Page 2 of Immortal Sun (Dark Olympus)

CHAPTER 2

CLEO

“Old myths, old gods, old heroes have never died. They are only sleeping at the bottom of our mind, waiting for our call. We have need for them. They represent the wisdom of our race.”— Stanley Kunitz

I grip the railing as the fresh sea breeze of the Puget Sound stings my face. I loathe ferries. I always have. They’re large water taxis that move at the speed of a snail and right now it’s taking everything in me not to just jump into the freezing cold water and swim.

“Please. Please.” I tug at my bracelet and stare at the Olympic Mountain range.

My brain can’t help but continue to spit out the actual facts.

Nearly a million acres just outside of Seattle of nothing but mountains and water surrounding it.

Seventy-three miles of coastline alone.

Thirty-two glaciers.

Scientists have explored only about five percent of the earth’s oceans and according to myth we even have a giant squid or Kraken in ours. Not to mention the fascinating draw of one of the only islands in the Puget Sound where archeologists have found Egyptian hieroglyphics.

I look over the edge. A single tear slides down my cheek dropping dramatically against the railing, between my two hands still gripping tight. It’s around a thousand feet in depth.

He could be anywhere.

Or he could be totally fine.

This was not how I saw this all going. My twin brother just had to yet again be adventurous and stupid. He was never reliable so why did I think this was the one moment he would be? I not only moved from Glenns Ferry but took a new job to be closer to him and now he’s not even here but missing—or according to one of his nerdy older friends—and the only one I could get into contact with—on the adventure of a lifetime! My grumpy and panicked attitude apparently was not welcome.

Allegedly thousands of people applied to do this dig off the coast and Jack was picked, the plan was for him to go after I got settled in Seattle not just bounce the minute I said yes, scribble the guy’s number down for me to contact, and hook me up with my job.

It took at least a week for the police to finally take me seriously and even then they said it seems he merely went off grid and had told his employer he’d check back in, when asked if he’d done it before I couldn’t just lie and say no. He went missing for an entire month in Egypt two years ago, a year before that he was gone for a week in Cuba. I can’t blame the authorities for seeing him as a flight risk, but this time it feels different, this time I’m truly worried and not at all confident about finding him. The wind feels colder. The journey slower. I know it in my gut—something’s wrong.

The bar I’m supposed to be working for is only supposed to house me temporarily and then Jake and I were going to find our own place. Tears sting the back of my eyes. Jake hasn’t been answering his phone for the last three weeks and the last time I talked with him he was visiting one of the islands in the Mount Olympus range close by. He wasn’t specific, talking so fast I could barely understand his voicemail. I tell myself not to worry, this wouldn’t be the first time he got so obsessed with something that it took every brain cell he had left in order to function. But I am worried. With the upcoming eclipse and the city doing insane celebrations all I can think about is the fact that he’s going to be out in freezing cold water or worse yet on one of the mountains in pitch black—if even for seconds.

I sigh and look up. Even the sky looks ominous and defeated.

I turn to go back inside the warmth of the boat’s cabin and collide with someone. “Sorry!” I hold up my freezing hands. “I was deep in thought.”

The man takes a step back. His messy blonde hair and hypnotic green eyes are hard to look away from. He’s wearing an extremely out of place three piece suit. He does realize we’re headed to Deer Harbor right?

“The weather.” He shrugs and points. “It can exhaust the best of us, especially the wind when it tries to fight its way over the mountains.”

“I guess it does. Again, sorry. I’m a bit…distracted. Tired. Exhausted, you know the drill. Maybe it is the wind, like you said.”

I try to sidestep him when he moves in my path. “I know the feeling. Nature loves to bring about chaos. One day it’s snowing, the next day you have an angry thunderstorm.”

“I’m not much one for storms.” I say politely and again start to move.

He tilts his head, it’s methodical, almost calculated. A chill runs down my spine. “It’s chaotic isn’t it? Life?”

