Kate

I gently shut the door to the nursery. I could still hear the mobile playing Milo's favorite lullaby: My Sleep, Take It from Me. When I had first heard the name of it as Henry hummed it to him, finally a family again, I had thought he was crazy. But, turns out, it was an ancient Greek lullaby from right around the time that the Greeks worshipped Henry and my mother and the rest of the Council. And, Milo liked it.

I walked into the closet and put on my favorite pair of flannel pajamas. They were soft and worn and big enough to fit over Princess's bump. I smiled and tied my hair into a braid. As I walked back into our bedroom, the red walls were standing out against my husband's pale chest as he lay looking over Link's reports from the day. As my bare feet stepped on the one squeaky floorboard in the room, Henry looked up. His moonlight eyes brightened and he smiled at me. "There're my girls."

He stood and walked toward me. I tried to keep the blush from my cheeks, as he was wearing only a pair of black sleeping pants. He saw the slight blush and kissed each of my cheeks tenderly, pulling me into his arms. "Hello there," he murmured softly.

I smiled a hint. "Hello." I pressed into him a little bit and kissed him. He kissed back, but only for a second. I tried to hide my disappointment.

He held up his index finger, saying, "Just a second. I get to be the excited daddy for a moment."

Giving me a wink, he knelt down in front of me and gently kissed my stomach. He, then, started murmuring softly. I grinned. I knew Henry was excited about Princess, especially since he'd missed all nine months of me being pregnant with Milo.

"Milo is asleep," I informed him as he stood up again. "Is Mari okay?"

While the girl was showering and Henry was waiting for Theo to arrive, we had talked about her and how she had passed the Greed test. "You don't suppose," I had said, "that she could take Ava's place on the Council?"

"I'm not sure," Henry had replied. "However, I was talking to Link. Turns out Mari Potts lives with her mother's brother, Sven Diggens. Her parents died in a car crash when she was little. And, to add to that, Sven is spending tonight in jail for assaulting a police officer during a DWI."

I had put a hand to my mouth. "Oh, that's awful. Henry, we can't send her back there. You know we can't."

Now, I looked at him. "Can I talk to her tomorrow after her appointment with Theo? We could bring her down here..."

He looked back at me, his expression hard to read. "Not yet, Kate. How would you have reacted if I had brought you down here your first day?"

I bit my lip. He had a point. "But, she isn't me."

He lifted one eyebrow. "Oh? I think she's exactly like you."

I blushed. "Well..."

I couldn't deny it; I saw a little of myself in her. The way she tried to hide her feelings, was ever-so polite, just because. And the fact that she was completely alone? She was just what we needed.

As I was about to explain this to Henry, I opened my mouth and let out a huge yawn.

He kissed my forehead. "Time for mothers and daughters to get some sleep." He smiled at me warmly.

"You know, Mari thinks you're gorgeous," I informed him as we walked to the bed. He walked around to his side and we turned down the covers. I crawled in and reached over, turning off the lamp on my bedside table.

In the darkness, Henry wrapped his arms around me and kissed my shoulder. "Sweet dreams, wife," he whispered. "I'm all yours."

I smiled and pressed into him. "Don't let the bedbugs bite, husband."

Mari

The next morning when I wake up, Pogo is licking my face. I giggle. "Morning, buddy." I sit up, holding a hand to my head. There is a dull, throbbing headache shooting through my skull. I swing my legs out of bed and take my robe from where I lay it over one of the chairs the night before. Pogo hops down and stretches, then shakes that way that dogs do.

Then, he proceeds to walk up and sit on my foot, his wagging tail making a swoosh-swoosh sound on the hardwood floor.

I smile and stretch myself, just as there's a knock on my door. Thinking it's Theo and Henry, I walk up and open it. Instead there's a girl standing there. Her face is a lot like Theo's, but, instead, she has platinum blond hair. Unlike sunshine blond like Theo. Maybe they're related somehow. "Ah, hey there," I say awkwardly.

She nods. "Hello there. My name is Ella. I washed your clothes from last night. You can change and then I'll lead you to breakfast. Theo will meet you there." She holds my clothes out to me. Her face is hard to read. She's very curt.

