After my near-death experience with Vulcan, Demetrius led me to a room deep inside the mansion. As we walked along, we passed by fewer maids and butlers as Demetrius took more and more twists and turns. I didn't even bother to take note of where I was going since I would just get myself lost anyway.

Demetrius unlocked the door and let me inside first. Every piece of furniture that was in the room was almost identical to the ones in the bedroom I was in earlier, but unlike the green theme, his room had a combination of gold and red colors to it. There were also some items that looked personal which dotted the place, like the large desk near the window and the tall shelf filled with old books beside it.

He ushered me to the leather seats near the room's fireplace. The springy couch gave in as I gently settled onto it. After closing the door, Demetrius sat down on a chair across the area, gazing at me with gleaming eyes.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Um. . . no thanks," I said. "I'm not into drinking tea."

"Then what do you like, Amelia?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just want to know why I'm here, please."

"Patience, young lady." Demetrius smiled. "I know you haven't eaten anything since your arrival. Just tell me what you want and I'll call in Jean-Paul to bring you food."

Shrugging, I told him what food I was craving for, and since he insisted so much, I kinda ordered some things that were way over-the-top just to see if he would really bring them. But soon enough, two maids came in. One of them had a tray full of food while the other had one with a porcelain teapot and a cup. They placed them on the wooden table in front of us and bowed at Demetrius before leaving the room.

He looked at my tray. "I didn't know you had a taste for Japanese sushi."

My nose wrinkling, I pushed the plate of sushi aside and took the glass of water standing near it and drank. The clear liquid passed through my parched throat and I sighed in relief.

"Trust me, I didn't know either." I placed the glass down. "Now, about my questions. . ."

"Not yet. Eat first, ask later," he said, gesturing at the food. "I guess that you're hungry since you've ordered so much."

My eyes narrowed. Is he trying to distract me or what? I feel like he's buying himself some time because he doesn't want to answer anything.

I took a fork from the tray and poked the grilled steak, suspicious of the food served to me.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

"How do I know if you didn't put some poison on the food?" I pointed my fork at him accusingly.

He raised a brow. "Why would I do that?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Even if you've offered me a nice room and good food, I don't trust anyone easily, especially the ones who've kidnapped me."

He touched his chin. "Fair point. But mixing a deadly poison on your water would defeat the purpose to why I brought you here in the first place."

"Fine." I sliced a piece of steak and put it on my mouth. "So, what is the reason, huh? And how did you even know where to find me?"

Demetrius reached for the teapot on the other tray and poured himself some tea. "To answer your first question, I want to gain your trust so we have a truce and search for the Artifacts together."

I stopped chewing. "What? After what you've done to me and my friends, there's no way I'll be able to trust you, let alone them!"

He sipped on his cup. "I understand what you're referring to, but if we set aside our differences, we can all work as one to quickly find the rest of the Items before they land on the wrong hands."

"Excuse me? So you're telling me you're not the 'wrong hands'?" I crossed my arms. "Yeah, right. Give me one reason to believe that crap."

"I should ask the same thing," he said. "Tell me, Amelia. Why are you and your friends looking for the Olympian Artifacts?"

I stuttered, his question taking me aback. "Well. . . W-we want to keep it away from the bad guys, just like you said."

"And?"

"And what?" I said. "Is there another reason I should know of?"

"Hm." He put his cup on the table. "It seems to me that you're not aware of the true power of the Olympian Artifacts."

I tilted my head. "What are you talking about?"

He stood up and walked towards his desk. "If I tell you something about the Artifacts that you don't know, will I be able to gain your trust?"

I leaned on the sofa. "Depends on what you're going to share."

While Demetrius rummaged around the table, I continued eating the food on the tray, except for the sushi and the other. . . stuff I ordered. It didn't take long before Demetrius came back with what looked like a long parchment paper.

Placing the paper down on his chair, he turned to the table and began moving his tray of tea aside to one of the side tables. I also rose up and helped him with mine.

After that, he spread the parchment on the now-empty table, straightening it with care. It had drawings of twelve different objects lined up in one row, each colored beautifully in light hues. Just beneath them were scribbles of writing of some foreign language. As I looked closer, the old sheet had signs of tear at one of its sides like someone took a huge piece of it.

He settled down. "Alright. Can you tell me what you're seeing, Amelia?"

A second later, my eyes widened as I recognized some of the objects drawn. "Are those. . . the Olympian Artifacts?"

He nodded. "This is an ancient Greek papyrus which tells of the Items. It helped me and the others search for them when they light up. When it reunites with its other piece, the Prophecy of the Twelve shall be revealed." He slid his finger at the tear on the paper. "And I believe you have that piece."

I looked up at him. "What?"

"Don't pretend you know nothing, young lady," he said. "There's no way you and your friends were able to find it too without it."

"What are you—" I inhaled sharply as it hit me. "Are you talking about the scroll where a clue in the form of a riddle magically appears?"

"Yes, yes!" He nodded eagerly. "If we get to join the two papyrus together, we will be able to read the Prophecy."

