else followed suit. Like a blanket lifted into the air and allowed to gently float down until it settled on the mattress, so too did our subjects fall.

It was a strange concept to consider – having subjects. But what was a Queen without some and Aidan had left no room for argument, no one would be Queen except me. My eyes swept the room for Charlotte, a knot in my stomach hoping that she would have bowed like the rest of them but to my utter lack of surprise she stood in the threshold of the room, a scowl on her face as she watched the display in front of her.

Our eyes met for a moment and we stared at each other for a long time before she turn, slipping through the door and even allowing it to bang shut like she was a petulant child.

Unable to help myself I smirked a little before Aidan drew my attention back to him as he slipped his hand into mine and gave it a little squeeze. He turned his head toward the stairs where Finn was approaching with another man at his side.

“If I may, I’m Asclepius the God of Healing, my mortal name is Everett…” He reached out gingerly and closed his eyes. My face stung a little and before long it settled and his eyes opened again, smiling in pleasure at his work.

“Thank you.” Aidan said softly, watching the two men turn and descend from the head seats before he turned back to me. His fingers slipped through mine and he raised my hand to his lips, pressing them softly against the backs of my hands.

As he drew them back his icy blue eyes met mine and he spoke firmly and loud enough for everyone to hear, “To eternity, my Queen.”

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Ode to the Queen.
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Interested in more books in the GRACE OF GODS series?

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The Grace of Gods novels: #1:
Ode to the Queen
, #2:
Gods Save the Princess

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While each novel focuses on one relationship & God, each book in the series builds on the previous one, making them best read in order.

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Not ready to leave Olympus? Turn the page for a preview of what’s next for the Olympians…

Gods Save the Princess

He moved so fast I barely had any time to take anything in around me. All I knew was the hallway we entered, and subsequently exited, had been dark. It reminded me of the underground where Aidan and I had found Savannah, it was chilly and damp like it too. But before I even had time to try and assess if that's where I was, Griffin was pushing open a door that walked us right into an apartment quite similar to the sanctuary he had taken me to earlier.

The walls were dark like both the hallway and the sanctuary, one of them even cut from stone from what I could see. There were no windows but a fireplace at the far end, which churned out all the light I needed to see. It was different from how the apartment had looked when I first came to see him after Atlas brought him to Olympus. There was more furniture now, but it didn't feel any cosier.

"Make yourself at home." Griffin smiled at me, letting go of my hand as he made his way into the kitchen. Part of me wanted to follow him for security but another part of me wanted to look around. I got the distinct impression this wasn't the same apartment that was supposedly located next to mine.

"Is this the Underworld?" I asked as innocently as I could manage, moving further into the room to find bookshelves laden with heavy tomes like the ones I had been reading. Their spines bore no indication of their subject, they were simply embossed with the same strange symbols I had seen in Atlas’ study.

Griffin laughed from the kitchen, the sound different and deeper from the voice I had listened to all night. This one turned my blood cold. "You were always so perceptive, if not a little naive my dear."

My breath grew shallow as I focused on the books on the shelves, counting them to keep myself calm while my mind started running. How long had Hades been in control of Griffin? All night? Since the kiss? What was he doing, or more importantly: what did he plan to do?

"Are you going to try and rape me like you did Savannah?" My voice quivered on the word rape, my muscles tensing as they went into flight mode. The words were hard to say and the idea was even harder to swallow. I’d known, deep down, this was what Griffin had alluded to but I’d never said it out loud. And I’d barely even thought about it.

I had no doubt though, if Griffin was there, conscious inside of his own body while this God took control, that he would be heartbroken if something like that happened again. Most especially to me.

"Hardly." He said, suddenly far closer than I noticed. I spun around, throwing my body back against the bookshelf as I shrunk away from him. "I don't need to do that with you."

"Why's that?" Staying calm in this situation was a lot harder than I could've imagined it would be. My voice was shaking almost as bad as my knees but some part of me wanted to stay strong, to not let him have any power over me.

"You still don't know." He clucked his tongue chastely and held out another wine glass to me: "drink?"

"You've had enough for the both of us." I said drily, making him laugh.

"Oh, that's Griffin's influence. He thinks if he drinks enough of it he'll silence me. He still refuses to accept we're one in the same."

"I could start a list of differences if you'd like." He chuckled again, sipping the wine before turning and walking away from me. I relaxed immensely, taking a deep breath before peeling myself from the shelving unit.

