by S. E. Babin
“While I would agree with you about Hera’s reputation, I think it’s more important we view this from the side of the power vacuum that will come once Olympus knows Hera is no longer Zeus’ queen.” His mouth thinned. “My role as the interim king has been questioned by the older residents of my kingdom.”
By that, I was pretty sure he spoke of the Twelve. Well...the Seven now. I didn’t say that out loud, though.
“This is not ideal so I have been looking for a way to prove I am worthy in this role.”
My heart dropped down to my feet as a self-satisfied look slid over his face.
“As you have saved this kingdom more times than Zeus or I am comfortable speaking about, it is only fair Olympus returns the favor to you.”
Oh for the sake of the god’s please don’t let him continue down this rabbit hole. A look of dawning horror grew on my face as his next words hit home.
“As Interim King of Olympus and the only one who knows your particular brand of...flavor, I will assign myself to this task.”
My heart stopped as all my worst nightmares were realized. He’d handily beat me at my own game. I blinked several times before I plastered a sweet smile on my face. “I am sure you are kept quite busy with the day to day going ons of a kingdom. There is no need for you to see to this task.” I snapped my fingers like it just occurred to me. “What about Atlas?”
“Atlas is a prisoner here.”
I affected a look of innocence. “Yes, but the golden chain he is bound to forces allegiance to the crown, does it not?”
A slow nod from Hermes. “It does.”
“Then assign Atlas as my protector until such time as Hera leaves.”
A smirk appeared on his face as he sat back and studied me. “I will do you one better. Atlas will accompany me on this journey.”
Shiiiiiiiiit. Caught and trussed like a Christmas goose. I was beaten. I bowed deeply. “I thank you for this great honor,” I said.
“We will be at your door by midnight tonight. You are dismissed.”
I swept up from the bow and turned to head out the door.
“Oh, Abby?” Hermes said.
I stopped and was forced to wipe the chagrin from my face before turning back. “Yes?”
His grin was heart stopping. “It’s not often I receive a full Christmas meal. I like my mashed potatoes with brown gravy. Do be a dear and oblige me?”
I smiled through gritted teeth. “Of course, my liege.”
He waved me away with one imperious hand. “Good. Atlas will show you the way out.”
His eyes glittered with the victory of the game.
I was going to pay him back in spades by the time Christmas dinner was over.
Chapter 4
Atlas walked beside me, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.
“You overheard, didn’t you?”
He stared straight ahead, but I saw a short nod. “Why would you do that for me? You owe me nothing.”
Why had I done that? The old me would have nodded at him and left him chained to the palace forever. I liked the person I was becoming but it sure didn’t make things easier. “You were imprisoned because you fought on the side of the Titans, right?”
He nodded.
“That’s why then.”
He slowed his footsteps and then stopped. I turned back to see him staring at me.
“What?”
Atlas tilted his head. “I don’t understand.”
I sighed. “No one should be imprisoned for doing something they believe in.” As soon as I said it, I realized how stupid it sounded. If that statement were true no one should ever be in prison because bad guys do what they believe in all the time. I held a hand up. “What I mean is, you fought in a war. That makes you a soldier. Not a villain.”
His mouth dropped and he stared at me like I was a new species and he was a scientist in the rainforest. Then his gaze narrowed. “What do you want from me?”
Taken aback, I frowned. “Nothing.”
Anger darkened his face and he took a menacing step toward me.
I stepped back and held my hands up. “Nothing!” I shouted again. I dared not use magic in these halls unless I was forced to. But seeing Atlas come toward me got my hackles up. Until I realized…
I should have seen it. Immortals did nothing out of the kindness of their hearts. I dropped my hands and waited for him to reach me. When he stood less than a foot away, I lowered my voice and tried again. “I am not like other immortals, Atlas. If I can figure out how to free you, you can stay with me for awhile or you can go home. It’s up to you. You won’t be my prisoner or my slave. You will be free.”
Confusion and hope rivaled for space on his expression. “I don’t trust you.”
I shrugged. “I guess I wouldn’t trust me either. Ask around. I’m an anomaly here.” I continued to walk, leaving him staring after me.
Once I was out of the palace, I set the course for home. Seconds later, I was in my living room, staring in consternation at the disaster that used to be my kitchen. While the ladies I’d left behind hadn’t blown it up, it was darn close. The walls and cabinets were covered with a fine dusting of flour. The air smelled of cinnamon and sugar and the dishes were piled three feet high on the counter.
“I was gone for less than an hour,” was all I could say.
Clotho beamed at me from a face streaked with flour and butter. “We baked!”
I took a few steps closer. “I’ll say.”
Artemis’ head peeked up over the island. She waved a batter-covered spoon at me. “Sorry! We’ll clean it up.”
Hera came out from behind the door of the fridge holding eggs and a carton of buttermilk. She grinned at me. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and wisps of light blonde hair had come free of it and haloed her head wildly.
She greeted me with a foot waggle and took a few steps over to the counter to deposit her goods.
“Hera,” I said and nodded my head at her.
“Earth is fun,” she declared.
