Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)(47)
Author: Aimee Carter

Walter stood beside her, his hands on her shoulders, but it didn’t look like a protective gesture. She sat in a chair made of steel, and shimmering bands around her wrists and ankles held her in place. In the corner, Phillip silently faced her with his arms crossed over his broad chest, and there was a deep silver scar running through his left eye. It had turned milky-white.

“Kate,” said Walter with a nod.

“Hi,” I said, wishing my voice wasn’t shaking so much.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I’m afraid we had no choice.” He tightened his grip on Calliope’s shoulders, and her jaw clenched. “It seems Calliope refuses to talk to anyone but you.”

My heart sank. I glanced at Henry to conf irm it, and he nodded stiff ly. “That—that’s f ine,” I said, even though it was anything but, and I took a deep breath to steady myself.

Obviously this was important. “Whatever you need.” A cushioned chair appeared a few feet in front of Calliope, and Henry let go of me so I could sit down. I f idgeted, certain that if it were in Calliope’s power, she would have made me burst into f lames right then and there.

“All right, Calliope,” said Walter. “She is here as you asked. Tell us what we want to know.”

His voice seemed to echo in the plain room, as if he were really dozens of people talking at once. It was nothing like the same kind of tone Calliope had used in the cavern. If Walter wanted to, I was positive he could destroy the world with a single thought. No wonder he’d been appointed the head of the council.

Calliope remained silent, and Walter sighed. It was the sound a father made when his child was giving him the silent treatment, not the kind of sigh an interrogator made when his subject clammed up. For all his power, Walter would not use it against her, I was sure of it. She was family.

I didn’t know if I was all right with that or not. Walter had done terrible things to her, unintentionally or not, and he’d put her through hell. But like James had insisted, it didn’t excuse her for all she’d done, and Walter had an obligation to ensure that none of it happened again. We all did.

“Please talk to us,” I said, relieved when my voice stayed steady. “Whatever happened with Cronus, it’s over now, and Walter and Phillip and Henry—they’re not going to hurt you.”

I could feel Henry tense behind me. If he had his way, she’d be a pile of ashes by now.

A slow smile spread across Calliope’s face, and her eyes glinted with malice. “You think this is over? Henry opened seven of the bars. It was only a matter of time before Cronus broke out completely anyway, but now he will be out by the winter solstice. When he’s free, he will come for me, and he will destroy all of you for holding him captive.” No one told Calliope she was wrong. The three brothers all watched us, and not one of them bothered to tell her that the council would contain Cronus.

It was because they couldn’t. Cronus would escape anyway, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Because of me, Cronus would do exactly what he wanted, and without Calliope, the council was powerless to stop him.

As brave as I wanted to appear, all of the blood drained from my face, and I clenched my hands together in my lap.

Henry rubbed the back of my neck, but I felt no relief from his touch. All of it had been for nothing.

“Calliope,” said Walter gently. “You know what will happen not only to us, but to the entire world. Cronus will reclaim it as his, and there will be no one left to protect humanity.”

Calliope sniffed, but she said nothing.

“Please,” said Walter. “Join us, and together we will defeat him once more. You know we cannot do it without your abilities, and if you do this for us, we will forgive your transgressions. Everything you have done will be forgotten, and your punishment will be lifted. You will be welcomed back as our queen, and we will put this incident behind us and move on with our lives.”

“And what?” said Calliope, all signs of her smugness gone. “Kate will live happily ever after with Henry, and I’ll have to watch you break your vows to me every time you spot a pretty girl? No, Walter, I am quite happy where I am. Cronus rewards loyalty. All I have received for my loyalty to you is a broken heart and bastard stepchildren.”

“And what do you think your loyalty to Cronus will get you?” he said. “The ashes of those who love you most, and nothing but loneliness for the rest of eternity if he does not tire of you sooner. That is what awaits you if you continue down this path.”

“At least then I will have the satisfaction of knowing you are dead. That will do more to keep me warm at night than you ever have.”

“Then this conversation is over.” Walter let go of her and said to his brothers, “What do you want to do with her?”

“I suppose f inding a way to make her fade would be too much to ask of you,” said Henry coolly. “Since Cronus’s prison will be empty soon, perhaps she could take his place.”

“An excellent idea,” said Walter, and he looked at Phillip for approval. Phillip nodded, and Walter clapped his hands together. “It is decided. Calliope will take Cronus’s place, and if we defeat him, she shall join him in his prison. If she decides between now and then to help us f ight, we will reconvene and decide what to do from there. You may go, Kate.”

I stood, and Calliope’s eyes never left mine. I couldn’t tear myself away, caught between sympathy and baff lement.

She was going to destroy us and she knew it, yet she was happy to sit by and watch. Walter had offered her a way out of all of this in exchange for her help, and she still insisted on f ighting against the council, knowing what that meant.

“You’re an idiot,” I said before I could stop myself.

“You’re going to get not just the entire council killed, but every single human being, as well. The world’s going to be a wasteland, and what happens to you then? You’ll fade.

You’ll fade with the rest of us. Is that what you want?”

“I would rather fade than spend a moment longer in your presence,” said Calliope with eerie calm, as if she were in complete control. As if Henry and Walter and Phillip weren’t even in the room with us. “If that is what it takes to see you all dead, then so be it. That’s a cause I’m willing to fade for.”

Words swarmed my mind, angry and stinging every inch of me, and I tried in vain to f ind the right ones to say.