The ambrosia must be more intoxicating than Cora realized. The crowd of Gods and beasts grew frenzied now. The music lost its pleasant harmony and ravaged an infernal rhythm. The bonfire in the great court yard roared with a spirit of its own. More than one threw their head back to howl wild at the sky, unearthly and savage what echoes through the jagged peaks.

Cora was reminded again how much she did not belong. The appetites of the Gods were strange to her, but there was no mistaking the blood they tasted in the air.

"You have to give Apollo's sword back!" Cora tried to snatch at it, but it was gone. Overgrown and engulfed within the vines and bark of the pressing nymphs. They giggled and cheered, turning their backs to block Cora away.

Some strained their long sapling necks to the sky to join the battle hymn.

"Let the final competition begin!" Zeus cried.

The crowd began to part. Cora felt dizzy, and wasn't sure where they were going. The nymphs all hurried one way, and Cora would have followed if the golden bull hadn't returned to block her path. Snorting, pawing the ground, Cora could only flee the other way. A large clearing formed in the middle of the crowd.

When the dust had settled, Cora was startled to see a bull head in front of her once more. Not one of the champions though -- there was a minotaur sitting cross legged on the ground before her. Its mighty hooves were drawn underneath, and was almost as tall as Cora, even while sitting. It took Cora awhile longer to maneuver around the creature and get a view.

Once Cora could maneuver to see through the horns, the battle had already begun.

Apollo rode the golden bull without saddle. His bronze armor shone, his helmet low over his eyes. Apollo reached to a golden clasp at his neck to release his red robe. It flew through the air towards Cora on wings of its own. The robe gracefully folded at the edge of the arena. Without thinking, Cora rushed into the clearing to snatch it, and pull it back to safety behind the sitting minotaur. The great snorting head turned to look at her, but Cora glared straight back until it turned away. The red cloth was velvet, with trim of real gold. No one tried to stop her, but when she turned around again, she saw Poseidon looking in her direction.

The ground shook as the mechanical bull plodded and pounded the rock to sand. Poseidon rode opposite Apollo, his own trident leveled and ready to charge. He wore colorful armor of coral, with a great spiral shell shield in his opposite hand. His hair and beard were long and dreaded green, seeming intertwined with sea weed.

"Let this battle be the end of it then," Hera declared.

At the far end of the clearing, Queen Hera sat on a throne made of rough hewn purple amethyst. Beside her must be Zeus. He stood with his hands clasped together, wringing them eagerly, lightning sparking between them in his excitement. He had a long white beard, but was strong and youthful as his sons. Most surprising of all was seeing Zeus's clothing: no royal robes or bronze armor, but the jagged lightning letters of a metal band Cora didn't recognize. He wore cargo shorts and sandals. If Cora had to guess, Tommy Bahamas brand.

Cora could only shake her head and wonder. Fragile mortal thing, there was nothing she could do to stop the tremendous stampede. The two bulls flung themselves into each other and locked horns. Zeus clapped and cheered, and cheering with him the sky filled with lightning at the clash.

Apollo's spear was fast and sure. The shell shield was indomitable, rolling the point without harm.

Across the battlefield, Cora spotted the nymphs laughing and cheering along.

"He cheated!" Cora yelled, pointing at the bull. "Hephaestus made the bull, not Poseidon!"

No one heard, no one cared. The spear thrust a flurry, and was deflected again. But it was enough to knock Poseidon a little loose on his perch. Apollo reversed grip and let the spear fly, burying it in the shoulder blade of the metal bull. The gears locked around the spear. The shaft shattered, the joint locked. Poseidon was thrown to the ground as the creature collapsed. He rolled sprawling. The crowd cheered. Lightning lit world.

"Where is your sword, Apollo?" Poseidon taunted.

Apollo circled on his golden bull, giving his brother time to rise to his feet and retrieve his weapons.

"Where is your bull, Poseidon?"

The golden beast lowered its horns and charged. Apollo bent low, unarmed but clinging on. He looked ready to trample Poseidon. Trident braced into the ground. Crouched low, Poseidon roared as he met the charge. The trident pierced straight through the neck of the golden bull. Cora gasped in horror, only to see the creature dissipate in soft golden light. It was never alive at all, but for the grace of the sun god. Poseidon's trident was at Apollo's neck before he could rise.

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"Do you concede the challenge?" the sea God asked.

Apollo hung his head, but said nothing.

The crowd was silent, holding breath with anticipation. Cora was devasted. She couldn't undo what was done so quickly in anger. She couldn't turn the battle. But neither could she allow Apollo to lose because of her.

"Poseidon cheated!" Cora shouted again. She waved the red cloak, catching Zeus's attention this time now that the arena was subdued.

"He didn't make his own bull. Hephaestus the smith built it for him." Cora felt all the eyes on her, but she couldn't stop now. "That's cheating, and he should be disqualified."

The crowd upheaving, rage and laughter.

Zeus raised his hand, and thunder quelled them all.

