The boat reaches the edge, the front jutting into the air. I grip the railing with both hands and push back the panic. Hati leans next to me, carefree.
“Watch. Wait,” he says. He smiles and I realize even in this dire situation it’s not entirely unpleasant. “Trust.”
Trust.
I want to close my eyes but don’t, and feel the boat continue to move forward while the rush of water runs far below us. Down, down the river flows, until it crashes into the jagged rocks below.
We don’t fall.
A rainbow appears and the sky parts, revealing a passage into the heavens. A soaring tower comes into view along with the sprawl of a stone building, towering over the boat, the water and all the land ahead.
“Where are we?”
Hati places his hand on my back. The weight is heavy, strange, but before I can comment he says, “Welcome to the Academy.”
4
ARTEMIS
The boat moors at the docks and a small crowd of people disembark and walk toward the Academy. I step off the ramp and find myself even more overwhelmed than at the village. Those people were mostly lower gods, but here? The strength and power drips from the beings around me.
People notice me as much as I notice them. Their clothing is strange, much like Hati’s; finer cloth, tight stitching, vivid dyes. There’s no mistaking why they stare. My leather tunic is ragged and feral-looking compared to the finery on the gods and goddesses headed to the Academy.
Judgmental eyes sweep over my hair, my face and clothing. I feel the heat of scrutiny. My own emotions shift from awe to the anger of being assessed. I’m the daughter of Zeus! I want to shout. Make them bow at my feet. But it’s a foolish thought because who am I in this world? I’m not Apollo. I’m the hidden, unwanted child.
Instead I hold my chin high and watch them in return, studying their moves like I’d do with prey in my forest. Their hair is styled, not just twisted into braids or loose down the back. Clean. Like in the village, the women’s clothing catches my eye. Maybe even more so. It’s hard to look away from the full skirts and shimmery fabric. The bodices are tight, revealing. Again, the round swell of breasts peek from the top. Their hips are tiny as though they’re underfed. I feel my hand move up to my chest protectively. It’s not as though we’re shy in the forest—just practical. What’s the use of dressing with such frivolity to trap a rabbit?
Once more I can’t pull my gaze from the men, no gods, milling around the docks. They are as adorned as the women; chains hang from the pockets, rings on their fingers. Their hair shines in a variety of colors; red, black, brown, and blond. It looks soft in comparison to the scruff many wear on their faces. Thick and thin beards. I feel the bizarre urge to touch the hair with my fingers to see if it’s as coarse as it looks.
Once I’m on land I cling to my bag and bow, remembering my escort, Hati. Searching the dock, he’s nowhere to be found. Is he embarrassed to be seen with me? Was he told to leave once we arrived? He’s gone, but I feel a set of eyes on me. Looking near the path that leads to the campus I spot a tall woman, dressed in dark robes.
She approaches me and says, “Hello, I’m Themis. You must be Artemis.”
I nod. “My father summoned me.”
Her golden-brown eyes light up. “Yes, he did, and I’ve long waited to meet you.”
“You know who I am?” This is one of the things I’m unsure of, do the people know? Are they aware of my whereabouts for the past two decades? More questions run through my mind.
Themis seems intuitive and says in a low, quiet tone, “I am your father’s confidant and work closely with him on Academy affairs concerning the female students. He asked me to escort you to campus and answer any questions you have.”
“He’s not meeting me himself?”
A shadow of sympathy crosses her pale eyes. “No, he sends his regards and me in his place. He’s a very busy man. I’m sure you understand.”
I don’t, but I have a dozen other questions and no idea where to begin. So instead of asking straight off, I follow her off the docks and onto a cobblestone path. Unlike the village, the air here is fresh. The grounds are green with manicured lawns and shady trees. I don’t like the feel of it but it’s better than the stench of animals and filth. Once we’re away from the cluster of the docks, I turn to Themis.
“The messenger told me about my brother. He also told me about the Academy. Will I be the only woman?”
She shakes her head. “Goddesses are allowed to take classes but are required to focus on less ambitious subjects. Dormitories are separated but meals are not. Socialization is permitted but restricted.”
So, there are other women here. I’m pleased to learn this. Females are the only companions I know, although from the looks of the goddesses I’ve seen so far, I’m not sure how much we’ll have in common. I stare at the foreboding Academy, made of stone. Massive iron gates protect the entrance. My brother’s killer is likely inside.
“Tell me, who killed Apollo?”
Her lips turn down. “That is a mystery, one your father and his allies desperately hope to unravel.”
“Apollo had allies?”
“Oh yes, good ones. He was immensely popular. And although there can only be one winner, there are factions that work against one another. It’s better to have a member of your alliance win than someone else—especially when the stakes are so high.”
Hmm…How will these allies react to me? Are they as loyal to Apollo as she says?
“Themis, I do have one more question.”
“What’s that?”
“If women are not allowed to participate in an equal manner, then how am I supposed to take my brother’s place in the Trials?”
Themis looks at me appraisingly. “Good question and another I can’t answer. Your father has waited many years to make his move, Artemis. He kept you tucked away until he knew the time was right. Apollo’s death, as unfortunate and tragic as it is, has given him the opportunity to strike.”
“To what end?” I feel like a pawn in a chess game.
“To upturn society and give the goddesses their full rights back.”
“And how in the world am I supposed to do that?”
She smiles, and it’s glorious and full of hope. “By winning.”
5
THOR
I stand by the window and gaze across the grounds, watching the Academy’s residents pass along the cloisters and across the small squares from building to building. Their lives continue, the tragedy surrounding Apollo’s death no longer spoken about, but a burden heavy on my shoulders.
How? Why couldn’t I prevent my best friend’s death? Some say he died at his own hand, others blame my brother, Loki, but I refuse to believe either. The Academy dealt with the situation too swiftly, but some of us still mourn. And some of us have vowed to uncover who murdered the Academy’s shining star.
I rub the back of my head as a projectile hits my blond hair, and I turn around with a scowl. A cork lies on the floor by my feet and Dion’s smirking face regards me. An open bottle of wine and a full glass rest on the low table in front of him.
“You never told me what you heard about the mysterious twin. Tell me everything I need to know about Artemis,” he says.
Dion lounges back on the sofa in our common room, where we gather to socialize after lessons or to discuss trials. One long leg rests across his other, arms outstretched either side on the back of the burgundy leather sofa as he regards me with twinkling brown eyes. Dionysus, or Dion, as he prefers, matches my height, and his lean figure has finally started to bulk out. The smooth, good-looking party boy is no longer the nervous, skinny kid I met when we first arrived here.