I'll put a little question in each chapter, though to be honest, I've wanted to do that for a while now.

Question: Who is your favorite film actor/actress? (Live performance actors/actresses will come later)

Also, for some reason I cannot remove the view cast option. Amanda Seyfried was my original choice for Sophie, but that has changed, as you will see a description of Sophie, Styx, and a few other characters in this chapter. Please keep in mind that my opinion of how the characters look is solely mine, and you can see them as any way you want. 

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I probably made a complete fool of myself. Yes, Styx had taught me the basics, but I had barely talked to anyone other then her. So, I had no idea of what I was supposed to do, now that I was around other alive people such as me. Also, everyone looked so different from each other.

Yes, Styx and I looked nothing like mother and daughter. Styx had chalky pale skin, hauntingly gray eyes with long eyelashes, a sharp nose, harsh thin mouth, and dark hair that looked more purple then black falling in tight curls down to her hips. She radiates fear and awe.

Meanwhile, I had light bronze skin, brown eyes so dark they looked more like black with short lashes, a rather wide and flat nose, soft plush lips, and straight black hair that stopped just above my chest and when I looked at it in the sunlight, it was more of a golden brown.

After wandering around for a while and occasionally bumping into random people, I finally made my way out of the bustling marketplace and to the bottom of Mount Olympus. There was a long white alabaster staircase that hugged the mountain and led to the top. I started up and after a few minutes of walking, I made the mistake of looking down. There was no rail, and my head spun looking to the ground, which was about three stories beneath where I stood. Also, did I mention there was no rail? I almost fell off and probably would have died if someone hadn't grabbed my waist and pulled me away from the edge. I turned around and saw a boy about my age standing there. 

He was a few inches taller then me, and had light brown hair, captivating hazel eyes, and his skin was lighter then mine, but nowhere near Styx's complexion. 

I had to remember how to speak. "Um, thanks."

I gave myself a mental slap to my face.

The boy smiled at me. "No problem."

I extended my hand. "Sophie."

"Daniel," the boy said.

Styx never mentioned a god named Daniel. 

"You are mortal?" I asked.

Daniel nodded. "And you are a goddess, aren't you?"

I shook my head. "No I'm not."

"Oh," he said, looking slightly embarrassed.

I didn't say I was raised by a goddess, even though I wanted to.

"So," I said "You're going up?"

He nodded. "I'm a worker, though I would really call it a paid slave for Lord Dionysus."

I winced at the name. "I've heard a few negative things about him."

Daniel shrugged. "I'll have to see, I guess. What are you doing up there?"

"I'm working for Lady Saffron," I said.

Styx had gotten me a place as one of Saffron's personal maids through one of the Immortals that was secretly on her side, but she never named the deity. Styx was clear though. My mission was to befriend Saffron and as many of the gods as possible, then find out their strengths and weaknesses, and, ultimately, steal the Tibetan Phurba Dagger and trap as many Immortals as possible by sliding the knife into their hearts.

"Okay," Daniel said, and we agreed to walk up the mountain together.

It took about an hour to reach the top, but when we got there, the breath was ripped from my lungs, which wasn't exactly the best, as I was complexly exhausted from climbing a huge set of stairs to the top of a mountain. Olympus was shining, perfect in any way. The whole place glowed with a soft golden light, and there was a ridiculous amount of mansions scattered about everywhere I looked. I was expecting a snowy mountain peak, but Olympus was a huge expanse of land, impossibly big. It was like the clouds were turned into flat land that palaces of the gods were built upon. There was no way in the world that it wasn't magic of some sort. Winding roads had street signs on them, leading every which way. It turned out that Saffron's mansion was on the opposite side of Olympus then Dionysus'. I bid Daniel goodbye as we set off on our respective paths. 

As I walked the road to Saffron's palace, I saw things I have never seen before. Strange but beautiful plants lined the road, and herds of cows grazed the fields. The cows had a variety of colors, from white and black to red and even golden yellow. The only cattle I knew existed were the herds of Hades, pure black animals that were watched over by a daimon.

I reached Saffron's door. There was a bone-shaped brass knocker that beautifully contrasted the dark mahogany wood and pure gold doorknob. I raised my fist slowly and knocked. A few seconds later a young woman opened the door. 

"Hello," she said in a formal, yet still friendly voice. "I am Jamila Pyro, head secretary of Lady Saffron. May I help you?"

I gave her a forced smile. "I am Sophie, and I am here to work as Saffron's maid."

Jamila ushers me inside, where she picks up a clipboard and jots something down. "Yes, Sophie, we have been expecting you."

She sat down at her desk and dialed a number on the telephone. She said a few quiet words, the hangs up. "Lady Saffron will be here shortly."

As I waited I surveyed my new surroundings. Jamila's desk was at the front of a long entrance hall. Two staircases led upwards, and a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. The walls are painted a pretty light beige, and the wooden floors are covered in ornate carpets. Several pictures hung on the walls, some being of vibrant flowers, others of perfect pristine landscapes. I noticed that there were no photographs of Saffron or her husband, Hermes. There were also no references to any of the Olympians.

I heard footsteps on the stairs. Jamila rose immediately and took me to meet the Goddess of Bones. The one I am to bring down.

Saffron is everything Styx described her to be. She had a round face and chubby, rosy cheeks. Her skin was pale, as pale as Styx's own. She had heart shaped pink lips that exactly match the shade of her cheeks. Saffron's beautiful almond shaped brown eyes study me intently.

"You are Sophie?" she asks.

I lowered myself in a curtsy. "Yes, Lady Saffron. I am at your service."

