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Chapter 12

House of Odysseys

"Now, I don't have much experience with this so correct me if I'm wrong, but threatening the goddess who is on our side probably wasn't the best move," Colton noted while we crept back through the tunnels.

"Well I think it was a brilliant idea," Claudia sarcastically responded before changing her tone. "Don't beat yourself up about it Eve, we all do stupid things."

"Why would I beat myself up about something I don't regret? I don't like Luce and I don't trust Luce." Maybe we were sisters, but Claudia still didn't know me enough to realize i say what I mean and I mean what I say.

Colton stopped right in front of me and almost set me tumbling into the chasm a day early. Gripping my shoulders he spoke, "I know I'm the one with the supernatural intuition, but if you really think Luce is a danger to us then we just won't do it."

"I mean I don't think she's trying to kill us!" Why did I feel so strongly against us entering the Du'at on the word of goddess who doesn't even want people to know her name? "I just feel like she wants something from us."

Claudia's look screamed of teenager. "Yeah. She wants her lover back. I mean if Colton got trapped in a mosaic wouldn't you do anything to bring him back."

"First of all he's not my 'lover'," I reminded my sister with a scowl. "And of course I'd do anything for Colton, or you, or anyone really… and that's what concerns me. How far will Luce go? What will she do? I really just don't know and it worries me."

"You have a good point," Colton told me with a bobbing head. "But you figured out her name, right, after she wanted to keep it a secret. If something goes sideways you just say her name and poof something will go horribly wrong for her and we'll be good."

Claudia laughed loudly before speaking, "That is literally a worse plan than invading Russia in the winter, but I think he's right Eve. We really do have to do this and if something goes wrong well… we figure it out then."

I had to agree with my sister, we were doing this, and we just needed to be careful. "Fine. Everyone pack a backpack with as much food, water, and clothes you can carry, but don't make it so heavy it will slow you down."

"What about weapons?" Colton and I gave Claudia a very, very interesting look at this point.

"Do you know how to use a weapon?" Colton asked taking the slightest, but noticeable, step back.

"Right," she answered giggling. "I guess we're going without then. So good night sleep and then first thing in the morning we're back down here."

"I wouldn't exactly consider it a good night sleep with only five hours left," Colton called after her, but the girl had already disappeared up the cellar leaving me, and the guy I just kissed, alone.

"About that kiss…"

Colton grabbed my hands before replying, "Don't you dare apologize Eve Rutter, because you better not be sorry."

"I wasn't going to apologize," I told him honestly. "I was just going to say that it didn't mean you have to ask me out or anything."

"Who said I didn't want to ask you out?" the giddy boy responded. "Eve Rutter will you go on a date with me to the Egyptian afterlife?"

Giggling, I played along, "Why Colton Miller, what more could a girl possibly ask for."

Colton was serious again when he responded, "Well, I've never been a girl." (Or kind of serious). "But I know a guy could possibly ask a kiss of his new girlfriend."

I considered teasing him and saying one per night, but I was already addicted to his sweet kisses and just leaned in for one more before the night ended.

"All packed and ready to go?" I asked my companions when we met in the kitchen just before Nina came down to make breakfast.

"Yup." My companions whispered in unison before a (very, very) overtired Claudia giggled.

"What on earth is so funny?" I ended up asking her because when I'm tired I just get cranky.

"That's the thing!" She cried back and I hoped the cellar walls were thick. "It's not on earth. We're about to leave earth, or earth as we know it at least."

"Careful tiger," Colton teased. "Don't get too excited. Your heart might burst."

Claudia really didn't seem to care if that happened. "For years I've known this stuff is more than a story, and now I finally get to live it. I don't know how you guys aren't so excited this is incredible."

Maybe Claudia was right. Maybe this was amazing. Or maybe we'd all be dead in a few minutes after we jump, literally, jump, into the deepest canyon probably in all of creation because a goddess, a goddess, told us to. "Sure. Let's just get this over with. I'll jump first."

"No way," Colton told me stepping to block my path. "I'm your protector. I'll go first and call up if it's safe."

"I don't exactly think I'll be able to hear you," I reminded him. "Why don't we just all jump together, unless you're sane enough to go back that is Claudia."

"Nope," my little sister answered with a definitive pop of her p. "Besides, you'll die down there without me. Who knows when you'll need to hack the entire solar road grin just to say hi."

"Well then." I had to be completely insane. "Let's go."

And suddenly I was falling, flailing, and I knew that I was dying.