“Well, I suppose I am, in a way. We grew up together, but he stopped aging around a certain point, damn immortality.” He winked at Hecate to convey that there were no hard feelings in between the men for this. “I suppose he’s…taken a bit more time to mature since he’s got the time. However, know this—”
“If it isn’t my two most favorite people!” Aeëtes swaggered towards them, throwing the door to the galley wide open as he sauntered over to the two of them, his arms held out. Whatever Pelias was going to say died on his tongue, and he held a finger to his mouth to silence Hecate on the topic. Aeëtes approached them, throwing an arm around Pelias and openly staring at Hecate as if she’d hung the stars.
“Good morning, Goddess,” he grinned wildly.
Hecate shook her head, looking out over the water and nodding in the direction of the rising sun.
“You’re awfully good-natured for someone about to turn into a ram,” she warned, raising one eyebrow at him and refusing to acknowledge what his sunny disposition was starting to do to her.
“That’s Aeaea, no?” Aeëtes gestured, pointing in its direction and skillfully deflecting.
“Yes,” Hecate turned her head around to him, her expression sobering. “Listen, Aeëtes, when we get there, do not do anything to upset Circe.”
Aeëtes looked slightly offended. “I realize I’m not your favorite person,allegedly—”He started to defend himself when Hecate held up a hand.
“I’m serious. Listen to me, do not do anything to upset her. You’ll be turned, but just let me do the talking and do not throw a…sheep fit, or something.”
“A sheep fit.” Aeëtes cocked his head to the side, unimpressed. “Sure, I won’t throw a fit, no matter what you say to Circe. Might I ask why you think I’m such a threat to our little adventure here?”
“As opposed to all the usual reasons?” Pelias chimed in, and Hecate had to quickly stifle her amusement. The sun was coming up over the horizon and that familiar, strange glow began to emanate from Aeëtes.
“Yes, I’ll tell you, as soon as you’ve turned.”
“As soon as I’ve turned?” Aeëtes squawked, now realizing that she didn’t want him to be able to react properly to whatever she had to say.
“In a second…” Hecate trailed off, watching as he transformed again with the rising sun back into the body of a golden ram. She held her breath and waited until the transfiguration was complete, and he made another bleating sound in frustration. Hecate sighed deeply and looked from Pelias to Aeëtes.
“The reason you need to keep your mouth shut while we’re on Aeaea…” Hecate bit her lip, and Aeëtes saw a glimpse of an insecure Hecate for the first time.
“…is because Circe is your sister.”
14
Hecate winced slightly at the shriek that came out of Aeëtes, wondering if she had ever even heard an animal make a noise like that before.
“I know,” she sighed, running a hand through her long hair. “I will explain everything. Circe knows, however, so this won’t be a surprise to her. The fact that we’re here asking for help regarding youwillbe a surprise.”
“We’re not… um,” Pelias fumbled over his words, anxiously looking around, “We’re not in danger going on land to Aeaea, are we?”
Hecate’s eyes flashed red for a brief second as she turned to Pelias. “Absolutely not. The rumors about Circe are just that. They’re rumors. I won’t bring a trembling, suspicious crew to her front door, so you better tell the men to cut that thinking out right now.” She got louder as she spoke, another wave of red magic rolling over her skin as she finished.
Pelias nodded once and bowed his head, dismissing himself and going to prepare the crew to drop anchor and ready boats for going ashore.
“Do you want to enlighten me as to why I have a sister that no one told me about?”Aeëtes’s voice was loud in her head, and Hecate sighed. She looked down at him, taking pity on him for once.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that you didn’t know when I mentioned Circe. You didn’t react at all… I realized you had never been told.”
“She’s…she’s a daughter of Helios?”
Hecate sighed, tenderness bleeding into her expression as she nodded her head once. Maybe it would have been better to have this conversation with Aeëtes as a man.
“A daughter of Helios,”Hecate confirmed, her breath catching, “and the daughter of an oceanid, whose name Circe never learned.”
If Aeëtes could have fallen to the ground, he would’ve. He merely stumbled, before falling back onto his hindquarters, rather ungracefully. If Hecate had been having any other conversation with him, she would’ve burst out into laughter at the sight.
“She’s…my full sister, then. She never knew our mother...?”
“She did not. Honestly. I’ve known Circe for many years, and I’ve never heard her speak of her mother. I didn’t know thatyouwere her brother when we met. When you said you were the son of Helios and an oceanid, I merely thought you knew about Circe. It didn’t feel appropriate to bring it up.”
