Untamed by P.C. Cast Page A

through Nyx's body, like moon-kissed mist rising from a field, and her image was getting harder and harder to see.
    "Wait! Don't go yet," I cried. "I have so many questions."
    "Life will reveal to you the choices you must make to answer them," she said.
    "But you say that Neferet has been listening to someone else's voice. Does that mean she isn't your High Priestess anymore?"
    "Neferet has left my path and has chosen chaos instead." The Goddess's image wavered. "But remember, what I have given I never take away. So do not underestimate Neferet's power. The hatred she is attempting to awaken is a dangerous force."
    "This scares me, Nyx. I—I'm always screwing up," I stammered. "Especially lately."
    The Goddess smiled again. "Your imperfection is part of your power. Look to the earth for strength, and the stories of your grandmother's people for answers."
    "It'd be a lot safer if you just told me what I need to know and what I should do," I said.
    "As with all my children, you must find your own path, and through that discovery, you will decide what each earth child must ultimately decide—whether she chooses chaos or love."
    "Sometimes chaos and love seem like the same thing," Aphrodite said. I could see that she was trying to be respectful, but there was a clear amount of exasperation in her voice.
    Nyx didn't seem to mind her comment. The Goddess simply nodded and said, "Indeed, but when you look deeper, you will see that though chaos and love are both powerful and alluring, they are also as different as moonlight is from sunlight. Remember . . . I am never far from your hearts, my precious daughters . . ."
    With a final flash of shimmering silver light, the Goddess disappeared.

CHAPTER NINE

    "Well, crap. Chaos and love are the same, but not. Neferet still has her powers, but she's not listening to Nyx anymore. Oh, and she's trying to wake up something dangerous. What does that mean? Is it an abstract wake up, like 'waking up' danger in the form of a war with humans, or is she literally trying to wake up some horrible, scary thingie that could eat us all? Like that creepy thing that scratched me earlier, which I didn't even get a chance to ask her about. Crap again!" I babbled as Aphrodite and I hurried from the girls' dorm. Sadly, it appeared we were going to be late for the Council Meeting.
    "Don't look at me. I have enough mysteries of my own to solve. I'm human, but I'm not? What does that mean? And how can my humanity be so big and bad anyway—I don't even like humans?" Aphrodite sighed and fiddled with her hair. "Shit, my hair's a mess." She turned her face to me. "Can you tell I've been crying?"
    "For the gazillionth time, no. You look fine."
    "Shit. I knew it. I look terrible."
    "Aphrodite! I just said you look fine."
    "Yeah, well, fine is fine for most people. For me it's terrible."
    "Okay, our Goddess, the immortal Nyx, just manifested and spoke to us and all you're thinking about is how you look?" I shook my head. That was incredibly shallow, even for Aphrodite.
    "Yeah, that was amazing. Nyx is amazing. I never said she wasn't. So what's your point?"
    "My point is that after experiencing a visit from the Goddess, you should, I dunno, maybe care about something more important than your already perfect hair," I said, completely exasperated. This was the kid I was supposed to battle world-shaking dangerous evil with? Jeesh, Nyx's ways were absolutely, totally mysterious. Talk about an understatement.
    "Nyx knows exactly how I am and she loves me anyway. This is who I am." She flapped her hand up and down in front of herself. "So, you really think my hair is perfect?"
    "It's as perfect as your shallow, pain-in-the-butt attitude," I said.
    "Oh, good. Okay, I feel better already."
    I frowned at her, but didn't say anything else as we hurried up the stairs to the Council Room that was opposite the library. I'd never been in the room before, but I'd peeked inside it often enough. When it was empty, the door was