But I kept those thoughts to myself. If Nix wasn’t punished for his behavior then I highly doubted they would care about Hades and his taste for abusing women.
“Let them go, Hera,” Zeus pleaded. “We can ask them to leave Olympus. They are not welcome here anymore. But they cannot be punished for someone else’s crime.”
Her presence became less hostile as she listened to her husband. She was the kind of woman I assumed resented all men for the simple fact that they were male. She was the divine female after all. A goddess. She didn’t want or need men unless they could do something for her she didn’t feel like doing for herself.
Yet, she listened to Zeus. She softened when he spoke kindly to her and took the time to be thoughtful when he asked something of her.
What was strangest of all was that I could relate to her in those moments… I understood her reaction and behaviors because I had them too. She loved Zeus.
Even after all of this time, after every cruel and heartless thing they had done to each other, after countless affairs and an eternity of going head-to-head and losing… she loved him.
She conceded to his demand with one of her own. “I want to speak to the musician,” she said quietly.
“He has no information the Siren did not already give us,” Zeus protested.
“It is still worth my time to speak to him,” Hera insisted.
They maintained eye contact for long moments, neither moving a muscle. Finally, Zeus turned his head to face me and said, “Wait outside, Siren.”
My feet didn’t immediately move. I couldn’t make myself leave Ryder or willingly turn my back on this group of immortals.
“Go,” Smith sighed. “Nothing will happen to him. You have my word.”
I met Ryder’s gaze across the room and held it. His silver gaze promised that he would be fine. If I could just let him go for a few minutes, we would be able to leave. We could turn our backs on this world forever.
Nerves scratched like razorblades in my blood, but I forced my body to leave the temple and walk down the long set of stairs to the road. I thought I might be able to listen in on what they wanted from Ryder, but the wind whistled through the empty buildings and drowned out any voices.
I looked up at the hazy sun, hidden behind thick white clouds. The temperature was warm, but the wind had a bite to it that pulled goose bumps from my arms. I rubbed my forearms and tried to calm my panicking heart.
Everything would be okay.
We would be okay.
This was almost over.
“Siren.” The cold voice called out to me with the heaviness of a steel blade.
I turned on my sandaled foot and nearly toppled backwards at the sight of Eryn dressed for battle. Two swords made out of blinding orange flames dangled in her slender hands. Her orange and black hair was styled with warrior braids. She towered over me, angry, purposeful and full of hate I didn’t understand.
“Are you here to kill me?” I asked because it seemed so absurd.
“I am,” she replied definitely.
“But why?” I should have been reaching for a weapon or screaming for help, but I couldn’t get beyond her intent to kill me. I wasn’t her enemy. We were on the same side!
This was ridiculous.
“I protect Olympus,” she declared. She lifted her square jaw and dared me to argue. “You have become a threat to the mountain. I cannot let you live.”
My heart kicked in my chest. “I’m not a threat,” I said quickly. “Not at all! I don’t want to hurt the mountain or the people on the mountain! I just want to go home. I swear to you that you’re safe from me. I want nothing to do with this place ever again.”
“This place is your home,” she growled.
Ugh, I forgot how upset they got when I told them I wanted nothing to do with them. “I know that,” I said patiently. “But it’s not safe for me here. And I’m not even talking about you!”
“You could still plague us,” she hissed, “from your sea.”
“But I won’t,” I promised. Fear had finally set in and my hands started shaking. I could protect myself. I could hurt Eryn if I wanted to. Her scarred face winked at me, telling the story of past pain.
