The Uni's Secrets: The Lost Mother

Chapter Fifteen: The Louvre

I carefully avoided gasping. From what I knew of Sabrina's loyalties, it would not be safe to reveal my identity. Or even any hint of it. Certainly, it would be very bad if she found out that there was a mysterious voice in my head.

Why have you been expecting me? I thought. Then I thought of a better question. Who are you?

Can you not guess? I am Artemis.

Artemis? I repeated. The Huntress?

Yes. Some of my essence is carefully protected in all of my statues. It appears that you, Lady of Zeliaras, have stumbled upon one. It is a good thing that you have found me.

Can you help? I asked, then rephrased: Will you help?

I cannot do much. My power within this statue is very limited. I advise you to go to the statue of me at the Louvre Museum, the Diana of Versailles. There may be something I can do for you there.

May I inquire as to what?

Artemis's voice seemed almost amused as she answered, Yes. And no need to be so formal, Lady of Zeliaras. During my life, I have heard much about you from my brother's prophecies. I am quite impressed by your bravery. If anything, I should be bowing to you, not the other way around.

You are impressed by things I haven't done yet? I asked.

It is not the deeds I am impressed by, but the choices that lead up to them. I am unaware of which paths you shall take, but I know enough to deduce that you are worthy of facing those choices. You carry my name well, perhaps even better than I did, Lady Artemis.

I couldn't quite hide my excitement at hearing those words. Ha! Take that, Sabrina! Artemis herself thinks I'm making the right choices!

This conversation is taxing me, Artemis informed me. It is necessary that I am strong enough to provide you with the necessary information at the Louvre. Your mother trusted me to do this, and do it I shall.

Thank you, I said.

Thank you, the huntress replied. Thank you for showing courage when the Uni needs it most.

When I was sure she was gone from my mind, I lifted my hand from the statue's and tuned back into Sabrina's lecture. She was discussing the other Olympian statues in the room, though she wasn't so much discussing them as she was complaining about how they'd betrayed us. Only Apollo and Artemis were spared her criticism.

We moved through the rest of the room and then the chateau, and I tried to listen when Sabrina said things like "King Blah-blah-blah built this" or "this European Renaissance-ish painting was done by *insert name of supposedly famous human artist*". It would have been interesting at any other time, but I had bigger things to think about. Like the fact that I needed to get to the Louvre. This must have been what Badr meant when he told us to go to Paris, but I wondered how he knew about it.

Also, I needed to talk to Zoe. Our next course of action would most likely depend on what Artemis told me at the Louvre, but I needed to tell her that we needed to go to the Louvre. And we would most likely need Sabrina's help getting there, so we needed a way to ask her about it without seeming suspicious. Since we'd made it clear earlier that we were incredibly ignorant when it came to human touristy stuff, that was easier said than done.