Shattered Gods (Dark Olympus, #10)(2)

“He’s not going to listen.”

Unfortunately, she’s right. Apollo wouldn’t hear me out even if he liked me, and he doesn’t. “No one listens. If they did, we wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.” I turn and start for the door to the staircase that leads down to the ground floor. My original plan was to dismantle the Thirteen and set up a new power structure in Olympus. With Circe showing back up, intending to murder them all, I now have to save the very people I meant to remove from power. “Give me the rest, quick and dirty.”

“Hephaestus is doing much the same as Apollo. Xe doesn’t want to give Circe access to proprietary inventions. I don’t know if xe plans to seek refuge, though. Aphrodite is already in the lower city. I think that was less their choice and more Eris Kasios’s; their poly foursome is doing plenty of bullying and maybe a tiny bit of kidnapping for a just cause.”

That’s what I’ve always liked about Eris—she gets the job done. She only held the Aphrodite title for a short time, but she was excellent in the role—even if her goals were too shortsighted. “I’m going to speak with Poseidon before I circle back to Apollo. He doesn’t like me much more than anyone else these days, but he’s smart and noble, and I’m hoping I can leverage the safety of Triton’s daughters to make him move faster. He won’t like leaving his people, but it’s the nature of the beast.”

“Sounds good.” Atalanta clears her throat. “No one knows where Dionysus is.”

My heart skips a beat. There was a time when he was my closest friend, Atalanta aside. There were only two real differences: He never knew what I intended for the city…and there isn’t an ounce of interest between us in turning our friendship into something more. A friendship that ended with Pan’s attack at Minos’s party.

So much ended at Minos’s party.

“I’ll find him.” I don’t mean to say it. I have bigger shit to worry about than where Dionysus has holed up. He’s got too good a heart; after the last couple months, he’s bruised and no doubt feeling broken. He’ll go to ground if he’s got a lick of sense in his head. Finding him means devoting time and energy that should be focused on outmaneuvering Circe.

I’m just not entirely positive I can outmaneuver Circe.

“Hermes.” The censure in Atalanta’s tone is light but present. “Circe is here. Most of the legacy families aren’t interested in taking up Hades’s offer of sanctuary. Athena and I have been going from building to building and it’s all the same. They think they’re untouchable because they’re rich and powerful and nothing bad could ever happen to the rich and powerful.”

I snort, but my amusement fades immediately. “Stick close to Athena. At least she is being reasonable.”

“For now,” Atalanta says sharply. “She’s not going to step down, either. She’s held the position too long. She’s smart and cunning…and entirely certain that she and Zeus and the rest of them know what’s best for the city. Maybe not the whole of the Thirteen, but their little faction. Even if Zeus steps down—and that’s a huge if at this point—I don’t know if she’ll follow.”

“A problem for tomorrow.” I’ll add it to the list.

She sighs. “Hermes, we have nothing but problems for tomorrow. We can’t keep putting this shit off.”

“I am all too aware.” I wrestle open the door and duck out of the wind. “With the caravan of civilians behind her, Circe will be occupied playing devoted queen for a day or two.” Hopefully. “We need to get everyone behind the lower city’s barrier before then.”

“Oh, only that?” Atalanta sounds just as tired as I feel. Sleep has been in short supply for the last few weeks.

We might be damned elite in every way, but we’re still human with human needs. I am very pointedly not going to think about those needs beyond sleep and food. Not in connection with Atalanta and sure as fuck not in connection with Circe. It was a really good kiss…

I shake my head sharply. “I need Athena—and you—behind that barrier so we have eyes on Hades and the rest. At this point, I doubt we can keep them from doing something heroic and foolish, but at least we’ll have some warning.” I hesitate. “You’ve been going hard, Atalanta. Try to catch some sleep. Maybe even a warm meal.”

“How luxurious.” The smile is clear in her voice. “Is it worth the breath to tell you to do the same?”

I haven’t seen Atalanta since the ill-fated kiss with Circe that resulted in a drugged stupor that laid me out for several hours. Just long enough for Circe to make her move, stepping into the public eye with Demeter as her right hand. I managed to extract Zeus and Hera and ferry them to Hades’s sanctuary, but I was almost too late. A couple hours later, and they would have been in the middle of the caravan and as close to untouchable as a prisoner can be.

I also haven’t told Atalanta about the kiss.

Guilt pricks me even though we’ve made no promises to each other. The possibility of more has stood between us for years, but the downfall of Olympus must come first. If I allow myself to be happy… Well, Circe’s return already caught me flat-footed. How much worse would it have been if I allowed myself to fall in love with my best friend?