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Cadentle kiss was the last thing I felt before the fog of the island overtook hteen

I openedintofrantically around me But there was no reason to panic I was in bed, safe and sound

I was in Zeus’ palace and daylight was streah the open balcony doors Sheer curtains fluttered in the wind, bringing with it the pungently floral scent of the Oly the flowers on s I turned to Cadet here?"

He drewme close, and I melted into his embrace How could I help it? There was nowhere else I would rather be, no et here I inhaled hisperson to a life raft

After a few h he didn’t loosen his hold on me

"If you ever do that to an with a stern look on his face, "I will beat you

Don’t look at eons of this palace myself and I will beat you within an inch of your life"

I stared at hi his arave me a heart attack If you would’veif you"

His jaw clenched as his voice trailed off and I stroked his face with treers

"I know," I murmured softly "I love you, too"

He nodded

"Where is everyone?" I asked "How did we get here?"

"Hecate," he answered "Remember, she said ould need her three ti us froht and willed us back here"

"And my mother? My mortal mother?" I clarified

He hesitated "She’s on the island with Calypso"

"What?" I jerked o back and"

Cadmus smoothly interrupted "She left her there because she wasn’t sure what to do with her It’s not safe for aand Hecate couldn’t send her to Pasadena, because your mother would wonder at your absence Calypso’s island is safe for her We are going to be busy for awhile We have a sword to find"

I had forgotten about the sword in all of the excite

I pictured hed There orse places to keep her I’d have to think more on this one

"And Aphrodite?" I asked anxiously

I’d barely gotten the words out of ed into the bedchambers She looked beautiful, as fresh as if she’d just co like lightning

"Harmonia!" she snapped as she dropped onto the bed at hout the rest of eternity, decide to do sorabbing her in a big hug She stopped talking as she hugged ainst my neck As she pulled away, she wiped at them

"I love you, too," I told her quietly She smiled

"I know" She paused to look at itated with you, you know"

"Really?" I studied her doubtfully It seee And I could see on her face that I was right, but I didn’t point it out I simply let her nod

"Yes, Harive him a while to cool down before you talk to hiive him awhile so that his proud accolades didn’t coenerous I’d go along with her story

"Alright I’ll give hireed She nodded, satisfied that her fibs were safe I had to shake my head In every life, she had been exactly the sa one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Cad to sit on the veranda and have breakfast Would you like to join me or will you, er, be awhile?"

I felt my cheeks explode into flame

"No, we’ll be happy to join you," I replied quickly "Just give us a few rin, I quickly corrected hed, a sound that echoed through the room like a peal of clear bells and I shtwith those that I loved Life was truly arinned "Don’t take too long"

And she was gone, ducking out the door and leaving us alone I turned to Cadmus

"You have one minute," I told hie accepted," he chuckled as he followedthe coverlet back over our heads

My soul e

When we met Aphrodite on the veranda a short while later, she was seated facing the city, across from the Keres I studied thehtening as they were on Ogygia Haggard, stooped and ancient We did not make a sound as alked, yet they turned in perfect unison to face us with nearly sightless eyes