Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
I know the steps of this dance, even if it makes me deeply uncomfortable. I never wanted to be a leader. I never wanted people depending on me, relying on my reading of events and enemies being accurate. But I have learned, oftentimes despite myself. If he’d wanted Icarus dead, he had plenty of time to make it happen. I can’t excuse the pain Polyphemus caused, but I can understand it. I can offer empathy in return.
I pull him into a rough hug. It’s the right call because he instantly clings to me, sobs racking his large body. Even though the contact feels strange and awkward, there’s comfort in knowing I made the right choice. My slight discomfort is making him feel better—or at least allowing him to release some of the grief he has bottled up.
When he starts to loosen his hold, I step back. “Go talk to Orion. They’ll get you sorted. But, Polyphemus.” I wait for him to look at me. “If this happens again, I will send you to the country. You understand?”
“I understand.” He takes a deep breath and as he exhales, his spine straightens and his shoulders go back. When he walks out of the room, he moves much more like the man I’ve relied on for so many years. It’s not a guarantee that Icarus is safe around him, but Orion will ensure Polyphemus has plenty to occupy himself—and keep him far away from our prisoner. There’s no reason to tempt a second disaster.
Speaking of disasters…
My own personal one walks through the door like a gale-force wind, her long dress sweeping out behind her. Hera. Like so many of the Thirteen, she’s beautiful, but her beauty is a warning rather than an invitation. It’s as sharp as a blade and twice as deadly. I have no idea what motivated our new Zeus to marry her and put her in a position of power, but that choice will ultimately be his downfall. She has the same coloring as her mother, pale skin and deep-brown hair, the same hazel eyes that all the women in her family seem to share, but if I learned to be wary of Demeter, my wariness is a thousand times stronger with her eldest daughter.
None of that explains why she’s here. Our communication is usually in the form of phone calls. We rarely have cause to interact in person outside of the mandatory meetings with the rest of the Thirteen. It’s better that way. It would be unfortunate if others started to realize there’s an alliance between us. It would be even more unfortunate if they realized the goal of that alliance—the death of Zeus.
Her eyes alight on me and she pivots in my direction with the grace of a ballet dancer. “You didn’t wait for me after the meeting.”
Damn it. I completely forgot. “I’m sorry. I was a bit flustered by your voting against us going to war.”
“It’s no matter. This is preferable.”
I should let it go. She’s not the only one to vote against war, and Demeter is perhaps more of a shock than Hera, but… “Why did you do it? Circe is right there. No matter what the others said, we don’t need a navy to remove her threat. Athena’s people have been doing violent tasks like this since the beginning of Olympus.”
Hera meets my gaze, no guilt evident on her face. “She’ll be expecting that. It’s what Olympus would have done under the old Zeus.”
I flinch. I can’t help it. She’s right. “It would minimize the violence against civilians.”
“It won’t work.” She looks around pointedly. “You have one of them here.”
If I’m hesitant to allow my people near Icarus, there’s no way I’ll put Hera in the same room as him. Not until I know what her plans are—and what knowledge Icarus possesses that might be useful. “You should be focusing on Circe.”
“I am focusing on Circe. But she’s only one part of this clusterfuck we find ourselves in.” Her hand falls to her stomach. It’s still appears flat to my eye, but if she was telling the truth several weeks ago, it now holds the next Zeus. That little cluster of cells ensures that, should our current Zeus die, Hera will become regent until her child is born and comes of age. Without her husband in the mix, there’s a solid chance we can get the entirety of the Thirteen to finally agree on something. To become a complete body, unified and able to meet the threat at our gates.
Or at least that’s the theory. I’m not so sure it will work anymore. “Your plan is in ruins. Zeus is still alive, Circe is here, Hades is unwilling to come to the upper city, and the Thirteen refuse to align in a vote for war—which is your doing. The lower city is completely inaccessible, but there’s no telling if that barrier will hold up against a proper assault by our enemies.”