Warrior Rising (Goddess Summoning #6)(10)

Venus smiled down at her. “Not after your goddess pays a little visit to Agamemnon, he won’t.”

“Me?” Hera said.

“Certainly. You’re Goddess of Marriage. You’ll simply appear to Agamemnon and tell him that his worries would be so much less if he had his war bride replaced, and you happen to know that Briseis would make the perfect little bride for him.”

“I don’t even know the girl. And I certainly cannot stand that wretched Agamemnon and his overbearing arrogance,” Hera said.

“It may just work,” Athena said.

“Of course it will work.” Venus smiled approval at Athena. “While Hera is appearing to Agamemnon you’ll be paying the lovely Thetis a visit. Have her tell her son that she wants him to withdraw from the battle because of the disrespect Agamemnon has shown him in stealing his bride. Then mention as a little aside that she has arranged for a new war bride for him—a royal maiden who meets with her approval because she’s not like the typical silly women he’s used to. That should intrigue him.”

Athena narrowed her shrewd gray eyes at the Goddess of Love. “In the meantime you will be readying our Polyxena for the role she will play in this.”

“Exactly. She needs to keep Achilles busy—too busy to consider rejoining the battle. She can also work on that nasty temper of his and perhaps love, or an earthy, lusty version of love, can reach the man inside the beast.” Venus grinned mischievously. “Let’s face it, Zeus prophesized Achilles’ early end years ago, then he probably forgot all about it. You know how busy the King of Olympus is. If Achilles himself were to turn from his fated future, Zeus would, more than likely, allow his destiny to change.” Venus grinned at Hera. “Especially if Zeus’s wife were to exert some of her influence”—the Goddess of Love purred the word—“on her husband.”

Hera sighed. “Your plan sounds convoluted, complex and open to errors.”

“Exactly why it is so perfect, darling,” Venus said. “Love is never simplistic, and Love is running this show.”

“May all the gods and goddesses help us,” Athena muttered.

Venus ignored her. “So, do we fix up those bodies for the two souls, or do we just stand here looking beautiful?”

“Let’s get to work. I’ve had more than enough of the Trojan War,” Hera said.

“At least that is something with which all three of us agree,” Athena said.

“Absolutely,” Venus said.

The three goddesses strode into Hera’s inner sanctum with the utterly confused Eleithyia trailing after them.

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

"I don’t know why we have to heal both bodies. The mortal woman you’ve chosen for Achilles is going to take Polyxena’s body. Shouldn’t we just send the other on her way to wherever it is dead modern mortals go?” Athena said.

Venus shook her head in disgust. “Athena, you need more girlfriends. We’re going to zap a modern mortal into an ancient princess’s body and ask her to do our bidding. Oh, and, by the way, that little memory she has of an accident where she and her best friend are killed? Well, yes, that’s unfortunate, but whatever. We needed her, so her best friend is toast. She should just go about our business and forget about her.”

“The problem with that is?” Athena said. “And what does toast have to do with it?”

Venus rolled her lovely eyes. “It’s just an expression. A modern mortal expression that means done, over with.”

“And the problem with asking one mortal do so something for us without including her friend is that modern mortal women are different than ancient women,” Hera explained patiently. “They’re independent and smart and not used to bowing down and taking orders. Actually, now that I think about it, they’re a lot like goddesses.”

“Exactly what I’ve been trying to tell her,” Venus said.

“I don’t think I like that.” Athena frowned.

“I don’t think you’re going to like the lines that will start appearing on your face if you don’t stop frowning so much,” Venus said.

“And I don’t think you’re going to like what happens if you rouse the anger of the Goddess of War,” Athena said.

“Enough!” Hera’s voice shot out, ringing powerfully against the walls of her temple. Then she closed her eyes briefly and drew a deep breath. “Your bickering is getting in the way of what we must do here. More importantly, it’s giving me a headache.” The Queen of the Gods glanced at little Eleithyia, who was cowering in a corner. “And you’re scaring my priestess, who has already had enough stress for one day.”

Venus and Athena muttered apologies.

“Now, let us get this done.” Hera gave the two goddesses one more severe look before turning to Eleithyia. “We’ll need a ceremonial goblet filled with the temple’s very best wine. Can you get that for me?”

“Of course, Goddess!” Recovering quickly now that she was given a familiar task, the young priestess scampered off, returning only moments later with a golden goblet filled with rich red wine.

“Very good.” Hera nodded her approval. Then she approached the bodies of Polyxena and her maidservant, motioning for Venus and Athena to join her. “Bring the goblet here, Eleithyia, and stand before the bodies. When I begin the healing spell, raise the goblet so that the wine can be filled with our power. Do you understand?”