The Warrior God (The Ares Trials #1) - Eliza Raine Page 0,44
War stood huge and hulking before me, armor and helmet in place.
“Good morning to you too,” I told him, turning back into the room. He stayed put just outside the door as I grabbed my boots, pulling them on. “Do we leave all our stuff here?” I asked him. He nodded, his red plume bouncing. “I see you’re talkative as ever today,” I muttered, as I tied my laces.
“You are hoping for an apology?” he said.
“No. But if you’ve changed your mind about not letting me use my own power being dangerous then-”
He cut me off. “Hurry up, or we will be late.”
“Late for what?”
“The Trial announcement.”
Panic fired through me, not at the imminent news of our fate, but at something much more alarming. “I haven’t eaten yet!”
Ares let out a long breath. We’d been together five minutes, and the sighing had already begun.
“We will get something on the way.”
He got me more of the tasty meat skewers from a stall as we made our way through the stone streets toward Pain’s tower, and I tore into one as soon as he passed them to me. Now that he was in full armor, gleaming and gold, many people in the streets were staring at him. The hawker hadn’t even charged him for the food.
“I have a question,” I said, around a mouthful of delicious greasy meat. He didn’t say anything, so I carried on. “Is the reason I can always sleep and eat, no matter how upset or in danger I am, part of my power?”
“Yes,” he grunted. “You need to be battle-ready, always.”
“I thought so! It makes so much sense now. I just thought I was a bit heartless.”
“You were likely that too, until you became human.” I looked sideways at him.
“And how did I become human?” I asked the question as casually as I possibly could, but his eyes darted to mine and there was nothing at all casual about them.
“I don’t know.” I scowled, and shoved more meat in my mouth.
“What is this?” I held up my last skewer.
“I don’t know.”
“You know nothing, Jon Snow,” I quoted, shaking my head and eating more.
“My name is not Jon Snow. You are irritating and confusing,” Ares said tightly.
I sighed. “At least I have a sense of humor, armor-boy.”
“I have plenty of humor.”
“Really? Tell me a joke.”
“I do not know any jokes.”
“You shock me,” I replied sarcastically. “What do you find funny then?”
“Many things.”
“Like what?”
“People falling over.” I looked up at him, licking my fingers.
“I should judge you for that, but to be honest there are whole TV shows of people falling over to laugh at where I’m from.”
“TV shows?”
“Yeah. Plays shown on screens you can watch from anywhere.”
“You mean a flame dish?”
“What?”
“A flame dish. Like the one the Lords used to show us the demon.”
So those flame dishes were the Olympian equivalent of a TV? I thought about that a moment, throwing a glare at a scruffy kid whose eyes lingered on me too long. There was no way I was getting robbed again. The streets of Erimos had already cost me a pair of panties and almost my knife.
“Can you see anything you like in these dishes?” I asked Ares.
“Gods can use them to broadcast images, and they can be used to communicate with one another. But they are rare, only the wealthy and powerful have them.”
“Huh. What do you think Pain’s Trial is going to be?”
“Gods, do you ever stop asking questions?” he groaned.
“In my defense, I have been here one day. There is a lot to learn.”
“Find someone else to ask. Like that insolent cat.” Zeeva, as usual, was nowhere to be seen.
“But how would she know what your Lord of War would be thinking? Do you think whatever it is will be painful?”
“Given that he embodies pain, yes,” he answered, slowly, as though I was stupid.
It was a fairly stupid question, I supposed. Of course it would be painful. I mean, I wasn’t scared of pain, but I certainly didn’t crave it, or get off on it. In fact, I would go pretty far to avoid it. Anticipatory nerves tingled through me and I changed the subject. “Do you like your sister?”
Ares gave a loud bark of annoyance, throwing his hands in the air. “Be quiet! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for battle and you will not shut your mouth!”
“I talk when I’m nervous,” I said.
“You are the most irritating being I have ever met! I should have just killed you in that