The Revelation (Pandora's Harem 1) A Reverse Harem Tale(6)

The first thing that pops out and catches my attention is a magnificent drawing of three nearly naked men. Spartans, from the look of it, each posed in a ferocious battle stance, their red capes flowing in the wind. Their muscled forms are depicted in muted colors and are faded on the page as if they’re meant to be a decorative background rather than a vibrant, in-your-face type of image.

I settle a little deeper in to the couch and kick off my boots.

Across the bodies of the Spartan warriors is a string of words arranged in five sentences, written in a legible, but perfect script. And the lines of text are in English, which is a shocker because I doubt Zeus even knew about English when he wrote this book.

I glide my fingers over the letters, each one curved and easy to read. The black ink rises slightly from the page, just enough so the pad of my right forefinger can detect its imprint.

I study the words, my tongue eager to see how they will roll from my mouth. Naughty Pandora. I am so never going to be anything but an imp. The words form on my tongue with such force I know I will not be happy until I say them all.



“Slumber unguarded and I call Doom.

Stir Doom and I wander toward Violence.

Entertain Violence and I court Death.

Instead I order my slumber to take place amid Spartans.

And amid Spartans, I challenge Death, Violence, and Doom.”



Zeus’s words are odd, and I have no idea how to translate their true meaning. Even my degree can’t help me out as no college course ever stated Pandora still lived. So, helping myself out, is not going to be easy.

I yawn and shut the book. Maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow when I can spend the whole day going through Zeus’s tome. There must be something in there that will help me navigate my way around the life I should be living. I mean, if this is my one chance at redemption, then that has to mean my box still exists, because without it, I will never be able to rein in the evil I unleashed. So, I know I have to find the box. But without knowing where it is, or even what it really looks like, I know it won’t be easy.

An odd sensation creeps into my bones.

Did I do this before? Did the goddess Chaos find me in the past? She hadn’t said for sure except that I had given her and Zeus the slip. But did she ever actually talk to me about this in the past? Find me long enough to tell me who I was? Did I learn things I didn’t like? Why did I go from body to body? I have so many question and I never thought to ask one of them.

And what exactly will happen to me when and if I find my box and make amends? Will Pandora’s story change? And how does that play into destiny and the belief that no one has the right to mess with destiny? Change someone’s fate and you can bring on a whole shitload of chaos. Wouldn’t Professor Os love that. It would be right up her alley. Maybe her and Zeus are in cahoots. I always did feel the gods set up Pandora, set me up.

Gods, but that sounds so strange to me.

Pandora.

Being the world’s most famous imp still isn’t fully sinking in yet.

I sigh. Maybe I can never escape Zeus.

Then again, how much power do the Olympians really have? After all, the ancient Greek Pantheon isn’t exactly top of the god chain anymore. Yet, if they had no powers whatsoever, I doubt Chaos would have given me Zeus’s book. She also didn’t elaborate on her little snicker about how she was going to have fun with me while we played this game. And what game, exactly, was that? I really should have gotten more information from her.

Gods, but I have so many questions and not a single frickin’ answer. I need to find the reason behind Kaye’s luring me into the world of the Greek myths, find the motive behind her actions.

A queasy sensation settles in my gut.

I better learn everything I need to know, fast. Because something deep down in the very pit of my core is saying I’m heading for trouble. And not the kind of trouble a human immortal can get out of on her own.





Chapter 3





After downing a bowl of mac and cheese, I grab Zeus’s book and pad into the bedroom. Now that I know the mighty ruler of Olympus and his minions are watching me, I don’t trust leaving such a magickal tome out of sight. Who knows what the book can do? Or what truly lives within its pages? Though I guess anything can happen to it while I’m asleep, unless I take it to bed with me, which is so not happening. The book will just have to settle for being left on the nightstand.

I shuffle over to the bed, click on the wall lamp that juts out from above the headboard, and swing its brass arm so its light shines on the nightstand. At least I won’t be leaving the book in the dark, which is a lot more than I can say the gods did for me.

Picklepusses.

Pushing the alarm clock out of the way so I can still see the blue neon numbers from bed, I set the book down just off the nightstand’s corner edge. As I pull my hand away, a small shock kisses my fingers. I laugh. Before this morning I was just Dora, the college graduate who was hoping to eventually get a job at the Met or some other prestigious museum, working in the Greek Mythology department. Now I’m a living, breathing part of mythology. Who would have thought? I doubt I’ll ever truly get used to the idea.

Looking away from the nightstand, I shuck off my jeans and sweater and stare down at my pink fuzzy socks. I bet they don’t have fuzzy socks on Mount Olympus. A frightening thought enters my mind. Can Zeus ever call me home? Make me leave the only world I know? I’d never want to leave earth, even if my life isn’t fabulous and perfect, but just average. Average is perfect in my view when I compare it to world of the gods. In the least, it’s a lot less complicated and a lot safer.