Desolation bulldozed her spirit. She slumped against the padded back of her chair. "You're going to have to remove the knowledge of G.o.ds and Olympus from his mind." She covered her face with a trembling hand. "That first good-bye at the Athenian nearly destroyed me. Having to go through it again surely will."

"Quit being such a drama queen," Mel scoffed, her laughter filling the air.

"That's rich, coming from the Muse of Theatrics," Clio retorted. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Mel, who fidgeted in her seat in response.

Zeus slapped a thunderous hand on the granite tabletop. "Daughters! You are not so old that I can't punish your misbehavior." He stared at each woman in turn, even pinning a quelling look on Gaia. "Where the Hades is Atlas?"

The door swept open again, admitting Atlas with Ken on his heels. "I'm here. Sorry, we had to double-check our calculations. Without Nia's help we got stuck with the gravity aspect." Atlas hustled across the slate floor toward Nia. After handing a sheaf of papers to her, he delivered another set to Zeus.

The paper whispered softly as Nia flipped through the report Atlas and Ken had pulled together in record time. While she studied it, Mars materialized from the Hollow. He went directly to Zeus's side, bent low and spoke quietly into his ear.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked, his voice low and meant for her ears only.

Nia set the papers on the table and laid her hand on them. "Remember I explained that the coronal burst a few weeks ago had misaligned the moon?"

"That was real?"

"Thomas, none of this has been made up."

"Sorry, it just seemed like, well, not possible."

"It was most definitely possible." Eyeing the whispered conference between Mars and her father, she tapped the report in front of her. "It appears in the instant you believed in magic, gravity released its grip on the world. Did you feel it?"

"Like a floating feeling? I thought that was because I'd held your arm while you were doing whatever it was that you did to put the crowd to sleep."

There was that. It was a memory she could hold dear while she spent the rest of this lifetime alone. And missed him desperately in the next ten or hundred. She crushed the thoughts before they made her cry. "I'm not sure why it worked that you were able to help me. But the instant you locked your hand on my arm, all my energy focused on the task."

"The power of love, baby." He pecked her cheek. "But what happened when we were all sort of floating?"

Desire bloomed through her at the touch of his lips. She fought to remember his question. "Without gravity to restrain his effort, Atlas shrugged the moon back into the correct orbit. That eliminated all but the most basic mayhem. The stuff you'd generally see during a full moon." She dropped her chin and peeked up at him through her eyelashes. "Do you remember the challenge?"

"You said you had to lead a man...me, to believe in magic or all of the Muses would become magpies. It's a good sign you aren't a bird, right?"

"Very good. We won this round. But Pierus isn't done. He'll be back to challenge another one of us."

"Can't something be done about him?"

"Zeus has a meeting with Dice next week. She's the G.o.ddess of Justice. We are going to seek legal respite from Pierus's take-over attempt." She sat up straighter as Zeus waved Mars away.

Her father was pale and haggard looking, like the stress from the battle had rooted in him. Concern trumpeted through Nia as she tossed her mother a look. Worry had etched into Gaia's face, bracketing her mouth with pained lines.

"Father, are you well?" Nia questioned, her voice soft.

"I'm fine." Smiling weakly, Zeus surged upright in his chair. "Mars reports that as of a short while ago, most of the lunacy among mortals has ceased. Order has been restored, no one recorded any of the occurrences on their cellphones, thanks to Nia's quick action." He beamed at her.

Polly slapped her phone on the table. "The station just uploaded video to our cloud. I've reviewed the footage and it shows only typical festival activities. No film was captured at the observation deck."

"Mayhem has been released into the aviary with Tyranny," Mars reported. "When I left them, they were pecking each other. Typical sibling rivalry."

"It appears we've won this challenge," Zeus intoned, his deep voice reverberating in the room. He turned his gaze on Thomas. "Now we must decide how to proceed with Mr. Wilde."

Nia tensed. "Do we need to rob him of his memories?"

"Daughter, he is a public figure. He has a wide platform that exposes and debunks myths and legends. Like us."

"I won't expose your secrets." Leaning forward, Thomas looked at Nia with a.s.surance and confidence in his eyes. He turned his attention to Zeus. "I want to spend the rest of my life protecting your daughter, all of your daughters, from scrutiny."

Zeus shook his head. "You have no idea what that entails."

"It doesn't matter. I'd do anything for Nia." Thomas slid his fingers through hers. "I want to marry her. If she'll have me after I refused to help at first."

Happiness charged up from her belly and wrapped around her heart. She smiled through the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "She'll have you." But would he still want her after they wiped his memories clean?

"Probably should have asked your dad first, though." Thomas shrugged and glanced at Zeus, one brow raised. "I want to marry your daughter, sir. With your permission."

Zeus held his peace while Gaia hugged her from the side.

Gaia projected a quiet thought into Nia's head. He'll agree. I'll see to it.

