Free Banished by Tamara Gill Page B

existence. They no longer believe in the tales of old. We are a page in
history to them and it is where I prefer our kind to stay.”
    “With all due
respect, old man. My relationship with Cian never put any god in danger. He
would no sooner divulge our existence than he would his own. And yet by your
decree you made him immortal.”
    “Does that not
bring forth questions about a man who never ages nor dies? You put him at risk
of discovery in his own village and home. You did to another what you were
scared of happening to you. You are cruel and blind.” She walked out through the
grand doors of the castle and started to walk toward the village. Memories of
her past flickered behind her eyes. Of her love for all things otherworldly.
Her adventures in the past and the distant futures. Her love for Cian foremost
in her mind.
    “Halt.”
    Chloe turned and
shimmered into the clothes of a god. Power thrummed through her with every beat
of her heart. With the thought of home she pushed off from the ground and
within a moment landed in Olympus. She gazed about the hallowed halls and
recognized everyone present. Artemis smiled then laughed when seeing Hera, Chloe’s
stepmother’s enraged visage. The other god’s startled eyes gave way to fear
when Zeus followed close on her heels.
    “I commanded you
to stop.” He walked up to her, his height and build dwarfing her in comparison.
    “There was a
time that I followed your every command. But I do believe when it comes to who
I love, you have no say. That I long to live and be with a druid should not
concern you. And nor will I allow you to any further create chaos in my life.”
    The pillars shook
and thunder rumbled. “You will, Chloe. You have no choice.”
    “I feel sorry
for you,” she said looking out over Mt Olympus. “The humans have so much more
than us and I have learned a lot from living amongst them.”
    Zeus laughed. “Oh,
do enlighten me.”
    Chloe turned and
met his gaze. “They have something to live for. Life. To make every day count.
What do you live for? Nothing. You have no purpose. Every day you sit on your
golden throne with your thunderbolt to do what? Humans with their fickle blood
make the most of what time they have. They love with passion. Live with fierce
longing, while you, a god, idle away on top of the world and do, nothing.” A
muscle ticked at Zeus’s temple and Chloe smiled.
    “My power on you
may have worn off, my dearest child, but it is easily rectified.”
    “There are worse
things in life than being mortal. You cannot hurt me now.” Chloe walked over to
Zeus and gazed at the man she once worshiped. “Do your worst.”
    “Perhaps it is
not you that I can do my worst to.” Zeus laughed and his court looking on with
interest laughed as well. Chloe glanced over at them all and looked at them
with disgust. How pathetic they were to follow and have no independent thought
for themselves. Each and every one of them scampering after Zeus to ensure they
never befell his wrath.
    Well not her.
Zeus may be the father of all gods but he was also just her father. He could no
longer hurt her anymore than he already had. “Explain,” she said.
    “When I cursed
you to live your mortal life I also cursed your beloved druid. I made him
immortal which is not something your Scotsman wished.” Zeus laughed and the
sound echoed throughout the hall.
    “I know this, so
what is your point?”
    Zeus’s smile
sent a chill down her spine. “I will simply revoke my curse and make your love a mortal once again.”
    Chloe stepped
back as a multitude of thoughts crashed down on her. If Cian was made mortal it
would make him over eighteen hundred years old. He would age within a moment
from a young man in his prime to nothing but dust. Her stomach clenched. She
couldn’t allow it. Just the thought of losing Cian after finding him again was
an unbearable burden to even visualize. “I will not let you kill him,” she
said, raising her chin. “You’ve