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)
“We had bets on who would reach out first.” Circe examines her nails, long and painted some dark color that I can’t divine with so little light. “You weren’t even on the list. Bravo. A Hera with gumption and ambition and no small amount of ruthlessness. You’ve surprised me.”
“If you were paying attention, I wouldn’t have.” Hera’s voice goes hard. “I’m prepared to deliver you Zeus in exchange for you not sacking the city.”
Circe throws her head back and laughs, the sound musical and light and downright joyous. It’s completely at odds with the current situation, and it makes me shudder. When she finally controls herself, her laughter trailing off into little giggles, she presses a hand to her chest. “My, you certainly are full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“That’s what you want, isn’t it? My Zeus isn’t the one who caused you so much pain, but he’ll do in a pinch.”
“Darling, you have to learn to dream a little bit bigger.” All amusement disappears from Circe’s voice. “The entire power structure of Olympus is responsible for the harm I endured.”
Hera huffs out a breath. “The entire power structure of Olympus has caused harm to a lot of people. You’re not special. There’s not much to be done about it.”
“Maybe not for you. Personally, I mean to shatter it into a thousand little pieces and then rebuild it from the wreckage into something that doesn’t serve only thirteen people, each more corrupt than the last.” She smiles slowly. “Even you, who would offer up your husband to the enemy.”
Hera is silent for a beat, two. “You can’t have Olympus. If you invade, the people will fight you to their last breath and you’ll inherit nothing but an empty, barren piece of land. And then, right when you’re at your weakest and exhausted from the battle, the outside world will finally realize the barrier that kept our city safe and separate no longer exists. They’ll come and they’ll take what few resources are left.”
Far from being taken aback by Hera’s words, Circe seems downright delighted. “How are you going to fight me when you can’t even manage a vote to go to war with me?”
I tense. How does she know about that? It’s a silly question, and I have my answer as soon as I think it. Circe is Olympian. More than that, she’s obviously studied us and the laws, no matter how archaic. She knew about the assassination clause. Of course she knew we’d have to vote to go to war—and how unlikely it is to get a majority vote among the Thirteen.
She…planned on it.
“If you weren’t the slightest bit worried, you wouldn’t have accepted this meeting with me. You don’t seem like someone who likes her time wasted. You’re looking for a contingency plan, so let’s stop pussyfooting around. Why don’t you tell me what you’re really willing to accept in order to create peace?”
“You know, Hera, I think I like you. Keep that phone on you. I’ll be in contact.” She motions at her person near the engine and they power up. Within seconds, Circe is whisking away, disappearing into the darkness.
I turn to Hera. “What the fuck was that?”
“I told you my husband has to die, you agreed to that, and now you’re going to falter when you discover the means?” She turns and looks in the direction where Circe disappeared. “Regardless, I was right. There’s something she wants and she recognizes that a full-out battle benefits no one. She’ll let me cool my heels for a little bit to assert her dominance, and then she’ll give me her real terms. That’s when we move.”
I reluctantly start the engine and turn us back toward the shore. “More like she knows how incompetent the Thirteen are when the group of us are together.” I shoot a look at Hera. “Why don’t we tell Zeus to call another vote and this time you vote for war? That would really surprise Circe.”
“Poseidon, I need you to understand something.” She finally turns back to face me, her hair coming free of its braid and whipping around her with the speed of our movement. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my family. Nothing. So you can stay by my side and ensure your people are protected in the bargain, or you can stand in my way and I’ll cut you down first. Do you understand me?”
She’s not saying anything that truly surprises me and yet I’m shocked all the same. I knew Hera was ruthless, but this isn’t something as simple as killing a spouse she never wanted. She’s talking about significantly more devastation. I have no doubt she means what she says, which means I need to stay by her side and do my best to temper whatever plans she’s about to come up with. It’s the only way to ensure as many people survive as possible.