Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Orpheus stumbles out of the water, his clothes plastered to his lean form. He’s already shivering. A vicious burst of glee goes through me at knowing how he’ll suffer the entire trip back to the lower city. It’s not enough, it will never be enough, but at least it’s a start.
Persephone props her hands on her hips and glares. “That wasn’t necessary.”
“I think you’ll find that it was.” Despite everything, I grin. “Don’t lie and tell me you didn’t want to do it, too.”
Her lips twitch, but she stills the expression before it can take hold. “Orpheus is now a member of the lower city and, as such, I cannot allow you to continue to assault him. You got two punches in. Be satisfied with that.”
Eurydice was distraught for months after the attack orchestrated by Zeus, I won’t be satisfied until he’s suffered just as much as my sister, but I recognize a losing battle when I see one. Persephone is just as stubborn as our mother, and just as unwilling to bend when she sets her sights on something. I’m still not entirely certain what Orpheus did to earn a stay of execution from her. It might have something to do with Eurydice taking him back and forming a triad with him and Charon.
I hold up my hands. “I’m satisfied. Are you, Orpheus?”
“Sure. Satisfied.” His teeth chatter from the strength of his shivering.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Persephone shrugs off her massive cloak and holds it out. “Take off your shirt and put this on before you freeze to death and I have to explain to Eurydice how I got one of her boyfriends killed.”
He looks like he wants to argue but finally shakes his head and does as she commands. My sister only has to elicit a single shiver and Medusa releases me and moves to drape her coat over Persephone. This is fucking ridiculous.
I give Medusa a long look. “Do you need my sweater to complete the circle?”
She smiles, so fucking handsome that if I weren’t Hera and she wasn’t in a long-term relationship with Calypso, I might set out to seduce her. But even I know better than to cross Calypso.
Medusa shrugs. “The cold doesn’t bother me much.” She glances at Persephone. “As entertaining as this has been, clock is ticking.”
“Right.” My sister crosses to me and takes my hands.
It’s Psyche all over again. There was a time, not long ago, when we all shared a house and a life. I never realize how much I miss those simpler days until I’m in the presence of one of my sisters again. It makes me shudder. It makes me weak. All I want is to go back to that safety, and it’s not going to happen unless I can pull this off.
Persephone squeezes my hands. “What’s going on? What was so important that we had to talk in person?”
I might have told Psyche about the parasite, but Persephone is essentially queen of the lower city. If any of my sisters understand the stakes of what we’re up against, it’s her. And so, for the first fucking time in so long, I tell the truth. “Circe is in the city.”
“I know. Hades said they weren’t able to reach the ship before she escaped, and she made landing on the coast.”
“No, Persephone. Circe is in the fucking city. She sought me out. She told me what’s coming. I need you to listen to me right fucking now because our very lives depend on it.”
Persephone goes still. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know if she gives a shit about the civilians, but she’s gunning for the Thirteen. She wants to dismantle our entire power structure and she can’t do that as long as the titles exist.” There’s no point in mentioning Hermes technically wants the same thing. Hermes isn’t the one threatening my sisters and mother. “She’s going to kill anyone who doesn’t step down. That means Hades. That means them.” I press my hand to my sister’s stomach. “Unless we leave. If we walk now, she’ll give everyone in the family a stay of execution.”
Persephone searches my face with hazel eyes nearly identical to mine. It doesn’t take her more than a moment to run through scenarios. My beautiful, cunning sister lifts her chin and I know I’m in trouble. “My husband has seen more sorrow than one person should ever bear. He will never step down, will never betray his people’s trust—our people’s trust. I understand Circe was hurt by the establishment and by the last Zeus, but that doesn’t give her license to pass that hurt onto the people I care about.”
“Persephone—”
She shakes her head, cutting me off. “I know you hate Olympus. I know you hate the Thirteen and the legacy families and everything else about our lives since we came to the city proper. I understand, Callisto. I promise I do. But this is my fucking family we’re talking about.” She releases my hands and takes a step back. In this moment, I know that I’ve lost her. “Tell Circe that if she crosses the borders into the lower city, I’ll cut her throat myself.”