"Thank you, Ella," I say to her. She nods and shuts the door.

I set my clothes on the bed and start getting dressed. The clothes are soft and familiar. I smile. I button my shirt and wish I had my Chuck Taylors, but then walk to the door and open it. Ella is standing there, still. I'm holding my robe, nightie, and slippers. "Where may I put these?"

Ella takes them. "I'll take them to laundry after you get tucked in for breakfast."

I'm about to say that I can take them, but she's already walking down the hall. She sounds so proper. After you get tucked in.

I'm still in Michigan, right?

As we walk through the halls, I try to drink in every inch of the manor. It's so beautiful and I want to be able to tell Auvergne everything when I get back. I know that as soon as I'm good to go, they're gonna make me go back.

I just...don't want to.

Uncle Sven wouldn't even miss me, would he?

When arrive in what I assume is the dining room, there are two guards by the door. What the heck is this place? One of them is tall with dark brown curls. The other is a little shorter with reddish hair.

"I will take these to laundry."

"Thank you, Ella," I say again. What else do I say? There's one place set on the left side of the state-long dining table. After a moment of hesitation, I take it. As I'm about to reach for a peach out of the bowl in front of me, the red haired guard steps forward.

"Would you mind cutting of a small piece and letting me eat it first, Miss Potts?" he asks. His voice is warm, but has authority sounding through it.

"What," I ask, "is someone trying to poison me?"

"We don't want to take any chances," he replies.

Um...Okay, then?

I take my butter knife and cut the peach in half then cut the guard a slice. "What's your name?" I ask as I hand it to him.

"Dylan," he replies. I look up at his face. He has blue eyes and rosy-ish cheeks. He has a scar that peeks out of the collar of his uniform and another near his ear. I wonder if he actually fought in a war or if they're from some sort of accident. He doesn't seem old enough for his eyes. They seem ancient, but he can't be older than 25.

He eats the slice of peach and waits a moment, then nods. "You're good."

I nod. "Erm, thanks, I guess."

It goes the same for the rest of the meal. My yogurt, my mousli, even my orange juice. Dylan takes a small bite or drink of everything then waits a moment.

When I'm finishing, I ask my lingering question. "No one even knows I'm here. Why would someone try to poison me?"

Dylan shrugs. "Orders from Henry and Kate. We don't want to take any chances with you."

The way he says it sounds like they're planning on keeping me.

Or, maybe I'm just reading into it. That's kind of a thing I do. But, hey. A girl can dream, right?

"Where should I take my dishes?" I ask, standing. I pick up my plate, but Dylan shakes his head.

"The others will take care of it. Nicolas and I are supposed to escort you to the terrace for your meeting with Theo." The brown-haired guard nods once in greeting. He seems sad, his brown eyes dark and lifeless. He wears a wedding band on his left hand, wrapped around his staff. I'll have to ask him about her sometime.

With Dylan on my left and Nicolas on my right, we walk down the twisting halls of Eden Manor. There are doors everywhere that my curiosity begs me to open, but I'm still hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to stay here long enough to figure them out.

The terrace turns out to be a small patio on the back end of the house near the gardens. Theo, Henry, and Kate are sitting at a small cafe-style table with cups of coffee and talking intensely about something.

Henry is the first to look up. "Right on the minute. Thank you, Nicolas. Thank you, Dylan."

The guards both nod and walk back into the house, leaving me alone and standing. Theo smiles that warm smile of his at me, his blue eyes shining and gestures to the chair next to him. "Won't you sit? Would you like some coffee?"

I sit and nod. "Um, yes, please."

After pouring me a cup from the pitcher, he turns to face me and pulls a pocket flashlight out of his jeans. "Now, have you had any hallucinations or headaches?" he asks.

I explain that when I woke up, my head was throbbing. He continues his examination, methodical, calculative. I have the nerve to feel embarrassed. When he's finished, his mouth is a straight line, but his eyes are smiling. "Well, the concussion is there, but it's healing. If you'd like, I suspect you could leave and go back home tomorrow."

I swallow. "Um...right. Of course."

Theo beams. "It's been a pleasure. See you around, Mari." He stands, leaving his mug of coffee forgotten and squeezes my shoulder before walking back into the manor.

