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

Chapter 11: And so it begins ...

As expected, it took most of the day to get to Grandmother and Uncle Theos’ home.

“We will begin tomorrow morning at sunup,” Uncle Theos said. Suddenly, Cassie, Alexis, Tessa, Helena, Ellie and Kat all yawned and were barely able to keep their eyes open. Seeing their exhaustion, Theos led the girls upstairs to their rooms leaving Kyra and her grandmother downstairs alone.

“How about some hot tea to try and relax from the day?”

“That sounds wonderful. If you will point me to the kitchen, I will be happy to make up some?” Kyra offered.

“Nonsense. Go down that hallway and when you get to the end, you will see the atrium. There should be a beautiful view of the stars tonight,” her grandmother replied and headed into the kitchen.

Her grandmother was right, the view from the atrium was stunning. There were just enough twinkle lights from all of the plants to light up the room but not too many that it took away from the beauty of the night sky. There was a small metal table that had beautiful flowers in a vase which had unique symbols. Kyra noticed it but was too lost in the stars to really look at them. As she gazed at the stars she began speaking aloud, just in case the universe was listening.

“I’m scared but not because I think I’ll get hurt but that I will fail, and my family will pay the price.” As a tear ran down her check, the bracelet sent warmth through her and the gems began to vibrate and glow. In a blink, Kyra was no longer standing in the atrium of her grandmother’s home but inside a large room with string everyone. “Where am I?”

“You are with us child,” said in female voice which was very familiar to her since she had heard it a few times now.

Kyra looked around and saw 3 older women with braided grey hair standing in front of her and just seem to know each one by name. Each woman was wearing a white dress with a gold rope around their waist. “Have I done something wrong?”

“No, of course not. Please, come sit down,” Lachesis pointed to the chairs that were now in front of them and Kyra did not hesitate to sit in the once closest to her. 

The weight of everything on her shoulders overflowed as she began to cry and each of the sisters in front of her and grabbed her hands. “We have watched over you since the day you were born. You have always been strong, fearless and protective of your family,” Atropos began rubbing the top of her hand with her finger to try and give her some comfort.

“We see how close you are to your parents and aunt and uncle. Not having them here with you must feel like your breath has been knocked out of you,” Clotho said with compassion in her voice.

“We need you to understand that what happened to them was not unexpected, and was necessary,” Lachesis offered.

“How?” Kyra asked trying to talk through the tears.

Clotho produced a handkerchief and offered it to her. “Here, wipe your eyes and blow your nose. We feel that the information we are going to provide to you may give you some hope.”

It was too exquisite to use but remembered what Atlas had told her about gifts. “Thank you,” she replied as she wiped her eyes, blew her nose and took a deep breath.”

The three women stood back up and sat down in their own chairs.

“They are being used as leverage and will not be harmed. They are in a deep sleep and do not feel the passage of time,” Lachesis started.

“They are actually safer there then if they had not been taken,” Clotho continued.

“As much as we want to tell you more, that knowledge would influence your future decisions. Nyx is watching closely and has faith that you will succeed where others have failed,” Atropos added.

“Why do I get the feeling that my grandmother and Uncle Theos have a part to play in this?” Kyra asked.

The sisters looked at each other and smiled. “You are correct. Trust in what they tell you and allow them to guide you.”

“She is like Cassie?”

“But much stronger because she has had much more time to practice her gifts.”

“Can you tell me about my sisters and cousins? Will they be protected?”

“Your grandmother’s home is very old. She and your uncle have spent what seems like an eternity ensuring that it could provide protection when you came of age.”

“And Zeus has increased his protection after what happened to your parents.”

“Do not be too upset with him over this. There is no way it could have been prevented.

Kyra took a deep breath. “I am honored that you have allowed me to speak with you and you have given me hope.”

“Why have you not asked about what powers you have or will have?”

“And why have you not asked about the stones in your bracelet?”

“I would like to know those things but I also understand that you will not tell me. My parents taught me the importance and value of learning things for yourself.”

The 3 women stood up and Kyra followed. “Kyra, daughter of Alex and Rhea. Remember that you will never be alone.”

“Thank you,” Kyra replied as she bent her head in respect. When she looked up, she saw her grandmother bringing in the tea.

“You seem like you are feeling better. Did you have a good chat with them?”

“I’m not even going to ask how you knew.”

“Good. Here is your tea,” her grandmother handed Kyra her cup and sat down with her. “Now, what did learn,” she asked.

“That is kind of a loaded question. They told me that Zeus could not have prevented what happened to my parents or aunt and uncle. They assured me they are unharmed and aren’t aware of time passing.”

“That is a relief, isn’t it?”

“Yes. And I know the others will be relieved know that.”

“What do your instincts tell you?”

“It started with something you and Uncle Theos said yesterday about us being part of a puzzle. As I was sitting there talking to them just now, I felt like we are part of a very large chess game. The players are Nyx, Eros, Erobus and Gaea. But in their game, Zeus is not the king but seems like more of a pawn. And the way Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos speak to me, makes me think that we in a higher order than pawns. I know that sounds crazy.”