"What are you going to do?"

"Help you figure out your Goddess of course."

I frowned, "why would you do that?"

"It's of a dire importance to me."

"Do I get a hint?"

"It's not as fun that way." He grinned cruelly again before sipping the wine and setting the goblet down. He leaned against the arm of the couch and folded his hands together as he stared at me with interest. I felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, like he was sizing up my capacity for dealing with whatever he was about to throw at me. I still didn't want him to have any control over me.

"So do I have to stay here until I figure it out?"

"For a while," he said ominously before straightening himself out, "let's see... What do we know about your Goddess from your own life that might help you understand a little better?"

He tapped his chin but I didn't understand how he was going to know anything about my past when I still hadn't divulged it to Griffin. "You have a lot of siblings." He said simply, "and you were exceptionally close to your mother." He eyed me to see my reaction. Initially my eyes widened in surprise before I composed myself, trying to remain placid. I didn’t want to give anything away, who knew what other cards he had in his hands.

"You find yourself to be somewhat invisible amongst your large family, except for one family member. He noticed you, where others didn't." My skin turned cold, my insides twisted and he just smiled at me. How did he know all this? I turned my head away; unable to bear looking at him anymore for fear that looking in my eyes would tell him even my darkest secrets.

"Well, it seems so far I'm right." He was guessing? I instinctively looked up again before catching myself and diverting my gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I stuck my chin out and moved away from him to look at something else for a distraction. He laughed again, like my entire existence was a joke.

"Oh, this is so much fun. We should keep playing... Okay, was he a family friend?" He paused waiting for my reaction, "no. Okay... Milkman? Postman? Neighbour?" Nothing. I wasn't giving him anything. I picked up one of the tomes and flipped it open. The pages were blank. I frowned at them. "Okay, Grandparent? Brother? Cousin?" He chuckled suddenly but I wasn't paying attention to him anymore. The pages in front of me had begun to transform and words started to list themselves in a black curlicue script. Only it wasn't words, it was names listed next to dates. Names that I recognised. They belonged to my siblings but the dates next to their names wasn't their birthdays. These were dates of the future, times that hadn't passed yet. I looked up in horror as I realised what this was.

"Uncle." He grinned at me as we both stared at each other. I was still shocked over the contents of the tome but something in the back of my mind pointed out that this had been a game, he had known all along the answer. "Yes, it was an uncle."

"These are death dates." I said point blank, deliberately trying to ignore him.

"Yes."

"How can you have them before these people have died?"

"I am the King of the Underworld, I must know when to expect high volumes of traffic."

"I don't believe you." I closed the book, unable to bear looking at them anymore.

"Doesn't really matter what you believe does it? It is within my realm that I know these kinds of things; it's not for you to know... Unless..." He grinned more; he was referring to my Goddess again.

"It's killing you keeping it a secret, why don't you just tell me?" I crossed my arms defensively and gave him an indignant look. I was being brave but inside I was worried. Was my name in that book? No, it would've shown itself to me. Instead it showed family. He was just messing with me, trying to get into my head.

"It's not as fun that way." He stood up and moved toward me again. This time I moved quicker to get away from him and he stopped short, all bemusement in his features gone. "You'll find everything you need here for you, you're welcome to whatever your little mind can conjure as a necessity. It's a prison, but not a rudimentary one. I'd like for you to be comfortable."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because, you're important to me and it hurts me ever so deeply that you continue to avoid my advances."

"I went to a dinner and a party with you! How is that avoiding your advances?"

"Those were nothing more than a simple boy's sad attempt at love. What he doesn't understand is that love doesn't come that easily. Sometimes it is necessary to force love."

"You're wrong, how could you think that?" I said, watching in horror as he walked around me and made his way toward the door. "Love only comes to those who deserve it and you're nothing but a sad pathetic man who thinks he deserves everything when he deserves nothing!" He laughed again as he reached the door and pulled it open, he turned around slightly to glance at me before shrugging his shoulder.

"You'll see in good time that what I am doing is in your best interests."

"Griffin!" I shouted at him, starting toward the door as it started to swing shut. "Griffin! HADES." The door slammed in my face and I made to grab the handle to try it but there wasn't one. There wasn't even a door anymore. I shrieked in horror, pulling back from the wall and looked around frantically for some kind of escape. But there wasn't any. He had locked me in a room with no exit or entrance. No door was available to anyone who wasn't the God of the Underworld.