Warrior Rising (Goddess Summoning #6)(103)

“Kat, stop making out and look at this. I do believe we’re sailing into something that is less than normal,” Jacky said, thumping Kat on her back.

Kat turned, but stayed within Achilles’ arms, and looked out at the rippling magic of their future. “I think we’d better just forget about what we used to think of as normal,” she said.

Jacky snuggled against Patroklos’s side. Kat was glad to see that the warriors had pieced together something for him to wear—although the hospital gown had revealed a nice view of his firm backside.

“Fine with me. I’ve never liked normal,” Jacky said.

“You mean you’ve never been normal,” Kat teased.

“You’re going to have to rename me,” Achilles said abruptly. “I don’t want anything to taint our new life, so Achilles is a name that must forever die at Troy.”

“I have an idea,” Jacky said. Three sets of eyes turned to her. “I think you should name him Angel.”

“You know, you are a very troubled woman. Get over your Buffy addiction—it’s just not right,” Kat said while the two men looked confused.

“I did not mean Angel as in Buffy. I meant Angel as in fallen. Please! He doesn’t even have dark hair,” Jacky grumbled.

Kat shook her head in disgust. “I seriously do not think so. Anyway, I have a better idea.”

“What will you call me?” Achilles asked.

Kat turned in his arms. “What do you think of Kirk?”

“Kirk…” Achilles tested the name. “I think I like it.”

“Sounds like the name of a leader,” Patroklos said.

“Well?” Kat asked Jacky.

“I cannot believe you give me a hard time about my Buffy issue, Ms. Star Trek,” Jacky said.

“But you think it’s a good choice, don’t you?” Kat grinned mischievously at her best friend.

Jacky laughed. “What I think is that our future is going to be anything but boring.”

And the magical fog closed around the pearl ship, carrying them away to a new time… and new place… and a future that was definitely not boring.

EPILOGUE

The battle was over. Straggling remnants of the Trojan army were being rounded up and, under Odysseus’s direction, treated with mercy. Athena had ordered Greek warriors to go to all of the temples outside the Trojan walls and be sure that the priestesses and priests were not harmed. When Poseidon showed up with his army of Oceanids and began ripping apart the walls, the three goddesses, rolling their eyes, moved to a safer position in the grove of ancient olive trees.

Hera was restless and kept jumping at every twig crack and leaf flutter.

“What is it with you?” Venus asked. “The war’s over—we got what we wanted.”

“I realize that. We very visibly got what we wanted, clearly showing that the three of us orchestrated all of this.” Hera waved a hand sweepingly at Troy. “At any moment Zeus will awaken from sleeping off the exhaustion caused by our days of magnificent lovemaking and he will learn of our interference here. Angry is an understatement about what he will be—and you know how he is when he’s angered.”

“Wow, you exhausted him? Well done you!” Venus said.

Athena sighed. “Love missed the point, as usual.”

“I didn’t miss it. I just liked the other part better,” Venus said.

“He’s going to be so angry,” Hera said softly. “And we’d been getting along so well, too.”

“Then there is nothing to do but to make sure Zeus does not hear of the parts we played here,” Athena said.

“What do you suggest?” Hera said. “And keep in mind I really don’t think I can keep up the sexual calisthenics. For a few days it was fun. For eternity it would be…” She paused and grimaced. “Painful.”

“We’ll simply bespell them,” Athena said.

“Huh?” Venus said. “Bespelling the genitals of the King and Queen of Olympus is going to be far more difficult than—”

“Would you please get your mind off everyone’s genitals? I’m talking about the Trojans and the Greeks. It should be no problem if the three of us join our powers. Let’s wipe the mortal’s memories clean of everything that happened after the berserker was killed.”

“Could we really do that?” Hera said, beginning to brighten.

“I don’t see why not,” Venus said. She gave Athena a considering look. “You know, all this sex is really having an excellent effect on you. Of course I hate to say it again, but I told you so.”

“While it pains me, it does appear that you were right.” When Venus’s face blossomed into a victorious smile, she added, “This time, that is.” Then the gray-eyed goddess looked out on the battlefield. Her eyes were unerringly drawn to the tall warrior she loved so dearly. Not raising her voice above a whisper, she said, “Odysseus, come to me.” Even from that distance she could see that he looked at her, smiled and began closing the distance between them.

“Why are you calling him? We’re supposed to wipe their memories,” Hera said.

“Not his,” Athena said. “I don’t care about the rest of them, but Odysseus will always remember everything.”