The after party turned out to be more productive than Lexi imagined. She and Odessa hunkered down at an abandoned table and talked for two full hours about the new council. They came up with some major points for an agenda, and Odessa shared a list of gods who had voiced their interest. Poseidon seemed unwilling to leave Odessa's side, which Lexi didn't think was due to his interest in the topic. In fact, Lexi had a hard time focusing on the topic when she was constantly distracted by the adoring looks Poseidon relished on Odessa, and she couldn't help speculating whether it was the prelude to love, or the byproduct of lust.

As dusk approached, the guests were called outside, and a procession of well-dressed gods traveled the length of a winding trail leading to a grove of trees. Many of them were gnarled from age, the trees not the gods, while others had barely made it past the sapling stage, and each tree had been outfitted with a gold lantern. Once the party goers had gathered around the grove, Zeus walked to the end of a row where a hole had been dug. This was where he stood to speak to the crowd, and when his presence had commanded instantaneous silence from everyone, a smile found his face for the first time that evening.

"Greetings! Another Olympic games has come and gone, and there were many fine feats displayed. I want to thank everyone who participated in the events, as well as those who offered support. Your commitment to tradition is praiseworthy. Now, to conclude the festivities, we will honor Gaia through a tree planting ceremony and lantern lighting. If I can have the names, please, we shall see which fortunate god or goddess will be given the privilege of planting this year's tree."

The crowd remained silent but their excitement was palpable as a satyr appeared with a ballot box, handing it reverently to Zeus, and Lexi felt a twinge of disappointment at not having put her name on the guest list. Zeus lifted the lid, reached in, and pulled out a folded slip of paper. After forcing everyone to hold a collective breath, he opened the paper to read it. His eyes widened and he began searching the crowd, keeping everyone in terrible suspense. When his gaze locked on Lexi, her heart leaped into her throat.

"It seems my daughter, Alexandra, has earned the privilege of planting this year's tree. Come forward, Lexi."

Lexi was greeted with cheers and clapping, but Zeus didn't seem to share their enthusiasm. He was doing a poor job of hiding his pout behind his beard. Was Lexi just overanalyzing his grumpy mood? Why did her mind want to tell her she was the cause of it? Odessa nudged Lexi in the back, causing her to remember herself and acknowledge the raucous crowd. Some even chanted her name, which she guessed was Jules and Gunther, and her entire body heated as she walked in front of the throng. But, how had she been chosen when she hadn't put her name on the guest list? It didn't take long to get her answer when her gaze landed on Rhea, who offered a wink and a conspiratorial nod.

When Lexi arrived to stand next to Zeus, he put his hand on her shoulder, speaking so only she could hear. "It appears you have earned yourself some admirers, in spite of the fact that your visits come few and far between."

Lexi wasn't quite sure what to make of Zeus' comment, or the firm grip he had on her shoulder. "I am here any time I am called. And it is a lot more often than you realize."

The noise level among the attendants dropped to a whisper, probably in an effort to hear the conversation, and Zeus appeared to interpret this as a show of respect. He cleared his throat to preempt his address.

"As protocol dictates, Lexi will be presented with an elm sapling and a shovel. She will place the sapling into the hole and throw the first pile of soil on top. At which time, anyone else who is interested in adding soil to the tree can do so."

Zeus gestured for a satyr to bring over the sapling, which was sitting ready inside a wheelbarrow. In his haste to oblige Zeus' commanding wave, the satyr tripped and the wheelbarrow tipped over, dumping its contents. Zeus moved in with lightning speed, catching the sapling before it hit the ground. Another round of applause broke out to salute his stealth efforts, although he really didn't need more fuel to boost his ego.

"Oh, dear," he said as he lifted a branch that hung loose from a fresh break. "I am afraid this poor thing has been damaged."

"It's okay, Zeus. I might be able to boost its recovery." Lexi held out her hands and he relinquished the tree to her. The root ball was wrapped in burlap, which felt cool against her skin, and she immediately made a connection with the little sapling. She loved elm trees. Their branches had the strength to stretch several yards from the trunk, and in the fall their foliage looked like a ball of sunshine.