“Right.” I left the three to it and plodded upstairs to face plant in my bed. It was still early in the day but in less than eight hours I was going to have a house full of people thanks to me and my brilliant scheming. I hugged my pillow to my face and groaned into it. Could there be any worse kind of holiday than spending it with an ex-boyfriend?
I cringed even as the thought entered into my brain. It was bad luck to wonder things like that, especially when I was the one to wonder them. Things always managed to get worse when I was involved. “It will be fine,” I mumbled into my pillow. Totally fine.
My eyes drifted closed and sleep claimed me moments later. Trying to be normal was turning out to be exhausting.
I woke up hours later, disoriented and confused, with a thin layer of drool dribbling from the side of my mouth onto my pillow. With a swipe of my forearm, I wiped my mouth and sat up, blinking in revolt at the bright sunshine streaming through the windows. I glanced over at the clock on my nightstand and gasped when I looked at the time. I’d slept right through lunch.
I barreled downstairs expecting my kitchen to be a burned out husk only to find Artie, Clotho, and Hera hanging out in the kitchen playing poker. Well...trying to. Hera kept asking an incessant amount of questions, and I could see the strain on Artie’s face as she tried in vain to answer her rampant curiosity.
Clotho tossed down her cards in triumph. “Boom!”
As she leaned forward with her arms out, I realized they were playing for money. I rubbed a hand over my weary face and shook my head. It hadn’t been a full day and I’d already lost control. Hera’s corruption was well under way.
“She has the poker?” Hera asked in consternation, her perfect eyebrows drawing together in annoyance. “But I have the poker too!” She threw her cards down on the table.
Artie pinched her brow together and sighed. I grinned as I watched her try to explain the differences between two of a kind and three of a kind, and why the cards wit
h faces were worth more than the other cards.
I’d let them have a little more fun then burst their bubble about our upcoming house guests. I’d also have to admit to lying about my fear of Hera to help Atlas out which wasn’t going to be much fun. I couldn’t admit it to Hermes because I was still trying to figure out something with the poor imprisoned Titan. And then, once all that was over and I could get Artie alone for a little while, I’d tell her about the Twelve and how we were both no longer a part of it. So...here I was. Stuck like a fly in amber. Trapped under the weight of my own scheming and inability to come clean.
I didn’t like this feeling.
I grabbed a mug out of my pantry, shoved it under the coffee machine, and hit the button, inhaling deeply as the aroma of fresh roasted joe hit my nose. It was mid-afternoon and I shouldn’t have been drinking coffee, but this was shaping up to be a rough day and I was an adult. I could do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it.
Cue me sticking out my tongue.
Once Clotho had robbed Hera and Artie blind, she scooped up her ill-gotten poker gains and scuttled off to her room, her arms full of clinking coins and a silly smile on her face. I couldn’t help but grin. For an ancient crone who spat out prophecy, she was still good people.
I sat down beside Hera and Artie, but before I could speak, Artie interrupted.
“You look like someone kicked your puppy.” She looked around the room. “Aaand, since you don’t have a puppy, something else must have happened. Spill the beans.”
Hera sat up straighter, interested in my discomfort.
I sipped my coffee and gathered the words to tell her I’d screwed up. Again.
When I finished, she sat and stared at me for a moment until a snort escaped her. Then a wide grin split her face and she chuckled merrily. “Oh, Abs. You make immortality fun.”
“But Hermes is going to be here,” I sputtered. “And he haaaaates me.” I rested my elbows on the table and lowered my face into my hands.
“He doesn’t hate you,” Hera spoke quietly. “When we hate someone, we do our best to make their lives miserable.”
Hera would know, I guess. “But he is making me miserable by coming here.” I glanced up at her and watched as her blue eyes sparkled in amusement.
“He’s coming here because he wishes to spend time with you, but he is of the male species and they cannot come right out and say they wish to spend time with us. It is…” she paused. “What is the word?”
“Unmanly?” Artie chimed in helpfully. “Unsexy?”
“Unseemly,” Hera corrected with a dark look leveled at Artie.
I listened to her words, but I was unsure about the truth to them. Hermes had told me in no uncertain terms he was done with me. I never said the same thing to him, but after the debacle with Dike, I assumed he meant business. If it was true and he wanted to come here to spend time with me well...I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Did I miss him? Yes. Did I want us to try to work this out? My stomach plummeted to my toes. Before Halloween, I would have said absolutely. Now there was something in the way. Something over 6 feet tall and with hair the color of night.
My doorbell rang, snapping me out of my reverie.
“Who could that be?” Artie asked in amusement. “The mailman or someone else intent on ruining your day?”
I snorted and laughed with reluctance. “Bite your tongue.” I got up, praying it was the mailman.
The doorbell rang once more, followed by incessant pounding.
“Not the mailman,” I muttered darkly.
“WHERE’S MY WIFE?” The voice boomed.
My footsteps faltered. Of all the people in all the times. I hesitated at the door.
“ABBY OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY, OR I WILL BLOW YOUR HOUSE OFF OF ITS FOUNDATION.”
An aggravated breath escaped me and I flung open the door to stare at a red-eyed, shaggy-haired Zeus.
