Page 1 of Dark Gods
1
The massive stone castle sat atop the highest peak of the not-so-sunken city of Atlantis, its jagged spires cutting into the twilight sky like seven spears ready to pierce the moon itself.
Olympus Academy.
The architecture was impressive, I'd give it that. Sure, I'd rather have been back in Manhattan with the Nymphs, sipping cosmos and mixing illicit tinctures, but the hidden city had a certain ambiance. Too bad it was only inhabited by gods and their immediate progeny.
Mortals were way more fun.
I glanced back at the shimmering red portal splitting the air behind me as it shrank closed and disappeared. Looked like I was either late to arrive or early. Probably late, since Mom had been reluctant to let me go even though it washeridea to ship me off to college in the literal middle of nowhere.
Time to face the hallowed halls that would be my home for the next four years.
I slung the black leather bag that housed all my worldly possessions over my shoulder and stepped forward to face my destiny.
Ivy wove all around the ancient stone surrounding the great iron gate, centered with the same omega crest on the left of my jacket. Olympus Academy's school colors were blue, white and silver, but the plaid bow all the girls had to wear around our necks was a bit “high school” for my liking.
First order of business, as soon as I found my room and figured out where to procure a halfway decent cup of coffee, was going to be making a few necessary alterations. I could already hear my mother's scolding voice, and the last conversation we'd had before I'd managed to pry myself out of her arms and enter the portal was still rattling around in my head like a loose marble.
“I expect you to be on your best behavior, young lady. I won't have you acting like some demi and making Cronus question his decision to have you wed his son.”
As far as I was concerned, the King of the Godsandhis emo brat could kiss my ass, but the last time I'd made the mistake of saying as much out loud, Mom had grounded me for a week. I was eighteen now, but I'd simply traded her authority for the Council's and in four years’ time, I'd be expected to return to the Underworld with my unwanted fiance and play the part of a proper goddess of death.
If Hades hadn't come to the school two years prior, I might have actually looked forward to these four years of freedom.
The gate creaked and groaned as it fell shut behind me and I headed down the winding stone path that led to the Academy's front door. With massive Grecian pillars and a gray stone exterior, it was a strange yet appealing architectural amalgamation of the cultural deities that dwelled within. My attention naturally gravitated toward the greenery surrounding the building. The grass was such a rich, dark shade of green it almost seemed blue, and the pathway was lined with green plants whose flowers weren't yet in bloom.
That was easy enough to remedy. I stretched out my hand on the way past and petals every shade of yellow, pink and purple unfurled, making the journey a far less ominous one.
If the groundskeeper got pissed, they'd find a way to deal. If I was stuck here, I was determined to add a little color to the place one way or another.
As I reached the top of the steps, the doors flew open without me even having time to reach for the handle. Enchanted stone. Impressive.
I stepped into the great hall and my footsteps echoed up to the domed ceiling. There was a skylight adorned with white frosted glass in the shape of the omega symbol, letting in just enough light to make the marble floors shimmer. The circular lobby was adorned with pictures of the school's various founders and prestigious members, and my mother's portrait was among them. I'd inherited her light brown hair but not the flowing ringlets, and I'd dyed mine an "ungodly" shade of lilac, according to her. We had the same eyes, though, and I knew with the limitations the relatively conservative school uniform imposed rather than my usual neopunk duds, I was going to be easily recognizable as Demeter's daughter to any god who'd so much as met her.
Poor fools. They had no idea just how far an apple could roll from its tree.
I took my time studying the various portraits until I reached the one in the very center, hanging a few feet above the rest. The frame was silver, decorated with runes and a plaque that read Headmaster.
I'd never met Odin in the flesh, but he was easy enough to pick out. His snow white hair was slicked back from his proud forehead in a debonair fashion. His eyes were as gray and sharp as a steel blade, and it felt like he was watching me somehow. I leaned just to make sure it was an illusion that his eyes were following me, and I could swear the raven on his shoulder moved just the slightest hair.
While I was contemplating the likelihood that the portrait was some sort of magical security camera, someone touched my shoulder and I spun around, raising my hand as a vine crawled from my vein and poked through my skin, wrapping around my wrist and ready to strangle.
The wide blue eyes that met mine were full of alarm, but not even a hint of malice, and they belonged to the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen. I say “boy” because from the golden curls cascading down his shoulders to his full lips, he was too feminine and innocent-looking to be a man, even if he technically was one.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he said, casting a curious glance at the vine around my wrist.
The vine quickly retreated as I collected myself. So much for making a good first impression. "Sorry about that," I mumbled, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder. "Guess I'm a little jumpy. This place gives me the creeps."
"It is rather ominous," he agreed with a glimmer of amusement in those eyes. They were as clear as water and the light danced on them like it did on gentle waves. He glanced up at the painting I'd been studying a second ago. "Admiring our headmaster?"
"Admiring might not be the right word," I said carefully.
He laughed and it was a flippant, musical little sound that reminded me of the first tinges of spring. "Be careful who you say that around. The Odinsons are tight knit, for all their rivalry."
"I'll keep that in mind. Kore," I said, offering my hand. "But everyone calls me Kory."
"Kory," he said, mulling over his name. The quirk of his lips suggested he liked the way it tasted. "I'm Dionysus. A pleasure." When he took my hand, I was surprised at just how smooth it was. I felt a strange warmth run up my forearm and down my spine. It had the aftertaste of magic and as I pulled my hand away, it lingered in my palms.
