“Of course they’re people, but mortals are very obviouslynotthe same as me and you.”
I ground my teeth. “And you wonder why I didn’t jump at the chance to come on this fucking boat with you.”
“Hmm.” He turned his head my way. I hated that I still couldn’t see his face, to read whatever he expression he had when he looked at me. “I didn’t mean it as an insult. It’s just the reality of our world. We’re different. They can walk in sunlight, for one.”
“That’s hardly a crime. So can I.”
“You’re not like us, either, Selene.”
Chills swept down my arms from the darkness in his voice, and then a new sense of bold carelessness came over me. I didn’t know if it was the fresh salt-thick air or the fact we were out here alone on the waves with no one around to hear a word we said. But I suddenly didn’t care if the right thing came out of my mouth or not—if he believed I’d come to Aiaia for the right reasons, or if he suspected the truth. That all I cared about was protecting Troy, and one day, I would claim my vengeance. Fuck Erebus and fuck the Olympians.
“Perhaps it’s a good thing I’m nothing like you,” I said evenly. “Because from where I’m standing, it seems like all you lot want to do is destroy each other.”
Ares laughed—actuallylaughed. “And there she is again. The true High Queen of Troy.”
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He leaned closer, his armor creaking in the wind. And despite the metal that separated us, I swore I could feel the heat of him against my skin. “It means that every so often the truth of who you are seeps out from beneath your costume. You’re like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, pacing around the cage your mother built for you.” His voice dropped to a low hum. “Let that little beast out, Selene. Stop following a dead queen’s commands.”
I reared back. “Fuck you.”
I swore I could hear his smile as he replied. “Fuck you, too.”
We passed the rest of our short journey in silence. I had nothing to say to him after that, and it was all I could do not to stew in his words. What annoyed me the most was that he was right, at least partially. I’d spent my entire life bottling up my emotions, all because of my mother’s instructions. And more than any other, the one emotion she’d taught to me to contain was my rage.
I couldn’t lose my temper. I couldn’t bare my fangs. I couldn’t even frown, lest someone realize I was agitated, annoyed, or just plain sad.
No matter what happened, I couldn’tact.
I’d been made to sit on that throne, smile occasionally, and nothing more.
And since coming to Nekros, I’d struggled to keep my composure. None of the others seemed to notice the divergence from who I tried to be, but Ares did. Out of all of them, hehadto be the one who saw me for what I was.
It was infuriating.
And so out there on the sea, with no one around, I faced the oncoming wind, and I let myself scowl.
At long last, we reached the white stone shores of Thrinacia. It was a much smaller island than Aiaia, with only a small rocky hill sloping toward the center, where a small estate sprawled across the mossy ground. Beyond it, the sun had vanished, and a magnificent painting of pinks, oranges, and blues slashed across the darkening sky. Wispy clouds passed overhead, and while I helped Hestia out of the boat, Ares finally emerged from the suit of armor.
He looked more ruffled than I’d ever seen him, his silver hair sticking up in all directions. Even so, the increasing wind tossed the curls around his forehead, giving him a sort of rugged edge that made it look like he’d done it on purpose. He rubbed his angular jaw, rolling back his shoulders. Like this, he looked like the warrior I knew he was.
Hestia, having dropped back the hood, spotted me watching him and gave me a knowing look. “Handsome, isn’t he?”
“What? No.” I dragged my gaze away. Ares was, in fact, very handsome, but I didn’t want him to overhear me saying so. Instead, I swung the conversation in a different direction. “Have you ever told him you feel that way? That you like the way he looks? You two are close. Maybe…”
Her eyes danced with amusement. She’d regained some energy from her short rest, and her face had some color back. “Ares and I were siblings before Erebus turned us into Olympians.”
I straightened. That…explained a lot. “Siblings? I didn’t know that.”
“Not many do. We prefer to keep it to ourselves, lest our enemies use it against us.”
“Why’d you tell me, then?”
She smiled, leaning against me. “You are not my enemy, Selene.”
A strange emotion stirred in my chest. “Thanks. I don’t really see you as my enemy, either.”
Hestia nodded against my shoulder, sighing. “I want to thank you for what you did. I know it must have been difficult for you to help someone who is on the wrong side of a very long battle with your kind. Just know, I argued against trapping the Titans in Tartarus. I don’t think it was right.”
