Treasure of Calliope: Chronicles of Zeus' Daughters - Book 1

Chapter 2: Birthday

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kyra woke up startled by the knock, her heart pounding fast.

"Are you awake yet?"

"Now I am. You can come in," she replied back to her mother.

Not ready for all of the questions yet, Kyra used the long sleeves of the pajamas to help hide the bracelet. When the door opened, she was surprised to see her entire family come into her room. Tessa looked shaken, and when Kyra looked at her, Tessa shook her head slightly. They would talk later.

"Happy birthday," everyone half-sang.

"I can't believe you're 18 already," her mother started with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "Mom, why are you crying?"

"You are all growing up so fast."

"Well, I think you have a little yet. So, what's with the family moment?"

"We wanted to surprise you," her mother replied.

"And this may be the last year we get to do anything since you will be attending University in the fall," her dad added.

"I don't mind waiting a year so I can be here to help," Kyra offered.

"We know you want to stay and help but going away to school is not just about the education. You'll get to experience new things there and meet new people," her Aunt Emi chimed in.

Kyra just nodded her head. She tried to see what her future my look like and just couldn't see school in it, especially now. How could she leave her family when they were in danger?

"We are going to town for a few things with your aunt and uncle. Do you want us to get you anything while we're out? We should be back in time for dinner," Kyra's mom asked before closing her bedroom door.

"No, I'm good. Thanks, mom. Tessa and I are going for a run, but we aren't running too far today. Tessa wants to check in with Dr. Cooper and the animals before she gets back to studying."

"Ok, see you soon."

Once the bedroom door was finally closed, Kyra got out of bed and got dressed for her morning run, making sure to put on a long sleeve shirt so she could hide the bracelet for now. She loved her runs because it was her chance to get out of the chaos of her life. No doubt Tessa would be ready to go with her this morning so they could talk without anyone else hearing.

#####

As she started heading downstairs, Kyra began feeling anxious. Her heart started to beat quicker than usual. She decided to stop by the library first to see her sisters - Cassie and Alexis. Cassie always had an intuition about stuff, especially if something terrible was about to happen. When Kyra walked into the library, Cassie was reading, and Alexis was typing at the computer. They were twins and were rarely apart. Other than Tessa, her other cousins were in there as well. Helena was writing in her notebook. Ellie was sitting at the piano making notes to a piece of music, and Kat was drawing. Cassie looked up when she heard Kyra walk into the library, and Alexis stopped to see what got her attention.

"Cassie, something feels wrong. Coming down here, I just had a weird feeling and my heart started racing."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and waited to see what she said. Cassie closed her eyes for a minute before answering the question.

"There's been a mask on the world around us, and now parts of that mask are falling away," she began and her voice was soft, sounding far away. Suddenly, her eyes opened and out of focus. "The truth that has been hidden needs to be found before those who have been seeking find it first," she continued only this time, it was a voice of confidence, loud and clear.

"What are they seeking," Tessa asked. She had walked into the room in time to hear everything Cassie had just said.

Cassie didn't respond. Worried for her twin, Alexis left the computer, sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "Cassie, is there anything else we need to know?" Alexis asked her gently. Her tone was not really asking for more information but more encouraging to either continue what needed to be said or wake up.

Cassie blinked her eyes and looked at Kyra, tears fell. "They are coming for all of us, but you are the center of their search."

Kyra nodded but more to herself than to the others and then felt the bracelet warm on her wrist. The warmth quickly spread through her entire body, making her feel a little stronger. She wanted to pass some of that on to her sister so she sat on the other side of her and grabbed her other hand. Cassie felt the warmth and gave her a small smile as thanks.

"There is nothing that we can't do when we work together. And our parents would never let anything happen to us," Kyra assured her in a more confident voice than she knew she had.

"I know, but I feel powerless. Danger is charging for our front door and the only form I can see is this black void thing."

Kyra and Tessa exchanged looks of fear but quickly covered them, so they didn't worry the others.

"Cassie, look at me." Alexis said making sure they had full eye contact. "I want you to feel my hand in yours. Do you feel me with you right now?" Cassie nodded. "I want you to close your eyes. Take a deep breath and think about our family. Now, look into your mind and tell me what you see," Alexis said wanting her to focus on the details.

"We are being watched. There are 3 shadowy figures. I think they are women. They sound very old. They want to help but cannot interfere. They are saying the phrase we always tell each other – stronger together. Staying hidden is ..." Cassie became silent again.

After several long seconds, Kyra squeezed her hand. "Staying hidden is what, Cassie?"

"Staying hidden is no longer possible."

