supposed to grab my mom, but how could they when, not only was she enclosed by vultures, but she was becoming one?
Lightning, fire, and water spears flashed across my vision as the vultures came at us in full force. Shoving the stones in my pocket, I searched for my mom as the vultures sizzled by my lights or burnt to a crisp by my fire. They had no idea what was hitting them, especially since they couldn’t see me.
I was pretty sure that Zara and my dad were safe, since I didn’t see them anywhere, but I knew Mason was still here. No matter how many times I had told him before we arrived to leave without me, he would disagree. I’m glad he did. What I saw next caught me off guard.
“Mom.” I tugged her arm after I turned the vultures holding her captive into ashes.
“Skylar. No.” Her voice didn’t sound like Mom’s.
The mask or magic wore off, showing Ian’s friend Mia’s face. I had hoped she had changed her ways, but obviously, she was still working for that monster. What was her motive? I didn’t know.
“Mia?” I was so shocked and confused that I hadn’t noticed she had taken off my cape. I felt a hard sting on my cheek as my face whipped to one side. Then the pain erupted from my stomach when she shoved her knee into it. Curled up on the ground, all that was on my mind was my mom. Had Hephaestus turned my mom into a vulture? Was she here? Did one of us kill her?
“This one is for Alena, you….” Just as Mia came for me again with light blazing from her hand, I blasted her with fire, and at the same time lightning struck her. That was not from me. Fire engulfed her, then she turned into ashes.
“Good riddance, Mia. That’s what you get for being Alena’s friend, and that’s what you get for messing with my Sky.”
Mason helped me up and guarded me with his body. Seeing the red cape in his hand, I sighed with relief. I didn’t want it to be in our enemy’s possession. Surrounded by the vultures, I could see Nick, Everett, Amanda, and Noah, ready to attack.
“What happened to your mother?” Hephaestus asked in a mocking tone, keeping his distance from me, still in human form. I knew Tara was still around. Nick and Noah did a great job distracting him, but they couldn’t hold him off for long. “Did you kill her because she tried to kill you?”
“Steven, you are going to take my world in your hands; at least let me spend a few days with my mom.” I tried to bring back my sweet voice, the voice he had heard many times during our dinner conversations. “Remember how much you loved my mom? I’m sure she still loves you. After all, you were the one that helped her move on. She wanted to marry you. Do you remember that? Do you remember what it feels like to love someone and to have that person love you back?”
Seeing a confused expression on his face, I was hoping my words would soften him up a bit, and give us just enough time for my friends to search for my mom. They couldn’t make any sudden movements, but they were in a position to glance around.
“Silence! You’re all fools. Love only hurts you, and in the end, love will kill you. Just like how your dad tried to kill you, and like how my dad tried to kill me.”
“My dad didn’t try to kill me. You drugged him with vulture’s blood,” I retorted, feeling anger take me over. I had to calm my nerves for my mom’s sake. “You did this…not him.”
“That’s right.” He looked so proud. “That was one of the best days of my life. It was a turning point.”
“You can fix this. You don’t have to follow in your father’s footsteps. You can mend the wrong and make it right. You need to find what was once good in you. You need to find love again. Love will end your pain and heal your wounds. The scars might still be there, but you can make it right. You love my mom. Let her go…please.”
“Your mom is all I have.” For a second there, he sounded subdued. I almost felt sorry for him…until his tone changed.
Lightning, fire, and water spears flashed across my vision as the vultures came at us in full force. Shoving the stones in my pocket, I searched for my mom as the vultures sizzled by my lights or burnt to a crisp by my fire. They had no idea what was hitting them, especially since they couldn’t see me.
I was pretty sure that Zara and my dad were safe, since I didn’t see them anywhere, but I knew Mason was still here. No matter how many times I had told him before we arrived to leave without me, he would disagree. I’m glad he did. What I saw next caught me off guard.
“Mom.” I tugged her arm after I turned the vultures holding her captive into ashes.
“Skylar. No.” Her voice didn’t sound like Mom’s.
The mask or magic wore off, showing Ian’s friend Mia’s face. I had hoped she had changed her ways, but obviously, she was still working for that monster. What was her motive? I didn’t know.
“Mia?” I was so shocked and confused that I hadn’t noticed she had taken off my cape. I felt a hard sting on my cheek as my face whipped to one side. Then the pain erupted from my stomach when she shoved her knee into it. Curled up on the ground, all that was on my mind was my mom. Had Hephaestus turned my mom into a vulture? Was she here? Did one of us kill her?
“This one is for Alena, you….” Just as Mia came for me again with light blazing from her hand, I blasted her with fire, and at the same time lightning struck her. That was not from me. Fire engulfed her, then she turned into ashes.
“Good riddance, Mia. That’s what you get for being Alena’s friend, and that’s what you get for messing with my Sky.”
Mason helped me up and guarded me with his body. Seeing the red cape in his hand, I sighed with relief. I didn’t want it to be in our enemy’s possession. Surrounded by the vultures, I could see Nick, Everett, Amanda, and Noah, ready to attack.
“What happened to your mother?” Hephaestus asked in a mocking tone, keeping his distance from me, still in human form. I knew Tara was still around. Nick and Noah did a great job distracting him, but they couldn’t hold him off for long. “Did you kill her because she tried to kill you?”
“Steven, you are going to take my world in your hands; at least let me spend a few days with my mom.” I tried to bring back my sweet voice, the voice he had heard many times during our dinner conversations. “Remember how much you loved my mom? I’m sure she still loves you. After all, you were the one that helped her move on. She wanted to marry you. Do you remember that? Do you remember what it feels like to love someone and to have that person love you back?”
Seeing a confused expression on his face, I was hoping my words would soften him up a bit, and give us just enough time for my friends to search for my mom. They couldn’t make any sudden movements, but they were in a position to glance around.
“Silence! You’re all fools. Love only hurts you, and in the end, love will kill you. Just like how your dad tried to kill you, and like how my dad tried to kill me.”
“My dad didn’t try to kill me. You drugged him with vulture’s blood,” I retorted, feeling anger take me over. I had to calm my nerves for my mom’s sake. “You did this…not him.”
“That’s right.” He looked so proud. “That was one of the best days of my life. It was a turning point.”
“You can fix this. You don’t have to follow in your father’s footsteps. You can mend the wrong and make it right. You need to find what was once good in you. You need to find love again. Love will end your pain and heal your wounds. The scars might still be there, but you can make it right. You love my mom. Let her go…please.”
“Your mom is all I have.” For a second there, he sounded subdued. I almost felt sorry for him…until his tone changed.
Similar Books
