Chapter 2
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When Skye awoke, her first instinct was to jump up and get out of the burning plane, but when she moved, a burning pain shot up her leg. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming and sat up slowly, taking everything in through wide eyes. Her plane was on fire. The whole place smelled like gasoline. She needed to move. Her eyes traveled down to her leg, and she punched the floor when she saw why she couldn’t move. Her leg was pinned between the wall and one of the supply crates.
Another blast rocked the aircraft and she knew that the conflagration had nearly reached the fuel tank. She closed her eyes, thinking she would never make it out alive, when the weight was lifted from her leg. She opened her eyes. A man was standing over her, one hand holding the crate high in the air, the other extended toward her.
“I’m terribly sorry, ma’am, but I must insist we leave this craft and reconvene on safer ground,” the man said in a booming voice. She shook her head, her throat swollen and her eyes streaming from the smoke.
“Can’t move,” she whispered hoarsely. The man gently placed the crate on the plane floor, then picked her up like she weighed no more than a grain of salt.
“I must get you out of this inferno, or you shall perish. I do hope you don’t mind this intrusion.” He held her with one arm, and with the other, wrenched open the cockpit door and jumped to the ground. Another man was waiting, but this one hovered just above the white sands. The first man handed Skye to the flying one and cried, “Like the wind, Hermes!” The man named Hermes dashed away holding a prostrate Skye. Even though she was scared and weak, she kept her cool and took a deep breath.
“Who are you? Who was that? Where are you taking me?” Skye demanded angrily.
The man sighed and slowed. He lowered her to the ground and sat next to her on the warm beach. Skye could see the smoke spiraling from her plane into the sky, and a tall figure walking away from it. “That, young lady, was Hercules, my half-brother. He is the Greek god of strength. I am Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Our father, Zeus, sent us to rescue the victims of the crash, hence our saving you from certain doom,” Hermes said.
“Does everyone here speak like they came straight from the Victorian era?” Skye asked incredulously. Hermes shrugged.
“I was named the god of eloquence, among other things, and thus taught all gods how to speak articulately.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To the acropolis. Zeus has requested your presence, and he is not one to defy.”
“Are we on…”
“Ithaca. Yes. I am terribly sorry, this must be coming as such a shock.”
She shook her head. “Not really. My parents were big into mythology and they taught me everything.”
“We have loitered long enough. We must go. We have many miles yet, and the only way to arrive in time for the ceremony is for me to fly us there.”
“Oh, yeah! You have those winged sandals!” She shook her head. “I thought Ithaca was a myth. This island doesn’t exist on maps.”
Hermes sighed. “Alas, during recent years, the mortals have believed in us less and less, and our beautiful paradise was erased from the world. But we still exist, only to those who need us most.
“Now, we really must go. Hercules,” he called to the figure fast approaching. “Do you need transport?”
“No, brother, Father has sent Pegasus to aid me,” Hercules’ voice boomed across the sands. “Go on, Hermes, bring the mortal to Zeus!”
Skye scowled. “I have a name, you know.”
Hermes cocked his head to one side. “I hadn’t the time to ask the Oracle at Delphi about you before our father, Zeus, sent us to investigate. Now, I insist we leave.” He lifted her up again and soon he was careening across the beach, a tail of sand flying up behind him. Sand turned to grass, and waves turned to trees. A large mountain soon loomed before them, it’s shadow cast over the ground. The closer to the mountain they got, the larger the cloud swirling around the summit grew.
“Zeus is angry,” Hermes muttered. Lightning struck out, hitting trees and lighting them on fire. The ground shook and water rushed far inland. “It seems that he and Poseidon are in the midst of an argument. I presume it is about what to do with you.”
“What about Hades?”
Hermes scoffed. “Hades rarely leaves the Underworld. He claims it would be a waste of spirit for Charon to guide him over the rivers Styx and Acheron. Poseidon, however, is with Father more often than not, and the majority of that time is spent arguing. Unfortunately, you will need to go into your interview now.”
They had reached the summit of the mountain and had entered a courtyard paved in marble tiles. A large pillared entryway stood ahead of them. Hermes placed Skye on her feet. “Are you able to walk?” He asked. She applied some of her weight on the leg that had been pinned and grimaced.
“It hurts, but I’ll live. So, when I go in there, am I supposed to bow, or what?”
“Zeus would prefer it. I shall go ahead and introduce you. You will follow and bow. Answer all of his questions and do not defy him.” Skye nodded at Hermes' instruction and followed him into the marble structure.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpFzMiPp23
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