Letting out a long breath, I looked up at Aiden. “Okay.”
“Okay, what?” he prompted.
He was so going to make me say it. “I will stay here.”
“And?”
Dear gods… “And I accept everyone’s help and whatever.”
“Good.” He bent down, swiftly kissing me on the cheek. “You finally see the light.”
I flushed and then really turned beet red when half of the room—half bloods so unaccustomed to seeing a pure and a half together—stared at us open-mouthed. Even though they’d suspected there was something between us, seeing the proof had to be shocking.
In the lull of conversation, I caught a bit of what was on the news. A full-scale war had broken out in the Middle East. Entire towns had been leveled. One of the sides had access to nuclear weapons and was threatening to use them. The U.N. was calling for global intervention, and the U.S. and U.K. were sending thousands of troops overseas.
I had a real bad feeling about this.
“It’s Ares,” Solos said, speaking for the first time since this whole meeting of the minds began.
I turned toward him and was reminded that my scars were nothing compared to the jagged mark covering his handsome face. “Do we know for sure?”
Marcus nodded. “His presence in the mortal realm causes discord, especially when he’s not masking what he is.”
“And we saw something very in-ter-resting on the tellie yesterday,” Deacon added.
“Yep,” Luke chimed in. “One of the commanders of the attacking army was sporting a very fashionable arm band with a Greek shield on it. I have no idea what Ares hopes to gain by starting a war.”
It seemed obvious to me. “He just…loves war. He feeds on it like the gods used to feed on mortals’ beliefs in them. And if there’s a huge war that splits a bulk of the world, he can swoop in and subjugate mankind.”
“Very true,” Diana said softly. “Ares’ love for war and discord is well-known. He grows stronger in times of great strife.”
“That’s exactly what we need.” Aiden folded his arms. “Ares growing stronger.”
Moving a few steps over, I leaned against an air hockey table. It was hard seeing one and not thinking of Caleb. “Ares wants to rule. He thinks it’s time for the gods to reclaim the mortal realm as their own, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are other gods supporting him.” Namely Hermes, but other than Marcus and Aiden, they didn’t know Hermes had helped Seth contact me.
There was a round of artistic uses of four letter words from those in the back, ones that would’ve brought a smile to my face at one point in the past.
“Well, at least we know what Ares wants. He’s looking for a war,” Aiden said, addressing the room like the leader he was and I so obviously hadn’t quite learned to be. “And we’re going to give him one.”
CHAPTER 3
As a group, we decided we would hold a meeting the day after tomorrow for anyone on campus who wished to join what Deacon had named the “Army of Awesomeness”. Diana and Marcus, who apparently had jointly taken over the day-to-day operation of the campus after the dean’s death, picked the Council’s coliseum as the location of the meeting. All twelve of the University’s council members, plus a handful from other locations, were on campus, and Diana swore they would have no problems with us making use of what was considered one of the most sacred buildings on campus.
I had a hard time believing it.
But the day before that wouldn’t be about recruitment for the A.O.A. or battle strategies. That day would be the day the dead were given their rightful burial.
After the meeting had ended, I quickly skedaddled out of the common area and headed outside, needing the fresh air. The oxygen in my lungs felt stale, my brain full of holes. Once the anger had faded, all that was left were the dull ache of my healing body and the odd numbness in my core.
Night had begun to fall, and although it was the middle of May, cool air brushed my cheeks and made me grateful for the long-sleeved shirt Aiden had dug up.
I strode past the main building and looked up, sucking in a gulp of air when I got a good look at the top floor. The window facing the courtyard had been boarded up. My gaze fell to the marble pathway below. It was cracked.
Shuddering, I hurried around the wrought-iron face separating the courtyard from the walkways. Like the one that had been on Deity Island, flowers and trees from all around the globe blossomed here, despite the climate. The clean scent of roses and the sweeter scent of peonies mixed with the heavier scents of grapes and olive trees.
Stopping near the entrance, I stared up at a marble replica of Zeus. With his curly hair and beard, he looked more like a mountain man than the all-powerful god he was.
Couldn’t he have stepped in at some point, put the smackdown on Ares, and ended all of this? Surely Zeus could find a way to get around Seth and take out Lucian. But even if Zeus did, that still left Seth for him to deal with…and me.
Further into the courtyard, a statue of Apollo glowed, lit by a small lamp at its base. His face was turned toward the sky.
“Where are you?” I asked.
Once Apollo had blown his cover as Leon, he wasn’t able to stay in the mortal realm for long periods of time without weakening. I wondered if it was the same for Ares, and if so, did he hang out in Olympus with the other gods or did he have a hidey hole somewhere?
Turning from the statue, I started back down the path, because it wasn’t like the hunk of rock was going to answer any of my questions. Passing several smaller buildings that looked like miniature Greek temples, I skirted the Council building. Busts of the Olympian twelve were carved into the four sides of the building, which closely resembled an ancient temple. Like always, a measure of dread knotted in my stomach as I hurried past.
Council buildings had never held good memories for me.
Beyond the Council building, I looked back. Dorms rose into the sky behind the main academic buildings. The University really was its own city, but other than the patrolling Guards, I hadn’t seen a student yet.
It was probably a good thing they were keeping the students in their rooms. The last thing anyone needed was a bunch of pures running amuck, feeding off hysteria.
Gods, I sounded like an old fart.
I felt like an old fart.
Coming to the end of the pathway, the marble walls in front of me rose into the night. Spotlights situated every few feet atop the walls cast light throughout the campus. In the shadows of the twenty-foot monstrosity surrounding the University, Guards and Sentinels were stationed where sections of the wall had taken some damage.
I sat down on a bench and stretched my legs out, working the healing muscles and tissue as I watched the men. Even from where I sat, I could tell that they were all half-bloods. Every damn one of them, and I couldn’t help but think of my father. I’d given up hope that he was here because Laadan would’ve found him by now. He could still be at the New York Covenant in the Catskills. He could be anywhere, or he could be dead.
Rubbing my hands down my face, I told myself not to think that, but man, I was so rocking a Negative Nancy vibe like there was no tomorrow. Or maybe I was just being a Realistic Rachel? How could he have survived? How could Ares not know that my father had been at the Catskills? Surely he would use my father against me if he could.
And what would he have chosen for his life if he’d had a choice to be something other than a Sentinel, Guard, or servant? What would any of these men out by the walls have chosen? Did any of them ever think about that?
I had, at one point in my life, when I’d been living among mortals, way before I knew what I was or had even heard that stupid prophecy. I’d wanted to work at a zoo. Not the biggest aspiration for one to have in life, but I loved animals and because all creatures could be controlled by compulsion—therefore pure-blooded daimons—I’d never had a pet. The few times I’d visited a zoo, the workers had always seemed to enjoy their jobs, and I wanted that. I wanted to be happy with what I was doing with my life. I used to think becoming a Sentinel would fulfill that need.