Orion woke me up before sunrise, and to my surprise, all the members of the house were already dressed waiting in the living room, where an appetizing breakfast was being served.

"The quickest way to get to the Aegean Sea would be by plane, but I don't have custody of Matthew, so I bought all of us train tickets. They are easier to cheat. And I have already booked our accommodation in Athens." Clarke said getting up from the table set, at the same time I sat down.

Orion looked at me, certainly fulminating Clarke in his thoughts, but soon enough the frown faded.

"Near the ancient temple of Poseidon?" Orion smiled.

"You're his son, according to the books." Clarke pursed his lips. "Are we heading in the right direction? Does this make sense?"

I wasn't aware of that, but I thought Clarke was wrong. If he was correct, it would make our lives much easier.

"I wouldn't say I am his son, I'd say I descend from him. I'm a demigod, a mutt of Olympus." Orion noticed the devastating silence that reigned in the room and changed his position. "I would suggest the obvious, portals, but Mastera is being pursued, and that would signal her location. However, our goddess could guarantee everyone's entry on a plane, for sure."

"I cannot." I said quickly between chews.

"How come not?" Orion asked.

"That's not how it works, and we don't know if it gives away my location either. I've heard that Zeus knows where we are if we use our powers."

I sighed loudly. I could put us anywhere, conquer the mightiest man on this earth, but I didn't want to. That would shorten my time exploring the unknown, and I wanted to enjoy it while my destiny didn't arrive. I wanted to enjoy my time now that I felt safer with Orion's presence.

"And how long does this trip take?" Orion looked at Clarke.

"About 40 hours," Lee sighed. "I guess I'll read more books than ever."

"The view is beautiful!" Caleb assured.

Matthew fell asleep with his face almost touching the coffee plate in front of me, and I chuckled softly.

"There will be more time for you to get to know them." I patted Orion on the back, who was looking sick at the coffee.

I pushed the cup towards him.

"Try it, you'll love it." I guarantee.

Orion tasted the coffee and held it immediately back, while he swallowed in a bitter gulp. This time Matthew woke up to my laughter.

Clarke put everything that was out of place in order, even the pillows had a specific sequence. Luckily for us, most of the dirt was in the kitchen, with leftovers from breakfast. Cedric had peed out of place, but Matthew cleaned it up before Clarke could even see it. It seems the older brother's doppelganger isn't quite as accurate, as he didn't get the same crazy organizing obsession.

Orion and I sat on the couch reading some more of the Oedipus story and discussing the most ridiculous parts. I think I could spend all eternity reading the untruths written by mortals. No one could ever say that they are not gifted with creativity.

Time passed quickly, and soon Clarke was standing in the doorway, accompanied by a few suitcases.

"Time to go" he announced. "Mastera, I'm taking your clothes, and if you need anything else we'll buy you when we get there. Orion, I believe you can wear my clothes, but regardless, we'll buy some for you too." Clarke threw a coat towards the demigod. "You'd better wear this over your clothes so it doesn't draw too much attention."

"Those clothes are ridiculous." Orion complained, and I nudged him. If there was one thing that had fascinated me about the earth, it was the glittery clothes.

I pointed to my shirt filled with glittering hearts.

"These things are not found on Olympus, enjoy."

Lee approached me suspiciously, staring at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

"Who chose this outfit for you, May?" she asked in a judgmental tone. "Clarke, huh?"

"Do you have a problem with my clothes?" I asked, pulling some stray lint out of my coat.

"You look beautiful, May!" Matthew hugged my waist and looked at me with his small eyes.

"And you, Clarke?" Do you think I'm beautiful?" I asked with my hands on my hips, automatically regretting that his opinion was worth more than all of humanity put together.

"There are no words on earth to describe how beautiful you are. Temporality only serves us mortals, your beauty is eternal."

I smiled as if I had been told for the first time that I was the most beautiful of creatures. Lee patted my back.

"I'm sure I can prove to you that he got it out of some book before we put our feet in Greece." Lee's lips curved into a straight line. "My God, Greece. I still don't believe it, but here we go."

"Me neither." Orion nodded and rolled his eyes.

A car ride later, we were finding our seats on the train. I went so far as to choose one that seemed perfect to me, but soon Clarke appeared pointing to the note on a visor in his hand, saying that the one I had chosen didn't belong to us.

Our place was separated by walls from the other benches, they all were. I slipped closer to the window to feel less trapped. Matthew hurried over to sit next to me, announcing that he'd be pissing me off for the rest of the trip wanting to know things I didn't even know.

Lee was still wary, maybe she still thought this was all part of a big joke. Well, maybe it did for the gods. Still, she was the first to break the silence.

"I want to propose a game!" She tapped her nails against the table. "Well, it's not exactly a game. It's something very much like a game. It's a question-and-answer game, with just me asking and the two of you..." she pointed at Orion and I. "answering."

"This is an interrogation." Orion said and looked at me. "I think my visit to earth will be more traumatic than the last."

"You're free to call it what you want. I really appreciate the freedom of choice. Well, first question: Why does Zeus have so many children?"

"Because he's uncontrollable." I replied.

"I think you have better questions." Clarke leaned over to look at Lee.

"Did the gods really descend into these ancient temples in Greece? And… and why Greece?"

"It has been centuries since a god last visited his temples. The truth is, they got bored with the addictive euphoria of humans. They just wanted to ask, and gratitude was never spontaneous, but always conditioned on favors. The gods just want to have fun." Orion explained.

"But if you are…gods, shouldn't you have mercy on those who don't have such power? You have a monopoly on the power of the universe, favors would be a fair socialization of them."