Leaning over the hole, Lexi set the sapling gently into its new home as she spoke to it. "One day you will become as powerful as a god, because you draw your strength from Gaia, just as the gods do." Lexi lifted the broken branch, contemplating her chances of healing it. Her gift had worked on gods, horses, nymphs and minotaurs. Why couldn't it work on a tree? They were living beings too.

Holding her hands over the root ball, Lexi closed her eyes to focus on the tree, visualizing it healthy and intact. The warmth of her powers flowed through her hands, letting her know her gift had come to her aid, and she remained crouched in front of the sapling while her audience waited. It wasn't until she heard several gasps and the hiss of whispers that Lexi opened her eyes, but she wasn't prepared for what greeted her. The tree was growing.

The burlap split and unraveled as roots shot from the root ball and dug into the soil like worms escaping the sun. At the same time, branches lengthened and sprouted fresh leaves. Even after Lexi had called off her powers and backed away, the tree continued to grow, stretching for the clouds to surpass all the neighboring trees. And the beastly sound emanating from the bark as it cracked and groaned gave Lexi goosebumps, stopping only when the branches had blocked out the sky and shadowed her and Zeus beneath a green canopy.

The crowd of guests, who had remained mostly silent during the process, broke into exuberant applause as they moved slowly toward Lexi in a mass, arms reaching out to her as if she had the Midas touch. All the while, questions came at her from every angle.

"How long have you known of your powers to control nature?"

"Did you and Zeus conspire to reveal your gift at the ceremony?"

"Will you join with Demeter and Persephone and bring us an even grander harvest?"

Lexi tried to answer each question as it was thrown at her, but it was difficult to concentrate with Zeus glaring at her like she had released the monsters of Tartarus. The heavily-laden branches suddenly felt like they were going to crush her, and Lexi wanted nothing more than to find a quiet place to sit down. As her head began to spin, an arm slipped protectively around Lexi's waist, and she gratefully accepted Poseidon's help as he explained to the inquisitive gods that she needed to rest. Given that everyone knew about Lexi's pregnant state, this was pulled off rather easily, and she was escorted back to the palace by her own set of bodyguards, namely Poseidon, Odessa, Rhea, and Phoebe. Behind them, Zeus remained at the grove, directing everyone's attention away from her and toward the lanterns, which were being lit by a parade of satyrs.

Lexi was ushered into the palace through an outdoor patio, hauled through several hallways, some containing nymphs wanting to bring them refreshments, then finally she was nudged through the door of the meeting room. Rhea and Phoebe were grinning like fiends when the door shut, while Poseidon and Odessa stood together, staring at Lexi like she had grown a horn. She ignored them all for a moment as she slumped into a chair.

"Okay, what's going on with you two?" Lexi said, directing her inquiry at Rhea and Phoebe. "One or both of you are conspiring."

Phoebe glided over to Lexi, her robe fluttering above the marble floor in that mystical way. "If you are referring to what took place in the grove, we had nothing to do with that. It was all you... and the powers of Gaia."

Lexi knew where Phoebe was headed with her declaration, but Lexi was not convinced. She didn't vocalize her opinion to the room, however.

"Do you doubt the strength of your gifts because you are a demigod?" Phoebe said, reading Lexi's mind anyway. "Would you like me to point out all the demigods who have proven to be more powerful than a true god? We can start with Heracles."

Lexi didn't want to hear a recitation of the amazing feats of demigods over the eons, but she also didn't want to insult Phoebe. "I guess I'm feeling skeptical because I don't use my powers that often. I don't even pray to Gaia." She offered a sheepish shrug to justify her retaliation.

"Then I believe I speak for everyone in this room when I say it is time you tested your gifts and learn to embrace them," Phoebe said.

Odessa crossed the room, wearing a smile that stretched from one side of her face to the other. "I agree with Phoebe. No other god can do what you have just done. It is a gift that has been attached to only one - Gaia."

