In my bedroom, I sat on the edge of the California King bed I shared with Eli. The gray duvet fell to the floor and some of the pillows. The sheets remained disarrayed and rumpled. Eli’s clothes from the previous day were carelessly discarded in a heap beside the bathroom door. The book he read before retiring awaited his presence on the table. The charcoal gray chairs were out of place because he had pulled one around to be able to rest his feet on it while he sat in the other. From there, he could see Hampton, the shipyards, and Fort Monroe. He loved watching the ships moving in and out of the largest seaport in the world.

But, Eli was gone. His presence lingered in the room like a perfume that lingers long after the woman has exited. The sweet scent of Eli delayed departure as if it, too, expected him to walk through the door any second. I reached for a pillow and buried my face in it, drawing in the odor he left behind. Cinnamon and vanilla filled my nostrils and I gave way to tears. I missed him already. And I feared for his life.

Tears gave way to deep heart-wrenching sobs. I felt so frustrated and so helpless. How dare Circe violate my life. How dare she? Frustration blended into anger.

I never fully understood the value of anger until Ares joined our power partnership. He always held anger at bay, never giving way to the emotion that always broiled just below the surface. It was a negative thing, dark and insidious. But, anger sustained him when other emotions failed. Anger was the source of his power and strength.

I gathered that anger to me and embraced it as one embraces the reunion with a friend long separated by time and distance. I felt comfortable holding the anger close to me. Anger with Circe for treading into my domain, where she had no right to tread. She not only stole away my husband, but she also challenged my authority with her crime. She told the world of Olympians and Titans that I wasn't worthy to be their leader. I had a choice. I could either agree with her or I could vindicate my right to rule.

In the midst of those thoughts, I did fall asleep, cradled by the comforting angry thoughts.

In the dream, I walked among the Athenians who waited for the Spartans to cross the barrier. I recognized the faces of long-dead generals, officers, and soldiers. Weapons were held at the ready, awaiting the enemy who was led by Ares, my brother/enemy. All the Athenians dressed in the bright yellow under-tunic with a bronze breastplate that was overlaid gold. The chlamys was bright yellow, too. The gold overlay on the bronze helmets sparkled in the morning sunlight and the dyed Tumeric yellow horse hair plumes on the helms created the illusion that each soldier stood well over seven feet tall.

Ares approached, leaving his red army behind. "Anger makes you strong," he said to me when he was close.

"But, I don't want to be angry," I challenged.

"I know. But, anger will help you retake what was stolen from you."

"What is that?" I asked.

"Your dignity. Your power. Your authority."

"I don't know how to take it back."

"Yes, you do. This time, Circe must die. Every Athenian warrior who ever lived will be at your side. You can do it." Ares waved a hand expansively over the assemblage that stood behind me. Their numbers continually increased and watching the bright yellow and gold was so dazzling to my eyes that I had to squint to lessen the ache that formed behind them.

"What about your warriors? They are all blood red. Will they help?"

Ares looked over his shoulder and said, "They are not mine."

"But, you are dressed just like them: Red tunic, bronze breastplate, bronze helmet with red horsehair plumage..."

"They belong to the witch," Ares said.

"You show your allegiance to the witch by dressing as her warriors dress."

"Look again, Mighty Athena." Ares stood before me, dressed in yellow and gold. "My allegiance is with you."

Then both sides were dressed in yellow and gold. The Spartans looked from one to the other as if they couldn't believe the change.

Then, acceptance.

High on a hill overlooking the field of battle, Circe screamed in her rage. The warriors turned their back on her to face the sunrise and the Colossus that once guarded the harbor on the Island of Rhodes. Helios Sun God grew taller and more impressive in his stature. Circe threw a spear at him and it bounced harmlessly off his thigh. Helios laughed at her feeble attempt. Then, I stood beside him, taller than him by a head and shoulders, creating a shadow that reached across the battlefield to Circe's hill. She looked as tiny as an insect. She threw a sword in my direction and it didn't even pierce the fabric of the hem of my tunic.

I heard Ares's voice. Although he was still small and standing on the battlefield, I heard his voice as if he stood beside me. "She can't even harm the hem of your skirt." He laughed, derisively.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Beside me, Helios said, "Behold, your followers." All of the yellow and gold warriors faced Circe and began advancing toward her, spears held like pikes. As far away as I could see, yellow and gold soldiers awaited my command. Millions upon millions stretched away to the right and to the left.

Circe grew smaller and smaller until she ceased to exist.

I sat up in the bed in my gray and white bedroom. I took a moment to wonder if the dream was prophetic or wishful thinking. I decided to reserve judgment.

The clock beside my bed said, "Seven thirty-six, a.m." when I touched the top of it. Three hours already? I felt as if I hadn't closed my eyes, at all. It was going to be a long day.

