Goddess of Legend (Demi-God Daughters) (24 page)

“You’re putting too much stock in that weak brother of mine. He may fight for you
, but he will fail. He is one, and we are many. Our plan will succeed. In time, he will come to realize that this is for the best.”

“You obviously don’t know your brother very well. He will never forgive you for this
, and neither will I.”

“I neither need nor want your forgiveness or my brother’
s.”

“Then you shall have none.”

Zeus and Cameryn’s heads turned in the direction of the voice. It was Hades, and he wasn’t alone. The cavalry had arrived.

Chapter Thirty-
Three

Hades stared at Zeus. His brother stood beside his battered wife, who was tied up and on the ground. There were cuts and bruises on her face. Her wedding gown was torn and dirty. Her eyes pleaded with him to save her. He brought his gaze back to his brother’s.

“I’m going to give you one last chance
, Zeus. Release my wife, and there will be no bloodshed.”

“I can’t do that
, brother,” Zeus said as Ares, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Dionysus, and Poseidon came to stand beside him.

“Zeus. Husband, please don’t do this.”

“My own wife betrays me. What is this world coming to?”

“An end.”

Hades raised his sword and charged his brother. Hades swung at Zeus, determined to inflict as much pain as he’d done to his wife. Beside him Hephaestus and Ares clashed. Athena and Hera locked into battle. Artemis laughed as Aphrodite approached her. Demeter threw a bolt of energy at Apollo knocking him flat. Fire was in her eyes. Dionysus moved into position beside Cameryn. She screamed when she saw Poseidon circling Hades and Zeus. They were going to double team her husband. She struggled, trying to free herself.

“Stop it,” Dionysus yelled, kicking her in her stomach.

Cameryn doubled over in pain.

“You’re going to pay for that, Dionysus,” Hermes said racing at his brother.

Dionysus left Cameryn’s side and attacked Hermes. She watched as Dionysus shot a blast at Hermes
, who deftly ducked and rolled towards her.

“Eat! Now!” he said frantically thrusting something into her mouth.

Cameryn chewed hurriedly. Whatever she was eating was chewy like gummy worms, but sweet like strawberries. She chewed and then swallowed. Her body was immediately seized by convulsions.
What in the hell is happening to me?
Her body shivered and shook. Sweat broke out on her forehead. The battle before her became a blur. She closed her eyes. Finally the convulsions stopped. Cameryn sat up straight. She no longer felt any pain. Glancing down, she noticed a silver glow surrounding her body.
Did Hermes just given me ambrosia? Am I a fully fledged goddess now?
Tentatively she flexed her muscles. The ropes holding her snapped like dental floss. She stood to her feet.

It was time for payback. Closest to her Hermes and Dionysus grappled. Dionysus gained the upper hand by grabbing Hermes by the throat and lifting him with one hand. Dionysus raised his free hand
, and Cameryn could see a blast hovering above his palm.

“I don’t think so, asshole.”

Cameryn shot a fireball at Dionysus with all her strength. The wine god flew through the air, landing with a thud. He did not get back up. Cameryn looked around and saw that Aphrodite was tied up. The poor love goddess. Aphrodite had no business fighting
, but Cameryn was touched by her willingness to help fight to free her. She released Aphrodite from her imprisonment and hugged her before turning her attention back to the raging battle. No one seemed to be aware that she was free and now a goddess.

Cameryn gasped when she saw her grandmother surrounded by Apollo and Artemis.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Demeter, but Cameryn has to die. Don’t make us hurt you, too,” Apollo said.

Apollo
has the nerve to threaten my grandmother!
She’d promised him that he was going to pay, and she meant it.

“The only one that’s going to hurt is you
, Apollo,” Cameryn said raising her hand.

As Apollo turned to face her, blue flames exploded from her hands engulfing him. Apollo fell screaming. He rolled on the ground trying to extinguish the flames. His screams of pain meant nothing to her. She watched as Artemis tried to help her brother.