Helena, Ellie and Kat stayed quiet. Helena and Ellie looked scared while Kat simply watched and listened until she knew she could say something that would be helpful.

"Our parents will be back from town in a few hours. We should talk to them and see what they think," Kat offered.

"Do you feel like we are safe for today, at least?" Tessa asked.

"Today, yes. Tomorrow or the day after may be different."

"I think what Tessa is asking is if it's okay for us to go for a quick run. I promise, we won't go far."

"We're fine. Go enjoy your run," Cassie replied and took her hand back from Alexis so she could go back to reading.

Kyra and Tessa headed out for their morning run but ended up walking after a couple of minutes so they could talk.

"You won't believe what happened after you disappeared from my nightmare last night!" Kyra exclaimed and grabbed Tessa's wrist which stopped her mid-step. This was not a casual conversation they could have while walking.

As soon as Kyra sat on the ground, Tessa followed. Thankfully, they had reached a shady part of their path and the grass made for a soft sitting place.

"With as crazy as things have felt lately, I'll believe pretty much anything, but I need to tell you about my nightmare first, ok?"

"You look upset, so you go first," Kyra replied.

"One minute I was stuck in slime, and you screamed for me to get out of there, and the next I was playing with the wolves in a large field when a large pure black wolf attacked. The wolf pack tried to protect me, but the black wolf killed them all. The wolves bit and attacked the black wolf, but it never bled. When the black wolf turned back to me, I could see his eyes. They were glowing red. His mouth had blood dripping from it, but when he lunged to attack me, a fire ball fell from the sky and engulfed him, and that is when I woke up. I got up, got dressed, and went out back to find the wolves, but they weren't anywhere around. I knew I would have to wait for daylight and everyone to wake up before going out to try and find them."

"Why didn't you say something as soon as we left? we could've headed straight towards Dr. Cooper's first to see if he could help. He can help with the search, and we can grab the ATVs while we're over that way. Cover more ground quicker."

"That's a good idea. When Cassie said black void, I became lost in my thoughts for a few minutes. I'm sure they're ok. Maybe we can go there when we're done. I want to know about your dream."

"So, after you left our nightmare, I met a guy."

"And...."

"He said we were in danger and then he gave me this," Kyra said as she rolled back her sleeve to show Tessa the bracelet. "I woke up before he could tell me too much more."

"Was he cute? He was cute! You're blushing!"

"I don't blush. It's just warm out, and I'm wearing long sleeves."

"That's your story, and you're sticking to it, huh?"

Kyra just smiled. "Yep. Let's go find those wolves," she replied and they both stood up and began running towards Dr. Cooper's.

#####

Kyra's home had been in the family for several generations. It was given to her mom and Aunt Emi when they married since they loved the area so much. Located in Tundra, a small town located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the property sits on a large piece of land surrounded by rolling hills and patches of dense woods.

Her parents told her stories at dinnertime of how the animals started showing up as soon as they moved in. First, just a few small ones, but soon animals of every shape and size began showing up. Some were hurt and needed care, while others just didn't want to leave.

When Kyra was a toddler, a cheetah showed up with its leg badly hurt. Thankfully, Aunt Emi was able to get it sedated, clean the wound and apply a bandage. That was when the decision was made to bring on a full-time vet.

#####

"I don't have the qualifications to truly help these animals. How do I know I'm not doing more harm than good?" Emi had asked.

"You've always been so good with animals. But you're right. When it was just the smaller injuries, it seemed simple enough," Chris replied.

"You have a point, Emi. I think we've been lucky so far. What happens if the animal becomes violent towards one of us," Alex said.

"Isn't Fred Cooper a vet? We got a holiday card from him and his wife last year," Rhea chimed in.

"I think he retired," Alex replied.

"Call and tell him we need him. See if you can persuade them to help us," Rhea asked.

#####

Dr. Cooper had just retired from his practice, but when Alex offered him the position, he and his wife Jolynn jumped on the next flight. A small cabin was built, and Dr. Cooper and his wife moved in.

Mrs. Cooper shared Emi's love of languages, and they taught all of the girls, many of them over the years. Helena loved learning the different languages so much she went on to study some of the older languages. English was the primary language spoken by the family, but everyone had to learn to speak French and Kinyarwanda to talk to the local people in town.

#####

"You know I am a little jealous of you, right?" Kyra asked Tessa as they got closer to Dr. Cooper's.

"Why are you jealous of me?"

