The pure white, Grecian palace was now done up inside like a Victorian home. Hand-painted wallpaper covered the walls; some in rich, velvet-embossed, jewel tones, and some in softer pastels. There was stained glass in the windows, carved crown moldings near the ceilings, and frosted globe lamps sitting atop spindly tables. Athena met us in the garden courtyard before the palace and led us through the comfy interior until we settled in a chinoiserie sitting room.
The Chinese influence was overdone in the best, Victorian way. Hand-painted designs of delicate trees, blossoming flowers, and long-feathered birds adorned the gilded walls. Moldings drooped in pagoda slopes painted a soft sage green. An enormous, gold and green mirror hung over the moss-green, marble fireplace, its sweeping lines topped with dancing Chinese people. A blue and white, china urn sat before the cold fireplace and tables which perfectly fit the niches to either side held more vases in similar styles. The modern-Victorian couches curved their gilded arms and backs beneath cushions in the same green as the accent molding. I took a seat on a couch set before an intricately painted folding screen. The perfection made me nervous. I folded my hands in my lap, afraid to touch anything.
Hades and Persephone were indeed there already, sitting in some chairs by the fireplace, and the remaining Olympians were scattered around the large room. Poseidon, Apollo, Hestia, and Hermes; the tally fell far short of the original twelve.
“Thank you for coming,” Athena said. “I'm glad you were with Vervain, Artemis. I sent Aleksanteri to your territory but you weren't there.”
“We were trying to find Nemesis,” Artemis said.
“Nemesis is missing too?” Athena looked at the other gods in concern. “Are there any other Greeks missing?”
“I'll check,” Aleksanteri offered and flew off his perch in a corner and out an open window.
“What's going on?” Hades growled as he pulled off his sunglasses with a sharp motion. Flames flared brightly behind the translucent brown of his irises.
“Easy, Hotness.” Persephone laid a comforting hand on her husband's arm. “We'll figure it out.”
“I haven't heard any rumors of vendettas against us.” Hermes scowled as if his ignorance concerned him more than the fact that his fellow gods were missing.
Hermes is Pan's father, and he used to be one of Aphrodite's lovers. We'd been at odds with each other for a long time. But then Lesya had gone missing, and Hermes had helped me. I wouldn't forget that. Not ever. We had a sort of grudging truce going now, and I was learning that being friends with the Messenger God had its perks. Hermes had a news empire that included several sources. Although, it seemed that his sources had failed him this time.
“If Hermy don't know the deal, things are lookin' bleak for sure,” Poseidon, AKA Donnie, piped up in his surfer accent. He ran a hand through his platinum-blond hair and shook his head at the terrible state of our affairs.
“Hold on,” Artemis straightened her power suit as she sat forward. “How did you discover that Nemesis is missing?”
“She didn't show up for a meeting we had scheduled,” Morpheus said. “She wanted to discuss Narcissus.”
“Narcissus,” Athena murmured thoughtfully.
“You think it could be him?” Apollo—Artemis' twin brother—asked.
For once, Apollo looked normal. He was dressed in jeans and a band shirt and lacked his usual entourage of Muses. His shoulder-length blond hair hung in a sloppy ponytail and his baby blues looked anxious. I abruptly recalled that Apollo is a god of prophecy—among other things—and I wondered if he'd seen something. I didn't ask; I hated prophecies.
“I can see why he'd go after Nemesis but why would Narcissus mess with the Olympians?” Odin asked.
“Because we sanctioned Nemesis' curse,” Hestia said.
“I didn't,” Hades corrected. “That was before Persephone and I became Olympians. Before Vervain joined as well.”
“Then perhaps you three are safe,” Athena offered. “But someone seems to be picking off the rest of us, and Narcissus is as good a guess as anyone.”
“Better than good,” Hermes said. “Likely.”
“You don't have any other clues?” I asked Athena.
She just gave me an annoyed look.
“How did you discover that the two of them were missing?” Morpheus asked.
“I had a business meeting with Hephaestus to discuss the new jewelry designs I had for him,” Athena explained. “He never showed. I went to his territory and found his forge cold.”
Several of the Greeks inhaled sharply. I looked around in surprise.
“Gasp,” I said dryly. “What's with the forge? Why is it so important?”
“Hephaestus never lets his forge go cold,” Artemis explained. “It's a physical representation of his magic.”
“All right,” I said. “What about Hera?”
“I checked on the other Olympians and they were fine, but I had a bad feeling.” Athena's jaw clenched. “So, I sent Aleksanteri to find Hera, and he came back with news that she wasn't home.”
“Maybe she's gone into hiding,” I suggested. “After what happened to Zeus, I wouldn't blame her.”
“I searched for her extensively.” Athena shook her head. “As the head of the Olympians, I can find any of our council; ex or current. Hera is not in the Human Realm.”
“You can find any of us?” I asked in surprise.
“You gave me a vow,” she reminded me. “Yes; I can find you. But your husbands have closer ties to you than I; they'd be able to track you faster.”
“Faster wasn't my concern,” I muttered.
“What about the God Realm?” Hades asked. “You said Hera wasn't in the Human Realm, but what about our realm?”
“I'm assuming she's here somewhere, but I can't feel her,” Athena said. “The connection feels muted. No; that's not right. It feels... as if it's there but it doesn't connect to her anymore. I don't know how to explain it.”
“Morph, you remember what you told me about my magic when I was in the Mirror?” I
