The Secret of the Emerald Sea by Heather Matthews Read Free Book Online

Minerva, whom he knew Jupiter indeed considered his child, particularly since she had sprung from his brow—instead of being born in the normal manner. He had also found a way to speak with her privately about his daughter. And, at the same time , he had taken the blame and distracted Jupiter from the matter of shipwrecks and unemployed fishermen. Or so he thought.
    “Well.” Jupiter smiled. “That is a fine idea. For your punishment, you must have your mermaids repair the fishing boats by magic, in the night when all the humans are sleeping. No matter how long it takes, I want those boats as good as new, even if you have to do it yourself.”
    Neptune fought the urge to roll his eyes. He always makes me repair the ships, he thought, sighing to himself. With all the power I possess, he still puts me on an assembly line with my mermaids!
    Neptune hated directing the mermaids, who fluttered around with tiny, white hands. Usually, he would squander all his magic on the problem, and then be left drained.
    I don’t want to repair their boats , he thought angrily. Let them stay out of my seas instead . Humans were always the source of his worst problems. But he agreed to fix the boats, knowing all the while that the humans would see this as a miracle of the Christian God, and not even give him kudos for doing it.
    * * * *
     
    Minerva rose regally and stood before Neptune, who seemed lost in thought—although she doubted the thoughts themselves were deep.
    “Neptune,” she began gently, in a low voice that was always carefully modulated, and never angry or heated. “I am honored that you would seek my advice.” She wondered idly how long he would prattle on about his problems, as she had a special game of chess set up in the Sunlit Cloud after the meeting. She would play against her own father, who tended to lose, but who was also a good opponent, or at least, the best she could find.
    Jupiter smiled benevolently at her as she chatted with Neptune, and she smiled at the Sky God, rare warmth flooding her heart. I love my father , she thought happily, whether he loses at chess or not ... I will do this favor for him, and any other favor he asks of me .
    * * * *
     
    “Thank you, Minerva!” Jupiter boomed proudly. And, silently, he thanked the heavens that he would most likely be spared another punishing defeat at chess against his daughter. It was something he always failed to enjoy, but he knew it pleased Minerva no end to play with him.
    Perhaps today, now that he had a little free time, he could arrange another meeting with the charming milkmaid he had been observing through his omniscience. She was Irish, and blushed the color of a wild rose.
    What form shall I take this time? he wondered lazily, forgetting about the business at hand. The other misdeeds were minor, and summarily, the gods and goddesses were dismissed for strong Roman coffee and sweet Maritozzi buns, which Venus would never touch.
    “After the break,” Jupiter said, “Minerva can speak with Neptune for as long as he likes.” He bestowed a small smile on Neptune. In truth, he liked the sometimes-bumbling Sea God, who was his brother, after all, and he understood the anger that sometimes led to poor judgment. Jupiter knew Minerva did not share his affection for Neptune, but she was a good girl. It was her nature to be just and fair, and she would help the King Of The Emerald Sea—whom she had once referred to, quite cuttingly, as “The Buffoon Of The Deep”—if she possibly could, no matter how she felt about him privately.

Chapter Nine
     
    Minerva sighed and moved closer to Neptune. The other deities chatted while she led him off to a secluded corner of the cloud to talk. As Neptune began his story, confiding in her so completely and with such emotional honesty, he seemed so sad and despondent that the Goddess of Wisdom was thrown off balance.
    As he spoke of his doomed love for a human woman, she was somehow touched by his words. She had not