Cameryn extinguished the flames. Apollo screamed no more; Apollo was dead. Artemis fell to her knees sobbing. She clutched his smoking body to her. Cameryn turned away. The battle was still raging around her. Hera was holding her own against Athena. It looked like Hephaestus was about to give the smack down to Ares. He didn’t need her help. Her eyes sought her husband. He was giving Zeus and Poseidon everything he had, but he was growing tired. She was not going to let them hurt him again.

“Enough,” she screamed sending a bolt of energy at Zeus’
s exposed back.

He flew backwards hitting the cave wall. Around Cameryn the battle finally stopped as everyone took in her altered appearance.

“Now I am a goddess, and that means I can’t be killed. If the rest of you want to live, then I suggest you stop this foolhardy crusade.”

Artemis looked up at her with hatred in her eyes as she cradled her brother’s lifeless body. The moon goddess reluctantly nodded her head in agreement.

“Very well. The most important rule of battle is learning when to admit defeat. I will fight no longer,” Athena said lowering her sword.

One by one the others followed suit.

“Hera.”

Zeus. Cameryn had forgotten about him. She turned and watched Hera rush to her husband’s side.

“I’m here,” Hera said helping Zeus into a sitting position.

“I’m dying.”

“No, you’re not. You’re going to be fine.”

“No
, Hera. My time as King is over. I’ve made so many mistakes, especially with you. You’ve always been a good wife to me, and I never appreciated you. I did everything possible to break your heart and crush your spirit, but you remained faithful. I’m sorry, Hera. I love you.”

“I love you
, too, Zeus,” Hera said as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Look after them
, Hera. Rule them more wisely than I ever could. Find happiness. You deserve it. Don’t be angry with Cameryn. I left her no other choice. I love you, Hera,” Zeus whispered.

Then his eyes closed in death. A tear rolled down Cameryn’s face. Her grandfather was dead
, as were two of her uncles. For the first time the weight of her destruction weighed heavily on her shoulders.

“I’m sorry
, Hera,” Cameryn said quietly.

Hera laid her husband’s body down and rose slowly. She approached Cameryn. Cameryn waited for the torrent of hate and anger that she knew was about to be unleashed. She sighed when Hera touched her face.

“We knew that there was a chance that this would happen. Zeus would’ve never given up. Things had to be this way.”

“Hera
, I killed your husband, the father of your children. You should hate me for what I’ve done.”

“I could never hate you. I see so much of myself in you. Be at peace. A new day is dawning,” Hera said before turning away.

The Queen of the Gods gathered Zeus’s body in her arms and was gone. Soon Artemis did the same holding her brother, Apollo. Ares picked up the body of Dionysus and nodded tersely before he disappeared. Athena and Hephaestus soon followed. Poseidon stared Cameryn down before he, too, departed. Only Aphrodite, Demeter, and Hermes remained.

“Granddaughter
, I’m so glad you’re okay,” Demeter said hugging Cameryn tight.

Cameryn hugged her before taking a step back.
“Persephone…”

“I know. You did what you had to do. There’s no point in dwelling on the past. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Grandmother.”

Demeter smiled before she
, too, disappeared.

“Now this is the love story to end all love stories. I’m just glad it’s going to have a happy ending,” Aphrodite said smiling.

“Me, too. Thanks for your help, Aphrodite.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m a sucker for love. I’ll be looking in on you two.”

Aphrodite disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke. Cameryn smiled as Hades came and put his arm around her before turning to Hermes.

“Hermes
, I can never thank you enough. Without your help, I never would’ve gotten my wife back.”

“I was just glad I could help.”

“Still, thank you, Hermes,” Cameryn said before kissing his cheek.

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you two later,” Hermes said as he flew away.

Cameryn turned to her husband.
“I knew you’d come for me.”

“Always. I love you.”

“And I love you. Let’s go home.”

“Your wish is my command,” Hades said scooping her up in his arms.