I walked into the ample bathroom and entered the shower meant for two. Warm water blasted me from every side and I felt some of the tension ease away from me. I dressed in a pair of tight blue jeans and a lacy white blouse. My hair was wet, so I let it hang free, like a maiden's hair. Food was the next order of business, so I went into the kitchen.

As expected Nike and Bia sat at the dining table, a large mug of coffee in front of each. Nike smiled at me and then said, "Coffee is ready. What do you want for breakfast?"

I almost declined breakfast, but I knew that would be a mistake. My sleep was too short to re-energize me completely. If one necessity was ignored, then another had to take its place. "Anything. Everything." I told her.

With efficiency, Nike and Bia made scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Once I started eating, I felt famished beyond belief and I ate everything. Before I finished the last mouthful of food, Ares entered my apartment, with Bill and Hermes tagging along behind him.

"Perfect timing," I said. "I am nearly ready."

"Ready for what?" Ares asked me.

"Nearly ready to hear everyone's plan. Then, I am going to visit Phobos and Company. I assume everyone is waiting in the conference room."

"Yes, and they have been for the last forty-five minutes," Ares said. I heard the accusation in his voice. He accused me of laziness, of neglecting my charges, and of gross dereliction of duty.

"Bite me," I said to Ares. "I had to recharge my batteries, as it were, to avoid fainting away from exhaustion as you pointed out a few hours ago. Now, let us go to the conference room. No, Nike, leave the kitchen for Leto, Ariadne, or Hebe to clean up. They have all expressed a desire to avoid any combatant role, so they can best assist me in a domestic capacity. None will object."

I slid my feet into some comfortable desert sandals and exited the apartment.

As Ares indicated, every one of my charges waited in the conference room. They hovered around the urns of coffee and piles of doughnuts. "All right," I said as I entered the room. "What do you have for me?" I grabbed a doughnut.

Titan, the apparently elected spokesperson for everyone, said, "We all agree that the next step hinges on Phobos. We think strength in numbers is the key. As you know, Hebe, Ariadne, and Leto prefer to not fight, so we cannot count on their help."

Titan was nothing if not blunt. "They serve me well in other capacities, Titan," I told him.

"I meant no disrespect to the ladies," he said by way of apology. We could expect nothing different from him.

"I must point out that Ariadne helped us at Phobos's house. She will help again if we need her to. So instead of telling me what people will not do, why not tell me what they will do."

"You have to have more allies. We all feel that Circe will wait for a time before she tries to kill Helios. He is bait. If she kills him, then she loses her greatest advantage," Titan said.

"Who do you suggest besides Phobos and company?" I asked Titan.

"The children of the sun and the children of the moon."

"Apollo and Artemis?"

"Of course," Titan said.

"What about Hera?" Metis asked.

"And Poseidon," Mnemosyne added.

"And Hades," Jason said. "He loves Demeter's daughter and may want to avenge Demeter's death."

"You are also forgetting about the greatest of all of us. Zeus," Ares said.

I shook my head and said, "Zeus won't help. He will remain neutral."

"What about Hephaestus?" Dion asked me.

"That's right," Ares said. "If you get Heph, then you get Aphrodite and Hera."

"Wait a minute," I said. "Not everyone will give me a pledge of loyalty."

"How do you know until you ask them," Titan asked.

I nodded and said, "Very true, however, I do not believe that we have weeks to gather strength to us. Circe struck while we were still relatively weak for a reason. She knows I haven't time to completely shore up my defenses. She is not going to give me that time now." I took a deep breath and then faced Mnemosyne. "Have you looked into Ares's memories?"

She nodded and said, "I don't think there is anything additional to be gleaned. He saw exactly what happened. Circe's magic pulled Helios from the balcony. She planned and was ready. She wouldn't allow him to transport away."

"I was out there. Why didn't she grab me?" I asked Mnemosyne.

"You are much stronger than Helios," she said as if I should have known that all along. "You could have fought with her and likely won."

"If that is the case, then I should be able to rescue Eli without any help," I said.

"Not at her seat of power," Titan said. "One on one, here, where you are strongest, yes, you could defeat her easily. That is why she chose the element of surprise. You didn't have time to react before the deed was done."

I felt Ares seething. He was eager to do something rather than listening to endless minutes of discussion and debate. I glanced to my right and saw him leaning a shoulder against the door jamb--his favorite impatient position. He tapped his wrist to indicate that time was passing rapidly. It had been eight hours since Eli was kidnapped. Four of those eight hours had been spent conferencing with all those who wanted to be a part of the action, namely all present in the room. All of them wanted to feel as if they were contributing to the solution and not the problem.

Ares's eyes burned into my brain and I felt his strong irritation.

"Hermes," I said to get his attention. The pig looked at me and bobbed his head up and down in acknowledgment. "Ares, Bill, Titan, Mnemosyne, and me. Transport us to Phobos, now."