She smiled, causing her eyes to squint. "I will show you to your room and fill you in on your assignments. Thank you ever so much, Jamila," she said, dismissing her secretary and leading me up the stairs. We stopped at the seventh floor, where the rest of the workers' rooms were. She led me to room number 57, and gave me a little bronze key. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, Saffron right behind me. 

The walls were painted a soft periwinkle. A queen bed took up the middle of the room, with a white bedsheet and blue duvet and pillow covers. A nightstand with drawers sat next to it on one side, and a tall floor lamp on the other. A wardrobe stood in the corner of the room, next to two windows overlooking the trees and long winding roads of Olympus. A small white desk and black chair were in another corner. A loveseat couch and bookcase took up the back wall, and a seperate door led to a small bathroom.

I gasped with awe. My old bedroom in Styx's house had been dark and cold, but here I felt like I was truly home. What the heck was wrong with me? I'm on a mission. I have to stay loyal to my mother.

Saffron leads me inside my room and sits down at the foot of my bed. She gestures to me to sit next to her.

"So, Sophie your job will be my personal assistant. You will accompany me at most times, and you will have full access to the house, including my bedroom on the tenth floor. You are allowed to roam freely once you are done with your tasks."

"Thank you, Lady Saffron," I said.

"Oh please, Sophie. There is no need for formality. I wish to be seen as a friend rather then a master. You may call me Saffron in public, but in this house, Saff or Saffy will do nicely."

"Thank you, Saffy," I said, a small smile gracing my lips. "Do any other Immortals live here?"

Saffron shook her head sadly. "Hermes used to live here, but he has gone back to his mansion." 

Her voice had hints of sadness, anger, and disgust. I was shocked.

"I thought you two were married!" I said.

"No, he has been cheating on me with Aphrodite. I am not at all like Hera and Hephaestus, I will not allow him to remain married to me while being unfaithful."

"Saffron," I said quietly. "Even with all you've been through, do you still believe in soulmates?"

She looked up at me with watery eyes. "Yes, Sophie, I do. My friend Po has one, and he is happier then I have ever known him to be."

"Apollo?" I asked.

Saffron nodded. "Why do you ask, Sophie?"

She had an obvious smirk on her heart shaped lips as I struggled to think of a reply. I settled for shrugging.

"I don't know."

Saffron had a yeah, right  look on her face. "Obviously you do know, I can read your expression."

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. "Never mind." 

"It's a boy, isn't it Sophie?"

"Call me Soph," I muttered, not answering her question. I was a terrible liar, and I was sure that Saffron could see right through any hollow answer I gave her.

"Very well, Soph. Meet me downstairs in about an hour and a half for dinner. There I'll give you your schedule and we can continue this talk."

Saffron gave me a small wink and exited the room.

I flopped down on my back. What do I do now?  I thought. I was in Saffron's house, as her personal maid. Styx really set this up well. I had full access to just about everywhere, and with some snooping, maybe I could find the Tibetan Phurba Dagger and trap Saffron in it. Then maybe I could persuade the rest of Saffron's staff to join Styx and become Immortal deities. Maybe I could rampage across Olympus, trapping the gods in the dagger that did not join Styx, and killing the humans that stayed loyal to the gods. 

On the other hand, I was in a beautiful new surrounding. Jamila and Saffron alike were surprisingly nice. And I couldn't help but feel bad for Saffron because Hermes cheated on her. Yes, she was the all-powerful Goddess of Bones, Styx had said that Saffron was more powerful then King Zeus himself, but in that one moment, she looked human. She looked like a girl who needed someone to comfort her. She looked alone, sad, and vulnerable. I had seen firsthand that Saffron had emotions too.

Styx had told me that countless mortals and many minor deities had joined her side. They would make an unstoppable army and cut down the evil enemy. Was Saffron the evil enemy? Could I mercilessly cut her down? Could I let Styx or someone else do that?

Also, Saffron's question burned in my mind. Why did I ask about soulmates? I had known only the motherly love Styx gave me, and she was cold and unfeeling. I never once sat down with her and had a friendly conversation. She didn't care about how I felt. She was bent on world domination, whispering me promises of new Age, the reign of Styx and her daughter, Sophie. I was trained as her spy, her infiltrator. All my life has led up to me coming to Olympus and then either killing the humans, trapping the gods, or leading everyone else here to Styx.

My thoughts wandered back to Daniel, the boy now working for Dionysus. I wondered if Dionysus treated his staff as well as Saffron treated hers. Saffron had said I was free to roam when I was done with my tasks. Could I see him? Why do I want to see him?

My head kept swirling with questions, frustrating me to no end. A knock on my door jolted me out of it. I opened the door, and there stood Jamila. She gave me a much more friendly smile.

"Saffron has sent me to get you ready for dinner."

"Okay," I said, and let her in. Jamila sent me to pick an outfit from my wardrobe, which was filled with clothes and shoes in my size. I picked out a deep blue long sleeved dress with a low v-neckline, a long elegant skirt that fell to my ankles and a bodice with a few sparkling sequins. Jamila did my makeup and loosely braided my hair while allowing a stray lock to fall freely. I put on a necklace with a single clear blue sapphire pendant and navy velvet flats.

I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror after Jamila had left. Who the heck was staring back at me? The figure in the mirror had an impossibly thin waist, and a blemish-free face, which normally had spots of acne. My eyes were covered in warm brown eyeshadow while my cheeks were a warm pink. My nose still looked the same though. That was about the only original part of me. My lips were glossy and smooth, and the one hanging lock of dark hair was perfectly curled.

I spun around in the mirror, then, using the map that had been left out on my nightstand, made my way to the dining room.