"Are you trying to apply Karl Marx to Olympus?" Clarke raised an eyebrow. "I can't believe it, Lee."

"I hadn't exactly thought of Marx, the words are already part of my vocabulary, but it makes sense."

"Yes, you do." Matt agreed.

"Don't you see?" Orion tied up his curls. "There is no harmony even on Olympus. The only difference between the Olympian gods and you is power."

"I have a question." Clarke leaned his elbows on the table. "Is what human's history says about you true, Orion?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"What does the earth's history say about him?" I splayed my hands on the table.

"It must say a lot. I have millennia of existence, although I may not present."

"Certainly, there is a lot of talk, good and bad. Uh... could we talk outside?" Clarke asked.

"Bad things." I muttered.

The expression echoed in my head. I considered Orion to be reliable, my protector sent by my brother, as good and blameless as he was. In my blindness for freedom and for my own person, I had not given space to reality: I was like a baby next to all the other wise and experienced Olympians, whose past I didn't know much or nothing about.

"I don't feel comfortable talking about my past. I want to let go of the past as much as you do, Mastera. Maybe even a little more."

Clarke got our attention.

"Please, Orion? This is precisely why I requested that we talk outside the compartment." he insisted.

The hearts of the two beat anxiously, as if preparing for a battle.

"Alright, mortal."

The two got up and left. I wanted to go after them, but I kept my feet on the ground. A goddess shouldn't run after loyalty. The truth should reveal itself to me. And as much as I could drag it and throw it at my feet, I felt that doing such a thing would make me less worthy.

"Nice silence." Lee smiled in a straight line.

"I hate it when my brother keeps secrets." Matt complained.

"You know your brother loves to do that. It's basically his job." Lee looked at me. "Can't you read their minds? Find out what they must be whispering out there?"

"No." I replied.

"Mastera doesn't read minds, Lee. But she could bewitch them, but then the others would find out where we are. We cannot take risks." Mat said excitedly.

The light, relaxed conversational tone was interrupted by long, heavy footsteps heading our way. Before I turned my head to the window, I could tell from the shadow reflected on the table and the faces of my friends that there was something strange there.

When sharp nails threatened to tug at my elbow, I grabbed the slender paws and folded them like they were paper. The beast made a deafening scream and left in a stampede. A harpy had just tried to attack us.

"Hades." Matthew pointed with frightening seriousness.

"This is not good." I could barely finish speaking when another harpy invaded the car, I could hear its wings flapping.

Blood welled up on my wrist, Clarke was hurt. I jumped over the table in front of me ready to help, but another one, faster and stronger, showed up out of the blue, and in a blink I hit the back of the table, which gave under my weight.

"Mastera, let's take her." the monster hissed, running the ends of my hair through its hideous claws.

"Do you even know who I am?" I asked. Harpies are huge, but never very smart.

"Our lord's target."

"I save monsters like you, I hold tournaments to give you freedom in Oratat."

"Target." she repeated and held my neck with her paws. The animal cocked its head, thinking. "You bleed," the harpy snarled and reflexively tried to sink its claws into me, failing to hurt me more. "What?"

A bag flew and hit the Harpy's face, which shook the feathers covering her head. I turned my head to see Lee staring at me, startled but ready to hurl the next object at the beast's head.

"Don't worry, it's okay. Stay here. I instructed and pushed the harpy's paw away. I circled around her and pulled her wings, breaking the tips. Without their wings, they were practically harmless, like puppies.

"Get out, get out of here!" I heard a man scream.

The other passengers were already marching away from the car we were in. The last brave one was the man in the uniform, whose voice became static and repetitive as he saw the harpy squirming around the corners of the car. Soon after, he ran off along with the others.

"Mastera!" The tired and, a little less haughty, voice of Orion, called to me.

I turned my body to the right. The fighting noise was heightened, and I needed to keep my friends safe. There must be others around there. Matthew and Lee were huddled under one of the tables, and I instructed them to stay there.

In the next car were Clarke and Orion in the middle of the aisle trying to stop a new beast. The three-headed dog dropped Orion's sword as soon as he sensed my presence. Its big paws shook the frame of the train as it came towards me.

Hades really wanted to take me to the underworld, risking his pet dog only showed his obsession. I wanted to know what he'd done to keep the dead in their place, considering that it was his dog's job.

Orion tried to pull him by one of the leashes, but two jolts from the animal sent him flying across the wagon. I didn't want to hurt him, I've always had the softest heart when it comes to animals.

I let the dog come and throw me to the ground. The six orange eyes stared at me with a glint of pride at having captured their prey. But when they were supposed to pierce me with their long fangs, the three heads decided to lick me as if they missed me.

I started laughing because I felt a lot of tickles. It's obvious that a dog couldn't resist my charm, even if it was a hellhound. I got up. I checked that all the sequins were still on my blouse, but unfortunately I had missed a lot. My wrist was still bleeding from the glitter color of the hearts on my shirt.

My friends seemed to be frozen in space and time.

"It's alright, you can come closer. Cerberus is a good boy now." I patted one of his heads. "You are, aren't you?"

"Okay." Orion approached. "I'm surprised."

"I guess surprised wouldn't be the right word." Clarke added, taking a step towards us.

"Okay, but what about the other animals? Those hooded birds?" Lee asked as she emerged from under the table.

I clicked my tongue, and put my hand on my hip.

"They must be hiding somewhere here. Without the wings they are helpless." I looked at Orion. "Can you hunt them down and throw them off the train?"

I held up my hands, indicating for him to wait.

"I have a better idea. I bent down, and petted the dog one more time. "Boys, do your new owner a favor, catch those ugly birds, and throw them off the train."

"Will it obey?" Matt asked.

"He's well trained." I winked.