Page 111 of The Gods Forbid

“I was drunk at these things,” I countered. While Luce smiled, I continued, “But yes, Adrian, that is probably a good idea.

“Great, that’s settled,” Adrian said, not even bothering to hide his smug grin. Before I could make a comment about it, he was off to another matter. The rest of the meeting flew by before my eyes, the standard updates and check-ins surprisingly comforting.

I liked being a god, that had never been at issue. I just had to get back to it.

Adrian was clapping his hands and signaling the end of the meeting in a blink. That also meant I had to tackle the other task for the day, which sent my stomach tightening.

As everyone stood to leave, a few came over and clapped me on the shoulder or said goodbye with a sly comment, but it was all too normal. Persy’s warning, backed by Adrian’s attitude, had worked, it seemed.

Once everyone had left, I looked to Luce, who seemed to already know what I was planning to do. I nodded at them, silently asking for a moment. They returned the nod, motioning for me to lead the way outside.

Good. I needed the sun for this. There was a large expanse of grass outside the Council room, backing up into cliffs that were still dusted with snow from the winter.

Luce trailed easily. They’d always been light on their feet, their spirit as high as their cheekbones and as bright as their blue-black hair, styled in short curls. When we finally made it outside and I got a breath of fresh air, I thought for a moment I could handle this.

“You don’t have to say it, you know,” Luce said, a laugh in their voice as I walked into the open field, covered in wildflowers.

“I really do, Luce,” I said, finally turning to them. A younger sibling I’d neglected for the better part of a decade, leaving them to deal with their grief over Penelope alone. “I handled this all wrong.”

Luce nodded. They were never the type to let me get away with anything. “You did. I really could have used you.”

Guilt twisted my stomach into a knot. “I was … they made it seem like it was his fault,” I said, not even bothering to explain that I meant my parents blamed Adrian. They knew. “And if that was the case, it made me think we could have done something.”

Luce breathed out, gazing into the distance with a far off look, like they could see Penelope in the moon, still hanging in the midday sky. “Maybe. I don’t think we’ll ever know if we could have done something for her. I think the better thing to do is honor her memory.”

I breathed out, grief joining the guilt. “She would fucking kill me for what I did to you,” I said, through a laugh.

Luce laughed as well, sounding for a moment like the young child I’d grown up with. “Always dramatic, Sebastian.” They stepped closer. “You have, and always will be, my big brother. Yes, you hurt me. Yes, I still think you’re an idiot for trying what you did against Adrian. But that won’t break down centuries of Apollo, Diana, and Artemis relationships on its own.”

Luce hugged me before I could stop them, wrapping their arms around me tight. “Let’s just move forward.”

“Okay,” I said, returning their hug, feeling like a teenager again.

When Luce pulled back, they narrowed their bright green eyes at me. “Besides, I’d like to reintroduce myself to Persy now that I know she has you wrapped around her finger.”

I opened my mouth to contradict that statement, but nothing came out.

“Aha!” Luce exclaimed, jumping back and pointing their finger at me in accusation. “I knew it!”

“Whatever,” I grumbled, refusing to give them an answer.

That only made Luce laugh harder, almost doubling over from the force of it. “Oh, Oracle help you.”

“She’s the one who started this.” Now I just had to say that, didn’t I?

Luce was crying now, they were laughing so hard. “I’m coming to Prometheus tomorrow. I have to see this in person.”

“You are welcome anytime,” I said. “But you have to be normal. She doesn’t return the sentiment.”

Luce stopped laughing, straightening, but didn’t say anything further. They just nodded slowly, like they communicated exactly what they were trying to say. “You tell me when, and I’d like to see your life there,” they said after a moment.

That I could handle. “I will,” I said, reaching out for a final hug. That wasn’t as brutal as I thought it would be. That had been happening a lot, people giving me grace.

It made me want to honor that gift. Rise to it and make sure it wasn’t in vein.

And it all started with Persy and a hand delivered meal, cradled in her perfect hands.

Chapter 23