Chapter Twenty Five
Thalia
I was hurting so much, watching Aphrodite take my babies. I knew it was the right thing, but it didn’t stop my heart from feeling like it took a bullet. She took a look at me, and shook her head. I felt a shimmer of power cover my skin, and when I looked down I was wearing a warrior’s gear of ancient times. Sort of like what I wore on my venture to find the god blade, except this time I was wearing both Egyptian and Greek. My shendyt was white and had jewels on it, much like what Tristan’s would look like once he transformed himself. My top was tight, and made of leather that conformed to me like some comic book version of Xena, showing off my cleavage while making sure the girls wouldn’t fall out of the material. My hair was braided back and I felt heavy makeup around my eyes. In the eyes of the enemy, I looked fierce, which I needed to be this warrior woman. Aphrodite knew it.
“No worries, daughter. We will be seeing you soon. Be brave.” She gave me once last look before shimmering out of the cabin with my two extensions of myself with her. I took a few breaths to steady myself.
“Breathe, love. We must ready ourselves.” Tristan was staring at the spot where Aphrodite had just left. He was suffering with me.
“Right.” I nodded to myself and walked out to the living room. Leander and Horus were finishing up on their gear. Leander looked like a SWAT team member, and Horus looked much like Anubis did in his Egyptian form. I suspected when we got outside he would transform completely, like Anubis did. This cabin would not be able to handle their ten-foot stature.
We were all silent as we grabbed our weapons and prepared for battle. There was nothing to say. We had to have hope that we would win.
When we walked out onto the porch, a small crowd awaited us. Our allies all looked to us and I raised my kopis at them.
“For my family, and what is right in this world.” My voice was loud and showed no fear. The people raised their weapons in salute. We were ready, now all we could do is wait for them to come.
“Quite the crowd.” A sultry voice commented, from our right.
All but Tristan raised their weapons to fight. He had flashed to the person and had a blade at his throat.
“Easy, I’m here for you.” The man had bright red hair standing up all over his head. He was tall, and resembled Tristan and Horus. Was he family?
“What are you up to, Set?” Horus spoke up and Tristan moved his blade for from the stranger's neck, but still held the point towards him as he stepped back towards us.
“I’ve always been on his side, longer than you have Horus. Osiris did the same to me during their first battle. Keep us busy like the good little boys we are. Or in my case, distracted me with chaos. I’m here now to fight on your side. Rebellion is my thing.” He winked at me with red eyes and I wanted to roll my brown ones at him, but didn’t. This guy was cocky, and seemed immature.
“Set, you’re not fucking with me?” Tristan growled and stared at Set. Set! The god of chaos. He was Osiris’s brother, known rival of Horus, and true troublemaker. He didn’t look a day over twenty-one.
“I see my reputation precedes me.” He bowed, and that time I did roll my eyes. He changed his appearance and was wearing battle armor like Tristan and Horus. Again, it was uncanny how much they all looked alike. Tristan must have seen into Set’s soul and saw he was telling the truth, because he dropped his sword.
“If you screw us over, Thalia will torture you. She’s fond of a cattle prod up the ass.” Horus slapped Set on the shoulders and threw his head back towards me. When Set’s eyes found mine, I winked back at him sarcastically. These gods were going to drive me up a wall. But at least the playing field was starting to be leveled some more. We had key people on the Egyptian side. Hopefully once they were here we could talk and convince others to join our cause. It was the only hope we would have. In a pure battle, all these demigods would lose. Hopefully their parents would have compassion, and wouldn’t fight their own children, but I wasn’t so sure. It was a gamble.
“Stab a god in the heart, and he will disappear for a short time; the stronger the god the quicker they will regenerate.” Horus spoke to everyone, and we all took in that vital information. We all knew gods couldn’t be killed, but they could disintegrate for a little while. Gods like Zeus, those stunts probably wouldn’t work on. He was too powerful. I hoped he wouldn’t enter the fray.
The breeze stopped, and the air was suddenly eerily silent. We all turned our head towards the spread out trees, and watched as a large crowd of people walked towards us.
It was definitely a sight to behold. I’d always imagined what all the gods looked like when I worked at the museum and believe I was only human. Seeing them now left me with waging feelings of awe and anger. My eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Osiris, and Zeus.
Anger. I’ll stick with anger. These were the assholes who threatened my family.
When they all came to a halt scattered amongst the serene setting of the mountains, everyone was completely silent.
I looked to the men beside me. Someone needed to say something, but they weren’t moving. I took step forward and heard a growl behind me, but I kept walking until I was in front of our group. Tristan and our horde stood behind me, ready for anything.
“They aren’t here. You’re wasting your time. The children are born, healthy and happy in spite of your best efforts. They are not a threat. You should leave.” I just came right out and said what needed to be said.
“So you say. But they are not here for our inspection.” Zeus stated as he and Osiris walked forward. They were dressed in armor but I seriously doubted they would be getting their hands dirty.
“They are gone for their protection, hidden from cruel men that would harm innocent babies. Who have continuously threatened their life, even before they were born.” I yelled at them, my temper was slipping very quickly. The fact that I had to send my babies away because of them was making me extremely bitter.
“The union between you and Anubis was granted. But to conceive children was not.” I scoffed at that.
“What happens between a husband and wife is their business.”
“Not when the offspring could be too dangerous to our way of life. They could expose us, or potentially harm us. We must eliminate the threat before they have a chance to do so.” Zeus’s voice boomed. He was trying to declare his word law. That wasn’t the way this worked.
“Just because you think them dangerous doesn’t make it so. I have many people here that are willing to fight for my family. Not just demigods, but gods themselves.” I pointed to Horus and Set. Thankfully Horus stood and decided it was time for him to speak. I watched Osiris narrow his eyes at his son, hisfavoriteson, siding with the enemy.
