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Some were temples for sacrifices.

Others were structures built to house deity statues.

All within Greek sanctuaries.

And in ancient Greek religion.

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Stepping into the library, I pushed open the large doors and cringed when they banged against the adjacent wall.

"Sshh!" The librarian sat behind a large desk with her index finger to her lips.

I mouthed the words 'sorry' before taking cautious steps inside. I glanced through rows of bookshelves.

Interesting.

No one was around. So why is the librarian being so perky?

I walked down a long aisle of books before entering the lounging area. Sitting behind one of the tables was the weirdest thing I've ever seen.

Pedro seriously reading.

He had a huge binder before him as he scanned it with a furrowed expression. He turned a page, buried his nose before continuing again.

"This is new," I mumbled.

He looked up and smiled. "Hello, Pickles."

I scrunched my face. "I hate pickles."

He shrugged but still maintained the smile. "Well I love them and we don't mostly get what we want."

I slipped off my bag and placed it on the table before sitting down.

Pedro watched me. "Why the bag?"

I pulled out my logarithm textbook. "So it will look like we're actually learning." I slammed it against the table and pushed my chair forward.

Pedro grimaced as he watched the book. "Com'n Chips, you know it's a miracle for me to be here. Why are you making this more awkward?"

"Hey. I'm not the one with a gigantic book in front of me."

He smiled. "Good point. But desperate times called for desperate measures."

I glanced at the book before him and read a few words from the texts. "Greek mythology?"

"Yes, pickles. In order to defeat our enemies, we must know their origins."

"And who's our enemy?"

"Well, Zeus of course."

"He wants to kill me not you."

"Exactly." He leaned on the table with a palm to his cheek. "Anyone who messes with you messes with us."

Pedro loves getting into trouble.

I pushed those thoughts out. "So you're just making this your battle?"

Pedro nodded before scraping his chair closer to my side. The piercing sound screeched all over the place. I turned to the Librarian and found her glaring at us. Pedro flashed a smile and immediately her cheeks turned strawberry red before looking away.

"The perks of being handsome. Don't you think so, Peaches?"

I took a long sideways glance at him. "Stop hitting on the librarian."

"I'm not. She's the one staring."

I turned around and he was right. The librarian was watching us with hawk eyes. Well, not me but Pedro.

"Let me handle this." Pedro pushed back his chair and got to his feet.

He walked to the woman and her eyes followed his every move. Pedro started a conversation with her and she immediately complied. Before I knew it, he was urging her out of the library with an arm around her shoulders. The moment she was out, he locked the door.

"Privacy, at last, blueberry." He walked back to his chair with his arms wide and sat.

I drew the Greek book towards my side. It had a painting of what seemed to be Zeus. "So what have you found so far?"

"Well, I was wondering if spirits could transfer between bodies. But I found nothing."

"What about Pandora?"

Pedro raised both eyebrows then bit his lip. "I think I have a fair idea about her. And if Zeus called you Pandora, I understand why he wants to kill you."

I gulped. "But I'm not her."

"Gee, I just realized that." I rolled my eyes and he continued. "But if Zion contains the spirit of Zeus, you could be too."

"But I haven't had blackouts or attacked anybody. I'm still me. Besides, what makes Pandora gain all the murderous hates anyway?"

"Well," he spoke through his teeth, his voice sounded uncertain like he was deciding if he could tell me.

"What?" I persisted.

He scratched his chin which had a small area of stubble. "Pandora is an evil person. Not a conscious one but a villain nonetheless. She released the seven deadly sins which they say had caused war, famine, disease, and broke men, such as myself by the way."

Yeah right, like I can believe you're broke.

"Are you trying to say I have a spirit that caused destruction?"

Pedro smiled, his teeth blinding. "I'm saying you caused, war, battles, sorrowful widows, tearful orphans, annihilation, obliteration, demolition devastation, beggars, hungry beggars, hungry dying beggars, rotten hungry and dying beggars--"

"Okay, I get it!"

His smile made me want to turn his skin inside out. I tried to change the angle. "Didn't Zeus call you 'brother' last night? What if you're carrying a spirit within you?"

Pedro gave a coy smile. "That's the thing, Honey. Maybe Zeus copied Zion's memory and regarded me like family. I'm sure that could also explain his stupidity for a god. I mean I've never seen someone that stupid. Although Zion can be stupid sometimes which adds to the stupidity in Zeus, making stupidity prevail in Zion's--"

"Helping you with a subject in class huh?"

Pedro and I turned to the new voice in the room.

I sheepishly smiled but Pedro remained impassive by his brother's presence. "Hey Zion, we were just talking about you. All good things."

Zion folded his arms. "Keep talking and I'll give you another black eye."

"How did you get through the locked door anyway?" Pedro ignored his last statement.

Zion sighed and lowered his head before lifting them. "I have my ways."

"Oh, I get it. You played the librarian with that responsible face of yours. Well done bro."

"Shut it." Zion snapped then turned to me, his eyes accusing.

"We didn't mean to lie," I mumbled. "I only wanted answers, like how Zeus mentioned something about me bearing his gifts and a curse."

"What!" Both Zion and Pedro exclaimed at the same time.

Okay, maybe they didn't know that last part.

Right then, the sound of tumbling books from a nearby bookshelf reached our ears. A curse hissed out in an almost inaudible tone.

Someone had heard us.

"Who's there!?" I called out, pushing to my feet and glancing around.

Footsteps pounded away from one shelf, heading towards the door. I didn't think. I chased after the intruder and in less than a few seconds, shoved her to the ground before she could reach the doorknob. She quickly got to her feet and I threw my whole weight on her.

"Whoo! Catfight!" I heard Pedro cheer but I didn't have time to retort.

We rolled across the cold floor and I tried to hold her still. I grabbed her arms and she crushed her elbow against my ribs. I inhaled sharply and cringed sideways.

She got to her feet again, ready to propel out of here but I pushed her to a corner. She fell to the floor, then timidly sat up before hugging her knees to her chest. Her terrified eyes fell on mine.

"Gwen?" Zion's tone was laced with surprise as he helped me to my feet.

She glanced at Zion and shrank further into the wall. Pedro picked her glasses from the floor and sat on his heel by her. She watched him, her body tensed for action if he makes one wrong move.

When Pedro raised her glasses, she shut her eyes tightly and looked away like he was about to hit her. The brave Gwen from before had disappeared and now she's back to her shy self.

He smiled but spoke in a surprisingly calm voice. "Why were you spying on us?"

Gwen peered one eye open before fully looking at him. She stuttered. "I-I wanted to know...Penny, she's..." She gripped her knees while trying to pull the words out. "I don't know what to do. They're coming. They're already here...it's not safe. She must leave--"

"Hold on, Who's coming?" I asked.

"I-I don't think it's safe to speak here."

"Yeah, you made that pretty clear, Princess." Pedro grinned and she smiled before hiding her face in her palms. His expressions were always intoxicating.

She lifted her head and grabbed her glasses before wearing them. "I'll tell you everything. But not here."

Zion folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "We're going to forget the fact that you spied on us. But you need to truthfully say everything we need to know. Will it be okay if we meet together after Hunter's party?"

"Hold up! There's a party!? We just had one yesterday." I looked between the brothers.

Pedro helped Gwen to her feet. "Since Hunter couldn't go camping, he decided to make his own party today."

Zion nodded. "So we meet tonight." He watched Gwen. "Deal?"

She had a hard grip on Pedro but spoke in a more confident voice, "Deal."

Did you find any strange characters in the chapter?

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