The Warrior God (The Ares Trials #1) - Eliza Raine Page 0,35

expression as he glanced down at me. “Your mortal world is extremely boring,” he said with a nod.

“Yeah,” I said. And now I had a chance to live where I truly belonged, and never be bored again. I just had to work out how to use magic.

15

Ares

I usually enjoyed feasts in my own realm, thrown in my honor. Especially when the other Olympians attended, and they could see the deference my subjects gave me first-hand. But this was not one of those feasts. Aphrodite attending was the only upside I could see to the entire circus.

She looked even more stunning than usual, if such thing was possible. Today her skin was dark and rich, and her hair a pale blue, in masses of curls that framed her soft face. I longed to run my hand down her cheek, to run my fingers down her throat, to feel her stomach tense beneath my touch as I moved lower. But she had been seated at the other end of the long table in Pain’s dining hall when we had eaten, and since the gathering had been moved to the opulent oasis, she had not yet approached me. My pride still stung from her dismissal of me the last time I had seen her. I would not look weak by going to her first, like a keen puppy.

So, I stood still by a large palm tree, with my arms folded across my armored chest, and glared at everyone who walked near me. It felt good to have my helmet back on. Really good.

“Brother.”

I barely moved my head an inch, to see my sister, Eris, sauntering toward me. “Must you wear such revealing clothing?” I asked her.

“Yes. It upsets, delights and confuses people in equal measure. Besides, they’re naked.” She gestured at four mer-women, swimming seductively in some sort of dance in the clear water of the pool. Many guests were watching them appreciatively, including Pain.

“I see you haven’t killed the girl yet.” Eris said.

“Of course I haven’t,” I grunted.

“And is that because Hades forbade it, or because she’s so pretty?” She smiled at me and took a long sip of her drink.

“Keep your mouth shut, sister.”

“Not one of my strengths,” she said, mock apologetically. “And if I did, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what I came over here to tell you.”

I let out a long breath. “Fine. What did you come to tell me?”

“I know what Zeus is doing with your stolen power,” she whispered, her eyes shining.

Every muscle in my body froze, her words spinning through my head. Zeus was using my power?

“What?”

“Did you think he just stole it just for fun?”

“He stole it to stop me defeating him,” I growled. Eris pouted and tilted her head to one side.

“Oh, little brother, you can’t defeat daddy, even with your power. He’s far, far more powerful than all of us. Silly boy.”

Anger rumbled through my gut, and I only just stopped myself reaching for Bella’s power. There was no point alerting her to this conversation. I looked automatically across the pool, to where she was having an animated conversation with the same severe white centaur who had been at Hades’ ceremony. Well, Bella was having an animated conversation. The centaur was barely moving as the girl threw her hands around as she talked excitedly.

“What is Zeus using my power for?” I ground out instead, looking back at Eris. There was a very good chance she was lying. My sister was not known for her honesty.

“Come now, I’m not going to just tell you! Where’s the fun in that?”

“This is not a game!”

“Actually, thanks to your lovely Lords of War, that’s exactly what it is now. You know, I was going to put my drachma on her dying in the second Trial, but now I’m not so sure. There’s something about her...”

Curiosity flashed in her eyes, under the casual tone. She was desperate to know more about Bella.

“She is human. She will likely die in the first Trial,” I snapped.

“She may be mostly human now, but I’m not stupid, or weak, Ares.” Eris’ tone had changed, no longer playful. “There’s power under the mortal layers. And if she sheds those and reaches it, she could be strong.” I said nothing, and she continued to stare at me. “She told me, Ares,” she said eventually. “She told me that she is the Goddess of War. That’s what you’re using her for, isn’t it?” Still, I said nothing, staring out over the pool. “But