Chapter Eight

Derek

Athena led me down the hallways of Olympus, pointing out everything. I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the place. Whoever had designed it must’ve taken great care.

When we passed a castle like place that was made out of clouds I stopped.

“That,” Athena says quietly. “Is Hypnos’s castle. Whatever you do Derek, do not go anywhere near that castle, do you understand me? Hypnos unfortunately is on the other side in this war. And if you go into his castle, then he has the power to draw you into your own mind. Where he controls everything.”

“But,” I start, a bad feeling starting low in my gut. “Nikki’s in there!”

Athena looks confused, “Who? Oh, Hades’s daughter yes, of course.” Then her eyes go wide with panic as she processes what I said. She grabs my shoulders. “Derek are you sure?”

I give her my best annoyed look and nod. “Yes, I’m sure!”

She looks slightly fearful for half a second before she summons an owl and sends it up into the sky. The next thing I knew I was in the throne room. All the gods were there. As was Lenzie, Quinn, Moon, Mutt and some other people I had recognized from Godville. The House Heads? They all bowed to the gods and goddesses before walking to sit by their parents thrones.

“Athena,” Zeus shouts. “Why have you called this meeting?”

Athena walks over and takes her seat at her throne. “Nykole Hellhound, daughter of Hades has been taken by Hypnos. And yes, I am sure.”

Everyone in the throne room is silent, I couldn’t help but notice that Hades didn’t seem the least bit concerned. Or that Moon and the other child of Zeus, James? Where standing very far away from their fathers throne. Not to mention that fact that every few second Zeus would glance at Mutt, looking guilty. I didn’t bother to understand, just tucking it away in my brain for later.

I also couldn’t help but notice that Quinn was giving Moon a weird look. But none of that mattered right now.

What mattered was the fact that the gods weren’t doing anything, just sitting there and looking at each other.

“Well?” I finally snap. “What are we going to do? How do we get her out?”

Zeus clears his throat, “Young demigod, we are not going to do anything. Your friend is long gone, if she’s not dead then she’s not worth saving. We simply cannot waste the efforts on one demigod.”

I stand there, frozen, waiting for someone to object. No one does, not even Hades. Then after a moment I feel eyes on me, Quinn was watching, as was Mutt and Lenzie everyone else. Their message clear, SPEAK UP AND WE’LL FOLLOW.

I turn my best glare on Zeus. “If you won’t do anything then I will.”

Zeus looks shocked, guess not many people, if any spoke back to him. “If you want to die then so be it.”

“I have no problem helping,” Moon says, stepping forward to stand beside me. James doing the same thing, only silently.

Lenzie walks forward, “I’m standing by my brother.”

One by one everyone else did it, until it was only a few, two daughters of Ares, Quinn, and Mutt. The two daughters of Ares seem to have a debate, one I recognized as the Head of the Ares House. She had black hair and grey eyes and she was dark skinned. Almana Akwa.

The other girl I didn’t know, she had dark brown hair, pulled up in a bun and brown eyes. She was wearing a leather jacket over a gray T-Shirt. Black jeans and combat boots. She had black fingerless gloves and a bracelet with skulls on it. And she looked like she wanted to kick some butt. After a second Almana walks over and stands beside me.

The girl that I didn’t know doesn’t seem bothered. She just stands with her hands at her sides, watching our little group. After long enough that I was beginning to think that she wouldn’t show up she starts walking towards us. That only left Quinn and Mutt.
Mutt looked like he could careless and Quinn just looked thoughtful.

“Well, finding demigods is our job,” Quinn says walking over.

Mutt shrugs and follows, acting as though he thought it was a game. Hell, to him it probably was. Zeus looks over at us and growls slightly. “Whatever. I do not need to bother myself in your stupid demigod affairs. Begone with the lot of you.”

“Awww,” Mutt says, sticking out his lower lip and pouting. “And here I thought you loved us.”

Zeus glares harshly at him, but I noticed that it wasn’t with as much hate as he was giving the rest of us. I couldn’t help but remember his guilty expression. I was missing something. And I could feel the know-it-all part of me wanting to know.

I don’t bother with asking, I wouldn’t get a straight answer from this group anyway I was sure. Maybe after they had warmed up to me a bit I could start learning all their secrets. For that reason only I was sure I’d be able to tolerate them. And because of Nikki. She was my friend and I wasn’t going to leave her behind. Not to die anyway.

“You coming?” Quinn asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nod and start following them off of Olympus. “So. Tell me. Why are you risking everything to save Nykole?”

“Because she’d do the same for me,” I say.

“Really? That doesn’t seem much like her to me,” Quinn says.

“You don’t know her. You don’t know her at all,” I snap. “Besides, even if she wouldn’t, she’s my friend. She’s not perfect, sure, she’s a b***h and she’s mean. And she’s rude. But she can be kind and she can be caring. And I refuse to give up on her. Nikki is my friend, she always will be. No matter what arguments we have, or what fights we get into. Nikki is my friend. And friends stick together.”

To my surprise Quinn nods. “I may not know Nykole. But I do know friendship, and I know how deep those bonds go. She’s lucky to have someone such as you. A friend that’ll never give up on her. Everyone needs that kind of friend. But only some find it.”

“Do you think she’s scared?” I ask after a moment of silence.

“I don’t know,” Quinn shrugs. “Maybe. I know that Nikki is strong willed and that she is tough. But Hypnos, he has ways of breaking everyone.”

“Experience?” I ask.

Quinn’s eyes go distant, “The gods ways of punishment are much worse than anything one could have imagined.”

“I don’t understand. It doesn’t matter though. Will you tell me? What is she going through?” I ask.

“Hypnos is a bad enemy to have. He kills the mind before the body. In many ways too. But I would assume she is experiencing his usual way of doing so.” Quinn’s voice was quiet, like she didn’t want to continue.

I couldn’t help myself though, I pushed her.

“Which is?” I ask.

Her eyes glaze over with pain before there was nothing.

“Silence,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

“What?” I ask.

“He uses silence. Silence is a form of punishment in it’s own way. Darkness. Nothingness. Silence. All can drive a person mad. Make them so insane that their minds just melt away. Silence can take away everything. Especially if you know what you are missing out on.”

Instead of saying anything I walk faster. Not knowing what to say. Not believing that there was anything I could say.