The Gatekeeper's Daughter (15 page)

“The Big Bear is one of the circumpolar constellations in the northern hemisphere, meaning it rotates around the North Star. For centuries, it was the only of these constellations to never reach the horizon.”

“I still don’t see…”

“Just listen. You’ve heard the tilting of the earth on its axis has changed over time, haven’t you?”

“Yes?”

“So in more recent years, Callisto’s feet have touched the Aegean Sea, especially in autumn.”

“And this is important because…”

“In order to have the apple, you must reunite me with my Big Bear now that she can reach the earth.”

“How do you propose I do such a thing? You yourself haven’t been able to, and you’re more powerful than I am.”

“Perhaps as the goddess of animal companions, you will find a way. That is for you to determine. But tell no one. I can’t risk Hera getting wind of it.” Artemis vanished.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Goddess of Animal Companions

For the rest of the night, Therese researched the Ursa Major constellation on the internet and considered how she could possibly take Big Bear out of the sky. She sat on her bed with her laptop across her legs and Clifford curled up beside her, asleep. The prayers of pet owners everywhere distracted her from her research, and she took time to inspire as many of them as she could, but knowing Baby Lynn could die any day forced her to make Artemis’s quest a priority.

Than seemed hurt when she asked him not to come tonight, but he said he understood. As promised to Artemis, she did not tell him the details, only that she didn’t know if she could succeed, but that she had to try.

She learned the Big Dipper was used for centuries to find the North Star and to help nighttime travelers find their way. If she pulled it from the sky, how would they find their way and what would people think? Maybe they would assume the end of the world was on its way, as they had when the Mayan calendar ran out on December 21, 2012.  Worse than their confusion would be the impact on the universe and the gravitational pull between the planets, stars, and other space matter. Big Bear couldn’t just disappear from the northern skies without repercussions.

Damn Hera for requiring her apple, and damn Artemis for not freely giving it. She swore to herself once more that she would never allow herself to become the kind of goddess who put her needs before everyone else’s.

But wasn’t that what she was doing? Pet owners everywhere were praying to her for help, and her top priority was saving her sister. Was she no better than the other gods? A bead of sweat formed on her forehead.  She closed her laptop and sighed.

Why shouldn’t she help herself first? Was it a god’s responsibility to serve others foremost? She had the power to help, but did she also have the obligation to make helping others her number one priority?

Before she could answer her questions, she heard a scream. She brushed her laptop to the bed and jumped to her feet. Faster than the time it took a human to blink, she grabbed her bow and quiver and was at the foot of the stairs searching for Carol. The scream came again, and this time, she realized it wasn’t Carol, but Jen, and the scream wasn’t coming from inside Therese’s house, but through Jen’s agonizing prayer.

“Should I call you, Therese? What am I going to do?” Jen’s fervent prayer was followed by another wail.

The early dawn light streamed in through the kitchen window. Carol and Richard were likely asleep. Therese scribbled a note for them, leaving it on the kitchen bar, and then ran at her full speed to the Holts’ place. She arrived within seconds.

Not sure whether she should knock at the door, storm inside, or fly up to Jen’s window, Therese paused on the front porch. The scream came again, but louder, blood-curdling. She stormed through the door.

The chaotic scene unfolded. In less than a second, she took it all in: kitchen chairs overturned, dishes smashed all over the tiled floor, a red stain splattered on the wallpaper in the breakfast nook, the light fixture over the table still swinging as though something had hit it minutes earlier, and sprawled on the kitchen floor, blood spilling from his arm, was Pete. He looked at her without speaking, apparently in shock, flat on his back, breathing like a runner. On the other side of the room, Jen stood with a pistol in her trembling hands, lowered and pointing to her feet. Tears streamed down her face.

“I had no choice,” Jen said through labored breaths. She was a blubbering mess. “He was going to kill me.”

“Where’s your mom? And Bobby?” Therese crossed the room and took the gun from her friend’s quavering hands.

“On the way to see Dad.
After they left, Pete attacked me.”

Therese helped her to a chair. “I’ll take care of him.” She put the gun in her back pocket and rushed to Pete’s side. He was losing blood fast. “You’re going to be okay.”

He turned his crystal blue eyes toward her but did not speak.

“I’m so sorry this happened.” She kissed his forehead. “It’s
all my fault.” She prayed to Apollo as she took a dish cloth and wrapped it around Pete’s arm. Apollo replied that he was tied up and could not come. She prayed to Than, but he reminded her that his presence would only ensure Pete’s death. Then she had an idea.

She stood up and fitted an arrow to her bow. As the arrow shot, Jen jumped from her chair and screamed, “What are you doing for God’s sake?”

The arrow struck Pete in the chest, alongside the other two, and he transformed into a beautiful golden retriever. Jen looked at Therese with wide eyes, started to say something, and then fainted across her chair.

“Good,” Therese muttered. She didn’t need Jen in her way. She knelt beside the injured dog and
unwrapped the towel from the wound. She focused her energy on healing him. Maybe her powers as goddess of animal companions would extend to healing.

“What’s happening?” Pete asked though his new dog mouth.

At first nothing happened, but then she noticed the bleeding stopped. She applied more pressure to the wound with her towel. When she lifted the towel, the wound remained, but it looked less serious. She stroked the dog’s belly and said, “You’re going to be okay.” She stood over him with another arrow.

