Daughter of Wine

Callida

I've seen lots of crazy things in my life. I've seen my friend get possessed by a Titan. I've seen heroes dissolve into stars. I've held the whole sky on my shoulders. I've even seen King Midas, returned from the dead, donkey ears and all. But this tops the list by a mile.

For a moment, I'm worried I've driven myself mad. Or I've died and this is the light people claim to see. Or maybe I'm just imagining things that I want to see in my final moments before death. But by the expressions on my friends' faces, they see it too.

We're all looking up as the clouds part over the Acropolis. Instead of blue skies, I see black space spangled with stars, the palaces of Mount Olympus gleaming silver and gold in the background. And an army of gods charge down from on high.

It's too much to process. And it's probably better for my health that I don't see it all.

There's supersized Zeus, riding into battle in a golden chariot, a lightning bolt the size of a telephone pole crackling in one hand. Pulling his chariot are four horses made of wind, each constantly shifting from equine to human form, trying to break free. For a split second, one takes on the icy visage of Boreas. Another wears Notus's swirling crown of fire and steam. A third flashes the smug, lazy smile of Zephyrus. Zeus has bound and harnessed the four wind gods themselves.

On the underbelly of the Argo II, the glass bay doors split open. The goddess Nike tumbles out, free from her golden net. She spreads her glitttering wings and soars to Zeus's side, taking her rightful place as his charioteer.

"MY MIND IS RESTORED!" she roars. "VICTORY TO TTHE GODS!"

At Zeus's left flank rides Hera, her chariot pulled by enormous peacocks, their rainbow-colored plumage so bright it gives me the spins.

Ares bellows with glee as he thunders down on the back of a fire-breathing horse. His spear glistens red.

In the last second, before the gods reach the Parthenon, they seem to displace themselves, like they've jumped through hyperspace. The chariots disappear. Suddenly me and my friends are surrounded by the Olympians, now human-sized, tiny next to the giants, but glowing with power.

Jason and I glance at each other and raise our weapons. Together, we shout and charge at the giants.

Behind us, our friends join in on the carnage.

The fighting ranges all over the Parthenon and spills across the Acropolis, but I have one worry first. While my friends deal with the giants on the ground, I manage to teleport myself back to the Argo II.

"Leo!" I call, searching desperately.

"Over here!" He waves his arm up from behind a catapult.

"Oh, gods, are you okay?" I run over and grab his shoulders, inspecting him for injuries.

"I'm fine, mamasita." He grins. "I've got some help."

"What?"

He nods over to the helm, where a burly bearded guy in a mechanic's uniform is tinkering with the controls, furiously trying to keep the ship aloft.

"Oh." My voice is small.

Hephaestus looks up at me and smiles. "Good to see you're still alive, Callida."

I feel like my heart is crawling up into my throat. "Good to see you too, sir, erm, I mean, my Lord, I mean, Lord Hephaestus-"

He laughs. "I know it's a little frightening to meet your boyfriend's parents. Don't worry, I already like you."

I try to find the words I want, but all vocabulary seems to have left my brain.

"Calli's speechless?" Leo raises his eyebrows. "That never happens."