brought here – sometimes my uncle even pays directly for
the kids' schooling. Like he did for yours. Even people who
don't think they're working for the hotel are working for
subsidiary companies Cutter Industries owns. My uncle
brings these families out here – families with children.
Special children. That's what Aeros is designed for. To
prepare those children for their destinies.”
“And Haven? She's a goddess too?”
“Not quite,” said Varun. “Nobody knows what
Haven is – and she's not about to start talking. These are dark
days for Olympians – since the rivalry between Fire and
Water gods began, nobody trusts anybody else enough to
reveal their true identities. Even the teachers won't get
explicit about what's going on. I know Cassie and Leia are
probably sirens – but that's about it.”
“So that's why the teachers didn't mind that I didn't
do my homework,” I said. “They're in on it, too.”
184
Princes of Paradise (M.A.G.E. #1 )
“Most teachers. Aeros Academy had started
employing mortal teachers, too when spouses of demigods
and such began applying. They didn’t want to discriminate.
So now Aeros Academy have quite a bit of mortals too in the
faculty, staff, and student body.”
“So not all the kids at Aeros are ‘special’ then? Just
most…like Haven, Cassie, Leia…you and Chance?”
“Some of the mortal kids know about us immortals,
and they think they may be from an immortal line, an
Embodiment even, thinking they will eventually come into
their powers; but it never happens. They are truly mortals.
While some of us come into it early on or throughout. Some
of it trickles in. Haven, for instance. It could be that Haven
doesn't know what she is,” said Varun. “Few of us really
understand our identities. Chance and I know – because of
Antonio's role in the community, in bringing all the
Olympians together. Until the goddess Vesta is revealed and
she reads from her book, the other Olympians or their
Embodiments won't Awaken yet.”
“Awaken? Embodiments?”
“To their abilities – their pasts. They won't
185
KAILIN GOW
remember. Only Vesta can reawaken them. And set into
motion the Calypticon.” Varun paused slightly before
saying, “But Vesta hasn’t Awakened either. Whoever is
Vesta’s Embodiment would have to be Awakened first before
all of this happens. She will cause the Calypticon.”
“And Embodiments are like avatars – the energy and
power of the god in human form. Because gods aren't
humans, really. They're pure energy. They have to harness
that power in a human body if they want to be able to act in
the world. They have to assume human form to interact with
humans. If not, their whole presence is too much for a human
to bear.”
“I've heard a little of that mentioned before,” I said.
“Aeros History 101.”
“Now you see why the teachers are so keen to teach
it – along with myths and legends. It's not just academic here.
For all we know, any one of us could be a god or goddess.
My uncle's been tracing divine bloodlines for years, trying
to track down anyone that shows any sign of being a
descendant of Zeus. That's why he bought the property here
in Aeros. It's supposed to be a place of great magic – a place
186
Princes of Paradise (M.A.G.E. #1 )
where all the different legends and myths and gods of Greece
and Rome and Scandinavia and Asia and Polynesia all meet.
A training-ground for gods to train their Embodiments.”
“But if I am a goddess,” I said. “Why wouldn't I
know it?”
“Nobody knows why we're here,” said Varun,
“Instead of Olympus. It's rumored that Zeus got so tired of
the infighting, the politicking among the gods that he
decided to teach us a lesson. We'd all have to live as humans
and learn our lessons as human beings before coming into
the knowledge of our abilities.”
“And are you a god, too?” I turned to Varun.
He didn't answer. “Let's worry about you, now,” said
Varun. “You need to be safe. We don't know who knows
about their abilities yet and who doesn't. Anyone could be a
potential friend – or a potential enemy. Especially among the
water gods – if you are Vesta, you're one of the fire
Olympians. And, as you can imagine, water and fire don't
mix.” He grimaced. “The Erosion shows that.”
“The Erosion?” I was flabbergasted. “You don't
mean...”
187
KAILIN GOW
“It wasn't ice caps at all,” said Varun. “It was never
ice caps. It was the water gods, trying to seize power –
submerge the world...”
“This is big,” I said, everything hitting me all at once.
“Really big.”
“That's what Jana was trying to do when she died,”
Varun said. “Call down the sacred fire that would undo the
Erosion – help the fire gods defeat water. But she didn't pass
the test...”
“Jana again,” I said softly. My mind went back to the
fear I'd had in the locker room – did Varun and Chance just
want me because of that resemblance? Was that resemblance
the reason they thought I might be Vesta. “Will I ever live up
to