What’s with this guy? Is he lonely? A creeper? Stalker? I shove my freezing hands into my black trench coat. “Yup. Full of chaos.”

“Enjoy your journey.” He smiles. “It gets easier, you know.” Now he sidesteps me and keeps walking. “Small world, I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

He’s stunningly gorgeous but something tells me he’s not safe. And the fact that he thinks I could possibly bump into him in Seattle of all places is laughable.

I quickly go inside the cabin and rub the amulet on my bracelet again. My mom said it was important that my brother and I always keep the bracelets close so that when we missed each other we could simply touch the amulet and know the other was okay. It was one of the reasons I loved her stories so much, she’d say anything to make us feel safe, loved, secure, even by making up pretend protection bracelets.

The bracelet feels warm, like him. There’s no way something has happened. I repeat that to myself a few more times.

When we finally get to Port I look around for the weird man, mainly because I don’t want him following me, but I don’t see him, it’s like he’s disappeared into thin air. Strange.

The sun suddenly breaks through the fog. Instantly it shines down on my face, heating me, protecting me from the cold sea breeze, from the elements the Puget Sound provides on a daily basis during the fall and winter months. I grab my duffel bag and suitcase and start to walk out onto the pier.

I’m so lost in my thoughts and the feel of the sun on my face that I don’t see him at first, not until my name’s called.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

“Yo.” A voice sounds.

I jerk my head in the direction of a black Mercedes and a guy standing in front of it waving his phone through the air. “I think I’m your Lyft?”

I check my phone and suddenly feel like an idiot. I’d scheduled it ahead of time, the guy at least has super high marks, I’m sure it helps that he’s almost too pretty for words. Huh. His hair tied back into a bun. He has orange and white streaks through it and his eyes are a really deep blue, or wait, green? I can’t tell this far away but his skin is immaculate right along with his jaw line so no complaints for the distraction.

I roll my suitcase towards him. “Yeah sorry, you know for being so close to Deer Harbor it sure feels like it takes forever.”

He takes my bag and effortlessly puts it in the trunk. “Yeah well, time has a weird way of affecting us all. Plus that damn ferry moves at the speed of dry paint, wasn’t it like four hours?"

"Yeah. I probably could have fished for my own meal in that time.“ I joke.

He grins and opens the back door to let me in." then jogs around the car and gets in. His car seems way too fancy to use as Lyft, no offense if that’s his thing but it’s immaculate.

Water sits in the cupholder along with a face mask and a tucked blanket. Geez, how much am I paying for this? It’s at the very least in traffic, an almost two hour drive to downtown. At least I thought it was?

“All right.” He taps his phone and puts it in its holder. “It looks like you’re headed to a bar first. Good choice. I approve. No judgement.”

“I’m going to be working there.” I interject quickly.

“I work at bars sometimes too.” He winks in the rearview. “Plus I have lots of friends who frequent it. Very popular hotspot downtown, just ignore the rumors about it being haunted by vampires, like they could ever, am I right?”

“Right.” I nod slowly.

He turns on some Tate McRae and pulls onto the freeway then reaches to his dash and starts touching the leaf of a small succulent.

What in the ever-loving hell?

Why are the sexy ones insane?

He catches me staring and pulls into traffic. “Chill, I’m just grounding.”

I frown. “Isn’t grounding where you’re barefoot on the ground connecting with the earth's energy or whatever?”

He snorts out a laugh. “Cute.”

I make a face.

“Oh, don’t worry.” He stops touching the plant, but I could swear the thing makes an effort to move towards him, like it’s straining for more attention. “I’m happily married, she’s a goddess my wife, seriously.”

She would probably have to be to put up with a guy that thinks grounding means touching a plant, but okay. “I’m happy for you. I think I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit.”

He nods. “Sounds good. I’ll get you there safely. I made a promise.”

“What?”

“I promise.” He says softly as the temperature of the car suddenly heats up, lulling me into a very deep sleep.

I normally don’t dream.

But for two straight hours all I dreamt of.

Was fire.