Pantheon Book 2: The Way of the Tao

Reunion

        "So... your godly teacher...is your mom?" Oliver says for what feels like the hundredth time. He just can't wrap his head around it. "The current Hecate is your biological mother."

"Yep," Melody says, staring ahead as they make their way down the steep tunnel again. Odin walks silently ahead of them, a grim look on his face.

"But you were adopted by Frigg and Odin," Oliver adds, running his hand through his hair. "Even though your mom is a Greek goddess."

"Pretty much," She confirms patiently. "Since Hecate isn't supposed to have any children, Zeus demanded she send me away as soon as he found out. My mom didn't want to but couldn't refuse. So, she asked Odin to take me in." She shrugs again, barely paying attention to her own story. Oliver can't blame her; she's explained it at least a dozen times since leaving the dining hall. "Since they're both gods of magic, she knew she could trust him. And as the head of his Pantheon, he had the final say, as far as the rest of the Aesir is concerned."

"But, then your mom - Hecate - took you as her apprentice," he says, feeling the need to clarify who her mother is as much as possible. He's still waiting for her to realize who they're talking about and correct him, but she just nods.

"When I turned 11, she decided I was old enough to become her apprentice. Since each god is allowed to choose their successor, Zeus and the other Olympians couldn't argue." She glances back at him with a sly grin. "Looking back, I guess that's why I've always been such a troublemaker. I was always told that we have to follow the original legends in order to become gods, but the fact that I was born at all goes against that. So, I started questioning everything else I was told to."

"Probably because breaks basically every rule ever," Oliver mutters under his breath, staring at the rough stone wall. "But wait, what about demigod children? Didn't Hecate have a daughter?" Melody sighs, shaking her head.

"That's a common misconception. Circe was Hecate's apprentice, not daughter. Some legends call them family, but they're not."

"Right," Oliver says with a sigh. "Do I even want to know who your dad is? He's not, like...a Hindu god, is he?"

"Are you even listening to yourself?" She replies with a giggle. "Of course he's not! He's just a mortal. I used to visit him on the weekends." She giggles again, shaking her head. "Hindu god, that's just ridiculous."

"And this isn't!?" Oliver groans, throwing his hands at Odin. "This sounds like the plot of some B movie! If you told me your birth started some great prophecy to save the world, I'd believe it!" Melody pauses, turning to face him with a smirk.

"You know, I didn't think you could be this energetic. I kind of like it." Oliver feels the blood drain from his face, and he steps back, shrinking into himself again. He grips Caduceus, now hanging from his hip in its keychain form.

"N-no, I just - I mean - I didn't-"

"Oliver, relax!" She chuckles, slapping his back gently. He still stumbles a step forward, catching himself before he tumbles all the way down the tunnel. "I was joking. You should try to be more confident. You stopped the rebellion and prevented a war of the gods, remember?" She smiles at him kindly, then turns and follows Odin again. "If anything, you're the special one here."

"That was..." He murmurs, trudging after her with his head down. Part of his confusion is her sudden mood shift. Ever since arriving in Asgard, Melody has seemed on edge, almost scared. After challenging Odin and standing up to Thor, he couldn't blame her. But as soon as the game was over, she seemed to brighten. She laughed with Frigg. Joked with Odin. And even now, she's laughing and smiling while explaining her unusual circumstances to him. He looks up at the back of her head, staring into her mass of curly red hair.