The answer is so perfectly Apollo. Of all the people who currently hold titles for selfish reasons, he would be the one who saw the title as a custodianship instead of a throne elevating him over the heads of all those lesser.
I love you.
I clamp my lips together to keep the words from springing free. It’s getting harder and harder not to tell him how I feel, no matter how selfish and unfair it would be to confess. There’s nothing else to do but get ready and carry on with the mission. As tempting as it is to try to seduce him into staying in bed with me and pretending the rest of the party doesn’t exist…it’s impossible.
Everything about this situation is impossible.
“I’ll take a shower, then.”
He stops me with his hand on my shoulder. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I force a smile. “And what about you?” The risk to Minos’s other party guests might be nonexistent if my theory is correct, but the same can’t be said for Apollo. He’s a threat and Minos knows it.
Apollo shrugs. “Like I said, risk goes with the territory.”
We could go round and round like this for hours, but nothing will change. I’m leaving. He’s staying, noble white knight that he is. It’s why I love him, even if right now I wish he’d be selfish for once, look to his own interests instead of Olympus’s.
But even if I was staying, this would never work in the long term. He’s at home swimming in waters deep enough to drown me.
I head for the bathroom and take my time getting ready. Normally, my morning rituals and beauty regimen make me feel better and more centered by the end of the process. It’s the kind of mindless repetition that usually allows my brain to work out problems the same way that driving is supposed to.
Instead, I seem to blink and I’m ready. There’s no peace to be found. I glance at the bathroom door, worry gnawing in my stomach. When I agreed to come here, I honestly thought the only thing in danger would be my heart. I didn’t expect actual assault.
I’m doing this for Alexandra.
On impulse, I grab my phone and dial my sister. The phone rings several times before clicking over to voicemail. Her happy voice says, “You’ve reached Alexandra Gataki. I’m probably in class or working right now, but if you leave a message, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a great day!”
I sigh and hang up. She’s working her ass off in order to pave the way to a better future. I can do no less than the same.
I open the door to find Apollo on the bed, working on his laptop. He looks so deliciously mussed with the sheets gathered around his waist and his black hair on end from me running my fingers through it. He looks up and smiles as if just the sight of me is enough to make his day.
It could be like this…
I ignore the little voice inside my head and move to get dressed. I feel a little shaky, as if the ground is shifting beneath my feet, so I choose the dress I’d saved for a time when I needed the emotional boost. My favorite. It’s a deep silver that’s almost black, and I immediately feel better when I have it on. I learned long ago that clothing can change a person’s perspective, both the one I have of myself and that of others who look at me. It’s a different kind of armor than Ares’s soldiers wear but it serves much the same purpose, even if the weapons being sharpened by the upper crust in Olympus are words and ambition instead of guns and knives.
It won’t protect me against either, though.
True to form, Apollo doesn’t take long to shower and get ready. He sweeps a glance over me as he steps out of the bathroom. “You look devastating.”
“Thanks.” I check my lipstick in the mirror and pull on my heels. I can’t look at him directly because if I do, I’m going to touch him, and if I touch him, I can’t account for what happens next. It’s tempting to do it anyway, to prolong this relative peace when it’s only the two of us, but I manage to restrain myself. “Is Hector still working through the emails?”
“Yes. He’s managed to eliminate everything that definitely wasn’t useful and now he’s wading through the rest.” He finishes buttoning his shirt. “It takes time to track down all the threads, but he should have an update later today.”
“Good.”
He offers his arm. “Shall we?”
Downstairs, most of the rest of the guests have beaten us to the table. The only two spots left are between Hermes and Pandora. I’m surprised when Apollo presses a hand to the small of my back and urges me to take the seat next to Hermes. Then again, is it really that surprising? From the start, he’s aimed to protect me. Though from the beaming smile Pandora gives him as he takes his seat, maybe he’ll be more successful at easing her into conversation than I would have been.
Then she turns it on me.
She reminds me a bit of Persephone Dimitriou, at least before she ran off and fell in love with Hades and shed the happy princess persona. Except…more. Having this woman smile at me is like getting a straight shot of the midsummer sun. I can only blink in response.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” She reaches across Apollo with a charmingly apologetic wince. “I’m Pandora.”
“Cassandra.” Her palm is warm and smooth against mine. “Nice to meet you,” I say. I don’t stammer, but it’s a near thing. She’s beautiful.
“The feeling is entirely mutual.”
On my other side, Hermes snickers. I remember myself enough to turn and shoot a glare at her. “Shut up.”
“Always so cranky until you see a pretty face, and then you forget that you know how to talk.” She nudges me with her shoulder. There’s no edge to her voice, just a deep fondness that speaks of our long history.
Apollo, though, tenses. “Leave her alone, Hermes.”
She holds up a finger, nails painted matte black. “One: you should know better, since I don’t leave anyone alone.” She lifts another finger. “Two: Cassandra is more than capable of defending herself if she feels the need to.”
“Just because she can doesn’t mean she should.”
This feels strange. I can’t decide if it’s a good kind of strange or a bad kind of strange, but I’m not inclined to let them argue over me like two dogs with a bone. Even if they’re both coming at the conversation with the intention of protecting me. “That’s enough.”
Apollo opens his mouth but seems to reconsider whatever he was about to say. He gives a short nod and turns to his plate. Hermes narrows her eyes like she wants to keep provoking him, but I catch her gaze and shake my head silently. She sighs. “Fine. I’ll behave.”
Lunch is a surreal experience. It’s so…normal. Everyone chats easily as if a man wasn’t almost murdered a few rooms away less than twenty-four hours ago. I knew the Thirteen and those close to them were different animals, but it’s never been clearer than in the time since Pan was attacked.
Especially considering my new theory that they’re here for Minos to do their dirty work in return for part of the profits.
Don’t they realize that this will give him leverage over them? Or do they really think they’re that untouchable?