“Wow, there are so many people,” Kris whispered as we entered the Royal Hall. She was not wrong. The immense space was crowded with Hellenicus from all over the world. The ceiling soared high above us, and its artwork was even more impressive than the mural in the Hyped lobby. Hand-painted mountains and skies encircled the room, with the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades) watching over us all, while the rest of the Olympians were dotted around the room—Hera, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia, and Dionysus. Vases of blooming flowers gave off a cloying scent as we made our way past them, and my nose twitched as I held back a sneeze.

Those of us who were to be inducted as Awakened tonight were corralled to one side of the hall, and I was happy to ditch my mother and her fussing over every detail of my appearance. She needed to chill. No one would be looking at a Regular like me. No one except for Carlo, who’d join later for the after-party since he had already gone through all of this four years ago. Those who had already experienced their first Gathering could come anytime during the month of December, unlike us first timers, who had to spend the full month participating in all the Court-organized activities. The only escape was a click—then we’d be exempt from everything.

We gathered at the foot of the golden staircase that twisted upward in a perfect spiral. Royal Guards made a not-so-subtle semicircle around it, discouraging anyone from getting too close. A stressed-looking official noticed that Kris and I were standing together, and without saying a word, sternly pointed at me and motioned for me to stand at the back. Of course—it was Pure Royals, then Royals, then Regulars. Kris gave me an apologetic half smile in sympathy, and I shrugged. Typical Hellenicus baloney.

At the back of the group I couldn’t see a thing over the heads of everyone else—short people problems—so I hiked up the skirt of my dress and climbed onto the base of the massive statue beside me. On my perch tucked behind the sculpture, there was no way my judgmental parents would be able to spot me. It was perfect.

The sound of a harp filled the hall. The excited murmuring quieted as all eyes were drawn to the top of the golden staircase. The awestruck crowd gasped as the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my entire life appeared at the top of the stairs. Queen Rhea Christoulakis. With perfectly symmetrical features and piercing blue eyes, her looks transcended time. I could hardly believe she was even a real person and not a goddess standing before us. But more than her classically beautiful looks, it was the grace of her presence that made me forget to breathe. She carried herself with such poise.