“He is not what he seems,” she said, and a snake snapped at the air. “The Apollyon has committed acts of great treachery.”

“I know.” My hands curled into fists. “I know what he’s capable of. And I know who he used to be and who he is becoming.”

Her head turned slightly as an owl hooted from the trees, and Medusa sighed.

“Of course. She is coming.”

“Who?”

Medusa stepped back as the wind picked up. The curls thickened all along her head and then sprang free. I gasped. Snakes of all sizes formed, hissing and striking at the space. I tried not to stare or freak out, but then the owl called out. I blinked and without any warning, a tall woman stood in front at the edge of the clearing.

Brown hair fell in waves to her waist, covering her chest, which I figured was a good thing. Her white gown brushed the grass and was as transparent as glass.

She was not a waxer.

“Athena,” hissed Medusa. “How nice of you to join us.”

My eyes widened. I might’ve stopped breathing.

The goddess shot Medusa a silencing glare as she approached me. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Bow? Get on my knees? I didn’t do that when Apollo came around, but this wasn’t my father. This was the goddess Athena, who apparently punished victims of sex crimes and turned them into monsters. She was in front of me before I could do anything, and I was staring into all-white eyes.

“This,” Athena spoke, lifting her hand. She held a vial with a bluish-red liquid in it. “This is for you, child of Apollo.”

Uh . . .

Athena held the glass vial out to me. “It is the blood of a Pegasus. You know what it does.”

This was the most bizarre day of my life, and that was saying something.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and closed it over the vial. My skin brushed Athena’s and a jolt of electricity shocked me.

Athena’s lips curled up on one side.

I glanced down at the vial. This would definitely come in handy, especially since it worked against the Titans.

“There is something you must know,” Athena said, and her voice seemed to carry on the wind. The sound was everywhere. “Medusa guards this gateway and these icons, but her power to turn man to stone does not work against deities.”

“Unfortunately,” muttered Medusa.

Athena ignored her. “She will not be able to stop the Titans or even a demigod, and especially not the Apollyon.”