Now, it's just me, Henry, and Kate.

Kate is looking at me with a strange look: calculating, contemplative. Henry has the corners of his mouth turned up in a ghost of a smile. "Would you like to go home?" Kate blurts after a long moment of silence.

Would I like to go home? Go home to see Auvergne and the dogs at the park in the morning. My school and my room with all of my posters of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. My drunk uncle snoring on the couch. The broken beer bottles on the floor of the kitchen. Would I like to go home?

"I don't know," I reply, honestly. I hate letting Henry see this side of me. I feel too vulnerable. Too exposed.

And, yet…

Kate takes a deep breath. "Would you like to stay here? With us? At Eden?"

I frown. I must've heard her wrong. "You mean, like...for good?"

Kate nods. "Yes. For good."

I think. Sven would be worried when he sobered up, but then, after another beer, he'd forget all about me. Auvergne would probably miss me for a while, but after that?

"I'd never go back," I say as more of a statement than a question.

Kate nods. "Yes. Because, well… there's a sort of fantastical story we have to tell you."

I look at her. I've never heard a fantastical story outside of books before. What if they're European bank robbers? But, no… I don't think that's it.

"I want to stay," I reply after a moment. "And what is this story?"

And with that, I leap off the cliff and instead of falling into the abyss, I am flying.

"So, you want me to replace Aphrodite?" I clarify after the hour-long explanation.

Henry shakes his head. "As Kate said, it would be difficult-impossible-for someone to ever replace Ava. But, there needs to be a chair on the Council for the goddess-or god-of love. And that, Mari, would be you."

I swallow. "The others then, they're gods, too? Everyone I've met today."

"Yes," Kate says. "There were thirteen on the Council, but as I said Calliope and Ava are dead. Right now, Ava's son, Eric, is in her place, but if you pass the tests, you will take it."

After a moment of thinking, I try to figure it out. "Well, obviously Ava is Aphrodite. Henry...you're...Hades?" I'm responded to with a smile. I take it as a yes. "Theo… He's the physician so...Apollo?" Another smile. "And Apollo's sister is Artemis who must be Ella since they look so similar." And another. "Dylan, with his scars… He looks like an army guy. Must be Ares." Henry actually chuckles, but nods. "Um… Nicolas… His eyes are sad,, but he wears a wedding ring. Like he's a widower." I pause a moment. "Hephaestus." Kate nods solemnly and waits for me to continue. "And, Kate, if you're married to Henry, then…"

Kate smiles with slight sadness. "I'll tell you the story of Persephone another time, but yes. For all intents and purposes, I am Persephone."

"Then, where are the others?" I ask.

"All over the world, at the moment. But, since you have accepted, we will call them all here in the next few days to begin your training and your testing," Henry explains. "However, I do not put lightly that this will not be easy, Mari. These tasks will test you, not only physically, mentally. Some will be once and finished, but, others will continue over the entire six month testing period. If you do not pass, you will return to your uncle without a memory of this place or anything that happened. If you succeed, you will be coronated as a seat on the Council and taken to Mount Olympus where you will live."

It's a lot to take in, no doubt. But, I suppose that I signed up for this. "Sounds like a plan."

Henry and Kate both beam. "Well, the best of luck," Kate says. "I'll have Dylan come to help you find your room. I think that tonight you may eat in your room, but tomorrow the Council will begin to arrive. Perhaps the night after we may have a ball?" She looks to Henry for confirmation.

He nods. "I think it is a swell idea. I will speak to Xander about the preparations."

"Dionysus," I guess.

Henry laughs. "Yep. I think you're going to fit in just fine around here, Mari." With a kiss on the cheek for Kate, he ups and walks into the manor leaving me alone with Kate.

"Thank you for this," I say.

"It was my promise to Ava as she died to hold onto her memory. I see her in you, Mari: her stubbornness, her spirit, her love of every living thing. And, of course, her kindness. I know that the Council will agree with me."

I smile nervously. "I hope so."

There's a small cough from behind us and I turn to see Nicolas in the doorway. "James is here to see you, Kate."

Her face opens slightly, then she smiles. "And, Mari, here is your next member of the Council. Come on."

She stands, offering me her arm and we walk inside.