Cameryn kissed him as they materialized in the Underworld.

Chapter Thirty
-Four

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Hades asked Cameryn as he held her hand tight.

“I’ll be fine. I need to do this.”

“All right then. Let’s go.”

Cameryn held tight to her husband’s hand as they disappeared from the Underworld. A moment later, the brightness of the sun nearly blinded her. Directly in front of them a hearse was parked. Some distance away from the hearse was a white tent, erected over a hole in the ground. A grieving family soon appeared. A tear trickled down Cameryn’s cheek when she saw them. Dean, Kyrie
, and Deena, her mortal adopted family. She wasn’t sure how Hades had managed to convince the Fates, but he’d kept his word. Deena had returned to life. Somehow the Fates had reversed time. Deena’s accident never happened. Instead Cameryn had been the one who “died” in a car accident. With help from Hecate, Goddess of Magic and Necromancy, a “clone,” had been created to take Cameryn’s place, allowing her to return to the Underworld, with the mortal world none the wiser.

With her new life as Queen of the Underworld she had come to say goodbye. She watched as her casket was unloaded from the hearse and set underneath the tent. The Kanes crowded around. Deena held tightly to Matt’s hand. Kyrie looked inconsolable. Cameryn’s heart ached for her mother, but there was nothing she could do. She squeezed Hades’
s hand as the priest said his final blessings over her casket

“And we commit her to the ground from which she came. May her soul find eternal rest. Amen.”

The casket was slowly lowered into the ground. Kyrie and Deena broke into fresh sobs. Matt and Dean tried to comfort them as best they could.

“My baby. My baby.”

Cameryn felt her resolve breaking. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to attend her funeral service. Seeing her family’s pain was getting to her. She took a step forward but stopped herself. She couldn’t comfort them. Her tears started in earnest when she saw Kim and Casey comforting each other. Jake stood alone openly weeping. She’d never realized just how much everyone had loved her.

“This hurts more than I thought it would,” she
said.

Hades wiped her tears away with the pad of this thumb.

“It doesn’t have to be this way.”

“Yes
, it does.”

“No
, it doesn’t. There is no rule preventing us from revealing our presence to mortals. You don’t have to be dead to them, sweetheart.”

“And what will I say?
‘Hey, I really didn’t die. I’m immortal. I’ll live forever while you grow old and die.’ I don’t think that would go over real well.”

“I don’t like seeing you hurting. I know how much you love your family and how much they love you. It is not necessary for you to give them up if it causes you too much pain,” Hades said caressing her face.

“You always want to protect me from any pain or heartache, but things have to be this way. It would be unfair for me to come in and out of their life at will. They can mourn and lay me to rest. I know that as much as they love me, they will never forget me
, and that is enough.”

“Very well
, beloved, but at least allow yourself to look in on them from time to time as others did when you were still in the mortal world.”

“Perhaps, but for now this is goodbye.”

“Not goodbye, my love, just a journey to a new beginning. An eternity of love and happiness awaits you. I swear on the River Styx that I will love you, honor you, and cherish you through all of eternity. I will devote my every waking moment to the happiness of you and our children,” Hades promised caressing her bulging belly.

At eight months her pregnancy was finally starting to show. She looked up into the loving eyes of her husband.

“When you say things like that to me, it’s hard to imagine how you ever stayed single long enough to be mine.”

“Destiny. It’s a powerful thing.”

“Yes
, it is, and for that I will be eternally grateful,” Cameryn said wrapping her arms around her husband.

They kissed softly, comforting each other with the promise of eternal love. Cameryn left the circle of her husband’s arms and took one last look at the family and friends left to mourn her. She raised her hand and sent a cool breeze their way. Kyrie looked up. A small smile lit up her face. Kyrie was going to be fine. All of them were.

“Let’s go home.”

Cameryn stepped back into the circle of her husband’s arms as they disappeared leaving her human life behind forever.