Chapter 46.

There was this hollow feeling nagging at the back of her head when she approached the grave. In one hand she was clutching a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the other a framed picture of Dahyun and her father. 

The fotograph showed them laughing and covered in paint. It must have been taken quite a long time ago because Dahyun barely looked older than 7. No signs of trauma. Just a bright grin and happy eyes that seemed to sparkle with innocence. 

Sana must have been completely lost in thoughts because she nearly jumped when someone tapped her shoulder. 

Mina's slender body came into view. She gently took the picture and flowers from Sana and placed them on the gravestone. 

Mina: "Her father must have really loved her"

Sana nodded. 

No one said anything for some time. It was calming not having to force a conversation. 

The daughter of Athena placed a hand on the gravestone. Following the writing with delicate fingers. 

Mina:" Jihyo is back. I met her before coming here. She drove me." 

This peaked Sana's interest. 

Sana:" Did she say anything about the meeting?" 

Mina hummed and retracted her arm to rest it on her hip. 

Mina:" The God's were furious. It must have left a rather bitter taste in their mouths to fall for Echidna's tricks. They didn't elaborate how exactly a mere monster, even if that monster was Echidna, managed to trap them. Their egos must have been bruised enough with or without telling Jihyo were they messed up."

There was another small pause where Sana thought about Jihyo. 

Sana:" Is she alright? Jihyo i mean."

The younger sighed and brushed a lose strand out of her face. 

Mina:" Like I said. The Gods were furious. At the top, of course, was Zeus. You heard the lighting storms the past few weeks as good as I did. Jihyo wasn't too keen on sharing how angry he was at her. Which is understandable."

There was a bang of guilt that hit both Sana and Mina. All Demigods that were there, when Zeus ordered only Jihyo to visit the Olympus and explain the situation, felt anxious for their friend. And whilst Jihyo tried to lighten up the mood by joking around, it was clear as day that she was forcing a smile through her banters. 

Sana:" Was there anything else?" 

Mina hesitated. 

Mina:" Well...They brought up Dahyun a few times. Zeus was already suspicious of Artemis and wanted answers, however, Hera for once stepped in and told Zeus to shut it. - In different words of course - . Artemis managed to convince most of the God's that Dahyun was merely one of her huntresses whom she cared dearly about. A half truth. In the end they settled on the idea that Dahyun must have been an unclaimed child of a minor God that was unlucky enough to be caught up in Echidna's awful plans." 

The daughter of Aphrodite clicked her tounge but refrained from adding any fuel to the fire. That she wasn't pleased with this solution was obvious. Every Demigod would agree that Dahyun deserved every bit of respect a God still had. 

She was the Demigod that saved them after all. 

Before Sana could drift off into her thoughts again, Mina pulled on her sleeve. 

Mina:" We should go now. Jihyo's waiting in the car. She offered to take us." 

Sana couldn't protest.

Maybe she was even thankful that she didn't need to go by bus. 

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The car ride was quiet. 

Sana was sitting in the back with Mina, who's head was resting on the older's shoulder. 

Jihyo was driving. Her eyes were trained on the road ahead. She seemed calm but on the inside the events of the past few weeks were getting to her. Especially the once involving her father and another specific Goddess. 

(Flashback) 

Jiyho's hands were cold and sweaty. The last time she had been at the Olympus she had told her father, the mightiest of all God's, to kick the bucket after he had threatened to destroy everything dear to her if she kept on defying him. 

He wasn't impressed to say the least and Jihyo hadn't been in contact with him ever since. 

Sometimes he had tried intruding her dreams but she shut him out the moment she felt his presence. 

There was so much anger boiling insider her that she even refused to use her powers after that incidence. She felt disgusted with herself and the blood that ran through her veins. 

Jihyo was wearing a robe that looked like a slightly modern version of a tunic. It wasn't her taste, she preferred things that could protect her like armor, but if she wanted to step in front of the 12 major Gods she needed to look somewhat presentable. 

The pressure was getting to her. Jihyo had really only ever faced two or three Gods at once and that was already overwhelming. But now she was supposed to explain something to 12 Gods that was not only going be false in order to protect Artemis and prevent further catastrophes but also discredit all of Dahyun's sacrifices. It mader her sick to her stomach. 

Why Zeus wanted only her to attend this meeting was also a mystery to her. Or maybe she just wanted to belive that there was no reason. 

There was a knock on the door and then it opened. 

A woman a lot taller than Jihyo and as beautiful as anything she had ever seen stepped into the room. 

Her silky gown brushed against the marble floor. 

No doubt that it was Aphrodite. 

Jihyo immediately bowed slightly. 

A bright laugh erupted from the Goddesses mouth. 

