“No.” The word is more felt than heard, vibrating my body down to my very cells.
“Show them,” I say simply and point to the doors. “This is your city, not theirs.”
They manage to file out of the room in a mostly orderly fashion, helped along by my people at the exits. Within a handful of minutes, the final stragglers have dispersed. I can hear them chantingsomething out in the quad. Good. Things are coming along nicely. Now it’s time to button up this small mess.
I turn back to find Hecate on her knees, still being held by Antigone, her skin waxy and her chest heaving with each breath. “What have you done?” she whispers.
“What I had to.” More words press against my tongue.It didn’t have to be like this. I never wanted to be your enemy. You drew your line in the sand, and the only option I have is to step over it.I swallow them all down. I don’t owe her an explanation, and beyond that, it would weaken my position among everyone gathered.
I motion to Nerissa. “Get this mess cleaned up.” There’s much to do and little time to accomplish it. I walk out of the room, Antigone dragging Hecate behind me, leaving the bodies of the last remaining members of the Ambrosia family on the ground where they fell.
6Atalanta
Hera smiles slowly, a predator sighting prey. “I’m surprised you dare show your face here.” Before I can come up with a response tothat, she turns to the rest of the room, every inch a queen of Olympus in this moment. “Atalanta isn’t to be trusted. She’s been in league with Hermes this entire time. She’s likely been a mole in your operations, Athena—and Artemis before you.”
There’s a beat of silence where a small, naive part of me that should have died ages ago is certain no one will believe her. She’s Hera, after all, and at least half of this room is aware she was actively trying to kill her husband only a short time ago. Unfortunately—for me, at least—a lot has changed between then and now.
I take a step back, but that’s all I manage before Hades is pointinga gun at my face and Athena has one digging into the small of my back. “Ah, ah,” she says. “I don’t think so. Hands up and out. Slowly.”
There’s nothing to do but obey. Zeus is watching me with narrowed eyes, and Hades’s hand doesn’t waver on his gun. There’s no sympathy from the Dimitriou sisters, either.
I sigh. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Nothing was. “Hermes saved both of your lives.” I direct my words at Zeus and Hera, who would still be subject to Circe’s tender mercies if Hermes hadn’t put herself in danger to orchestrate their jailbreak. She didn’t have to do that. In fact, I cautioned her against it. We don’t owe these people shit, and if they’re not as bad as their parents, they’re still plenty bad.
Just a week ago, Hera was intent on bringing down Dodona Tower to kill her husband. It doesn’t matter that she apparently was taking steps to empty the building. That wouldn’t have applied to everyone, and it sure as fuck wouldn’t have applied to people in the surrounding area. Even if they weren’t killed in the initial blast, science has more than proven that building debris in the air—and lungs—causes any number of health problems. Including ones that result in an untimely death. Who knows what the death count would have been by the end of her vendetta?
And Zeus? He may not be the monster his father was, but he’s sure as shit not an innocent. He was willing to break the rules and stage a damned coup with Hades and Poseidon. Yes, it was in pursuit of Circe, but once you start breaking the rules, it becomes easier and easier to do each time. He was willing to sell Helen in marriage to whoever became Ares, no matter that she clearly wasn’t on board with the whole plan. Hedidsell Eris in an effort to control Theseus during his short time holding the Hephaestus title.
Hades meets Athena’s gaze over my shoulder and slowly lowers his gun. She, on the other hand, shows no signs of letting up. I’ll have a bruise tomorrow…assuming I live that long. He sits back. “That rescue by Hermes is the only reason you’re still alive. Regardless, you cannot stay in the lower city.” He motions to Eurydice. “Escort her to the bridge and ensure she crosses through the barrier and won’t be able to return.”
Persephone opens her mouth like she might protest, but turns to me instead of her husband. “If you touch my sister—”
This was old the moment it started. They’re still worried about thewrong fucking things. “For gods’ sake, you have bigger things to worry about than me. I’m not the one who wants all of you dead. Neither is Hermes.”
“You want the Thirteen abolished,” Hera says stonily.
“So do you,” I snap. “The citizens of this city deserve better. Every single person in this room would admit it if they weren’t allergic to the truth. You’re all rich as fuck; you’ll be fine anywhere in the big, wide world. So will the legacy families. The rest of Olympus aren’t as lucky.”
“Eurydice.” Hades’s face is a mask of ice. Does he realize how similar he and Zeus look right now? Sure, they have different coloring and features, but both are attempting to freeze out me—and my logic. They won’t listen. Damn them.
That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. “The lower city barrier won’t hold forever. You have to know that. Are you prepared for a damned ground war? Where will your precious lower city citizens be then?”
“That’s enough.” Athena muscles me from the room, and Idon’t bother to fight her. They never fucking listen. If they did, we wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.
Out in the hall, she releases me but keeps the gun trained on me as I turn to face her. We’ve only worked together for a few months, but in that time, Athena has proven to be ruthless, but not cruel. Notfoolish. “Circe is out for revenge. Most of the people in that room couldn’t have saved her when she was taken by the last Zeus and forced into marriage, butyoucould have. You were the only one who had a chance of getting him to listen.”
Athena shakes her head, as ifI’vedisappointedher. “That man listened to no one, and if you weren’t an idealistic fool, you would realize it. Anyone who challenged him, privately or publicly, was removed.”
Convenient answer. As if anything Hermes and I have done in the last ten years was safe. “You could have tried.”
“So you say.” She glances at Eurydice. “Take one of my people to ensure she behaves.”
I have to fight not to curse at how misguided this energy is. “Eurydice is in no danger from me.Youare in no danger from me.”
“Under the condition I leave the city that is my home and the only place I’ve ever known.” Athena smiles bitterly. “Like I said: You’re an idealistic fool.” Without another word, she turns and walks back into the study, closing the door softly behind her.
Eurydice initially gave the appearance of being the most boring of all the Dimitriou sisters. She’s beautiful the same way her sisters are, lean and delicate with model-perfect features and the hazel eyes they all share. The only difference is that her daddy was Black, so she’s got gorgeous warm light-brown skin and wavy black hair.
She surveys me. “I’ll be honest. I probably can’t take you in a fight, but you also won’t make it far in the lower city with our people hunting you. It’s best you come quietly.”
