Chapter 10: Family Ties & Loyalty

"So there was an obsessive, Catholic minister who felt that any indication of Papa and Stepmother being gods or the existence of demigods was a sin," Diana continued. "His name is Claude Frollo and he absolutely hated our family, and I mean, everyone in it—Hades, Persephone, Ursula, Morgana, me, Jason, Evie, Maxine, Mal, Uma, Hadie, Maera, and Carlos. He hired a hitman to kill us."

Donna and Pythia gasped in horror. "We snuck messages to each other, made sure we were all still alive," Diana closed her eyes, remembering the fear. "I was the oldest, so I kept the children and myself, hidden, protected, safe. Papa, Stepmother, Ursula, and Morgana killed the hitman—Uma, Maxine, Evie, Mal, Hadie, Jason, and I? We went after Frollo, hard," Diana growled. "You can do whatever you want to me, but you do not mess with my family, unless you want to deal with me." Diana's eyes narrowed, as a terrifyingly threatening expression crossed her face.

Donna nervously asked, "What did you do?"

"Let's just say that Claudine is going to be an only child," Diana smirked, wickedly.

"And even I was protected by Hades, even though I was technically no longer his child or supposed to have his protection." She grinned sheepishly.

Donna and Pythia nodded. "Plus there were the youngest—Maera and Carlos," Diana frowned angrily. "Targeted simply for associating with us."

"Wait, did you mean the Carlos that's here?" Donna asked.

Half a second later, Pythia added, "And who's Maera? You mentioned her before."

Diana took a deep breath. "Yes, I do, Carlos is actually eleven years younger than he appears," Diana revealed. "It was the only way to ensure he could stay with me. And Maera, she's my oldest. She's ten, a smart girl. And I left her behind on that hellhole of an island."

"Carlos is three?!" Donna and Pythia gasped in unison, both staring at Diana.

Diana nodded sheepishly.

"Why weren't you under Hades's protection?" Donna demanded.

Diana looked sheepishly at her two cousins.

"It all started when I was nine," Diana rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.