“Not everyone, love. Just you.” He squeezes my arm. “You have a knack for seeing what’s really there instead of what the peacocks want you to see.”
“Dionysus, you’re one of the peacocks.”
He chuckles. “And a splendid one at that.”
If I don’t rein this in, the conversation will spiral. I take a deep breath. “And Hermes’s plus-one?”
“Surely you’re not jealous when you have Apollo chasing you around with hearts in his eyes?”
I snort. “Don’t be dramatic.”
“Now you’re just trying to hurt my feelings.” We move deeper into the maze, hitting another few dead ends. Gods, this is going to take forever. Dionysus hums a little. “Hermes had someone coming to the party. I think?” He shakes his head. “No, I’m certain of it. They were supposed to be here for dinner. I wonder what happened with that? She was all secret smiles about the surprise.”
A shiver cascades down my spine. It could be nothing. Hermes isn’t exactly fickle, but she pivots easily and often. “Are you sure she didn’t change her mind?”
“As sure as I am of anything.” He peers at the high hedge walls. “Maybe they were murdered and we’re going to find them at the center of the maze. This is beginning to feel like one of those kinds of parties.”
I don’t like how his words mirror my earlier thoughts. “Surely Minos wouldn’t start a murder spree. What could he possibly gain out of it?”
“That’s for smart people like you to figure out. I’m just here for the free booze.” Dionysus gives a mournful sigh. “On that note, I wish Minos had parlor games among the plans tonight. There’s top-shelf liquor in the parlor.”
As if Dionysus doesn’t have the best alcohol and drugs Olympus has to offer in his warehouses. Like all the Thirteen, he’s disgustingly rich. Calling him out on his lie won’t earn me any favors, though. “Maybe tomorrow.”
We walk around a few more turns before he answers. “I doubt I’ll be so lucky. I imagine most of the events are like this. He’ll likely force us to double up for them, too.”
To what aim? Most of the people invited already know each other. There won’t be any new alliances coming between Hephaestus and Artemis and the others. Minos isn’t using tonight to network, not when his household isn’t participating…
I stop short and Dionysus nearly drags me before he stops, too. I look up at him. “Is he trying to marry off his children?” It would make sense. All of the Thirteen present are unmarried. If he couldn’t secure one of his sons as Ares, a marriage to a member of the Thirteen wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.
It’s what most of the legacy families already do, after all.
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “Good luck with that. I’m not in the market for a spouse.”
“Not now or not ever?” It’s not my business. I know Dionysus is asexual, but I can’t remember him ever dating anyone, either. Maybe he’s also aromantic. Which, again, none of my business. Still, he brought it up so I can’t help saying, “You brought Pan to the party.”
“He’s a friend and potential business partner. Nothing more.” He shrugs. “I’m not overly interested at this juncture. I don’t see that changing.”
“Well, I guess Minos should let that ship sail, then.”
“Yep.” We start walking again. I can’t tell if we’re headed toward the center of the maze or just getting hopelessly lost. I’m so busy trying to figure it out, I almost miss Dionysus’s next words. “But let’s not talk about my romantic life when yours is right there and oh so juicy.” He tugs me into a dead end and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Spill, dear Cassandra. Tell me every little sordid detail.”
This is it. The first real test of this experience. Dionysus knows me well enough to know my reasons for never wanting to publicly date a member of the Thirteen. I can’t say I’ve changed my mind without a good reason. No one will believe that, let alone him.
I take a deep breath and prepare to lie.
12
Apollo
“The weather is really nice tonight.”
Eurydice gives me a polite smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, very.”
Gods, this is ridiculous. I move through the most powerful circles in this city, where one wrong word can create a cascade of political ripples. I’m good at it most of the time. And the best I can come up with in this situation is a comment about the weather?
After several minutes of awkward silence, I try again. “I’ll admit, I was surprised to see you at the dinner table.”
Eurydice doesn’t look at me. “I was a last-minute invite.” It’s clear she has no intention of elaborating, which is interesting.
There’s something different about her. This woman has spent plenty of time in my presence at family functions during the time she dated my brother, but in those interactions, she always seemed nervous and almost fragile. That feeling is gone now. She’s still quiet and composed, but something’s changed. “How have you been?”
“Good.” Her answer seems to surprise her. She finally shoots me a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t for a while, but I’m doing much better now.”
I don’t inquire about her obvious camaraderie with Charon, don’t ask whether it’s more than friendship. That’s none of my business. I glance up at the stars overhead. I had intended to reach out via Hades about the possibility of Orpheus apologizing. It seems silly to wait when she’s walking next to me, but I don’t want her to feel like I’m cornering her out in the dark maze, either.
“Apollo?” She pauses as voices drift from somewhere close, but they move away quickly. This maze truly is a monster.
When she doesn’t immediately continue, I say, “Yes?”
“How is he?” She rushes on before I can answer, some of her previous nervousness showing through. “I wouldn’t ask because I most certainly don’t care, but I saw him a couple weeks ago. It was just for a moment and across a bar, but…” She takes a deep breath. “He looked like shit. Not at all like the man I knew.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her everything, but it’s no more my place to share Orpheus’s struggles than it is to browbeat Eurydice into seeing him. I can’t even promise he’s changed, for all that I believe he has, at least based on our recent conversations. I clear my throat. “He would like to apologize.” I hold up both hands. “You absolutely do not have to agree, though. You don’t owe him anything.”
“I know.” Her lips curve in a faint, sad smile.
“Oh. Okay.” I drop my hands. “You don’t need to answer tonight, but if you end up deciding that you’d like to hear his apology, I can arrange it.”
“If I decide to hear him out, I’ll arrange it myself.” She starts to move forward and glances over her shoulder at me. “Thanks, though. Regardless of how I feel about my ex, you’ve been nothing but kind to me.”
A dozen comments rise and die before they ever leave my lips. That Eurydice is a gift and I hope she finds someone who appreciates that in full. That I would have liked to have her for a sister-in-law. That I think Orpheus wants her in his life again. That I hope she moves on from my brother and never looks back.