“What happened?” he asked, holding her tightly to his chest. “We heard you challenge Zeus.”
Helen pulled back and looked Lucas in the eye. “I beat him,” she said, still not wholly believing it herself. The other Scions grouped around her, making shocked sounds. “I tricked him and trapped him in Everyland. As long as I exist, he’s never getting out. What about the Myrmidons?” she asked.
“We think there are only three left,” Castor said darkly. “Telamon had them retreat. They’re done—for today, anyway.”
“We still have that Kraken to deal with,” Hector reminded her, his face grim.
Helen nodded and turned to Orion. “Does Poseidon control the Kraken?” she asked.
“Sort of,” Orion replied. “He can set it loose and call it back again, but once it’s free, it mostly does its own thing.” He gestured to the slapdash carnage around them.
“All right,” Helen said with a sharp nod. “I guess Poseidon’s next.”
“Helen? Are you sure that’s the wisest—” Jason began, but Helen didn’t let him finish.
“Challenge! I challenge Poseidon!” she shouted, somewhere in the direction o
f the ocean. Nothing happened. “Damn it!” Helen swore, turning to face the group. “Does anyone have a pumpkin?”
Cassandra went to one of the campfires and pulled a pot off the flame. She dumped the liquid out quickly and came back to Helen, placing the pot on the sand in front of her. Helen looked at the pot skeptically.
“Cauldron,” Cassandra said with a shrug, like it was self-explanatory. The pot disappeared, and orange fire erupted in a circle as Hecate accepted the offering.
Poseidon came up the beach, flanked on all sides by his fellow Olympians. He stopped just outside the ring of fire but wouldn’t enter it. Hermes was at his side, speaking to him urgently.
“She did what?” Poseidon remarked, his surprise making him loud enough for Helen to hear. He glanced back at Athena, and she nodded once to confirm what Hades had told her.
“She defeated Zeus,” Athena announced. Helen could have sworn she saw a small smile tilt up the edges of Aphrodite’s lovely mouth before she schooled it straight again.
“Poseidon. I’m calling you out. Get in the ring,” Helen commanded, trying hard to ignore the fact that he looked exactly like Lucas.
“And why would I do that?” Poseidon answered with a sneer. “So you can send me straight to Tartarus? I’m no Worldbuilder. I can’t control the portals like you can.”
“That’s right. I can control the portals, and none of you can. You’d better remember that,” Helen yelled back, her anger rising until her cheeks were hot and her fingers dropped sparks from the tips, like her hands were spilling stars on the sand. “And if one of you even breathes on a mortal the wrong way, I swear I’ll hunt you down and send you to Tartarus. Now, get in the ring, Poseidon. Or forfeit this fight, take all your smelly monsters, and get the hell away from my family.”
Poseidon took a step forward and glared at Helen from across the ring as Athena whispered frantically in his ear. Finally, he settled down, but Helen saw a grudge growing in his eyes.
“I forfeit!” Poseidon snarled. Helen felt her knees quiver with relief, but she couldn’t back down just yet.
“Anyone else?” she said, looking each Olympian in the face. “Does anyone else want to fight me?” They all dropped their gazes. “Good! Now shut that giant, rotten squid up or I’ll send it—and one of you—to Tartarus on principle.”
Helen stared extra long at Apollo, just so he knew who would be joining the Kraken in Tartarus if it came to that.
Poseidon’s eyes drilled into hers from across the ring. His bare chest swelled with incensed breaths. Helen met his stare and didn’t flinch. She held all the cards. He couldn’t even curse her, and somehow, he seemed to know it. After a few tense moments, he raised a hand, concentrated, and the Kraken began to retreat. Strange trumpets sounded, and the rest of his sea-creature army pulled back, slithering or scurrying to the water.
“Forever is a long time, Helen,” Poseidon warned as his army retreated. He narrowed his eyes at her. “We’ll be seeing you.”
“And we’ll be watching you,” Helen warned, gesturing to her group of Scions. Unless Helen put all the gods in Tartarus, she couldn’t stop them from wandering the Earth. All she and her family could do was make sure the Olympians didn’t hurt anyone. She shared a look with Hector and saw her worry mirrored there. The Scions may have won the war, but that didn’t mean the threat was gone.
Poseidon turned and walked down to the waves, disappearing beneath them. As the rest of the Olympians dispersed, some with looks of bitterness, others with respect, Aphrodite came forward and took both of Helen’s hands in hers.
“Sister,” she said, kissing Helen on the cheek as if they had just met up for lunch. Helen laughed, shaking her head. Aphrodite had always hated wars and tended to ignore that they were happening altogether. “Come visit me soon. You and Lucas. I’ll let you know where I settle, but I’m thinking Cyprus for the winter.”
“We’ll see you soon,” Helen promised, chuckling and shaking her head.
Even though Aphrodite had caused Helen as much trouble as Zeus, there was no way she could ever stay upset with her for long. Like Claire, no matter what Aphrodite did, Helen knew she would end up forgiving her in about five seconds. Sisters were annoying that way.
Aphrodite pulled back and stroked Helen’s cheek. “That beautiful face,” she murmured, before flying away in a nimbus of golden light.