Iridescence

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

FAITH

I didn't stay in my room for long. While I was physically exhausted from battling the chimera, and mentally exhausted from my encounter with Liana, I knew there was something I had to do.

"Faith, where are you going?" Genie whispered as she spotted me standing at the window.

"There's something I need to do, Genie," I replied. "It's important."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened to me and Baby Doll?" She looked nervous, but she was trying to be brave. I knew she must be terrified by what they'd experienced, and I hadn't really had time to explain everything to her yet.

"Sort of. I know I promised to explain, but it's complicated... Will you stay here and cover for me? And make sure no one messes with Baby Doll?"

"Of course, but you can tell me the truth, Faith. You don't have to sneak around. We're friends, and roommates, which makes us like sisters, right? I've got your back."

"I know, Genie, and I appreciate it," I replied. "I just don't want to put you in unnecessary danger if I can help it." I opened the window. "Thanks for covering for me. I'll see you soon."

"Be careful, Faith," she said with obvious concern.

"I'll do my best." I climbed out of the window and made my escape.

I walked quickly and with purpose, hoping my instincts were right about which way to go. The moon was shining brightly in the sky. It was nearly full, and I took comfort in this reminder of Artemis as I walked through the night.

I found my target standing outside of my old house. They'd rebuilt it, but it didn't look anything like the original, and my mom and I had never moved back in. When Mom wasn't in the hospital, we lived in a two-bedroom apartment on Main Street. It wasn't much, but it was home as long as my mom was around. The group home honestly felt more like my home the rest of the time. The apartment wasn't the same without my mom. Maybe that was why she sold the property before they rebuilt the house; without my dad, that house wasn't home anymore.

"Uncle Deacon, we need to talk," I said firmly.

He wasn't wearing his mask now, and he looked at me almost sadly. "Faith, unless you've come to join us, there's nothing to say," he replied.

"Why would you come here?" I asked.

"To face the past," Deacon replied. "Listen, Firefly, you have to understand, this is complicated."

"What is?" I asked.

"They were watching me for weeks... They saw my potential. When they set the fire, they only intended to fake my death. No one was supposed to be harmed."

I stared at him, not believing my ears as I took in his words. "The fire wasn't an accident?" I asked in disbelief.

"It was a means to an end. They only wanted me, Firefly. Henry... He wasn't supposed to be hurt. I loved my brother. You know that. You were all supposed to escape from the house, and I was meant to fulfill my destiny."

"Those idiots murdered my dad, and you're working for them!" I shouted. "You're nothing but a traitor, Deacon! Go to hell!"

I was about to storm off when I remembered why I'd been looking for him in the first place. "Where's Krissy?" I demanded.

"I can take you to her if you join us," Deacon replied.

"No deal. Just tell me what Altheos has done with her. I'll rescue her with people I can trust."

Deacon looked like I'd slapped him. "I'd never hurt you, Firefly," he said. "I love you."

"You don't know what love means anymore! You're working with the people who killed your brother! The same people who are trying to kill me! So take your fake 'I love you' and shove it where the sun doesn't shine, because I'm not buying it!"

He hesitated before saying, "Your friend is deep in the earth, beneath the sea, in a pocket realm which can only be accessed via a portal. She lives for now. Lord Altheos is fond of her. I think he hopes to recruit her to his side somehow, but if he can't, he won't hesitate to kill her. You have time to find her, but not much." He shook his head before adding, "Be careful, Firefly. He is a powerful ally, but a deadly enemy."

Deacon raised his arms to the sky. Once again, Viktor opened a portal for him and he escaped into it.

"Coward!" I screamed. "Come back! Come back so I can burn you to ash like we all thought you'd already done!"

Nothing happened. My body burst into flames as too many emotions brewed inside of me. I couldn't believe how much the truth had hurt me, and I had no idea how to calm myself down.

"Artemis!" I shouted. "Artemis, I need you..."

Seconds later, Artemis came running toward me. "Faith, what's wrong? Why aren't you resting?" She asked.

I flung myself into her arms. Thanks to her sun stone, she didn't burn as she held me. Eventually, the rage burned out of me and I was mentally reduced to my four-year-old self while I sobbed in the arms of my consort. The flames fell away and my flesh returned to normal as I trembled.

