Crow of Flame

Chapter 7

The rest of the week went normally. I would go to school, have classes and lunch with Cadmus and Hades, eat at Reginald's, train with Phil, teach and record at the Studio, then train more at the forge to expel any pent up energies that could expose me to my family. That was the hardest part. I didn't mind Hades and Cadmus, or the extra work. I liked having people to hangout with, Zeus and Poseidon showed up at random times which kept things interesting. Zeus and I were getting along better.

There was a familiarity with Zeus, and I liked the natural arguing of good friends that fell into place with him. There was an aspect of witty banter, and a feeling of comfort in his quips. Sometimes I wondered if I had met him before and forgotten it, just as I had forgotten everything else. Eliot seemed nice too, he was a scary looking man, but nice enough to be around. He was quiet and sure and protective. It seemed that Zeus' talk of me being the property of Hades was just that, talk. Eliot had his own personality and choices, and he explained to me that no one stays beyond general training if they don't want to in Zeus' facility. I felt exceptional relief at that.

Poseidon wouldn't engage me in any manner uncivil. If he felt I was being rude or temperamental he would simply ignore what I said and keep spewing his thoughts. He brought Nicholas with him. Nicholas wouldn't look at me or speak to me, and he often had his body angled away from me. He would look at Poseidon only, his blue eyes filled with dread, and his muscles tensed. I learned from Eliot that Poseidon keeps a strict house.

I wasn't sure if that meant unconditional servitude, or if it meant that he was unbending in his rules. The last time Poseidon and Nicholas met us, we were at Reginald's. Ben had made us the most delectable sandwiches with bacon, lettuce, tomato, honey mustard, sharp cheddar cheese, a single slice of deli chicken, and plain chips crunched up and sprinkled on the inside. It had the perfect amount of crunch, and sweetness and saltiness. It had been one of my favorite meals yet, and was served with crispy fries.

We had all inhaled the food, well everyone except for Nicholas. Poseidon had sent his back and ordered a bowl of carrots instead. Carrots that Nicholas hardly touched. I swear every time I saw Nicholas he got skinnier. His blue hair was dull and his cheeks were beginning to sink in. After we had enjoyed our meal, I had invited them to train with us but Poseidon refused. I tried to get Nicholas alone after that, to ask what was going on, but Poseidon would not let Nicholas out of his sight.

These thoughts ravaged my mind as I showered that night before bed. They were jumbled and confusing and bounced around with no rhyme or reason. They plagued me as I crawled into bed, and they were the last things I thought of as I drifted into the void of sleep.

"Come little one" Persephone said as she placed a guiding hand on my back. I walked down a long hallway with flowers painted on the walls and portraits evenly spaced on them. They were all of tall scary looking men with scars on their bodies and aggression in their eyes. They all held their right arm across their chest with their hands balled into fists. They had swords at their sides, their left hands were at the hilts.

The hall seemed to go on forever, and at the end of it was a huge painting of a battle. Men and women were fighting and bleeding and dying. In the center was a man with pale skin and black and red hair. His sword was clashing against another one held by a woman with dark hair and shining armor. There were piles of bloodied bodies around them. Light flashed from the point their swords connected and it shone into the dark cloudy sky. The painting was in an oak frame and the placard beneath read: "Titan verses Raven".

Persephone pushed gently on my back to keep me moving down the hallway. We reached a golden door with black metal detailing on the sides and black metal knobs and knockers. I gaped at it and shriveled into myself as Persephone put a manicured hand on the door. I looked up at her, her blonde hair seemed to glow in the faint light of the hallway, her lips were pink and held a smile. Her brown eyes looked at me with love and light. She wore a pink dress that fit her bodice and draped down to the floor in flowing material.