Iridescence

Chapter Twelve (Eliza)

CHAPTER TWELVE

ELIZA

After our training session ended, I was feeling better than I had at our other sessions. Not only had I enjoyed learning magic, but I was actually good at it. It felt nice to finally be able to contribute something to the group.

"Eliza... We need to talk," Apollo said after he walked me and Krissy home. Krissy had already gone into her house.

"Okay," I agreed. "What's going on?"

He sighed and asked, "May I come in?"

I raised an eyebrow at that. My parents weren't home yet, and they probably wouldn't be thrilled to come back to find me alone with a man they didn't know. Then again, the way they kept fighting lately, they might not even notice.

"Alright," I agreed. I unlocked the door and let Apollo follow me inside.

His eyes scanned over the living room. He smiled as he spotted the grand piano.

"Have a seat," I said politely. This was starting to feel a bit awkward. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Allow me," he replied. He clapped his hands. A golden tea set appeared on the coffee table. There were suns etched onto each cup, as well as the tea kettle. He poured me a cup before pouring one for himself.

I cautiously drank the tea. It was sweet and strangely familiar. I felt calmer as I sat beside him on the couch.

"Eliza, this is going to be a lot for you to process," Apollo began. "I need to tell you a story of a battle which began long ago."

I listened patiently, so he continued. "When Artemis and I were younger, a deity tried to destroy everyone, both good and evil. We called him Chaos, as it was considered dangerous to use his proper name," he explained.

"I know the story. I've studied him in both Greek and Egyptian mythology," I replied.

"He was building an army to overthrow the deities. He wished to thrust the universe into complete and utter chaos. Good and Evil had to unite to keep him from rising to power, and many deities and our allies were killed over time as the battle continued. We all lost friends, relatives, lovers..."

"That's horrible," I said softly.

"We all worked together to take a stand and end the bloodshed. In the last major battle, we learned we had been betrayed by my cousin, Altheos."

A chill ran down my spine that I didn't understand. Theos, my mind whispered, almost as if I should know who Apollo was talking about.

"We all trusted Theos completely. Zeus and Hera raised him from the time he was small, and he was more of a brother to me than a cousin," Apollo continued. "Hades and Nemesis, his parents, wanted him dead as soon as he was born. They were cruel to him. My father took him away from Hades to save him. Hera immediately got attached to the boy. She loved him as her own son."

"What happened?" I asked. I couldn't understand the anxiety filling my mind or the tightness in my chest, but I knew this information was important.

"Theos began working with Chaos in a quest to overthrow everything. He was a remarkably skilled liar, and not one of us ever suspected the truth... He was beloved by one and all. When he revealed his true colors, it was too late. I would have perished in battle, but someone saved me."

"Who saved you?" I asked very softly. I knew this was connected to the vision I'd had.

"Her name was Kleia," Apollo replied just as softly. I saw tears in his eyes, but he didn't let them fall. I felt something strange that I couldn't quite identify as he said her name.