Zeus cast one last sweeping look at his family, then paced out the chamber. Swiftly following, Hermes flew from the room, having refused to make eye contact with anyone.
‘Hermes,’ Hephaestus called as he hurried after his brother. ‘Pip, wait!’
The others lingered, staring at each other.
‘I will not let this ruin my war,’ Ares muttered, his hands squeezed into shaking fists.
Athena remained very still, staring at the miniature Greek camp. ‘We do not have a choice.’
‘I will have my fucking battle!’ Ares shouted.
‘Did you not hear what Father said?’ said Apollo. ‘Olympus is under threat!’
Aphrodite began to weep.
‘Poseidon.’ Hera gestured for him to follow her and swept from the room. The children’s voices clashed behind them as they paced down the pillared corridor. When Hera was sure they were alone, she drew him into a shadowed alcove.
Poseidon appraised her, his expression grim. ‘What do you want, Hera? The last time I granted you aid, it cost me my best horse.’
‘I regret the loss of Pegasus, but heed me; with Hades dead and Demeter’s mind lost, besides Zeus, you and I alone know who the girl really is,’ her voice grew quieter, ‘what Prometheus prophesied she would do. You also know there is another of the original Titans left in the world. One she might go to for help.’
Poseidon’s brow creased. ‘You cannot mean …’
‘Think on it,’ Hera glanced over his shoulder, eyes straining to catch the tell-tale shimmer of a shade.
‘No one besides us, Zeus and Demeter know Metis exists.’
‘That’s not true. The girl spoke with Prometheus – he may have told her that Metis saved his life during the fight for Olympus. He knew of her exile to Delos – Zeus taunted him with it after his own capture.’
‘No.’ Poseidon ran a hand over his beard. ‘Metis has been brought to heel.’
‘Trust is a luxury we cannot afford,’ hissed Hera. ‘My husband is blind when it comes to that woman. But she stood against him once, she could do it again.’
‘She would never endanger Athena.’
‘Are you sure?’ She placed a hand on Poseidon’s chest, above his heart. ‘Would you stake your life on it?’
He flinched from her touch, backing into the curvedwall behind him. Hera stepped forward, bridging the space between them, her lips almost brushing his ear.
‘Once, Metis forsook her mortal family to become a Titan. Perhaps she still serves the Mother above all else.’
‘We must not speak of these things …’ Poseidon rasped.
Triumph thundered in Hera’s chest. She could see the resolve crumbling in his eyes.
‘Go, now, while Zeus searches for the dragon. Metis will heed you better than me. Make sure she remains loyal to us.’
Poseidon blinked, his eyes darting about the hallway. ‘If my brother discovers what we have discussed, where I have gone –’
‘He won’t.’ Hera took the hand that had touched his chest and placed it above her own heart. ‘I swear on the blood of my children.’
Just as she had hoped, the final threads of his resistance snapped.
‘Fine. I will go to Delos.’
34. The Sea’s Revenge
Danae woke, damp and shivering. Rosy-fingered dawn daubed the sky with the first blush of morning. She lay on the bank beside the lake, chill wind scraping her skin. Heracles, Atalanta and Telamon were curled in the shelter of the upended boat, their limbs folded over one another like children. But instead of dolls, their fists clutched weapons.