Jen opened her eyes and stumbled toward her. “What are you doing? Where’s Pete?”

“I need you to trust me. Can you do that? I gave you the crown, didn’t I? Can you trust me?”

Jen stared back dumbly and nodded.

“Come stand in front of me. I need Pete to see you first.”

“What? Where is he?”

“I’m right here!” he growled, but Jen couldn’t understand him.

“Come over here Jen, so the dog can see you.”

The dog whimpered as Jen approached.

“It’s okay, boy,” Therese said, taking aim. “Stay still, Jen. My timing has to be just right.” Therese released the arrow, and in the split second before it struck, she ran out the front door so the only person Pete could lay eyes on was his sister.

Therese paused outside the house for a moment before returning to Jen’s side. The dog had climbed to his feet and was now licking Jen’s hand.

“Where did he come from?” Jen asked, unable to see the arrows sticking out from the dog’s chest. “And what happened to Pete? Did an ambulance come?”

Therese’s shoulders relaxed with relief. “Yes. Pete’s at the hospital. I called 9-1-1 while you were passed out. The paramedic told me to tell you to get plenty of rest.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“No. I told him it was an accident. Now go upstairs and get some rest. I’ll find out if this dog strayed from the Melner Cabin or something.”

“What about my morning chores?
The horses?”

“I’ll help you with them later. Go back to bed.”

Jen padded across the room to the stairs, still somewhat shaky, and climbed up to her room while Therese kept Pete from following her.

“
It’s okay, Pete,” Therese whispered. “You’ll see her in a minute. And I’ll get you back to normal as soon as I can.”

“I’m so confused. I’m not sure who I am anymore.”

“You’re going to be okay.” She knew her arrow hadn’t infected him with desire, because her arrows were meant to bond human and animal companions with platonic affection. But she couldn’t leave him as a dog, and if she could transform him back into a person—and she hoped beyond hope she could—she worried over what his feelings would be for Jen. She also wondered if he’d recall what Therese had done to him.

She stroked his fur for many more minutes, giving Jen time to get in bed and fall asleep. Then, after a half hour had passed, during which she continued to inspire pet owners who prayed to her, she fitted another arrow into her bow, wished he’d become human, and shot him.

Nothing happened. The golden retriever looked back at her, as though he hadn’t felt the arrow penetrate. Then he turned from her and trotted up the stairs, limping on his left front leg, which though better, wasn’t healed. Therese followed. The dog went directly to Jen’s bedroom and curled beside her sleeping form. Jen started awake and saw first the dog beside her and then Therese bending over them.

“What’s going on?” Jen asked.

“Can he stay with you awhile, just until I find his owner? He seems to like you an awful lot.”

“Sure.” She smiled sleepily and pet Pete.

“I’ll call your mom and tell her about the accident and let her know everything’s okay. I’ll tell her Pete cut himself real bad.”

“But she’ll find out you
lied.”

“Not if Pete goes along with it, which he’ll do after the way he’s been treating you.” Therese met the golden retriever’s eyes, daring him to say differently. “I’ll clean up, too. You just go back to sleep now. I’ll see you later.”

Therese returned downstairs to call Mrs. Holt and clean up the mess. She also tucked the pistol away in a kitchen drawer. Then, at a speed approaching that of light, she cleaned the barn and groomed the horses, including Stormy, speaking to them in soft tones so as not to spook them with her inhuman movement.

She could sense Carol and Richard were awake, so she flew to her bedroom window.
Than was waiting for her.

“I couldn’t change him back!” she cried as he swept her into his arms. “I really thought I’d be able to do it. How stupid could I be?”

He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “At least he no longer wants to kill her.”

She pulled back, gripping his shoulders with both hands. “But he’s a dog!”

“Calm down. I know a way.”

“You do?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thank god! Tell me.”

“Hera’s apple. It’s been used before to transform a beast that was originally human.”

That’s right.  Artemis had said as much. “Should I try to take another from the garden of the Hesperides?”

Than crossed his arms and sucked in his lips, thinking. He shook his head. “Hera won’t save Lynn if you do.”

Then she realized something else. She dropped her arms to her side and lowered her eyes, feeling hopeless. More tears fell on her cheeks. “Hera won’t give me an apple. And if I succeed in Artemis’s quest and
then get the apple from her, I can’t transform Pete
and
save Lynn. I’ll have to choose.”

“Maybe Pete and Jen are better off…”

She snapped her head up, eyes wide. “I can’t leave him in the body of a dog! It’s my fault. I changed him! I’ve got to change him back. It was the only way I could think of healing him and reversing his hate for Jen. I knew I could help animal companions and make them love their humans. That’s why I did it. But I truly expected to be able to change him back. Ugh!” She opened one of her bedroom windows and leapt out.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Vanished

Than followed her out the window. “Wait up!”

He used his keen vision to scan the perimeter but could not find her. “She better not have god traveled.” He reached out with his consciousness but could not sense her. He prayed to her, “Where are you?”

She replied, “I don’t know!”

His body stiffened where he stood on the ground outside her house. “What happened?”

She did not reply.

“Therese?”

Nothing.

He god traveled directly to the gates of Mount Olympus demanding to be let inside.

The gray cloud refused him.

He pounded against the golden gates and screamed in frustration. “Zeus! Let me in! Ares has taken Therese! Let me in, our you can find someone else to guide the dead!”