Emma had done as Demeter requested, although she did not like it one bit.

Stripping down behind a tree, so as to prevent the wandering eyes of William, Emma shucked her wet and heavy clothes for the much lighter, and dry, cloaks provided by Demeter.

Imploring them to continue their walk, but at her discretion, Emma and William could no longer see Demeter, but she was there still, simply behind whatever veil that the cowardly gods hid behind when feeling tedious. As they walked, Demeter talked to them and informed them of the situation.

“Mortals such as yourselves should not be here. But you are and I will get you out,” Demeter said. “My brother will soon return his fury to the surface; your presence in his private realm will not go unnoticed. But with these cloaks, you will have an opportunity to keep yourself hidden. That is, so as long as you do not use your magical talents.”

“Talents? Magic? Do explain, fair one,” William asked.

“Stop playing coy. You have your evasive and shielding and the woman has her long-range offensive abilities. This is your magic. Simple, but effective. More of a side-effect, really. Count yourselves lucky you aren’t dead by the magic infecting your systems.”

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As Demeter spoke, she was at a loss. Magic? Systems? There was no denying that something strange had happened when she met William and saved him from the griffins, but magic? Truly?

“Ah, so just so that I have this right, please permit me this idiotic question: in order to stay hidden, we must keep our magical talents off the Sea Lord’s radar. And while we are wearing cloaks, using this magic is impossible?”

“Yes. If you want to survive, you will have to alternate between secrecy and offensive means. I trust you humans will figure out when it best for which.”

It was a lot to take in and over the course of the next few hours, Emma was mostly silent. But she wrestled with the idea of alternating between two different survival strategies. And why they had to. Why, for example, did the cloaks preclude the use of magic? What were they made from and why were these the cloaks that Demeter bestowed upon them? It didn’t make sense. Surely, she, as an ‘adjunct to the sea,’ had access to more convoluted magical equipments than these secondhand trinkets. Surely!

“Are you able to say which sort of obstacles will be in our way? I find it unusual we will have to alternate and—”

“Enough. I am a god. I do not chit-chat like you mortal worms. Make your way to the temple at the center of the island. You will hear from me again,” Demeter said before her voice ceased.

“Gods, what a—” Emma was about to say before thinking better of it.

“See, development!” William exclaimed, noticing how Emma held her tongue.

“Oh, piss off,” Emma snarled.

“Snippy. You women. Well… do you see a temple?”

Emma looked around. Climbing atop a tall boulder, she looked again.

“No,” Emma said, “but I will be damned if I don’t find one.”