"It is not just you we must worry about." Zeus studied his hands. "Your niece is aware of our existence as immortals as well. She's travelled through the Hollow. Without the benefit of slumber."

"Things were a bit crazy at the observation deck. You can't expect me to remember everything." Gaia's tone was sharp as she defended her neglect to put Hailey to sleep on the trip.

Zeus lifted his hand, palm out, and then resumed drumming his fingers on the armrest. He studied Thomas through narrowed eyes.

He hadn't denied Thomas's request, nor hers to leave Thomas's memories alone. Nia crossed her fingers under the table and prayed for a miracle.

Tucking one of her hands through his elbow, Thomas folded his arms on the table. "Has this been done on a child before?"

"This is one answer I do not have. But know this-we have never intentionally hurt a child before. We would take great care to avoid harming Hailey, son."

There it was. Son. A sure sign Zeus had accepted Thomas. Giddy lightness stole through her system.

"You understand that her well-being is my immediate concern. She's already suffered great loss in her life at the hands of terrorists. I will do what it takes to protect her."

Zeus bristled. "Are you comparing me to a terrorist?"

Nia bit back the groan in the back of her throat. One step forward seemed destined for a giant stumble back.

"Not at all. I simply want to ensure my child remains happy and healthy as part of this family." He stroked his thumb over the back of Nia's knuckles. "If we can selectively remove memories, I'm all for it. I distinctly remember Nia telling me that Hailey was in danger and to keep her safe. That memory stuck with me at crunch time. Can we do that?"

"We must wait until Mnemosyne arrives," Gaia chimed in. "To attempt to answer now would be futile."

"Is there other business to attend to?" If not, Nia was ready to head for home. Well, Thomas's house anyway. She'd induce slumber in Hailey to move her through the Hollow again. One less memory they'd have to deal with down the road.

"One final thing. I granted Jax an immortal lifetime in sync with Clio's. I would gift this to Thomas as well. If he wishes." A smile jumped in Zeus's eyes, but he kept it off his lips.

Happiness fizzed sparkler-bright within her. Tears gathered behind her eyes and she blinked hard as a smile blossomed on her face.

Thomas turned toward her as all the Muses began to talk excitedly. Quietly, he asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means he accepts you as a son-in-law." She studied his face, her gaze lingering on his lips. "Muses mimic a mortal existence. We're born, we live a normal lifetime and then we die. But we come back in the next lifetime with all our memories intact. With that lifecycle Zeus is offering you eternity. With me."

"So I'll come back with my memories of you, find you again and fall in love with you over and over forever?"

"Pretty much."

He held her eye as he kissed the back of her hand, love shining for the entire world to see. "Sign me up."

Chapter 26.

"How soon can we get married? And where would you like to have the wedding?" Thomas snugged Nia close to his side as they walked from the boardroom to the childcare center to retrieve Hailey.

"Um...have you ever been to a Greek wedding?" Nia asked. They were ma.s.sive productions that could last days. "I'm sure Mother is already talking to Dionysus. Gaia will most certainly want us to get married here on the Mount."

Thomas drew to a halt. "Mt. Olympus?"

His look wasn't exactly skeptical, but Nia hurried to add, "But we could have a smaller ceremony in Delphi. In the Achilleion, or Helios Park, would be nice. Although Gaia will surely want us at the Athenian."

"Is there a way to get to Olympus other than through the...what did you call it?"

"The Hollow. And no, unless you are immortal there isn't. There is a portal to the Mount on the seventh floor for employees who prefer to live there." Which meant their mortal friends couldn't attend. Neither could Hailey. And Nia didn't want to get married without the little girl there. She'd come to mean so much to Nia. She was almost a daughter. A child she'd never meant to have. But she'd fallen in love with the child when she'd fallen for Thomas. They were going to be a family. And for the first time in any of her lives, she'd welcome a baby. If Thomas wanted one. "We won't have a wedding without Hailey. Gaia will just need to deal with that."

"Wouldn't most moms want to hold two weddings for their daughters?" They resumed walking, their footsteps clicking on the marble floor. "We'll be going on a honeymoon, which would kind of be the perfect cover."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hear me out," he said, lacing their fingers. His tone was pensive, matching the look on his face. "We have a wedding in Delphi, a mortal wedding. We keep it smallish, just close friends, family, that sort of thing. This one Hailey can be involved in. Then we leave on a honeymoon, but our first stop is Olympus, for the immortal ceremony. That would solve the dilemma, right?"

"That's brilliant." Heart nearly bursting with love for the man, she pulled him into a vacant office. She swung the door shut, easing it before it could whack home. Wrapping her arms around his neck, and leaning into him, she pressed him against the paneled wall. "I love you."

She rose on her tiptoes and slanted her mouth across his. Pressing his hands to the small of her back he drew her against his hips. He chased her tongue back to her mouth, devouring her with his greedy response. The hard ridge of his erection pressed heavy into her belly. Gentling his lips, his kiss evolved to tiny sips, lingering touches followed by lazy laps of his tongue. He trailed his mouth down the column of her neck to nibble on her collarbone, laving his tongue into the hollow between bone and sinew.

