Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“You haven’t answered my question.”
I flick a glance at Artemis. She’s not keeping her expression as locked down as the others. If there wasn’t a table between them, she might have tried to attack Minos. I’m so used to her looking at me like that after I killed her cousin that it’s almost not worth mentioning. The way Hera reaches out and touches her arm beneath the table is, though. Especially when Artemis slumps back in her chair in response. I didn’t think those two liked each other much.
Minos spreads his arms, every inch a showman. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’re accusing me of being behind those attacks on the Thirteen I keep reading about in MuseWatch.”
“Why wouldn’t people assume that?” Zeus’s voice has no inflection. No anger. No frustration. It’s eerie. He glances at me again. “You’ve done it before.”
“As I said, I am embracing the customs of the city that’s adopted me and mine.” Minos’s smile goes cunning. “No one under my command has made any attempts on the lives of anyone in this room. Feel free to verify that information.” His gaze cuts to Apollo. “Though I have a feeling you already have.”
The way Apollo’s jaw clenches verifies that.
Minos had said he wasn’t behind the attacks, but I wasn’t sure I believed it. Now I am. He’s always been a fan of letting other people get their hands dirty while he enjoys his lavish lifestyle without fear of consequences.
The bitterness of the thought gives me pause. I’ve never been ignorant of the man’s faults, but I’ve never felt this grinding frustration with them, either. He doesn’t care that my wife almost died yesterday. Realistically, there’s no reason for him to care.
There’s no reason for me to care, either.
But I do.
I don’t want her dead. If Minos was behind the attacks, he could call them off; at least the ones against her. But he’s not, which means he’s riled up the beast that is the Olympian populace and then he set them loose on those in charge.
There’s no controlling it now. Every one of the Thirteen is a target.
Even me. Maybe even especially me.
“Are you done with your baseless accusations?” Minos manages to sound imperial and disappointed, both at the same time. “I have come here out of my feeling of responsibility to you for allowing me and mine citizenship, but if you’re going to act as if I’m the enemy, I can spend my time elsewhere.”
“You are the enemy. We treat enemies accordingly.” Zeus flicks a hand. “You may go.”
For a moment, it looks like Minos might argue, but he shrugs. “Very well. I look forward to the next Dodona Tower party.” He turns and walks at a perfectly reasonable pace to the door.
It closes behind him. The silence is a barbed thing, threaded through with shock as every single person in the room tries to process what the fuck just happened. Even me. Zeus has more balls than I gave him credit for. I don’t know that it’ll be enough, but I’m a little impressed despite myself.
I shake my head, and it’s as if my movement brings the others to life. Every person at the table starts talking at the same time. Well, every person except Zeus and Hera.
He lets them talk in circles for a few minutes before he raises his hand. It’s a testament to his power that it only take a few seconds for silence to fall. Zeus sweeps a look at each of us. “You will all accept secondary security from Ares.” He keeps speaking even as most of them protest. “It doesn’t matter if Minos is behind the attacks on our people. The security most of you have is not enough.”
Hades lifts a brow. “Ares’s people are not welcome in the lower city.”
Zeus clenches his jaw, a tiny movement, but he might as well have shouted his frustration. “You are making a mistake.”
“If Hades doesn’t take the security, neither am I.” Artemis shoves to her feet. “You should have killed him from the start.”
“We cannot afford more changeover.” Zeus doesn’t raise his voice.
My reluctant admiration for him grows. I don’t like the fucker, and he doesn’t seem to have a drop of charm in his body, but he gets shit done. It probably won’t be enough to balance whatever Minos’s next steps are, but he’s a dangerous man.
They start arguing again, and I let the conversation roll over me. I won’t be taking Ares’s people, but there’s no reason to speak my intentions. I’ll just leave without them when this meeting is done.
Next to me, my wife is doing the same.
I lean close and lower my voice. “Take Ares’s security.”
“I intend to.” Her answer is so soft, it’s almost lost in Athena pointing out she has her own security force and Ares shooting back a question on how that helped her against the sniper. “You should take the offer, too.”