Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Persephone opens her mouth but seems to reconsider whatever she was about to say. Finally, she meekly folds her hands over her round stomach. She gives me a glance that’s almost sympathetic. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Hades motions to the person closest to him, someone who appears to be the head medic for the team he apparently brought to the upper city to transport his people back. “Orpheus is out of surgery and in the recovery room. The second team needs to go to him. I want transfer initiated as quickly as possible without further harming him. Do whatever it takes.”
Medusa shifts on her feet, looking distinctly contrite. “I’m sorry, Hades. It was just—”
“I will deal with you back in the lower city as well. See to my wife. Now.” Everyone files out of the room except for Imbros, Perseus, Hades, and me. Hades turns to give me his full attention, and for the first time since meeting my brother-in-law, I have to fight not to take a step back. His voice is quiet, but somehow that’s even scarier than if he were yelling. “I have stood by and allowed you to involve your sister in your little schemes and plots. No longer. You may be her family, Callisto, but I’m her husband. It’s increasingly clear that you don’t give a fuck about anyone except for yourself.”
I can’t speak. It feels like he’s reached out and wrapped a hand around my throat, cutting off my words, cutting off my air. It’s not true. I love my sisters and my mother more than anything. I would burn the fucking world for them. I never wanted Persephone to get hurt. The entire reason we were meeting is to avoid that very outcome.
But I can’t find the words to say any of it.
“That’s enough, Hades.” Perseus steps in front of me, not quite blocking my view of my brother-in-law but clearly conveying that if Hades wants to get to me, he’ll have to go through my husband first. “We’ve all been making mistakes lately, so I think it’s time for a little grace.”
“You’ve had grace. You’ve abused it. Zeus. Hera. Stay out of the lower city. You are not welcome there.” He turns and stalks out of the room, the door swinging softly shut behind him.
20
Zeus
I watch Callisto deflate before my eyes. Her shoulders slump. Her head bows. The only sign of the woman I’ve come to know is her clenched fists at her side. We stand there in silence as Hades’s team finishes up and whisks from the room. There’s a disturbance in the hallway, likely the second team acquiring Orpheus. It happens so damned fast. Despite myself, part of me admires how effective he is. If there’s a leader that I would have chosen to model myself after, it’s Hades.
But that ship has long since sailed.
With how tentative and tumultuous things are between Callisto and me, I hate to bring up what we need to do next. Unfortunately, hiding from the truth won’t make it less likely to kick you in the teeth. “Are you going to tell your mother? Or shall I?”
She lifts her head, her expression wan. “Do we have to?”
The look we share is full of so much acknowledged misery that I almost laugh despite myself. Only knowing I’ll soon be on the phone with Demeter herself, explaining to her how two of her beloved daughters were hurt under my watch, keeps my lips from curving. “You know we do.”
She tilts her head back and stares at the ceiling, obviously contemplating options that won’t require the phone call. In that moment, I take the opportunity to survey her again. For all she told me, her wound is just a graze, for all the doctor informed me that both her and the fetus are fine, it’s still hard to believe she’s okay.
Likely because she’s not okay. Getting shot is hardly a normal experience or without its trauma. Callisto showing even the slightest sign of buckling indicates that she’s significantly more affected than she appears.
Finally, she says, “You tell her. If I do, then it’ll become a fight, and I need my mother to listen when I see her next. I need her to see things my way.”
See things her way. Her sister said several things before being whisked out of the room. I have questions about that—and the meeting itself. Callisto was very careful to ensure I had no knowledge of it, and she didn’t even bring her trio of ever-present guards with her. That seems to indicate a level of secrecy that has nothing to do with her ongoing plans to murder me. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’ll call your mother and take the fall, on one condition.”