Warrior Rising by P. C. Cast Read Free Book Online

Athena said.
    â€œAbsolutely,” 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.”
    â€œThe 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.”
    â€œAnd 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.”
    â€œExactly what I’ve been trying to tell her,” Venus said.
    â€œI don’t think I like that.” Athena frowned.
    â€œI 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.
    â€œAnd I don’t think you’re going to like what happens if you rouse the anger of the Goddess of War,” Athena said.
    â€œEnough!” 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.
    â€œNow, 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?”
    â€œOf 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.
    â€œVery 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?”
    â€œYes, Goddess.” The young priestess moved into place.
    â€œLet us join in a circle of divine power.” The three goddesses solemnly clasped hands around the fallen princess of Troy and her servant. “Concentrate on the wine in the goblet,” Hera told them. Then she cleared her throat and recited the spell:
    â€œJoined together with a single mind, goddesses three our powers we do bind.”
    Eleithyia gasped as the wine in the goblet she had lifted above her head began to glow with such a brilliant light that it shined in reflection off the distant domed ceiling of the temple.
    â€œStanding here bathed in conjured light, empower this wine with our combined might. The gift of healing is what we ask, fruit of the vine, accept this as your task.”
    â€œIt is hot!”