Blade's Edge || Deception Book II ||

Chapter 44: Betrayal

"Clarianna, I've been waiting for you," the goddess said softly. She turned around to stare at me with fierce grey eyes. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Um," I started.

"You're not in trouble," Athena said, amused at my obvious nerves. "Quite the contrary in fact. But I didn't ask you to come here because of what happened on Tamalpais," she continued. "No, this is a lot more important. Come, walk with me."

I'm confused, I thought, but followed the goddess as she led the way through the courtyard, past groves of olive trees and blooming flowers. Athena didn't speak, so neither did I. What was going on? I wasn't in trouble, and Athena was right about how she wouldn't waste both her time and mine just to call me over so she could congratulate me. The wisdom goddess did not deal out praise lightly.

So what on earth was I here for?

We crossed the silver gate that exited from the other end of the courtyard to Athena's private chambers and a faint fizzing noise sounded from behind us. I whirled around to see that there was a faint grey glow emanating from the gates.

"A sound barrier," Athena explained. She turned around to me. "No one will hear what I'm about to tell you tonight."

I swallowed. "Is it about the war?"

She levelled her gaze at me. "Do you think it is?"

I wanted to say yes. But somehow, deep down, I knew it wasn't. It was about me. About that mysterious chasm inside me with the locked chains. The one I'd somehow cracked open on the mountain. The other locked one that radiated with the aura of the Underworld. The shattered memory of a ruined arena, toppled pillars, and my magic.

"No," I whispered. "It's about me."

Athena nodded solemnly. "I think it's time you learned about your past."

"My-my past?" I asked, confused. "What's there to know that I don't already?"

Athena sighed. She waved her hand and two pillow cushions appeared on the floor. "Sit. To say it's a lot is an understatement."

I sat.

Athena sat down too, her gaze drifting towards the silver circlets on my wrist before staring at the two black rings, one on each of my hands. "Your weapons. Lay them out before you. Don't change them into weapons," she added as I blinked, not immediately comprehending her words. "Just leave them as is."

O-okay . . . I thought, sliding off the two black rings, the moon one, before unclasping the silver circlets. "Annabeth has the necklace."

Athena nodded. "That's fine. It's the circlets and black rings that are important."

"Important for what?" I asked. "Lady Athena, please tell me what's going on. You're creeping me out."

"There's no easy way to put this," Athena sighed, rubbing her eyes. "But two things. One, you have a prophecy. Two, you're not . . . really . . . " she trailed off. She stared at the black rings as if they were pit vipers. "You're not . . . human."

"Um, what?" I said. "Okay, I suppose I always suspected that I had a prophecy, what with you guys going all 'first shadow-walker since the fifteenth century', but what the Hades do you mean when you say I'm not human? I already know I'm not. I'm a half-blood."

"No, no, that's not what I meant," Athena said. "Theoús, this was such a horrible idea. It still is."

To say I was shocked was an understatement. Never had I ever seen Athena so unsettled. It was making me feel like Olympus was going to fall out from underneath me. The goddess of wisdom was always cool, collected, and calm. And yet . . . she looked agitated. Just what exactly was she trying to tell me?"