Darkest Touch

Chapter seventeen

WARNING: NOT EDITED

***Caleb's POV***

I didn't know where I was. Last thing I could remember was curling up next to Kyle and then...nothing. Nada. Zilch. Scratching the back of my head I looked around to try and make out my location. I squinted my eyes through the dense fog that seemed to surround me, searching for anything. Soft voices whisper languages that were known as dead to mortals. Walking blindly forward, I focused on one of the voices that were the loudest and before I knew it I began to climb steps.

Once at the top of a seemingly endless path my jaw dropped as I distant memories slapped me in my face. Holy shit...I was in Olympus! 

"What the..." There in the utopia of white columned buildings were the actual gods roaming about and chatting amongst themselves. Over a huge plain that stretched for miles and miles right in the middle of what looked like a huge courtyard sat the biggest most elegant structure. In front of the widespread lawn sat a beautifully sculpted granite figure, draped in robes of gold and a lightning bolt clutched in his right palm. Scripted at the bottom in greek letters was the name Zeus. My breath caught in my throat. In a cul de sac sat the temples of the other gods with enough space between them I'd assume to ensure their privacy. 

"And that was when I said, 'screw you Hades,' uh, out of ear shot of course," Hermes admitted bashfully talking to a woman who I could only imagine to be Aphrodite. Jet black hair cascaded down to the small of her back, her lips painted a natural luscious red and a body trimmed and lithe with long gorgeous legs that models would kill for.

"Oh, out of ear shot you say?" she murmured with obvious amusement on her beautiful face her voice as smooth as silk. "That was wise of you.." They headed toward me and I stood foolishly frozen ready to be caught when they walked right though me. I gasped as they carried on with their conversation oblivious to what just happened. I was here...and yet I wasn't. I could see everything, but not be seen. I knew I wasn't dead so how was this possible? I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with the crisp air surrounding me. This was too vivid to be a mere dream though I sensed some nostalgia like I'd been here before. Was this the power Apollo and everyone else talked about? Could Kyle do this too?

Apollo.

The Greek god of the sun...and our father. I suddenly knew where I wanted to go. Instinctively I closed my eyes and focused on his face, his sun kissed strands of blond curls, the deep turquoise eyes we inherited. I felt a slight fissure and when I opened my eyes I was in a sitting room, the room a blinding white that I had to take a moment to blink to let my eyes adjust. Looking around, I saw instruments everywhere. Draped on the wall decoratively, a baby grand piano in a corner of room and sitting on a white couch was Apollo plucking absently on a golden lyre, his head titled toward the ceiling and he let out a heavy sigh and paused.

"Finally figured it out Caleb?"

"You can see me?" I asked startled and his musical laughter filled the room and I just stood there waiting wondering what the hell was so funny.

"No," he said softly his eyes twinkling. "But I can sense all my children. And hear you for that matter..." His eyes grew dark and I suddenly remembered Kyle saying he begged the gods to save him.

"Kyle."

Nodding grimly he nodded. "Yes, Kyle. I couldn't interfere with that." 

I felt anger rise within me. "Couldn't interfere," I laughed in a hard voice. "You're a god.  You could have...you just didn't want to."

"Now Caleb, you've got to understand that my hands were tied with this. Beside no one here knows about you two and I'd like to keep it that way."

My jaw clenched. "Then why did you interfere now?" Not that I wasn't grateful, if not for him Kyle would probably still be in that awful state. But I wasn't going to let him know that. What he let Kyle go through was unspeakably horrible and my stomach churned at the thought of our father, a god, could have spared him.

"There is a reason for everything.." He closed his eyes and began to pluck away at the lyre again, murmuring a song under his breath. I stared at him wishing I could throw something. I didn't need nor want cryptic answers yet I was getting them. Again. When the music finally stopped he spoke again. "You have the gift to dream of the gods. Right now it seems you can control what you wish to see and here. In the wrong hands.." He shook his head. "People could use you as a spy of sorts. Some to find our weaknesses, there are many who wish to destroy us—"

"I can't imagine why given how you are such kind, understanding merciful gods." I said sarcastically and Apollo grimaced. 

"Merciful indeed because I would not allow anyone else to talk to me like that," he retorted angrily. My eyes suddenly felt heavy and I blinked hard a couple of times. Apollo said something else but I couldn't hear as my vision got blurry. I looked down at my hand and saw that my fingertips were starting to fade away along with the rest of me. I felt a dip I my stomach and my breath left me in one gush before everything went black...

***

I shot up straight in bed gasping.

My heart hammered and my hand clutched at my chest through my damp shirt. Running my hand over my face I focused on slowing my breathing. My throat was dry making it hard to swallow so I stumbled out of bed to the door when I heard a rough voice growl something out. Opening the door so that it was just a crack I saw Jared facing Kyle with a bag slung over his shoulder inching toward the front door but Kyle blocked him.

"You do know that I could just flash out of here right?" 

Kyle smirked and crossed his arms. "You do know you've could've done that five minutes ago right?" He shot back and Jared's lips thinned. Kyle's look softened. "Don't leave like this Jared...Caleb needs you."

My mouth dropped open. Jared was trying to leave us?

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COMMENT IF YA WANT MOOORE!!!!! Sorry about the grammar and the shortness of this chapter.