I’m the only one watching you, basileús.
With his lips pressed into a straight line and both of his palms wrapped firmly around the thunderbolt, Zeus lifted the weapon, wielding it with such strength that when its sharpened end struck the earth, the ground dramatically fractured, producing a loud sound that caused the olive trees to shudder.
Then he dug his hands into the wet soil and vanished into the chasm, as though he had never existed. Shadow had moved to follow him as his curiosity grew even bigger, but the moment he reached Zeus, he was met by an unyielding veil of darkness.
The weighty, blistering air enveloped him, making it impossible to survive and preventing him from following Zeus. It was not possible for beings such as himself to gain entry through the gates of the Underworld.
First, you went to Kosmos to meet what seems to be your new affair. Then, you descend into the Underworld, potentially encountering your closest companion, Hades.
A noteworthy voyage for a king, indeed.
However, what endeavors might you be undertaking, basileús?
Chapter 12
Shadow
Agleaming haze settled on Olympus, covering each unique structure like an ominous secret no one even dared to speak aloud. As the wispy mist of the night played with the shadows of each building, causing them to shift and change form, there was one of them that seemed to defy the ethereal manipulation of the night.
The night was calm, but only Shadow could feel the underlying uproar caused by the god’s mischief,Shadow thought as he finally stopped in front of the imposing God of Love’s home.
He still felt a stirring of anger that he couldn’t follow Zeus to his secret meeting in the Underworld. His curiosity regarding Zeus’s plans intensified after observing his overly intimate interaction with Thalira Lunara.
However, the recollection of his secret rendezvous with Hades was something he wouldn’t be able to let pass. He would watch the king in secret to understand what scheme he was planning behind the other gods’ backs.
A thought persisted, and he understood its resolution hinged on following his intuition and extensive knowledge. He took note of all the times Eros would glance at Artemis, as if hewas trying to convey a secret message to her. A clandestine exchange had transpired between them, and though their unusual behavior went unnoticed by others, Shadow observed everything.
Just as he was on the verge of diving deep into his persistent thoughts, the enormous red door of the house swung open. Eros crossed the threshold, and the gentle warm wind caused his linen shirt to shift, revealing more of his chest as it delicately clung to his body beneath the fabric.
Shadow was able to tell that Eros was feeling overwhelmed, based on his behavior and the way he was carrying himself. While he was known to enjoy walking while deep in thought, Shadow was still curious about his reason on this particular day.
Your eyes betray a truth that you cannot conceal, my beloved god.
Keeping his shoulders straight, he walked down the marble paved alley.
Let’s see where you are heading.
As he let Eros get farther away from him, Shadow lingered closer to the god, analyzing each movement of his imposing body, but staying far enough away to keep him from realizing he was there.
Each time his feet hit the earth, he would turn his shoulders to the side, then to the opposite side, and he looked around at everything in his vicinity, noticing every single detail. He walked swiftly and without delay to the alley where his home was.
Curious thing, indeed.
As Eros moved, his steps revealed a blend of both uncertainty and excitement, each footfall both cautious and quick. The subtle tension lurking behind every movement of his body betrayed Eros’s underlying hidden motivation.
Eros navigated the space like a shadow, weaving through the buildings that overlooked the marble alley. Eventually, he strodeon the path that led to the residence of none other than the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild herself.
Is your visit to your best friend’s house resulting in a surge of such various emotions?
Intriguing.
With each step he took, he got closer to the gate that divided Artemis’s wooded domain from the surroundings of Olympus. Bathed in the gentle light of the moon, the forged silver and steel took on a radiant sheen. The tips of the stags and the bowstrings appeared as though they were reaching upward to connect with the gleaming constellations in the sky.
The silent opening of the gate created a soft echo that traveled through the sturdy tree trunks as Eros finally entered the area. Beyond all the forged metal, cypress trees rose like sentinels into the sky, their roots subtly emerging from the black ground.
“Greetings,argyrós?*.” Eros’s voice caught Shadow’s attention as he crept closer to him, causing him to notice the imposing silhouette of a stag coming out from behind a myrtle bush.
Artemis’s divine messenger, the creature that was born from the first moonbeam that ever touched the gods’ world. The only of its kind.
