Daughter of Neptune, Book one

XIII

Tori POV

If the entry hall had been cold, the throne room was like a meat locker.

Misted hung in the air. I shivered, and my breathe steamed. Along the walls, purple tapestries showed scenes of snowy forest, barren mountains, glaciers. High above, ribbons of colored light--the Aurora Borealis-- pulsed along the ceiling. A layer of snow cover the floor, so I had to step carefully. All around the room were life-size ice sculpture warriors--some in Greek armor, some medieval, some in modern camouflage – all frozen and various attack positions, swords raised, guns locked and loaded.

At least I thought they were sculptures. Then I tried to step between two Greek spearman, and they moved with surprising speed, their joints crackling and spring ice crystals as they crossed their javelins to block my path.

From the far end of the hall, a man's voice rang out in a language that sounds like French. The room is so long and misty, I couldn't see the other end; but whatever the man said, the ice guards uncrossed their javelins.

"It's fine," Khione said. "My father has ordered them not to kill you just yet."

"Super," Jason added.

Zethes prodded him in the back with his sword. "Keep moving, Jason Junior."

"Please don't call me that."

"My father is not a patient man," Zethes warned, "and the beautiful Piper, sadly, is using her magic hairdo very fast. Perhaps leave there, I can lend her something from my wide assortment of hair products."

"Thanks," Piper grumbled.

We kept walking, and the mist parted to a man on ice throne. He was sturdily built, dressed in a stylish white suit that seemed woven from snow, with dark purple wings that spread out to either side. His long hair and shaggy beard were encrusted with icicles, so I couldn't tell if his hair was gray or just white with frost. His arched eyebrows made him look angry, but his eyes twinkles more warmly than his daughter--As if he might have a sense of humor buried somewhere under that permafrost. I hoped so.

"Binenvenu," the king said. "Je suis Boreas le Roi. Et vous?"

Khione the snow goddess was about to speak, but Piper stepped forward and curtsied.

"Votre Majesté," she said, "je suis Piper McLean. Et c'est Jason, fils de Zeus et Victoria fille de Poseidon."

The king smiled with pleasant surprise. "Vous parlez français? Très bien!"

"Piper, you speak French?" Jason asked.

"Piper frowned. "No. Why?"

"You just spoke French."

The king said something else, and Piper nodded. "Oui, Votre Majesté."

The king laughed and clapped his hands, obviously delighted. He said a few more sentences, then swept his hand toward at his daughter as if shooing her way.

Khione looked miffed. "The king says--"

"He says I'm a daughter of Aphrodite," Piper interrupted, "so I can naturally speak French, which is the language of love. I had no idea. His majesty says Khione won't have to translate now."