First Lie || Deception Book I ||

Stolen Pt. 2

I threw every ounce of my power into my shield. The energy emitting from Zeus and Hades shredded into my shield, trying to rip it down. Gritting my teeth, sweat already forming on my forehead, I concentrated every particle of shadows that I controlled to form an impenetrable wall of darkness around me. Apollo, who was standing next to me, shoved me behind him and threw up another shield around mine offering some other protection against the energy that was exploding from the two gods. I peeked out from behind his shoulder and immediately withdrew my head back.

Ouch.

Even with Apollo and my barriers, the energy emitting from Zeus and Hades was scorching. The two gods were in their true forms, showering the room in a light so bright it was blinding. Only my shadows filtered it so I wasn't a puddle on the floor.

"Clarianna," Apollo yelled to me. "Get out of here!"

I shuddered and nodded, slowing backing towards the door, Apollo's shield still around me. Reaching the door, I plunged into the remainder of my power and disappeared into the shadow world. Immediately, cool darkness swamped me, and I blinked, the spots fading from my vision.

The shadow world was exactly what it sounded like. A world of shadows. As a shadow-walker, I could draw power from the shadows here, manipulate it, and use it to get to different places quickly. Again, it was a lot like shadow-travelling, but children of Hades couldn't stay here forever or they would turn to shadows, while I could stay here as long as I liked.

I sat down for a minute, overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the last ten minutes. The overwhelming anger that exploded from Zeus and Hades, the pure light that was scorching, and most importantly, the absence of the two objects: the bolt and the helm. I am so done, I thought. I need to sleep. I sighed. Getting to my feet, I imagined my room; the night blue walls painted with stars, my wall of books, the scene of the courtyard from my window, and my bed. Shaping the shadows around me, I materialized in the centre of my room in a swirl of black. I collapsed on my bed, my power drained.

Footsteps sounded down the hall and I reached for the shadows in my room, but I was so fricking tired. Silverwind materialized in my hand, and I pulled myself up and walked towards the door. I cracked it open and peered down the hall, to see my mother rushing to me.

"Clari!" she exclaimed, stopping in front of me. "What the hell happened?"

I briefly explained to her the events that had transpired on Olympus in the last three hours. Hecate was silent for the most, except for the part where I told her that I'd breakin' down Zeus' door. I think you know what her reaction was. After I explained everything, my mother stared at me, still shocked by everything.

"This is bad," she muttered to herself. "Very, very, very bad."

Just then, Artemis ran past us in a blur of silver. At the end of the hall, she seemed to absorb the fact that we were standing there and ran back.

"What on the name of Styx happened," she gasped. "I was out hunting with Chiron and my Hunters and then this giant surge of energy comes from Olympus. I came back as fast as I could."

"Someone stole Zeus' bolt and Hades' helm," I started. Artemis gaped at me. I quickly filled her in on the stuff that had happened.

"I need to go to the throne room," she said.

"Same," my mother said. "Clari, you stay here."

The two goddesses disappeared in a flash of light.

"What?" I said aloud to the air. "No way I'm staying here!" I grinned wickedly. "I'll be there even if I have to be half in and half out of the shadow world."