"Hera, where's Cassandra?" Kate hoped her voice came out stronger than she felt. She was talking to Hera, the Queen of the Gods, and she was terrified, every story she had ever heard involving her never ended happily for the women involved.
The goddess's laugh vibrated through the phone, it was high-pitched and ended with a slightly hysterical cackle, "Your little mortal is fine Kate, I'm more interested in where Hekate is."
"Of course she is," the Maiden said irritated, "She's not going to tell you anything Kate, let us speak to her."
"I don't know," Kate thought, "You are still pretty weak from the last couple of battles."
"We are strong enough to have a conversation with her," the Crone piped in sounding mad. Kate huffed, they might not have been tired but she was, it had been an exhausting couple few days.
"Fine but make it quick, we need to find Cassandra," she closed her eyes and opened herself up letting Hekate step inside.
"Where is Cassandra Hera?" Hekate wasn't mincing words.
"Aaahh, just who I wanted to talk to, how are you, my future daughter-in-law?" Hera's voice was thick and sweet like honey.
"I am not your daughter-in-law Hera, I will never marry into your family, now tell me where Cassandra is."
Hera tsked, "That is no way to speak to me, especially since I have something you want...unharmed I assume."
Hekate clenched her jaw, she was going to have to keep her temper if she wanted any answers, "I just want to know what happened to Cassandra, she has been in my care for hundreds of years."
"Much better," Hera said, Hekate's jaw clenched so hard she thought she might shatter her teeth, "Your mortal pet is here with myself and Venus, she is safe for now."
"I want her back Hera, not a scratch on her understand?"
"You are not in any position to demand anything from me Hekate," Hera was starting to sound bored which couldn't be a good sign, "You know exactly what I want, marry my son and Cassandra will be free to go."
Hekate laughed so loudly that Amanda and Ollie both jumped and glared at her, she mouthed sorry to them but kept her attention on Hera, "I have already told you, and your mad son, I am not marrying him or anyone."
There was silence on the other end of the line for so long Hekate pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen to make sure the line hadn't gone dead.
"Listen to me you Titaness bitch," Hera's honey-sweet voice turned to snake venom, "The Moria have decreed that you will marry my son, no one not even you can go against them. Besides that, Ares is a wonderful catch, you are lucky to have caught his eye."
It was Hekate's turn to laugh, "I don't care what the Moria say, I am not marrying your sick pathetic son, I am not interested in marrying anyone, but if I was your son wouldn't have ever made the list."
"Great job staying calm," Kate said sarcastically.
"You will marry my son Hekate, one way or another," before she could respond the line went dead. There was a flash, Kate's phone burst into flames turning into a melted mess. Amanda jumped up and took Hekate's other hand not worrying about the risk of fire.
"We'll get her back Hekate," she said calmly searching her face looking for her friend there. Hekate stood looking from her to Ollie, who hadn't left the couch but was watching her wearily.
"We need to find Cassandra, there's no telling what Hera will do to her." She pulled her hand out of Amanda's and started pacing.
"Amanda's right Hekate, we will find her."
"How can you be so sure?"
Kate didn't speak for a moment, she wasn't sure how they would get Cassandra back but it was her fault the girl was in trouble in the first place. If she had just left her in Hekate's realm she would still be safe there.
"Don't blame yourself, Kate, Cassandra was never meant to stay in my realm for long, Artemis and I thought Apollo would have come for her sooner. Then Ares attacked and honestly, I have no idea what happened to Apollo that day," Hekate's voice was sad, and with a sigh, she stepped back and Kate slid back into her body. As she entered her body it occurred to her they hadn't gotten anything from the call with Hera other than confirmation Cassandra was actually with her and unharmed for the time being.
"We need to figure out where Hera would have taken her," the Mother's voice is calm but Kate could feel her anxiety.
"We will find her, we just need to narrow it down to the most likely places," Kate knelt in front of the atlas studying it. If Hera didn't have Cassandra in this realm, then she had to have taken her to another realm, but which one? Kate didn't think she was foolish enough to take her to her realm or Aphrodite's either.
"Where else would Hera be able to hide?" she asked no one in particular.
"If I remember my mythology doesn't Hera have a sister?" Ollie asked slowly.
"Hestia...it's possible Hestia would give Hera aid," the Mother said.
"Though doubtful, Hestia tends to keep to herself," the Crone added.
"It's a starting point," Kate stood up and headed to her room, she rifled through her books looking for the family tree on the Olympians. Finding it she took it back to the living room and set it open on the table, flipping through the pages until she came across Hestia's. Where everyone else had a few pages written about them Hestia had one page and a half taken up by an oil painting of a young girl with long sandy brown hair tending to a hearth fire.
"This is all there is about her in my books," she said turning it so Ollie and Amanda could see. Hestia was the youngest sister and gave up her seat as an Olympian for Dionsus. Something caught Kate's eye, "It says she was among the three virgin goddesses, would she help her Hera?"
"Family can make people do things they wouldn't normally do," the Maiden said quietly.
