The rest of the story was equally ridiculous, filled with flowery language about pining and a secret great romance.
Who believes this crap?
Although, when Patro had asked about it, Kharon hadn’t denied it.
Maybe he really is in love?
I shivered with horror. Some people should spend their lives alone; he was some people.
Unrolling the scroll further, I choked at the next story. Grape bits lodged in my esophagus.
Coughing, I stared at the picture in disbelief.
It was me, sitting by myself in a dark booth at the symposium. I was slumped over, looking miserable, and the whitish-gray of my one eye contrasted harshly with my dark eye and gave me a menacing look.
Darn, my hair really is frizzy.
The bloodstains underneath my nose and eyes were also not attractive.
I sighed. They couldn’t have found an uglier picture if they tried.
Rude.
Beneath the image, bold text said, “Meet Alexis Hert, the Newest Olympian Prodigy. Zeus Confirms the Abandoned Mutt is His, and Her Classmates Tell All.”
Feeling violated, I skimmed the story.
“‘No, she’s not as attractive as people are saying,’ says her classmate Titus. ‘Her eyes are freaky, and she’s overhyped. She got lucky in the fight, and her test scores are barely beating out the rest of the class.’”
Of course they’d interviewed Titus, of all people.
Mental note—stare at him as much as possible this week.I hoped my eyes disturbed the crap out of him.
Fluck him.
“Holy Kronos, it’s you!” a girl yelled from the doorway, and I shrieked with surprise.
Clutching my chest, I slumped at the table as I tried to ride out the heart attack.
“My brothers didn’t tell me you were over. I totally would have introduced myself,” the girl said enthusiastically, like my presence was exhilarating. “I’m Helen.” A ruby crown glittered on her head.
“Your brothers?” I asked, jaw dropping as my brain caught up with what she was saying.
She’s the heiress to the House of Aphrodite.
Everyone knew who she was.
“Patro and Augustus. They’re my half-brothers, on my mom’s side.” Helen sighed dramatically, then moved to my left and mumbled something inaudible about boys.
I couldn’t picture Augustus having a younger sister.
He probably just growls at her like a beast.
The daughter of the most beautiful woman in the world stood before me (a girl impersonating a mountain troll).
“Oh, c-cool,” I said, eloquent as ever. At that exact moment, my stomach let out a loud gurgle.
“I won’t bother you,” Helen said. “I know you’re training right now and doing the crucible, which is literally insane. You probably have to meditate and study. You must be sooooo mentally strong.”