His touch was electric, igniting a flame hot enough to burn away the tethers holding her in place. The floating sensation she'd experienced when he'd laid his hand on her arm in the heat of battle returned.

She eased her head away, staring up into his hypnotic eyes. "How do you do that, Thomas?"

"Do what?"

Resting her cheek on his chest, his heartbeat struck an undeniable cadence in her. "Negate gravity with your touch."

"Maybe there's something of an immortal in me already."

She lifted her head as the thought struck her. "Maybe. Most mortals appear as silver light. While we were in the Hollow, you were silver, but I could see your pulse beat and it was cobalt. Partisans like Ken are typically the only ones with auras that shade." She fingered the b.u.t.tons on his shirt. "Maybe there is something of the G.o.d in you."

"When Zeus offered me immortality, what exactly does that entail? Is there a ceremony or do I get a decoder ring?" Thomas ran his hands along her spine.

She snorted a laugh. "You can have a ceremony if you wish, but Zeus isn't really big on displays. He probably already has Human Resources working on the paperwork to employ you. Once it's processed, you'll be set."

He slid a finger along her jaw and tipped her chin up. "So I'll be able to leap tall buildings, etc.?" His wide grin set her insides to quivering. G.o.ddess, he was beautiful.

"I doubt you'll notice a difference. You will be able to travel in the Hollow without me, but I wouldn't advise it. Jax, Clio's fiance, got lost in it on his first solo attempt. You have to visualize your destination." She stepped from his arms. "I'll show you the building lobby before we pick Hailey up. Can't have you bouncing into the boardroom while there's a meeting going on."

The trip to the lobby took only a few minutes. With the mayhem and lunacy on Earth averted, they took their time venturing toward the play area where children of the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses of Olympus entrusted their kids while they worked. Nia used her board member's all-access keycard to gain entry. They encountered Artemis as the security door clicked shut behind them.

"There you are!" The protector of the young and vulnerable looked childish herself. Her white blond hair had streaks of purple and yellow, and someone had woven violets into the ponytail streaming down her back. She fidgeted with the bright maroon pansy tucked haphazardly behind her ear. "Hailey! Sweet pea, your uncle is here."

Hailey's bright blond curls bobbed around her cheeks as she jerked her head up. She cast aside the toy horse and chariot she'd been racing around a small track with several other children. Sprinting over, she surprised Nia by leaping into her arms. Little hands patted her back, squeezing her neck.

"Ms. Nia, I was afraid, but you made everything all better." Hailey wrapped her legs around Nia's waist and leaned back, framing Nia's cheeks between her hands. "Then Ms. Gaia-she's really nice and so pretty-brought me here to play. I was worried about Uncle Thomas, but your mommy told me he was fine and I shouldn't worry. So I didn't. I knew you were with him."

Nia planted a kiss on the girl's forehead. "I'm glad to see you are fitting in here so well. Are you ready to go home?"

"Can't I stay longer?"

Thomas shook his head. "We need to get going, munchkin. It's been a long day."

Wriggling out of Nia's arms, Hailey danced on the floor in front of them. "I want you to meet my new friend, Perses. His daddy is who they named the comet show after. The Persnickety Shower."

"Perseid," Thomas corrected with a what-the-h.e.l.l look at Nia.

She nodded.

He kept a straight face as Hailey introduced him to the dark-haired little boy with the somber face. While they talked, Artemis drew her aside.

"Hailey had a lot of questions when she arrived, but she didn't seem shaken by her trip through the Hollow. Mnemosyne has already been in to discuss the best approach to blocking the child's memories. She agrees with me that erasing them is too risky."

"I'm glad she's consulted you." Thomas sat on the floor next to Hailey and Perses, elbows propped on his thighs, examining the toy chariot. Nia's heart shifted with joy in her chest, filling with love for her new family. "I plan to put Hailey into a deep enough sleep to get her back to Delphi and have Mnemosyne take care of everything before she awakens."

"A sound strategy. You can use my office to induce the slumber if you wish. I'll override the security for you."

"Thanks." Nia smiled her grat.i.tude at Artemis. "Thomas, we need to go."

Thomas stood and formally shook Perses's hand. He and Hailey joined Nia and the four of them headed to Artemis's office.

Nia sat on the comfy couch Artemis used with kids who didn't feel themselves, or needed a small time out from playing. Pulling Hailey down next to her, Nia held her hands. She glanced at Thomas, who watched them with raised eyebrows and curious eyes.

"Honey, we have to go home now. We're going to go the same way you came with Gaia."

"Through the dark place with shiny lights?"

Nia nodded. "We call it the Hollow, because sometimes it echoes in there like it's a vast empty s.p.a.ce. I know you weren't afraid when you came through, but before we go back, I'm going to put you to sleep."