This day was getting even better.
Zeus hadn't shaved in weeks and his clothes looked even worse. Never had I seen him look so rumpled and worn down. Apparently cheating on your wife and leaving her for your ex-lover didn't agree with him so much. I held the door open and motioned for him to come in. Might as well. It didn't seem like he was leaving anytime soon. Zeus gave me a level stare. His normally full lips were clamped down.
"Nice to see you," I said because I couldn't help myself.
Zeus leaned over to the right of my doorstep and picked up the suitcase I hadn't seen yet.
Awesome. More house guests. We were rolling with a theme this year, weren't we? I was going to have to double my grocery list. I sighed and stepped out of the way.
He stood in the foyer and it was like the air had been sucked right out of the house once he stepped in.
A stream of golden magic flew directly at us. With a screech of alarm, I hit the floor, not even worrying about Zeus.
With one hand and an amused smile on his face, Zeus caught the magic and caressed it lovingly. "Ah, Hera," he said to himself. "How I've missed you."
I rolled my eyes and thunked my head back to the floor.
It was the War of the Roses, the immortal version, and I wasn't sure my poor house was going to make it out unscathed.
Hera stood in between the kitchen and living room, arms crossed over her chest and a dark glare covering her face. She was not happy to see her errant husband.
To tell you the truth, neither was I.
"Well," I said as I stood up and brushed the dust from my clothing, "what a pleasant surprise. Would you like some tea?"
Zeus nodded once but never took his eyes from Hera. I shook my head and plodded into the kitchen. By now Clotho would have heard the commotion, but whether she chose to remain or flee had yet to be seen. She didn't like to be in Zeus' presence that much for reasons I couldn't figure out. If she was here for Christmas dinner I would be surprised.
Shouts and rustling came from the living room area, but I squared my shoulders and refused to turn around. Instead, I headed straight for the cabinets to make Zeus some tea. I passed Artie, still sitting at the kitchen table. She stared at me in shock, her face white.
I shrugged. What could I say? "Sorry," I muttered. I hit the hot water setting on my coffee dispenser and shoved the mug underneath. "Please stay," I said to her.
Artie sat back against the chair and blew out an annoyed breath. "I think this land is cursed. Every time a house shows up here it's either destroyed or full of unwelcome house guests."
"Tell me about it," I said. I tore open the tea packet and dunked the tea bag into the water and set it aside.
I sat down beside Artie and lowered my head onto my arms. The kitchen table felt cool against my feverish skin. Hermes would be here in a little while. What else could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 5
As soon as Zeus settled himself in and was sipping his tea, the doorbell rang again. I turned panicked eyes to Artie, but she shook her head. "Uh uh. This is your circus."
I glared at her and got up from the table to go see who else was out to ruin my life. A dark-haired man with silvery eyes stood outside wearing an amused expression and a suit of the darkest black.
"Oh my gooooood," I whispered to myself.
"No, darling," came the honeyed words through the door. "The exact opposite."
I snorted in spite of myself because Hades did have a sense of humor especially about his background and the fact that he was a fallen angel. I opened the door, ignoring the speed of my heartbeat. I plastered a friendly smile on and hoped I didn't look manic.
One dark eyebrow rose at my expression. "Are you having a...moment?"
I gestured into the kitchen and saw the exact moment he realized my predicament. "My," he said. "Now what have you done?" Fortunately, Artie was the only one who saw him. Zeus and Hera were too busy bickering amongst themselves, and Clotho had yet to make an appearance.
I groaned in exasperation and pulled him by his elbow upstairs before anyone else realized he
was here. Once we were safely ensconced in my new office, I shut the door and leaned against it like a serial killer was after me.
A grin twitched against his generous lips.
"Don't," I warned. "This is far from funny."
"I beg to differ. This is hilarious." He took a look around my office and nodded in approval. I'd been hard at work in here. Even though I didn't need a traditional office, I still liked to read and I had the occasional need for a computer. I repurposed an older desk with milk paint and had turned it from a dark mahogany into an antique white with dark brown glazing. I'd painted the office walls a beautiful pale green color and laid down an enormous gray shaggy rug on the floor. Bookshelves full of tomes of ancient mythology mixed with the latest urban fantasy I'd checked out from the library graced an entire wall and an essential oil diffuser dispersed comforting and calming bursts of lavender and sandalwood oil into the air.
Hades turned his gaze back to me. "I like this, Abby. It fits you more than any other room I've seen in this home."
I'd forgotten I hadn't taken him upstairs yet. My face burned as I realized that could be connotated more than one way. "It's my sanctuary," I admitted. "I just haven't had the chance to use it today."
The grin reappeared on his face. "Are they staying for dinner?"
"They both have suitcases," I admitted.
He winced. "My apologies."
"Did you hear what happened?"
Hades chuckled. "I'd have to be living under a rock to not hear about it. Everyone is abuzz."
"From the state of his person, Zeus may be having second thoughts."
He shook his head. "Change is not always comforting, Abby. He is used to the monotony of one life and isn't used to the colorful chaos of Gaia anymore."
I stared at him in curiosity. "What does that mean?"
