“If Hermy don't know the deal, things are lookin' bleak for sure,” Poseidon, AKA Donnie, piped up in his surfer accent. He ran a hand through his platinum-blond hair and shook his head at the terrible state of our affairs.
“Hold on,” Artemis straightened her power suit as she sat forward. “How did you discover that Nemesis is missing?”
“She didn't show up for a meeting we had scheduled,” Morpheus said. “She wanted to discuss Narcissus.”
“Narcissus,” Athena murmured thoughtfully.
“You think it could be him?” Apollo—Artemis' twin brother—asked.
For once, Apollo looked normal. He was dressed in jeans and a band shirt and lacked his usual entourage of Muses. His shoulder-length blond hair hung in a sloppy ponytail and his baby blues looked anxious. I abruptly recalled that Apollo is a god of prophecy—among other things—and I wondered if he'd seen something. I didn't ask; I hated prophecies.
“I can see why he'd go after Nemesis but why would Narcissus mess with the Olympians?” Odin asked.
“Because we sanctioned Nemesis' curse,” Hestia said.
“I didn't,” Hades corrected. “That was before Persephone and I became Olympians. Before Vervain joined as well.”
“Then perhaps you three are safe,” Athena offered. “But someone seems to be picking off the rest of us, and Narcissus is as good a guess as anyone.”
“Better than good,” Hermes said. “Likely.”
“You don't have any other clues?” I asked Athena.
She just gave me an annoyed look.
“How did you discover that the two of them were missing?” Morpheus asked.
“I had a business meeting with Hephaestus to discuss the new jewelry designs I had for him,” Athena explained. “He never showed. I went to his territory and found his forge cold.”
Several of the Greeks inhaled sharply. I looked around in surprise.
“Gasp,” I said dryly. “What's with the forge? Why is it so important?”
“Hephaestus never lets his forge go cold,” Artemis explained. “It's a physical representation of his magic.”
“All right,” I said. “What about Hera?”
“I checked on the other Olympians and they were fine, but I had a bad feeling.” Athena's jaw clenched. “So, I sent Aleksanteri to find Hera, and he came back with news that she wasn't home.”
“Maybe she's gone into hiding,” I suggested. “After what happened to Zeus, I wouldn't blame her.”
“I searched for her extensively.” Athena shook her head. “As the head of the Olympians, I can find any of our council; ex or current. Hera is not in the Human Realm.”
“You can find any of us?” I asked in surprise.
“You gave me a vow,” she reminded me. “Yes; I can find you. But your husbands have closer ties to you than I; they'd be able to track you faster.”
“Faster wasn't my concern,” I muttered.
“What about the God Realm?” Hades asked. “You said Hera wasn't in the Human Realm, but what about our realm?”
“I'm assuming she's here somewhere, but I can't feel her,” Athena said. “The connection feels muted. No; that's not right. It feels... as if it's there but it doesn't connect to her anymore. I don't know how to explain it.”
“Morph, you remember what you told me about my magic when I was in the Mirror?” I asked him.
“How you had to check it at the door?” Morpheus asked. “Yeah. So?”
“Check it at the door?” Athena asked.