“You may be onto something with the chess game reference. That may be why you were chosen. You are able to see things from a different perspective, like you can ignore the noise and just see what is really there.”

“There is something that Phoebe told me, but she told me not to tell the others. I know it is my burden to carry but maybe I could tell you?”

“It is a burden I have known you would have since you were born. That is why we have spent so much time making this place a fortress of protection.”

“Did mom and dad know?”

“No. I have only told your Uncle Theos.”

“I know you are not tired but it will be daylight soon. This will be your last chance to see Atlas. Once we start your training in the morning, you will need to remove the bracelet.” 

“Why?”

“While it allows you to focus your gifts, it is at a cost to your energy. And not only do you need all of your energy for training and whatever they make you do, the Nymphs will sense its power and may become agitated. Please believe me, there is nothing worse than an upset Nymph,”

“How will I know which room is mine?”

“It will be the only room where the door is open.” Kyra stood up and hugged her grandmother before she headed upstairs. As soon as she laid down on the bed, she fell into a deep sleep and when she opened her eyes, she was back in the field.

“Kyra!” Atlas cried out and embraced her tightly. “I will be forever grateful to the Fates for saving you.” He released his embrace just enough so he could look at her face. “My …” His voice turned to a husky whisper.

Kyra was rendered breathless seeing a look on his face. This was something she had only read about but never really understood until now. Before her next breath, Atlas took her face into his hands. “Atlas,” was all she could say before he kissed her. It started with just a meeting of their lips but soon grew into more. His hands moved from her face to her neck and then wrapped around her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Atlas pulled back but when he did, he saw the hurt and confusion on her face. “I don’t understand. Why did you stop?” Kyra asked.

“I had to stop. Kissing you feels like I am on fire.”

“I feel the same way.”

Atlas scooped her up in his arms and sat her on the bench under the tree. Before he said another word, he knelt in front of her.

“The first time I really felt my heart beating was when I finally saw you Kyra. Your beauty takes my breath away, your strength gives me hope, and you just being here makes me feel more alive than I have ever felt. I love you and want to show you the world through my eyes, share our lives together. It is taking every bit of strength not to do more with you but, we both have a duty to fulfill first. Once that is done …”

Kyra smiled at him and finally understood his actions and Atlas rose and sat on the bench next to her. She filled him in on everything that had happened and he listened. Suddenly she had a smile on her face.

“What made you smile like that?”

“I forgot to tell you about a conversation with Phoebe.” Kyra spotted a look on his face. He knew her. “She said that Nyx, Erebus, and Eros are tired of the fighting and are ready to just start over. They have agreed to wait and see what happens with me before making that final decision.” 

“That is a lot on your shoulders,” Atlas replied.

“How do you know Phoebe?” Kyra asked him as her heartrate noticeably increased.

Before he answered her question, he saw that her face was red and one of her hands was balled up in a fist. He could not help but smile. “There is no need to be jealous of her. I only respect her because she was the only one who has ever stood up to Zeus and told him when he was wrong.”

“I’m not jealous,” Kyra replied and sounded a little petulant.

He caught her off guard when he leaned in and kissed her again. This one wasn’t as heated as the first one but when he pulled away they still had to catch their breath again.

Kyra tried to clear her head and suddenly became sad.

“Why are you sad?”

“I have 2 days to train for these trials to get the nymphs to help us find our parents. And I’ve been told that since I need all of my energy, I am not able to see you until I return from meeting with their queen.”

“You have the bracelet to remind you that I am with you.”

“I can’t have it with me when I go to see them.”

“There is a lot in front of you. The power is in you. The bracelet does not give you those powers. It helps you with channeling your focus and concentration.”

“You will do great in the trials and the queen will like you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Atlas took her face into his hands again and this time kissed her with no hesitation.

#####

Kyra! Wake up!!!

“Is it that time already?” she asked as she opened her eyes and saw Tessa who stood in the doorway.

“Yep. They want us downstairs in 10 minutes.”

“Ok. I will be right there. I just need to get changed.” Tessa closed the door and headed downstairs. Kyra quickly changed into workout clothes and took off her bracelet, setting it on the nightstand so she would not be tempted or distracted. 

“Good morning,” Mei called out in greeting as Kyra walked into the kitchen.

“I’ll agree that its morning, but I’ll have to wait until the sun comes up to know if it’s good or not,” Kyra replied.  Without realizing it, Kyra glanced down to her bare wrist.

“Kyra, everything is fine. Your bracelet is on your nightstand,” her grandmother told her.

“I’m starving. Can we eat first?” Tessa asked and as if synched, everyone’s stomach grumped.

“All of you can grab some orange juice from over their on the counter and then sit. I’ll have breakfast ready in a minute,” Mei said as she finished cutting up fruit and Uncle Theos finished cooking up scrambled eggs.

