He must be really desperate for children.
In my peripheral vision, Theros whipped his head around, posture straightening, mouth opening with indignation. His golden vulture glared.
“Maybe,” I said, neutrally. “Or maybe n-not,” I muttered under my breath.
The man across from me was a stranger.
He couldn’t even look at me, let aloneseeme.
“Good.” Zeus clapped his hands and stood up.
His lion followed suit, growling.
“Bad kitty,” I whispered.
It snapped at the air.
I rolled my eyes. I’d always been more of a dog person anyway.
“It’s interesting. You have my eye for sure,” Zeus said as he tapped his knuckles on the tabletop to get my attention. “But I don’t remember a woman with heterochromia... or eyes so—black.” He tapped below his right eye.
Flickering green lights—broken glass—repeated blows to the face.
I rubbed at my wrists. “How strange.”
“It is,” Zeus agreed without inflection. “Keep up the good work. I recommend the soup—you can never go wrong with a good soup, if ya know what I mean.” He winked and chortled.
I squinted with confusion.How is soup funny?
He walked away, his lion trailing, head turned back with its hackles raised. Theros ran up to his side and spoke frantically, waving his hands. They were built wide, with heavy muscle mass, but I was taller than both of them.
Men bowed low as Zeus passed. The room focused on him.
A god among gods.
I wrapped a hand around my bicep, grimaced as my fingers touched. Hair ties covered bony wrists. “C+A” stood out stark and squiggly against my dirt-streaked forearm.
It was strange; I’d never worried about what I looked like before. I’d been too concerned with making sure Charlie and I didn’t starve to death.
For the first time, I felt . . . ugly.
Inadequate.
“Fuck that douche,” Nyx said, her tongue flickeringacross my cheek. “He has his own head so far up his ass he can’t see greatness when it’s staring at him.”
I laughed wetly, wiping my eyes, knowing she had to say that as my best friend.
My fingers came back pink.
“I hate this place,” I whispered. “I wish I was just a stupid human, living in a cardboard box. It was easier back then.”
Nyx nuzzled her head against the side of my face. “If it makes you feel any better, kid, I also wish we were back in the forest.”
Sighing, I rubbed my finger through the berry juice left on the plate and sucked on it.
“Screw these men,” I whispered.
“Yeah,” Nyx said enthusiastically. “Fuck them. Give me the signal, and I’ll bite them all of them into comas. It will be my pleasure.”
