It’s an insidious little beast. I’ve worked very hard to have contingency plans for my contingency plans. Every element of the Olympian assault has been planned down to the smallest detail. I just didn’t plan onmefaltering. Not in the overall goal—the Thirteen must fall, and their allies with them—but in the sheer level of scorched earth I’d intended to take. It was all well and good to make plans with rage and hate in my heart when the city that spawned it was hundreds of miles away. But I am not capable of looking into the faces of terrified children and feeling nothing.
Later. I’ll come up with a plan to pivot regarding the legacy families later.
Demeter accepts her cup and sips her tea without hesitation or concern that I might have poisoned her. It makes me respect her more. This is a woman who understands the truth of the world: Every interaction is one where you have the opportunity to come out on top. I don’t imagine Demeter loses many of these little power plays.
She waits until I sit on the couch across from her to say, “So few.” Her tone is perfectly mild, which only makes the accusation beneath the two words sting all the more.
“Athena is a fearsome enemy. She and her people coordinated in a truly impressive way and managed to convince a good portion ofthe remaining Thirteen and various families to seek sanctuary with Hades.” I shrug. “It won’t matter in the end.”
“Because you intend to bring down the secondary barrier.”
I’m not surprised she managed to figure out the next step of the plan. Demeter is smart enough to side with me; she’ll have considered what my plans are before making that decision. It’s honestly pleasant not to have to spell out every little detail—not that I would.
“All in good time.” I take a sip of my tea. It’s got a faintly pungent flavor that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s strangely pleasant. “First, Artemis will stand trial for her crimes.”
Demeter sits back. “So you’ll continue the farce.”
It feels a little bit like a farce after how poorly Peitho’s execution went. I don’t regret the trial and execution ofher, but… Damn it, Hecate got into my head. I can’t afford to doubt. Not when I’m so close to victory. “It’s not a farce.”
“Circe.” She gives me a severe look. “It’s very much a farce. You want the city and your vengeance, and you’re conflating the two for appearances’ sake.”
“Demeter.” I match her vaguely patronizing tone. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can manipulate me the way you do everyone else around you. I may have personal goals regarding who we bring down, but this is for the city.”
“I have no doubt.” She studies her tea. “With that said—”
The door flings open, cutting her off, to reveal Nerissa. Her bruise has bloomed into a truly outstanding array of colors, but she refused to take more than the first night off after the incident. She sees Demeter and checks her stride, but only barely. “Circe, I have news about…” She glances at Demeter again and clears her throat.“Atalanta was spotted on our side of Cypress Bridge. She’s back in the upper city.”
Anticipation curls through me, chasing away the unwelcome feeling of doubt this conversation has spawned. The little assassin has me curious; it’s been a long time since someone surprised me the way she has. And considering how Hecate feels about her, she’ll have to be dealt with one way or another. I still haven’t decided on a course of action there. I need more information before I do something that can’t be taken back. “You have someone on her.”
It’s not a question, but Nerissa bobs her head. “Two. Do you want us to bring her in?”
I’m in the middle of considering that when Antigone steps into the room, looking just as harried as Nerissa. It seems to be the day for it. “Hephaestus,” she says simply.
Thank the gods. Xe has been a thorn since I arrived here, continuing to work away in the former Hephaestus’s deep labs, completely untouchable by normal people. We tried to get in, but after losing three people to the defenses, I decided it was better to wait and see. Xe had to leave eventually. “Where?”
“Xe and a small group appear to be headed toward Juniper Bridge. Xe and the others are being careful, not making an apparent run for it, but I’m certain Hephaestus means to cross over to the lower city.”
We absolutely cannot let that happen. I’m aware that Theseus was not a good fit for the Hephaestus title—even before his betrayal and subsequent stepping down—but we needed someone in that office to ensure there were no nasty surprises waiting when we reached the city. The past Hephaestus title holders didn’t alwaysinvent amazing infrastructures to benefit Olympus. Sometimes they created weapons. It’s something Brontes—now Hephaestus—has a reputation for being brilliant at. If the lower city gets access to a weapon we don’t have a counter for, it could mean this conflict stretches out for years instead of weeks.
It might mean we lose. Then all this pain and suffering would be for nothing. “Go after xe. Bring everyone you can spare. Under no circumstances is xe to cross the river, even if you have to kill xyr.”
Nerissa shifts. “But what about—”
“I’ll take care of that personally.” I refuse to let any of the anticipation curling through me surface. Wanting to go another round with Atalanta is selfish and has nothing at all to do with our ongoing plans, no matter how I backbend the logic of it being necessary. “Go. Both of you. Now.”
They exchange a look, and for a moment, I think Antigone might challenge me, but she finally nods and they hurry from the room. I turn to find Demeter watching me with a small smile on her face, as if I’m a child who just made their first watercolor. It’s condescending in the extreme.
She sets down her tea and stands. “It seems you have things well in hand. Will this affect the timing of Artemis’strial?”
“Unlikely. Either Hephaestus will get past us, or xe will be in our custody shortly. One way or another, we move forward with Artemis.”
“Or xe will be dead. We mustn’t forget about that lovely little option. You certainly abuse it whenever you choose to.” She moves to the door. “All the same, inform me if the plan shifts. I’m going to my town house to make some calls. I’d like the opportunity to talksome sense into my daughters.”
Knowing what I do of the other three Dimitriou daughters, I find it highly unlikely even she can convince them to hang their husbands and partners out to dry in order to save their own skins. They would have been better served if she didn’t demonstrate her lessons in dealing with powerful people so well; now they’ll be turned against her.
I hold the door open for her. “Don’t give more than you get.”
She laughs warmly. “Circe, darling, give me some credit. I’ve been dancing this line for nearly as long as you’ve been alive.”
