DIVINE » l. valdez

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❝the gods were never on our side ❞

Hina walked up the mountain falling behind the group as she kept a tight grip on her burnt hand. They were losing time and there were much more important things to do than worry everyone about her.

The ice staircase kept slipping beneath her feet as the winds picked up their force. 

Everyone stayed silent, except for Coach Hedge who kept bounding up and down the stairs chanting, "Come on, cupcakes! Only a few thousand more steps to go!"

Hina momentarily considered pushing the satyr off the mountain side.

She watched Leo as he scurried up the steps, swatting at his pants, checking for signs he was on fire. He had stopped steaming, but Hina was worried for Leo. He hadn't realized he had flames dancing across his hair and steam enveloping his clothes. 

After hours, they reached the top of the island. Bronze walls snaked across the fortress grounds, blocking out anyone who dared attack. Twenty-foot-high gates opened for them, and a road of polished purple stone led up to the main citadel—a white-columned rotunda, Greek style, like one of the monuments in Washington, D.C.—except for the cluster of satellite dishes and radio towers on the roof.

"That's bizarre," Piper said.

"Guess you can't get cable on a floating island," Leo said. "Dang, check this guy's front yard."

The grounds were separated into four distinct sections, each one representing a season.

To their right stood mounds of snow and ice with bare trees and a frozen lake. Snowmen rolled across the scenery in the wind, Hina wasn't sure whether they were alive or not.

On the left was an autumn park littered with golden leaves and red trees. Loose leaves were blown into patterns of gods, animals, and people each one coming to life before blowing away.

In the distance there stood two more sections, housing spring and summer Hina assumed.

"One section for each of the four wind gods," Jason guessed. "Four cardinal directions."

"I'm loving that pasture." Coach Hedge licked his lips. "You guys mind—"

"Go ahead," Jason replied, obviously relieved to be rid of the satyr for a moment. 

They continued on, leaving Hedge to destroy the pasture. Jason led the way down the stone path towards the palace steps. They passed through the front doors into a white marble foyer decorated with purple banners that read Olympian Weather Channel, and some that just read OW!

"Hello!" A woman floated up to them. Literally floated. She was gorgeous in the same way as the nature spirits from Camp Half-Blood. She was petite, with elfish pointy ears, and an ageless face that could be sixteen or thirty. Her brown eyes twinkled generously, as her hair billowed in the wind although, there was no breeze present. She held a tablet in her hands. 

"Are you from Lord Zeus? We've been expecting you."

Hina watched Jason fumble for words as he stared at the woman. She was partially see through, her body shimmering like fog.

"Are you a ghost?" Jason asked dumbly, instantly upsetting the woman. Her soft smile turned into a frown.

"I'm an aura, sir. A wind nymph, as you might expect, working for the lord of the winds. My name is Mellie. We don't have ghosts."

Piper came to the rescue. "No, of course not! I'm sorry, my friend simply mistook you for Helen of Troy, the most beautiful mortal of all time! An honest mistake."