Lexi leaned forward in her chair, letting her gaze fall on Poseidon as she attempted to absorb the weight of the accusations. He nodded, acknowledging his agreement with the room just as the door swung open, forcing him to step out of the path of Zeus. The grumpy god stomped inside, his face pinched and scarlet with fury.

"What in the name of Gaia is going on here?" he growled, looking at every face in the room before settling on Lexi. "What kind of game are you playing, Lexi? How long have you known of this gift?"

Pushing up from her chair, Lexi attempted to meet his gaze as he assessed her critically. She made a concerted effort not to flinch, reassuring herself he would not hurt her. "I didn't know about it before tonight. I have never tried to make a tree grow. I merely used my healing gift to repair the broken branch and the rest just happened."

He snorted and crossed his arms, assuming the position Lexi had become quite familiar with, complete with the bristling beard. Odessa, on the other hand, seemed scared out of her wits as she slowly backed into Poseidon.

"Well, I do not like being the last to know these things," Zeus grumbled. "You have got me looking like a fool."

"How is that my fault?" she shot back. "You make my gift sound like a curse, and you've been giving me weird vibes ever since I told you about my pregnancy. Is that why you're acting like something crawled up your ass?"

Odessa gasped, but Zeus and Lexi had exchanged unpleasantries on numerous occasions, and Zeus was doing a fine job holding up his end. Granite jaw, stiff shoulders, eyes the color of mercury. He looked like a wild stallion straining against his ties. "Your insolence betrays your youth and inexperience. Do not think I won't inflict punishment on you for disrespecting me."

Lexi glanced around the room, taking in everyone's shocked expressions as her stance softened. Maybe he was right. Shouting insults was not the way a peacemaker handled infuriating, obstinate gods, although Zeus seemed to be the only one who could push her to those lengths. "I'm sorry, Zeus. I picked up a temper somewhere during my upbringing. I'm just confused as to why you have been so cold to me lately."

Exhaling, Zeus lowered his shield, relaxing his shoulders and dragging his fingers through his beard. "I have had a great deal on my mind lately, and I am afraid I have allowed my troubles to influence my social interactions. I, too, am sorry. I did not mean for you to become the recipient of my less than stellar mood."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked. "Are you worried about the new council? We can work on that together if you'd rather..."

"It's not that. Not directly, anyway. You still have not presented us with a proposal so we can secure a vote."

"Odessa and I worked out a lot of details this evening. We can have something to you in a couple of days. Hades and I are leaving for Boston tomorrow to share my pregnancy news. Maybe, your mood will be back to stellar when we return. The last thing I want is for you to resent me because of this council thing. I only volunteered because I believe it's a worthy cause."

"Well, I don't know how a council of young gods is going to stop a prophecy from fulfilling itself. Are you planning to confront Gaia and question her?"

Although Lexi did not doubt Gaia existed on some esoteric level, she had yet to connect with the almighty deity, which made it even harder to believe Phoebe's claim. "If Gaia is languishing because of something the gods are doing wrong, then I think there are plenty of paths we can take to find a solution."

Zeus shrugged his indifference, which troubled Lexi on so many levels. Did he not care that his parents would be gone from him if the prophecy turned out to be real and not a metaphor? Was he so set in his ways that he was choosing to surrender to fate without a fight? That was not the Zeus she knew. He loved to fight.

"I leave the new council in your hands, Lexi," he said with a heavy sigh. "I have had a long day and wish to put my body and mind to rest."

With a subtle nod to the other occupants, Zeus hastily left the room, and Poseidon caught the door before it slammed shut.

"I have an overwhelming urge to drink a very large glass of wine," Poseidon announced.

"My sentiments, exactly," Odessa said, smiling up at him.

As Lexi watched the exchange between Poseidon and Odessa, a bud of hope sprouted inside her, replacing the angry knot that had been there a moment before. If Lexi wasn't mistaken, the twinkling blue gaze Poseidon usually reserved for her had been offered to Odessa as they left the room arm in arm.