Aphrodite:" You don't need to do that when it's just the two of us."

Jihyo barely managed to nod. The presence of the God was nearly unbearable. 

Aphrodite:" Well well. You must be Zeus's one and only famous child that is still alive. I'm surprised you managed to hold on this long." 

Her voice was as sweet as sugar but the words were as sharp as a knife. 

Aphrodite slowly walked up to Jihyo. Her elegant hand slowly brushed against a faint scar on the Demigod's cheek. 

Although Jihyo tried to pull away something about the other woman drew her in. Maybe it was her perfume or the intense gaze of her eyes that was making it so hard to move away. The smell and look made Jihyo feel like she needed to submit. A feeling she truly despised but couldn't shake off.

She struggled to keep her composure. 

Aphrodite:" I never agreed with his brash antics. If he didn't want Demigod children then he should have just kept it in his pants. The way he plays you kids like you are his pawns is sickening if not barbaric. After all everytime he claims a child they must prove themselves by slaying a Griffin. A ridiulous task for a Demigod." 

Aphrodite slowly moved her fingers further downwards. Right on Jihyo's upper lip it stopped. 

Aphrodite:" But somehow you managed to make the old man eat his words. I wonder what kind of monster you must be underneath all that pretty skin." 

Jihyo was in a daze. The cool hands on her face felt as pleasant as they felt foreign and dangerous. It only took Aphrodite a single step closer to snap Jihyo out of her funk. 

A flash of images filled Jihyo's mind. 

Images of people she cared about. Images of Tzuyu specifically. 

Before the Goddess could claim her lips Jihyo's right hand snapped upwards. Stopping Aphrodite's lips from touching hers.

Suprised, Aphrodite backed up a bit. A wide smile that was not exactly joyful decorated her face. 

Jihyo quickly brushed the back of her hand against her upper lip. Although nothing indecent had happened, there was this lingering feeling on her lips she wanted to get rid of. 

Aphrodite:" Interesting. There is the same kind of fire in your eyes. One of my many children, Sana, has the same kind of look on her face everytime I step inside her personal bubble. It's a shame really. It feels like a waste to not claim you."

Jihyo's breathing was a bit unsteady but her voice didn't falter. 

Jihyo:" Why are you really here. Definetly not to just toy with me."

Aphrodite clicked her tounge disapprovingly. 

Aphrodite:" Don't be like that. I could've changed your world forever if you had just let me have you. You know I have a very specific taste when it comes to women. You are one of the lucky few you know. We could have felt a beautiful kind of bliss toge-"

She stepped a bit closer again but was harshly cut off. 

Jihyo:" Back off." She was in her fighting stance. 

The Goddess of lust and love just started laughing. 

Aphrodite:" Sana and you are indeed very similar. She too wouldn't let me have her." 

An uncomfortable shudder ran down Jihyo's back. 

Everything made sense now. The way Sana refused to contact her mother and how different she acted everytime the name Aphrodite fell. 

At that time it only seemed natural. Aphrodite had many children and seldomly ever remembered more than four at a time. When her children tried to contact her she usually brushed them off but sometimes the Goddess of love would pick one of her offsprings and keep in touch with them on a regular basis. 

Jihyo had always believed that Sana just didn't want to be treated in a privileged way by her mostly distant mother because of her many siblings. 

But now the fact that Aphrodite had favoured Sana must have been because she too was one of the "lucky" few to peak the Goddesses interest. That the Demigod was not impressed with her mother and wanted nothing to do with her at all was now more understandable than ever before. 

Jihyo needed to talk to Sana about this. Or at least make her talk about it. This was definitely something that was killing Sana from the inside. 

Jihyo:" That's sick."

Aphrodite shrugged. 

Aphrodite:" If Zeus wants something he takes it. The same goes for all the other Gods. I'm just following their rules. But perhaps for you, partly mortal and weak, this must seem "sick" and immoral."

Jihyo's thoughts were more scrambled than ever. Her state of confusion made it harder to resist Aphrodite's presence. 

Luckily, another set of knocks interrupted them. 

Another Goddess entered the room. It felt like she was the exact opposite from Aphrodite. Of course she was still beautiful but she was not nearly as tall as the Goddess of love (still quite a bit taller than Jihyo. Gods are quite tall in comparison to human beings). Her clothes were also made out of silk but a chest plate gave everything a different feel. She smelled like the woods. 

Artemis. 

The Goddess looked at Aphrodite with such a disapproving look it was baffling.

Jihyo wasn't sure why exactly two Goddesses were in her assigned room. 

Aphrodite:" Oh if it isn't the most boring person I know." There was a teasing, flirtatious sound to her voic