The king has been the first one to leave the room of Concord during their divine gathering—for the first time. Where are you heading to, basileús?
Shadow ascended even higher, now lingering above the entire temple to have a clear view of the majestic architecture. Zeus had a variety of exits he could have taken to leave his house, and Shadow needed to make sure he didn’t miss him. He wanted to discover the reason behind his peculiar behavior.
The exit that lead to the main stairs—no trace of the king.
The exits leading to the left and to the right side of the temple, where the breathtaking gardens were housed, showed no sign of his presence either.
Where could you possibly be?
Unless . . .
Shadow hovered over the entire building, still staying a great distance from it, only to notice Zeus’s imposing shadow draping itself over the marble columns of his balcony like a somber cloak.
With slow, deliberate motions, Zeus’s fingers spread out like royal scepters as he raised his right hand to the sky as if he was summoning all the lightning that was weaving through the clouds. His golden thunderbolt promptly appeared between his fingers, and once its metal touched his skin, the electricity storming out of it flashed across every bulging vein that snaked along his body.
His body rose from the balcony, lifted by the lightning that cut through the heavy clouds that swarmed the sky. The jagged ribbon of light danced across the soon-to-be dark infinity, descending from Zeus’s hand as he continued to pass through the clouds.
Acting detached and gloomy, just to disappear in the sky?
Pathetic.
With a turn, Shadow hovered between the clouds, following the soft, gleaming trace left behind by the lightning. The midnight glooms, thick and roiling like a precious ink stirred in water, were accompanying Shadow in his pursuit.
Despite Zeus’s faint appearance above him, Shadow pushed himself even harder, remaining focused on his hunt to keep Zeus within his view. With every increment of distance, he started noticing the hush of the altitude as they surfaced toward the Kosmos. Suddenly, Shadow found himself having to creep behind a cloud the moment Zeus halted after piercing through the last layers of Olympus’s atmosphere.
Zeus’s scrutinizing eyes darted from one point to the other until he finally landed his gaze to what was in his interest—and Shadow’s interest as well.
Well, well, well.
If this isn’t the Queen of the Moon herself—Her Majesty Thalira Lunara.
She moved toward Zeus like silver itself, her hair cascading in waves of pristine, dazzling glimmers that caught the faint twinkling of the stars above them. Her piercing gray eyes appeared to have been sculpted into the surface of stone. They held a certain depth, reflecting the quiet anticipation of the words she was about to utter.
With each action she took, her body flowed with effortless grace, making it appear as if she was lightly floating above all the clouds and formations in the sky.
Indeed, she is a woman of true beauty.
I am, however, wondering about this encounter with Zeus?
“I must start by expressing my regret for interrupting you. However, the subject I am about to address is of the utmost significance,” Thalira began, her voice carrying a quiet authority.
“I am listening,” Zeus responded, his fingers still clasped around his thunderbolt.
“Our surveillance of Solaris’s recent activities reveals a troubling trend, one that jeopardizes both of our interests,” she continued, drawing closer to Zeus and fixing him with a steady gaze. “We must prepare, my King,” she added, a polished smile gracing her pale features.
My King.
The question is whether her designation of him as “my King” was a gesture of appeasement or an expression of her genuine regard.
A curious thing, indeed.
Zeus replied, his voice conveying a mixture of anger and a tremor of fear only Shadow could discern. Not long ago, he was the reason for the king’s fright. “You informed me last week that there were no signs of Solaris plotting any aggression against either of us, and now you are informing me we must prepare forwhat is imminent. Please explain why you think all of this is true. Otherwise, I must say that I do not believe you.”
“They exploited our celestial event. Their approach to our position has never been closer, and they do not show any signs of slowing. They remain in that position, which is unprecedented,” she explained, not letting Zeus out of her sight. “Their flames devastate portions of our kingdom, my King, and your realm is as threatened as ours.”
Zeus cocked a brow at her, his fingers visibly gripping harder at his thunderbolt. “Seems like Solaris took advantage of Helesthys, hadn’t they? They are trying to take advantage of every chance to get closer to us and obliterate what we have safeguarded here for millennia.”
Helesthys.
