Or maybe they’re planning a double cross once they get what they want from him? All the gain and none of the possibility of sharing the rewards or future blackmail.
The possibilities make my head spin. I can’t be the only one who sees the dangers. Surely I’m not. But they’ve ignored my warning so far. They truly think they’re untouchable. Even Apollo, in his own way. He’s willing to endanger himself for the greater good.
By the time they realize they might be wrong, it will be too late.
29
Apollo
Pandora is a lovely conversationalist and I detect some social training in the way she’s so effortlessly able to keep the topics light but interesting. Safe. She also successfully dodges all my careful probes for information. She’s cheerful in the extreme, but she’s no fool.
Then again, no one in Minos’s party appears to be a fool. Unfortunate, that.
Even Ariadne is making herself scarce after sitting next to me at dinner last night.
Minos clears his throat, and I can’t help tensing up in response. Another party game is coming, another frustrating set of hoops to jump through for his amusement. They were irritating before. Now participating feels particularly ghoulish.
The facade of concern is gone from Minos today. He’s smiling as brightly as I’ve become accustomed to, and his voice is boisterous as he comments on the quality of the meal we just consumed. But there’s something… I can’t quite put my finger on it. Something off.
Cassandra squeezes my knee and leans close. “You’re glaring.”
I make an effort to smooth my expression, but it’s more difficult than normal. What is it about him that’s making my instincts stir?
Minos gestures broadly. “This week has been more than I could have dreamed. I am incredibly grateful that you’ve all consented to come here and allow me to entertain you.”
More like he’s the one entertained by the whole process. It’s not as if he’s participating. He’s sitting back and watching us—watching me—run around like a rat in a maze. I catch myself clenching my jaw and focus again on relaxing my expression.
“Did you know my dear departed wife, Pasiphae, was a great fan of historical romance books?” He continues without waiting for an answer. I catch sight of Ariadne across the table, looking like she wants to melt into the ground. “It’s in her honor that we play these games.”
I raise my brows. And here I thought it was solely to humiliate some of the most powerful people in Olympus for your own amusement. Or, if Cassandra is right, to commit violent acts to gain leverage on those same people.
As if sensing my thought, Cassandra squeezes my thigh. She doesn’t look at me, but it’s enough of a reminder to stop glaring. I’ve never had this much trouble controlling my expression, but I’ve never dealt with a frustration like Minos represents. Even with the progress we’ve made, he represents everything that is wrong with this city. Power and corruption, and too many of my peers are willing to wade into the muck if it means getting ahead.
Minos continues, ignoring the looks people are exchanging around the table. “With that in mind, this afternoon is her particular favorite for her favorite child. I’m not sure why. Since he was a little boy, he hasn’t done a single damn thing right. Always the fuckup, aren’t we, Icarus?” He laughs, but no one else at the table does.
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard a parent be terrible to their child in what amounts to a public setting, but it’s extremely uncomfortable. Icarus looks a little sick to his stomach, but he’s been particularly quiet during the whole meal, his face drawn and dark circles beneath his eyes.
Minos continues, blatantly ignoring the strange currents that he caused. “Blindman’s bluff.”
“What the fuck is that?” Cassandra murmurs.
There’s no way Minos could hear her, but he answers all the same. “One of the party is blindfolded and disoriented and must guess the identity of the person they touch.”
It’s a strange game, and an even stranger choice to pick a “winner” through. Aphrodite leans back, her dark eyes challenging. She’s tucked under Adonis’s arm, but there’s a new tension in her since the events of yesterday. She keeps touching him almost possessively, and while she hasn’t looked at Theseus once during the entire meal, there’s no doubt it’s for his benefit.
Now, she sarcastically raises her hand. “A question.”
Minos’s smile doesn’t flicker. “Yes, Aphrodite?”
“The game ends when the blindfolded person guesses the identity of the person they touch. How can there be a group winner?”
“Ah, yes, that is traditionally how the game is played. For our purposes, though, I propose an alternative way.” He chuckles. “The one blindfolded will go around the circle and guess as many identities as possible. The person with the most correct guesses will take Icarus off my hands.” His chuckle turns to a booming laugh. “Sorry, I misspoke. They win a date with Icarus. If only getting rid of this son was such an easy task!”
“I see,” she says slowly.
“Shall we begin?” He turns and leads the way out of the dining room.
I exchange a look with Cassandra. “Wait until after.” I don’t dare say more with so many witnesses, not even speaking low in her ear. She’ll understand. There’s no point in trying to pull Hermes aside to talk now.
“Of course.” She rolls her eyes, though the expression is half-hearted. “Let’s do this.”
Once again, we find ourselves back in the elaborate living room. If before I could not define why Minos made his choices with these games, today it’s abundantly clear that he intends to humiliate Icarus for some unknown reason. Minos sits in the so-called place of honor in a high-backed chair that we form a reluctant ring around, with Icarus at the head. As at the table, he looks like he wants to be anywhere but here.
It makes me wonder if Icarus is just as unhappy with coming to Olympus as Ariadne seems to be. If one child is willing to work against their father, maybe the other is as well. I’ll ask Cassandra after this. If my instincts are occasionally wrong, hers rarely are. She sees things that I miss all the time. Perhaps now is one of those times.
“For our first attempt…” Minos’s smile goes sly. “Aphrodite, if you would be so kind.”
She stands gracefully. Today she’s wearing a pair of tailored black pants and a violet silk blouse that leaves her arms bare. Her dark hair hangs in a curtain down her back as she strides to Minos and turns around so he can slip a blindfold over her face.
“Now, of course, we won’t want to make it too easy. Shift yourselves about the room, please.”
Cassandra huffs out an exasperated breath as I follow her, moving to stand next to the fireplace, across from where we’d been. She doesn’t say anything, though. We’re too busy watching Minos carefully spin Aphrodite in place. Too many times, by my count, but I’m not the one running the game.
As it is, when he releases her, she stumbles. Not a single person makes a sound. It’s strangely eerie to watch her move forward with her hands outstretched. She finds Adonis first. He holds perfectly still as her hands come to rest on his chest. From my angle, I can catch her smile in profile. She coasts her hands up to his shoulders and over his neck to his strong jawline. He smiles as she explores his face with her fingertips.