Once Gray had left, I faced Aria to find her dark eyes trained on me. “Take a seat,” she said, gesturing to a chair. I sat down as she continued, “I don’t know anyone who can tell him what to do. It’s not in his nature.”
“As a God. Yes, I know.”
“Not just as a God. As a King. His heritage puts him above the rest of us.”
“Sorry?” I choked on the word.
“You know his title. Lord of chaos. King of destruction.”
“I thought that was just…”
“Words?” She let out an unkind laugh. “Not quite. Even amongst Gods, there is a hierarchy that runs deeper than the council. Kieran was the one who appointed the council and got rid of the line of royalty. He believed a democracy would be better for the heavens.”
My head spun with this piece of knowledge.
“Lift your arm and rest it here,” Aria instructed, and I followed. “It makes sense now that he wanted to save you. All because he has an interest in you.”
“It’s a little more than a fleeting fancy.”
“I bet Hunter isn’t happy about it.”
I didn’t bother to respond. What was the point? Clearly, Hunter wasn’t impressed by anything linked to me, otherwise I wouldn’t be trying to get everyone on my side.
“You’re dangerous, Scott.” Aria felt around my upper arm, pressing against the implant. “Not just because of what you are, but because of your gift.”
“I don’t plan to use it.” Small white lies. I used it, but not in the way they thought I would. Not against them in some lone crusade.
“Do you think that matters? We all have a gift and it works in our favour even when we don’t call on it. Grayson, for example, will continuously welcome chaotic situations into his life. People love Erik with ease. Waverly never tires. And you, Quentin Scott, have the gift of success so we can expect there will be situations that turn in your favour without even trying.”
I wished that was the case. If it was that simple, I wouldn’t be breaking my back in the lab, trying to get results and convincing the council I was worth keeping alive. Apparently, being a demigoddess didn’t come with the full complimentary package of perks that the rest of the Gods enjoyed. Not even a damn muffin basket as a welcome.
“What do you think I’ll do, exactly?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, but the last time we had demigods, they tried to rebel. Who’s saying you won’t?”
“Who’s saying I will? Aria, why would I want to rebel against you? I barely know any of you.”
Not the right thing to say. The pale peach of her aura made a point and sliced into my arm without warning. I hissed as she fished out the implant.
“All done,” she said brightly.
“You aren’t going to patch me up? Replace it?”
“You’ll heal. And why would you want to replace your birth control? It’s useless, and surely, that’s part of the plan, right?”
“Plan?”
“You got Grayson. You went not only for an elite God, but a King and now if you fall pregnant, you’ll have more demigods at your whim. Or are you more of a consort type? Maybe he won’t care if you sleep with other mortals and have more children that way. Weren’t you seeing one of them not so long ago?”
I stood up, aura blazing into life, and Aria brought hers around her body. She had no right to reduce my relationship with Gray into something seedy and meaningless. He was my soulbound, and she knew it. Before I had the chance to move or say anything, Gray appeared by my side.
“I suggest you don’t do anything stupid,” he warned her.
“She needs to learn her place.”
“And you need to learn yours!”
“She isn’t your Queen, Grayson! By our standards, she isn't even a God. She hasn’t ascended.”