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" I gazed down at the parchment and touched it. "It doesn't look like something that would—"

Suddenly, a white light flashed from the papyrus, blinding me and Demetrius. I quickly covered my eyes but the light disappeared as soon as it came.

I blinked my eyes rapidly. "What. . . was that?"

"I don't know." Demetrius turned to the paper and his eyes widened. "Are you seeing this?"

Looking down, the light from earlier was still there, but this time, it lined around the drawing in the middle of the parchment: a golden staff.

"The Staff of Hera!" He gasped. "After a long time of waiting, we can finally find it! Although, it would be much easier if we had the other piece. I don't suppose you have it?"

"If I had it, you would've gotten it from me already." I stared at the staff's drawing. "Hm, that's weird. Why does it look familiar. . ."

"Familiar how?"

"I've never seen it before but its description. . . Embedded with gems of nature's hue, a staff gilded and coated in shiny blue." I snapped my fingers. "That's it! It's the staff's clue! I've read it before!"

Demetrius looked like he would jump from his seat. "You did? When?"

I averted my gaze as I realized his question. "The day your Rogues kidnapped me, that's when."

"Oh." He fell silent for a moment. "What did it say?"

I pursed my lips. "Why would I even tell you? I still don't trust you."

He sighed. "You still don't believe me, do you? I want us to be in a truce. That means building trust with one another."

Silence.

"Fine," he said, blowing out another sigh. "Let me show you something then."

In my peripheral view, I saw him push himself up and head somewhere. A second later, he came back to his seat with a rectangular object in his grasp. Folding the parchment and moving it aside, he slid the object across the table and to me.

It was a picture of a woman with the waviest red hair I've ever seen. She wore a blue day dress with floral patterns and matching doll shoes. She had light pink lips and warm brown eyes, smiling brightly at the camera as the sun shone on her face.

She was happy. She was young.

She was me.

My hands trembled as I struggled to hold onto the portrait. "W-where did you get a picture of me?"

He shook his head. "That's my wife, Gabriela."

"B-but she looks just like me. . ." I muttered, then handed the picture back to him. "Where is she right now?"

"She. . . passed away when our child was born," he said, smiling sadly. "It's been a long 18 years without her. There's not a day when I don't think about her, or our long-lost daughter."

"I'm so sorry for your loss—" I froze. "Wait. Did you just say your wife's name was. . . Gabriela?"

He nodded slowly.

My jaw went slack. "T-That's impossible. U-Uncle Ben said my mother's name was Gabriela too and— When. . . when did you say your wife died again?"

"18 years ago," he replied. "I believe it's her death anniversary today."

I inhaled sharply. "It's my birthday today too. Then that means. . ."

Demetrius stared at me, his eyes suddenly displaying mirth.

"No."

His lips curled up ever so slightly. "Yes."

"No!"

"Amelia, I—"

"Nononono. . . No! No!" I rose up from my seat in panic. "No! That can't be! I-It's impossible! Uncle Ben told me that he saw you dead!"

He walked gently to my side. "Yes, I died and Benjamin witnessed it, but I used my powers to reverse my death when you two left."

I backed away from him, creating as much space as I could. "Don't go near me! I dare you!"

Demetrius paused from his place, but I still continued stepping away.

"Amelia, let's talk about this," he pleaded. "I will explain—"

I glared at him. "Explain what? What would you even tell me after 18 years? 18 years!"

"Believe me, it was painful leaving you alone with Benjamin, but I had to do for your own good," he said. "I only wished for you to have a normal life, something I never got to experience."

"But that doesn't explain why you had to abandon me!" I yelled. "And if you did use your powers to bring yourself from the dead, why didn't you bring my mother back too?"

He sighed. "That's not how time works, Amelia. If I were to bring her back, you wouldn't be standing here right now. It was you or her, and as much as I wanted you to both exist, there could only be one."

My lips opened and closed, but not a word seemed to come out as my mind struggled to argue with his words.

Why would I even argue with his lies? He must be trying to fool me so he could make me trust him.

I won't let him.

"Besides," he continued, "Reviving dead souls is something beyond my power's domain. Swimming its waters would mean intruding in another god's realm, which is something you and I are not allowed to do."

Shaking my head vigorously, I turned around and headed for the door.

"W-wait!"

My hand was at the doorknob when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Demetrius giving me a somber smile.

I frowned. "What else do you want?"

"If. . . If you really want to know the truth about. . . everything, use your power on me."

"What?"

"I know for a fact that you can peer through minds," he said. "Read my past memories, and see the truth for yourself."

As I narrowed my eyes at him, he opened up his palms in front of me, his face expressing anticipation.

"How do you know about my powers?" I asked, my head tilting to the side.

He pushed his hands forward. "You'll know the answer to that soon enough."

If he really insists about me getting through his head, I guess I should just do it then. . .

One by one, I placed my palms above his, squeezing it lightly. Demetrius nodded at me before I closed my eyes and let my mind flow away to its next destination: Dmitri Kingston's memories.