CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Without the Liodari, Terena and the others returned to Melanos much faster this time.
The sun was high in the sky when they finally reached Melanos’s cave. The wind whipped at her cloak as Terena hopped off Nyx. She called out to Croak to stay with the horses. Rydon came to her side as they walked off toward the cave entrance.
“What? Why always me?”
“I’m coming with you!” Sonah yelled and Terena turned her head in time to see Sonah racing to catch up.
“I’ll stay with the whelp,” Gabriol called out.
Taking her time, Terena cautiously walked through the dark entrance. Inside, she saw a much tamer scene than the one she and the others had initially witnessed when they had met Melanos.
As Rydon and Sonah came up behind her, she heard Sonah’s gasp. White columns surrounded the large room, transforming the cave into a beautiful outdoor ballroom. Every variety of rose imaginable adorned the room, and thick garlands stretched across the columns. A canopy of sheer fabric covered the cave, concealing the starry sky above them. Guests took advantage of the many areas for privacy provided by large oak and black pine trees along the edges of the cave.
“Come on,” Terena said with a smile as she tugged at Sonah’s cuff. Sonah gawked a few more seconds before following Terena and Rydon, stumbling once because she was paying more attention to the people than she was where she stepped.
A few people were laughing, sitting on large pillows and plush ottomans beneath a willow in a far corner. As Terena drew closer, her eyes widened and she stopped, moving fast to cover Sonah’s eyes with her hand.
“Melanos!”
The deity was reclining on the floor, kissing one woman, while another crouched near his stomach, her head bobbing in a rhythmic motion. When Terena bellowed his name, Melanos lazily tore his lips away from the woman and stared at them for a moment before recognition dawned. Sonah squawked at her side, clawing at Terena’s hand.
The scene disappeared and Melanos strode toward them fully clothed, thank the gods.
Terena lowered her hand from Sonah’s eyes and the girl got her first look at the enormous god. He stopped a few feet away, a huge grin on his face as he folded his arms at his chest.
“I knew you couldn’t stay away,” he laughed.
“I told you I’d be back,” Terena snapped.
“Where did all the people go?” Sonah asked, glancing around.
“Would you like me to bring them back, little one? I can?—”
“No!” Terena yelled, lunging with an arm out toward Melanos. His deep laughter rang through the cave, and Sonah moved closer to Terena’s side.
“Can you please,” she said with a sigh and closed her eyes for a second, “can you please not corrupt my sister? We came back to get you out of here.”
At her words, the big man arched a sandy eyebrow at her, then shifted his gaze to Sonah.
“Another daughter of Ares?”
Sonah watched him silently, but Terena nodded. “Aye.”
The god inclined his head and winked at Sonah. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Sonah was too awed to say anything until Terena nudged her. Her lips formed an O and then she blinked at Melanos. “The pleasure is mine, Melanos,” she said as she curtsied.
“None of that now.” Melanos waved his hand, but Terena saw the color blooming in his cheeks. He turned his bright blue eyes to Terena. “And have you figured out how to do it correctly this time?”
Terena shrugged. “No. I mean, it’s not like I have a bunch of divine advisors to help with this sort of stuff, but I’m hoping, now I’m fully healed, it might work.”
Melanos stared back at her for a moment before giving her a sharp nod and clapping his hands. “Let’s go then. I’m ready.”
Rydon led the way to the entrance, followed by Terena with Melanos behind her. She reached back to take hold of his hand when he stopped before the dark passage, his body stiff.
Taking a few steps back, Terena saw the god’s startled expression as he looked behind him. Sonah stood behind Melanos, and Terena strained to see what was happening. In the passage’s gloom and with his enormous frame blocking everything behind him, Terena opened her mouth to speak when she heard her sister.
