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 should have questioned a lot of things.
Something vibrates against my leg and I flinch instinctively. He pats my thigh. “It’s my phone.”
“Right. Of course.” It’s everything I can do not to dig it out of his pocket myself to read whatever text just came through. It has to be from Deo. It has to be.
He shifts away just enough to pull his phone out—the screen already turned down so low that I can’t read it—and sighs. “They’re leaving.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Athena mutters. “Five minutes.”
“Poseidon.” The woman, I’ve already forgotten her name, leans forward with a tiny screen lit neon green. “They’re moving.” She points to one of the tiny dots among the lines.
We sit silently and watch four of the dots peel away from the fifth, taking varying angles and moving toward the open ocean. It’s…happening. I did it. I haven’t failed. This might not be what I originally planned to use the blackmail for, but it’s actually serving a noble purpose instead of a selfish one. With only one ship to contend with, Poseidon has a better chance of living to see sunrise. He’ll be okay, in part, because of me.
“It could be a trap,” Zeus says.
“It could be. But it’s not.” I don’t deserve the faith Poseidon puts in me. I’ve done nothing to earn it. It still feels good. Especially when the little dots don’t turn back. They seem to be picking up speed, though it’s hard to tell for sure. Poseidon touches my back, a light brushing of his palm between my shoulder blades. “Icarus came through for us.”
“Apparently so.” Zeus doesn’t sound particularly pleased, but he never sounds like anything but ice. “Let’s go. The others will see the same thing we are and will be shifting positions.”
One ship. They still outnumber us, but even if I haven’t spent much time among the normal people in Aeaea, the ones who existed outside the guarded gates at my father’s property, I still know the reality they live in.
It’s honestly not that different from Olympus’s civilians—worse, in some ways. Ironic, that. Circe doesn’t seem to care that she’s allied with people who, if given half a chance, would have done exactly what the Thirteen did in Olympus.
But then, vengeance has a way of narrowing focus and allowing for all manner of compromises of one’s ethics.
“When we reach the ship, stay in the boat with Ceto.”
Zeus speaks before I can protest. “No, he’s coming with us.” There’s no give in his voice, just a command he obviously expects to be obeyed without question.
He should know better. Poseidon shakes his head. “Absolutely not.”
“It’s entirely possible that this is all an elaborate maneuver to get the three legacy titles on their knees in front of Circe. I’m not taking any chances. He comes with us.”
Poseidon opens his mouth to continue to argue, but I reach out and squeeze his big thigh. “It’s fine. I’ll go onto the ship.” I turn my attention to Zeus. “If only to ensure you keep your word about the crew.”
“If I wanted to kill the entire crew, there’s little you could do to stop me.”
“You’re right. But if that’s your plan, then I will stand witness to you breaking your word.”
He nods almost imperceptibly. “Noted. Let’s move.” The last to the woman at the motor. Ceto, apparently.
She puts the radar thing away and guides us soundlessly through the waves. I expected them to be less choppy now that we’re past the surf, but they only seem to be getting worse. As if hearing my thoughts, she clears her throat. “There’s a storm coming in.”
I instinctively look up, but there’s nothing to be seen except darkness. Nothing on the horizon, either. The only indication that she’s correct is the increasing ditch between swells. Every time we crest one and drop in, my stomach lodges itself into my throat. We’re not that far from shore. An athletic person could probably swim it if they were smart and experienced. I’m none of those things. If I go over, I’ll drown.
I laugh. I can’t help it. This whole situation is so fucked. “I suppose now’s not the time to mention that I’m not the strongest swimmer.”
Poseidon gives me a look and, even in the darkness, I can tell he wants to throttle me. “You don’t think that’s something you should have mentioned before getting on this boat?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I jerk my chin at Zeus. He’s ignoring us, leaning forward as if he can will the boat to move even faster.
For a moment, I actually think Poseidon will grab Zeus and toss him bodily into the water. It would be a mistake but entertaining enough that it might be worth it. Poseidon isn’t a man ruled by his baser impulses, though, so he manages to muscle down his anger. Barely.