father.
You two are, what is that human word you use... wimps."
"Hardly. Dad and I can more than hold our own."
Apollymi gave an uncharacteristic snort that Kat decided to ignore.
"And you still haven't answered my question," Kat pressed on in spite of her grandmother's ill
mood. "What are the Dimme?"
Now the goddess was irritated, which was manifested in her grabbing one of the sweet black
pears that grew on black-barked trees of her garden. She crushed it in her hand. "They're Anu and Enlil's
final revenge on us all. While the gallu may be seen as the atom bomb that negated my Charontes, Anu
created the Dimme as a nuclear holocaust."
Kat wasn't sure what she meant. "How so?"
"The Dimme are seven demons unlike anything you can imagine. They are uncontrollable, even for
the gods. They're so dangerous that the Sumerians never even dared release them. From the moment
they were created, they were put in a cell that has a time release. Every few millennia, whatever is holding
them weakens. If the Sumerian gods are still alive, they reseal the seven demon sisters and life goes on as
normal. But should something happen to the pantheon and there be no more Sumerian gods to reseal
their tomb, the Dimme are unleashed on the world to destroy it and whatever pantheon is in charge. It's
Anu's last laugh against whoever killed him and his children." So Sin hadn't been lying... It made Kat's
stomach ache to think of what the seven demons could be capable of. She already knew what the typical
monsters could do. And the Charonte. There was no telling what the Dimme would be like. "Don't you
think that harsh?"
Apollymi gave her an arch look. "I only wish I'd thought of it myself."
Kat shook her head. She didn't know why Apollymi hated her mother so much, since the two of
them were pretty darn close in personality—and thought similarly on most topics.
Apollymi licked the sweet juice from her fingertips. "But that doesn't explain why you're asking me
all this, child. What about the Sumerians has you so curious when you've never asked about I them
before?"
"Well, right now, I have their last survivor locked in my house."
Apollymi went rigid. "You what?"
"Sin's in my house, down the street."
Apollymi's swirling eyes began to glow—something they only did when she was highly agitated.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Before Kat could defend her decision, Apollymi vanished.
Kat cursed. There was no doubt in her mind where her grandmother had gone. Aggravated, too,
Kat flashed herself back to her house.
Sure enough, Apollymi was there and Sin was pinned to the wall.
"Grandma."
"Back off," Apollymi snarled.
Kat was stunned by her response. Not once in all her life had Kat's grandmother ever raised her
voice to her. The next thing she knew both Sin and Apollymi were gone.
What in the name of Zeus was going on? Kat closed her eyes but couldn't find any trace of them.
They had to be at the palace and there was no telling what Apollymi was doing to Sin. But
whatever it was, it was sure to be bloody and painful.
And that was what Apollymi did for people she liked.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sin cursed as he landed on his side in the center of what appeared to be a Charonte feast. There
had to be at least a hundred Charontes present... and they were all staring at him in silence as he lay on
the cobblestone floor in front of them. There was no sound whatsoever except for the occasional whisper
of a Charonte wing.
The room reminded him of a medieval great hall with arched rafters and exposed beams. The stone
walls gave the place an eerie hill that didn't seem to faze the half-naked Charonte who were eating
everything from roasted pig, to cows, to things he couldn't even begin to identify.
"Is he for us to eat?" one of the young male Charonte asked an older one.
Before Sin could stand or respond, Apollymi appeared on the other side of the main banquet table
beside the adult male Charonte the boy had spoken to.
Her silver
You two are, what is that human word you use... wimps."
"Hardly. Dad and I can more than hold our own."
Apollymi gave an uncharacteristic snort that Kat decided to ignore.
"And you still haven't answered my question," Kat pressed on in spite of her grandmother's ill
mood. "What are the Dimme?"
Now the goddess was irritated, which was manifested in her grabbing one of the sweet black
pears that grew on black-barked trees of her garden. She crushed it in her hand. "They're Anu and Enlil's
final revenge on us all. While the gallu may be seen as the atom bomb that negated my Charontes, Anu
created the Dimme as a nuclear holocaust."
Kat wasn't sure what she meant. "How so?"
"The Dimme are seven demons unlike anything you can imagine. They are uncontrollable, even for
the gods. They're so dangerous that the Sumerians never even dared release them. From the moment
they were created, they were put in a cell that has a time release. Every few millennia, whatever is holding
them weakens. If the Sumerian gods are still alive, they reseal the seven demon sisters and life goes on as
normal. But should something happen to the pantheon and there be no more Sumerian gods to reseal
their tomb, the Dimme are unleashed on the world to destroy it and whatever pantheon is in charge. It's
Anu's last laugh against whoever killed him and his children." So Sin hadn't been lying... It made Kat's
stomach ache to think of what the seven demons could be capable of. She already knew what the typical
monsters could do. And the Charonte. There was no telling what the Dimme would be like. "Don't you
think that harsh?"
Apollymi gave her an arch look. "I only wish I'd thought of it myself."
Kat shook her head. She didn't know why Apollymi hated her mother so much, since the two of
them were pretty darn close in personality—and thought similarly on most topics.
Apollymi licked the sweet juice from her fingertips. "But that doesn't explain why you're asking me
all this, child. What about the Sumerians has you so curious when you've never asked about I them
before?"
"Well, right now, I have their last survivor locked in my house."
Apollymi went rigid. "You what?"
"Sin's in my house, down the street."
Apollymi's swirling eyes began to glow—something they only did when she was highly agitated.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Before Kat could defend her decision, Apollymi vanished.
Kat cursed. There was no doubt in her mind where her grandmother had gone. Aggravated, too,
Kat flashed herself back to her house.
Sure enough, Apollymi was there and Sin was pinned to the wall.
"Grandma."
"Back off," Apollymi snarled.
Kat was stunned by her response. Not once in all her life had Kat's grandmother ever raised her
voice to her. The next thing she knew both Sin and Apollymi were gone.
What in the name of Zeus was going on? Kat closed her eyes but couldn't find any trace of them.
They had to be at the palace and there was no telling what Apollymi was doing to Sin. But
whatever it was, it was sure to be bloody and painful.
And that was what Apollymi did for people she liked.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sin cursed as he landed on his side in the center of what appeared to be a Charonte feast. There
had to be at least a hundred Charontes present... and they were all staring at him in silence as he lay on
the cobblestone floor in front of them. There was no sound whatsoever except for the occasional whisper
of a Charonte wing.
The room reminded him of a medieval great hall with arched rafters and exposed beams. The stone
walls gave the place an eerie hill that didn't seem to faze the half-naked Charonte who were eating
everything from roasted pig, to cows, to things he couldn't even begin to identify.
"Is he for us to eat?" one of the young male Charonte asked an older one.
Before Sin could stand or respond, Apollymi appeared on the other side of the main banquet table
beside the adult male Charonte the boy had spoken to.
Her silver
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