“Once everyone is done eating, we will head into the study. I am sure Phoebe will be here by then. She will help each of you identify your unique strengths.”

“That should take about an hour or maybe more depending on how talkative she is.”

“I heard that,” Phoebe fussed at Theos.

“Anyway, once Phoebe is done with you, we’ll do some stretching and practice some exercises that will help you with balance.”

“Why balance?” Cassie asked.

“They nymphs are protective of the queen and will have you perform tests that will show your true self to them. If you are teetering on a tightrope fighting for your life, your mind is focused on trying to stay alive, and less likely to keep up any walls,” Theos said. “It’s not that anyone would deliberately lie, but they try and get the entire truth from you, sometimes even truth you many not even realize is there about yourself.”

“That’s pretty clever. I guess they’ve done it a few times and are experts, huh?” Tessa asked.

“Yes, a few times,” Mei agreed.

#####

“I think it is important to understand our current strengths first so they can be considered an asset,” Phoebe started as soon as everyone was seated in the study. She addressed each of them and started by asking a series of questions about what they thought their strengths were. The more she learned about them, the easier it was to see their gifts. She only shared with them the ones they could access now. It was not time to tell them that when they got to Kyra’s age that they would be able to take part in the trials as well to earn their powers by birthright.

“That took longer than an hour but I think Phoebe helped us to identify several strengths that we didn’t know we had before. These strengths will not be expected so we will have the element of surprise on our side,” Theos stated. “Some of it may have been a shock but based on the looks on some of your faces, there were others that you were already aware of.”

#####

After everyone finished lunch and were all changed, Uncle Theos taught the girls how to balance on one foot as they tossed small balls back and forth to each other. They started with one ball and as soon as the ball made it around to everyone, he added threw an additional ball and everyone had to balance on a different foot. The trick was to not drop the balls and for everyone to stay in motion. If a ball was dropped or if anyone ended up with 2 balls, they had to 5 pushups. If a ball was dropped a second time, they had to do 5 push ups and 5 squats. The girls started with one ball and did pretty well, but by the time they were up to 4 balls, someone would end up dropping a ball. When they finished just before lunch, all of the girls dropped to the floor in exhaustion.

“Okay, that’s it for today. Go get cleaned up and changed. As soon as everyone is in the dining room, we will eat dinner.”

Everyone was sweaty and too tired to say a word as they all trudged upstairs for showers and clean clothes. Theos knew that Kyra and Tessa were in better shape because of their regular runs so they had to do 3x what everyone else had to do to make it fair.

 As Kyra got in the shower, she felt the hot water on her skin which helped her relax her sore muscles. After her shower, she put on clean clothes and the bracelet that was on the nightstand caught her attention. “Can I do this and not be asleep again?”

She sat on her bed and put the bracelet back on. When she closed her eyes, she thought about the field but it was only a picture. She wasn’t actually there. After a couple minutes of trying, she gave up.

“Why can’t I do this all of the time?”

“Your powers cannot be forced,” Phoebe said from behind her making her jump up from the bed.

“You scared me. What do you mean I can’t force my powers?” 

“You are able to move between worlds and that bracelet helps you focus that power. Your mind is set on the field, but you need to learn how to relax and focus so you are actually there. When you were sitting there, you were trying to force the vision to come into focus in your head, and did not give any time for detail. When you fall asleep or go into a daze, your mind is allowed to relax and focus on the details and that is what helps you to move within the worlds.”

“Can you show me how to do that?”

“Yes, but right now you need to go downstairs and eat lunch. Theos and Mei are very knowledgeable. Pay special attention to what they teach you today because it will be the foundation you need to improve your other abilities.”

“Thank you.”

Phoebe just smiled and then disappeared into the air.

#####

All of the girls made it downstairs around the same time, but they were all still sore from the previous day’s physical training. Their grandmother had their breakfast already set out on the dining room table for them and encouraged them to sit and enjoy their breakfast as they walked in. “We have some good news for you!” she said after everyone had sat down and started eating.

“That got their attention,” Theos joked.

“Today, we are going to slow things down a bit. After breakfast, we are going to take a short walk and experience the nature around us. And then this afternoon, Phoebe is going to work with each of you individually to help you explore the strengths that you didn’t realize you had.”

“Tomorrow is going to need everyone’s energy at its highest. For Kyra and Tessa, so they can manage through the Nymph’s trials and for the rest of us because we are going to learn how to turn our own energy into them.”

“Won’t they sense that and be upset because that gives us an unfair advantage?”

“It will have the opposite effect. The nymphs draw on the positive energy from their environment for their powers. We would be doing the same thing they do in a sense, but drawing on each other instead of nature.”

Kyra raised her glass of orange juice. “I propose a toast.”

Everyone raised their glass and waited for her to continue. “Here’s to family and getting or parents back.”

As all of the drink cups were clinked together, at least one tear could be seen on everyone’s faces. They missed their parents and wished they could be there to see them now. They would be so excited to know how much they’ve learned in such a short period of time.