"You know exactly what you want, while I have no idea. Running is the only thing I love to do because it's the only time I get to go outside of the house and beyond our yard." I started running with mom, but our trail was always the same – to the front gate and back for a trip of ten miles. I know I can run farther but don't because it means going into the forest that mom and dad say is off-limits, and people in town say it is haunted. Another area of woods goes up the mountain but it's really rocky. It's good if you like to climb but not run and dad says it's not safe either. Who knows what unfriendly animals might be out there, not to mention hunters not paying attention?"

"No amount of self-defense in the world can protect you from a shot g*n's bullet."

"I know. It just sucks that I'm 18 now, and I still feel like my parents are treating me like a child."

"You know they don't mean to, right? They just want to keep you safe for as long as possible."

"And what about what Cassie said earlier about being in danger. The guy in my dream said the same thing. And if we loosely interpret your dream, it all points to the fact that something big and bad is getting ready to happen."

"Stronger Together."

"You know it."

When Kyra and Tessa arrived at the cabin, Dr. Cooper was in the kitchen talking to his wife. Dr. Cooper stopped their conversation and walked over to Tessa, seeing the fear and sadness.

"Tessa, I know that look. The wolves are safe. One of them pawed at our cabin door very early this morning, and when I walked out to see what was going on, I found the pregnant one on the ground in a great deal of pain. They let me approach her and carry her into the medical center. They followed me into the exam room but sat still, giving me room to help her. I had to help her deliver the pup. After I had cleaned up, I put out food and water for them and several blankets for the mom and baby. Why don't you head over there and see them?"

"Thank you!"

#####

Knowing Tessa would want to spend some time with the new mom and baby wolf, Kyra headed back to the house, lost in her own thoughts when she remembered the bracelet. It started giving her a warm sensation that spread throughout her body. As she stared at it, she felt herself become lighter, and in the next blink, she was back in that field with Atlas in front of her again.

"Kyra. You are not safe here."

Needing to find out why her family was not safe, Kyra just looked at Atlas with her feet firmly planted and hands on her hips. But that was when she noticed how tall he was, the brown eyes that were more caramel than brown, and noticed what he was wearing. His chest was half bare, and it took her a second to get her brain back on the right track. "Why aren't I safe here?"

"There is so much I want to tell you, but you need to go back."

"I'm not sure how I got here since I'm not in my bed dreaming, but you need to tell me what's going on. Why is my family in danger?"

"You are only just now getting a taste of one of your powers. This one allows you to transport to other realms. That bracelet is probably helping you since you have not been trained yet. But using your powers outside and unprotected is not safe."

"I've been able to share my dreams since I was 5, and nothing has happened yet."

"You were so young. Did you tell your parents about the dream-sharing?"

"Of course, I was 5."

"I am sure your parents put up protections around the house to keep your power from alerting anyone on the outside. Do you remember if anything changed after you told them?"

"I remember my grandmother flew in and spent a couple of weeks with us."

"It is possible they had protections put on the house." Atlas put his hand on her shoulder. "Please, Kyra. Go back home. I cannot protect you, and I do not want to see anything happen."

Suddenly Kyra was jolted awake, and she was back on the path standing in front of her house, and there was a scream coming from inside the house.

"What's wrong?" Kyra asked, running into the house towards the scream when she saw Cassie, Alexis, Helena, Ellie, Kat, and Tessa standing in the library.

"You disappeared. I thought something happened to you," Cassie responded with relief on her face.

"I'm right here, and I am fine."

In what felt like the next second, Kyra's parents and her aunt and uncle walked into the room. "Where have you been? We were worried when we came home, and you weren't back from your run yet. But Tessa was here."

"You said you were heading back to the house," Tessa replied, looking a little confused.

"After I left you with Dr. Cooper, I headed straight back home."

"That was like 3 hours ago."

"I'm sorry. I'm not really sure what happened. One minute I am heading back home. The next, I am standing in front of the house hearing Cassie scream."

"I'm just glad you are safe, dear," Kyra's mom chimed in. "Since everyone is here, this is a good time to give you your birthday presents."

"Do you know we're in danger?" Kyra and Tessa ask in unison.

Alex - Kyra's dad and Chris - Tessa's dad, took positions near the library window after looking at each other and nodding. Alex talked first. "Ok. Let's take a minute, sit down and figure out where this is coming from."

Emi who is Tessa's mom, moved to sit on the couch. "I think we should do Kyra's presents first since it will only take a few minutes. By the look on Cassie's face, I think the other conversation will take a lot longer."

Rhea who is Kyra's mom, moved to Cassie and Alexis and nodded her head to the other couch, where they all sat quietly.

Alex pulled an envelope from his pocket and gave it to Kyra before returning to his original position in front of the window.

"What is this?" Kyra asked as she opened the envelope.