"Okay so we know who Hestia is," Amanda piped in, "But where is she?"
"She sits in the middle of the throne room on Olympus," the Maiden said.
"How are we going to get there without being found out?" Kate asks sitting back on her heels. No one spoke up, this wasn't going to be like sneaking into the Underworld, this was Olympus the place where Ares attacked the gods, who were to say Hestia was still there?
"I think I know someone who can help, unfortunately, it means another trip to the Underworld," the Maiden said and Kate groaned.
Amanda and Ollie shared a look, then Ollie cleared his throat, "What's wrong?"
"I have to go back to somewhere I really don't want to," a thought was tickling her brain and she realized why they would have to go back. She was going to have to ask the God of the Dead if she could pretty please borrow his helmet of invisibility.
"We're going with you," Amanda stated, Ollie nodded next to her.
Kate shook her head, "As much as I want and need you to be beside me on this, mortals aren't allowed in the Underworld, no exceptions."
Amanda raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You have to go to the Underworld and you want us to let you go alone? Are you crazy?"
"I've been there before, it's not a place you want to be Amanda, and mortals can't go there unless they are dead and I am not willing to let that happen so no you won't be going with me." She hated sounding mean but she needed Amanda and Ollie to understand what she was dealing with.
"And who is going to have your back while you are there?" Ollie demanded.
"Hekate will be in the lead most of the time," Kate said grabbing her bag and heading into her kitchen feeling a little de ja vu as she backed water and granola bars, she wasn't planning on getting stuck in Hades or anyone else's realms but she also wasn't taking any chances. She pouted when she went to place a few beers in her bag and realized she was out, this trip might be longer than she thought.
"You will survive without beer Kate," the Mother said snidely.
"Didn't Hekate use up all of her magick last time causing you both to pass out and leaving you vulnerable?" Ollies asked.
"I wasn't vulnerable," she held up her wrists so they could see the leather bracelets holding the spirits of Aithan and Eilani which warmed up as though they could sense her talking about them.
Ollie just blinked stupidly at her, "What exactly are bracelets going to do if something or someone attacks you again?"
Kate sighed, "I think the only way they are going to let me leave is if I show them it won't just be us there."
"I believe you are right Kate, we knew Ollie was protective and Amanda cared for you but we had no idea how much," the Maiden said.
The bracelets began to warm all eyes were on Kate's wrists as they began to glow silver and white and smoke curled up forming large clouds on the kitchen floor. A few moments later Kate called a small breeze blowing away the clouds to reveal her wolves. They stretched their legs and shook their fur before coming to rub their heads against her legs bumping into her for head pats. She laughed and gave them what they wanted, scratching behind each of their ears as she watched Ollie's skin regain its color. Amanda walked through the door and froze.
"What in the hell are they?"
Kate laughed, "These are Hekate's wolves, Aithan and Eilani, they will be with me when I go to the Underworld."
"Are they....are they safe?" Amanda asked slowly inching closer, Kate could tell she wanted to pet them but was unsure if it was okay to do so.
"So long as you are no threat to me they are no threat to you." Amanda held out her hand to Aithan, at first he didn't seem like he was interested but then he sniffed it and looked up at her tilting his head. She smiled down at him, and he butted her hand with his head demanding a scratch from her. Kate grinned she had a feeling Amanda would take to the wolves easily, Ollie on the other hand was still standing as far as was possible without actually leaving the kitchen.
"What's the matter, Ollie? I promise they aren't dangerous."
He just shook his head, he wasn't going to come any closer, not now at least.
"Remember they struggle to stay solid here Kate, they should probably go back into the bracelets now," the Crone reminded her sounding slightly like she was scolding Kate for letting them stay out as long as she had.
"They can't stay solid here for long, they aren't meant to be in our realm," she gave each of them a few more scratches before they became clouds again and were absorbed back into her bracelets.
Amanda shook her head, "I don't know how I am ever going to get used to magick."
Kate laughed, "Try being the one who has to learn to control it." The laughter died down and they realized it was time for Kate to leave.
"Stay here, you'll be safe from Hera and anyone she sends, there are ruins and spells on all the entrances that I will reset as soon as I walk out the door. Do not let anyone you don't know into this apartment." She headed towards her door but before she walked out she turned to her friends. They could have easily run from all of this, turned their backs on her, and all of the craziness that went along with her but they were here wanting to help her she had to be sure they would be safe.
Amanda wrapped her arms tightly around her holding her a second longer than was necessary, "It's going to be okay Kate, you've got this."
Ollie was leaning against the wall scowling, "I still don't like you going alone," he muttered, "But I suppose if those horses you call wolves are going to be with you how much trouble can you get into? Besides I saw the piles of books in your room, I'll have plenty to keep me busy."
"Let me know if you stumble across anything that might come in handy, and stay safe," she pulled back and grabbed each of their hands squeezing before she turned and headed out the door not forgetting to redo her magick charms and spells to keep them as safe as possible.