just riveted columns holding up the ceiling. But the view here... Turquoise-blue water surrounded us completely, and beyond I could see hundreds of glowing gold domes. Floating at different levels, they were all connected by tunnels, and I could just make out buildings inside most of them, colored white and bronze. In the distance, behind the city, I could see a pod of massive whales meandering past.
It was stunning.
I was standing on a marble floor that at first I thought was white, but when the rays of light filtering through the water hit it, looked the palest blue. The ceiling was painted with the most incredible underwater scene I could imagine, pastel corals hiding hundreds of brightly colored fish, and images of creatures that looked like they had come from another planet surrounding them. The empty thrones were all plain, except the one in the center, which was shaped like a tidal wave, smooth and fierce and perfect.
'Wow,' I breathed.
'I know. Grumpy he may be, but Poseidon has taste,' Hecate said quietly.
'I appreciate that,' boomed Poseidon's voice, and Hecate winced.
'Shit.'
The twelve gods flashed onto the dais, and when the light cleared I saw the commentator standing in front of them, his white toga as crisp as his smile.
'Good day Olympus!'
I looked straight to Hades, his smoke rippling. A flash of silver in the darkness found my eyes and I suppressed my shiver of delight. Gods, I was getting worse. 'Welcome to Aquarius! I'll waste no time in handing you over to your host.'
Hecate bowed low, and I followed suit as Poseidon stepped forward, and the other gods lowered themselves into their seats. The sea god looked as he had the previous night, trident resplendent as it towered above him.
'I have devised a test fit for the Queen of an Olympian. You must get the gem back in the trident. You must complete the trial alone. Other than that there are no rules.'
Put a gem in a trident. That didn't sound too bad, I thought, trying to ignore the bit about a test fit for a Queen. And at least I knew what I had to do this time. No running around guessing and trying to decipher stupid clues.
'You will be granted the temporary ability to breath underwater, and a steed,' Poseidon continued, and my mouth dropped open.
Say what? Breathing underwater and a freaking steed?
'But by no means will you be immune to any other dangers of the ocean. Understood?'
'Erm,' I said, but he banged his trident on the floor before I could say any more.
'Let us begin!'
Nine
Persephone
I gasped as cold water enveloped me, the world turning upside down as my feet were swept out from under me. The sound of rushing water drowned out my yell, and I tumbled over and over as waves crashed all around me. Instinct made me clamp my mouth shut as I inhaled a mouthful of salty water, then I was completely submerged. The light dimmed and panic and disorientation gripped me. I kicked out, feeling for the floor or anything solid, unable to see. My lungs were burning as I flailed my limbs desperately. Then the swirling motion flinging my body about stopped abruptly, and bright light began to seep back through the water. I tried to steady myself, treading water, chest aching as I looked around.
I was at the bottom of the ocean.
Directly ahead of me was a huge sunken marble trident, jutting out of the sandy ocean-bed, its three points stabbing majestically towards the surface. I started to turn to look for more but dizziness made my eyes roll. I needed air.
'Breathe. You can breathe under here.'
'Hades!'
'Breathe.'
Gods, this was messed up. I closed my eyes, and forced out every instinct in my body screaming at me to keep my mouth shut.
I inhaled.
Instead of water, cool air filled my throat, then my lungs, and I laughed aloud in relief as my eyes fluttered open. I was breathing underwater. Unreal. I kicked myself around in a slow circle, taking in everything I could.
To the right of the fifty-foot tall trident, high up and floating on a platform, were the twelve gods, and a little way apart from them, the three judges. I threw a pointed scowl at them all, and moved my gaze on.
The ocean bed was littered with ruined buildings, white marble and lumps of bronze nestled in the sand. Only one structure looked like it had survived whatever had sunk it, but it wasn't in good shape. I guessed the gem that