"He betrayed us," I whispered.

"Who did?" Artemis asked in confusion. "Altheos?"

"This isn't about him," I replied. "Deacon betrayed us. He was my hero. I grieved him! And it turns out they set the fire to fake his death!"

"Oh, Faith..." Artemis said softly as she held me.

"He joined a cult knowing they killed his brother... He let my mom and I grieve him for over a decade... He's a traitor, Artemis... Uncle Deacon is a traitor..."

I felt fresh tears fall from my eyes into her hair and onto her shoulder as she tried to comfort me. "Altheos is charming. He knows how to manipulate people," she said. "I'm certain his cult is much the same. Your uncle was most likely deceived into joining."

I sniffled like a toddler. "I miss my dad," I admitted. I generally never dared to say that out loud. It didn't change anything, and if my mom was around it would only upset her. "I miss him, Artemis. I miss my daddy so much." I cried harder, finally feeling like it was okay to express this pain. I'd kept this trauma buried inside of me for a long time, but with Artemis, I felt safe enough to express even my most guarded parts.

"It's natural to miss your father, Faith," she said gently. "Let this out. Processing this trauma will only make you stronger."

I was already starting to feel better despite simultaneously feeling as if my heart had shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

Artemis has the glue to put it back together, I thought. I wiped the tears from my eyes and blew my nose. Feeling significantly more human, I kissed my gorgeous Goddess girlfriend and found myself again.

"Are you alright?" Artemis asked as I released her.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yep, I'm good to go. Nervous breakdown over. Back to business!" I declared enthusiastically. "Krissy's underground, beneath the sea, in a pocket realm. Altheos is playing with his food. He'll tire of it soon, so we need to find a way to get to her before he decides he's done with her. Let's come up with a strategy!"

"Faith, you need to rest. You used a lot of energy on the chimera," Artemis pointed out.

"Take me to Prometheus. A good dose of his Fire magic will recharge me a lot better than sleep would."

She considered this before nodding. "Alright," she agreed. "Come with me. I know where to find him."

She led me to a house nearby, which I hadn't expected. "Prometheus enjoys living amongst mortals," Artemis explained.

The door had flames etched onto the bottom of it, but other than that, it looked like any other house on the block. Artemis knocked on the door in a pattern I suspected was a secret code to let Prometheus know someone he knew was doing the knocking.

The door swung open. Prometheus smiled at us. "Artemis! What a surprise!" He said. "Come in, come in... Hi, Faith." He paused to study me. "You have endured an ordeal tonight," he said.

"More than one," I admitted.

Prometheus sat me down in front of an enormous fireplace. I immediately felt stronger as the flames lit up the room. "Here," he said as he manifested a coffee cup out of thin air. Inside was something that definitely wasn't coffee.

"Liquid flame," Artemis said as she noticed the contents.

"This will make your strength return rapidly," Prometheus explained. "Enjoy."

I took a sip. The fire immediately started spreading through my veins. I felt the power and heat fixing the physical side of my issues.

"Are you feeling better?" Artemis asked.

"Much," I replied.

"Excellent," Prometheus said. "Stay for as long as you like. This house is a sanctuary to all mortals, but especially ones who have received my blessing. Your soul may be a deity, but you've incarnated as my favorite mortal."

"Thanks, Prometheus," I replied. "We can't stay long. Krissy's missing. We need to come up with a way to rescue her."

"I think we need Athena's guidance," Artemis admitted.

"She's welcome to come here," Prometheus replied. "My house is warded. No one can overhear our conversation, not even Altheos. I recently added an extra layer of protection to keep Viktor out as well. That's harder, but not impossible."

"That might not be a bad idea," Artemis decided. "I will summon Athena and ask her to help us figure this out."

"Excellent. I'll make some tea for you and Athena, and I'll brew more liquid fire for Faith." Prometheus headed into his kitchen.

"Artemis," I said before she could summon Athena.

"Yes, Faith?" She asked.

"This is it, right? Once we come up with our plan, there's no turning back. The battle begins, and we face Altheos and Viktor, and the world potentially erupts into complete and total chaos again."

She looked into my eyes and nodded. "That's right," she confirmed.

"Alright," I said, accepting that we had finally reached this point. I braced myself for the coming fight, more determined than ever. "Then let's do this!"