"The King of the Gods should be resourceful. It was not the bull which made Poseidon win, but his power of combat."

Apollo still wouldn't rise. Why wouldn't he acknowledge her? Couldn't he see she was doing this for him?"

"He cheated twice! Once with the bull, again by him planning to steal Apollo's sword before the fight."

The crowd would not be silent now, even with the thundering warning.

Poseidon looked furious.

"I recognize you now," he said. "You're the mortal Apollo saved from my ocean last night. If I break the rules, then what of Apollo, who brought his mortal lover where she is forbidden?"

"A mortal!" Hera was outraged.

"Stealing his sword as well?" Zeus cried. "Now that is a dirty trick. How do you know?"

"I know because I stole it," Cora announced. Her face was hot and flushed. She felt like a witch being tied to the stake. Her mortal secret was already out though, she had nothing left to fear.

"The nymphs tricked me into stealing," Cora clarified. "And they said they were working with Poseidon for his favor when he won. How will anyone look up to Poseidon as King of the Gods, when he was too afraid to fight on even terms?"

"Only Poseidon has not shown divided loyalties," Hera screeches. "Prove you choose the Gods over the mortals. Kill the girl, and I shall declare you victor."

"What about a white stag?" Cora asked meekly. Her face went from hot to cold in an instant. She felt herself become ashen pale.

"Gladly," Poseidon said with an evil grin. "No one escapes from Poseidon twice. The tide always comes again."

Cora let the red robe drop helplessly from her numb fingers. Poseidon hoisted his trident. He flung it threw the air. Glittering gold in the sun, but how could the sun bless the shadow of death it promised? How could her sun God go dark before ever there was dawn?

The glittering trident shone in the sun one moment. It was the sun the next. An incandescent light burst forth, such radiance to blind Cora. She fell to her knees and clutched at the red robe once more to shield her eyes from the light. As soon as it had come, it was gone. Uncovering her eyes once more, she saw Apollo standing beside her, once more his eyes only for her.

In his chest the trident was buried. His bronze breastplate was ripped like paper, and light bled from his wound to color the air and leave sunspots in Cora's eyes. He had taken the killing blow for her.

"The winner of the competition is clear!" Poseidon howled. The crowd lit the air with fireworks of sound.

"Apollo!" The god was falling to his knees. Cora rushed to catch him and ease him to the ground. "I'm so sorry, Apollo! This is all my fault! I told you I always make a mess of things, don't I?"

Apollo tried to speak, but only light poured from his mouth. His body shook.

"You're immortal. You aren't going to die. I'm going to take care of you," Cora promised. Even as she said this, the sky seemed to be growing darker. As if the sun had passed behind a cloud, the light was draining from the world.

"Someone help him!" Cora shouted desperately. "Meliea, Oreads, help us!"

But no one would risk angering the rival of the new King of the Gods. One by one they bowed to Poseidon, and left Cora with Apollo shining in her arms.

"Next we see each other..." Apollo's words were wisps of their former strength. "You will not recognize me."

"Don't go! Don't go... don't go."

"Poseidon will not find you. Hera will not find you. I have seen how this story ends. Go with the nymphs, they will lead you to safety."

"I could never trust them again. Zeus! Hera! Do something! He is your son!" Cora pleaded. But they too were congratulating Poseidon.

Apollo was growing lighter in Cora's arms. His skin was becoming less solid, his heat and light all but gone. Cora bent over him and pressed her forehead to his. She had to feel his skin against hers, while there was still something left to feel. And then leaning in to kiss his glowing lips, but feeling only cool mist. Reflections and echoes, a distant melody of lyre, but he was nowhere she could find.

"I will only love you," Cora promised. The red cloak she still clutched in trembling hands.

"Do not worry yourself, dear," Oreads appeared at last. She rested a graceful branchy limb onto Cora's shoulder. She shrugged it away angrily.

"Don't you dare touch me. This is your fault."

"Apollo sees the future, and knows what even the wise do not," the nymph said. "Nothing has happened but what is meant to be. Apollo has seen this too, and you can take comfort knowing it is part of his plan."

"How?" Cora wouldn't cry. She wouldn't feel anything at all if she could help it.

"Hurry now, before Hera catches you. We will show you the secret ways."

Oreads picked up an end of the red cloak. Cora tried to pull it away from her. Her bottom lip pressed up in a stubborn scowl.

"You will not! It's all I have left."

"If you won't trust me, then trust him!"

Cora let the red robe go slack. She wouldn't let go of her corner though, not for the world.

Oreads took the rest of the robe and swung it around them both. It seemed to grow as it did, wrapping around them both. Then billowing into the air around them, it became the size of a tent. Then collapsing once more, it wrapped around them as snugly as a blanket.

"Where is the mortal?" Hera shrieked. It sounded like it was coming from a long way off, and far above.

Oreads rose a thorny branch to her lips and hushed Cora. They really were inside a flower, hidden in the garden where the Gods still roamed. The red velvet was even softer now that it was the petals of a curling rose.