"Plane tickets. I know it's your birthday, but we thought it would be nice to go visit your grandmother. We've been trying to schedule this trip for a while, but every time we tried, something came up. It will be nice to visit her since it's been a while since we've seen her."

Kyra ran over and hugged her dad while everyone else cheered.

"That is a wonderful idea and a great birthday present, dad. Thank you."

"We leave in a few days, and we'll be gone for a couple of weeks."

"Maybe longer," Rhea added.

Alex, Chris and Emi looked at her with caution.

"Let's see how it goes while we are there. We've already spoken with Dr. Cooper, and he and his wife are happy to keep an eye on things here for as long as needed."

"Mine next," Alexis said excitedly as she bounced out of the chair to get the gift from under the cabinet, a handmade quilt wrapped with a red ribbon.

"Alexis, this is so perfect. Thank you for all of the thought and time you put into creating it."

"It wasn't just me. Cassie, Helena, Ellie, Kat, and Tessa helped. We each found something personal and included it here, so you will always have something to remember us by when you go away to school. Oh, and Mrs. Cooper helped too."

"I don't know what to say. This is beautiful. Thank you all so much."

On cue, Dr. and Mrs. Cooper walked in holding a gift as well.

Kyra opened her present and began to laugh. "You got me the perfect gifts. Thank Dr. and Mrs. Cooper. I know I will get a lot of use out of the first aid kit and backpack. I've definitely had my fair share of bumps, bruises, and severe cuts."

"And that was just last yesterday. Face it, you've led a charmed life by not breaking anything yet," Dr. Cooper joked.

"I agree. I've been very lucky."

"We are going to head back to the clinic now. Happy birthday Kyra. Don't give yourself an excuse to use that present, ok?" Dr. Cooper said as he and Mrs. Cooper headed out of the library and towards the backdoor.

"Kyra, honey."

"Yes, mom," Kyra responded back to her.

"What's that on your wrist?" Kyra's mom asked as her eyes grew wide in alarm.

"It's a bracelet. but you're not going to believe how or where I got it"

"Have we ever not believed you?"

"You have a point. Ok. A man in my dream gave it to me last night. I woke up with it on my wrist."

"Someone gave it to you in a dream?" Aunt Emi asked.

"Did he say anything to you, Kyra?" her mom asked.

"I had that nightmare about something happening to Tessa and me, but when she disappeared, I saw him. He reminded me that it was just a dream. Then he gave me this bracelet. I tried to give it back, but I woke up before I had a chance."

At that moment, the doorbell rang, and everyone suddenly became silent. "I'll see who that is," Kyra's dad said as he walked out of the library, followed by Kyra's mom, aunt, and uncle.

"Cassie, what's wrong?"

"I don't know about the rest of you, but it feels like there is a bad storm coming, and I don't think it has anything to do with the weather."

"None of our parents have been acting normal for the past several weeks. Typically, Uncle Chris would have left for an exhibit taking Aunt Emi for a long weekend. Dad hasn't spent much time out of the office except fixing fences or attending to the other issues with the animals. Mom had been more preoccupied than usual, working on grant committees getting funding. And none of them have laughed nearly as much as they used to."

When the parents walked back into the library, Kyra's dad was holding flowers.

"Birthday flowers for Kyra," he said as he gave her beautiful blue roses with a white bow. "Blue roses are exceedingly rare. The only ones I have ever seen are those that have been genetically mutated. Roses are naturally white, pink, red, or a blend. The blue in these flowers doesn't look like the mutations I have seen in the lab. The color is much deeper in these flowers."

"I get these flowers every year, but we don't know who they are from. And they're not from Grandmother or Uncle Theos?"

"We don't know who the flowers are from, sweetheart," Kyra's mom said, but she turned her head towards her dad, not able to look her daughter in the eyes.

"Mom, what is that you are holding?" Cassie asked.

"It's nothing, honey. Everything is fine," her mom replied, putting the note in one of her pockets.

"We need to talk. Cassie is sensing that danger is coming, and while I know this sounds weird, the man in my dream said that danger was coming too," Kyra spoke up.

Kyra's mom was the first to respond. "First, Kyra, we don't think you are crazy. It is evident you have a bracelet, and it had to have come from somewhere. We have been trying to protect you children since the day you were each born, and there is much to tell you, but there are few things we need to check on first."

"So, you don't doubt we are in danger?"

"No. We just thought we had a little more time. We have a few phone calls to make, which will take the rest of the day. How about we all meet for a family breakfast tomorrow morning, and we can go over everything we know."

"Why can't you just tell us now?"

"We don't want to sound any alarms until we know what is going on first, ok?"

Everyone nodded and went about their daily chores.