If you could just point me toward land…”
“You’re a long way off.”
I clutched at my necklace. I’d been afraid of that.
“But don’t worry. I can call my father—”
“No!”
Triton looked up at me in alarm, and I forced myself to smile.
“I mean, I’d rather not involve anyone if I don’t have to. The other god…” is maybe only a little worse than your dad.
I couldn’t say that. Poseidon was an ass and a pervert. He’d harassed and raped my mom centuries back when she’d spurned his advances. Supposedly he felt bad about it now, and he’d told me he wanted to help me when I was dying on his beach, but I’d rather die than put my mom in the position of having to be grateful to that jerk.
Still, however screwed up Poseidon was, his kid was sweet. “It’s kind of complicated.”
Triton wrinkled his nose. “It’s political stuff, huh?”
I considered. That could work. Zeus, Poseidon, my mom, and Hades were all realm rulers. Anything involving them had ramifications. “Isn’t everything?”
“I can take you to land. And”—he reached up and put a hand on my shoulder, a faint blush covering his face—“I can protect you from that other god. I’m stronger than I look.”
Having a guide would be helpful.
But what if Zeus found me? Could I really justify putting this kid in danger?
It’s worse than that, I realized, horrified. This wasn’t just some kid. He was Poseidon’s son. Zeus would want him for the same reason he wanted me. We both had a natural right to realms he didn’t control.
Zeus would torture him like he’d tortured me, and when, not if, Triton broke, Zeus would have access to this realm and be that much harder to defeat.
That would suck, but it was the thought of Zeus torturing this happy, smiling, adorable kid that filled my gut with dread.
“I’ll find my own way, thanks.”
Triton gave me a skeptical look, eyes sparkling in challenge. He lifted his chin and with a confident grin demanded, “What are you gonna do? Swim?”
I opened my mouth to reply and realized I didn’t have the slightest clue how to get home.
“Yeah, I thought so.” Triton’s voice was thick with satisfaction. “You’re stuck with me, like it or not.”
Chapter XXVI
Aphrodite
Hades would live.
Between the two of us, Demeter and I propped him up on the couch and cleaned most of the blood off his face—ugh, nose blood. Gross. He was still out cold, and Demeter was on edge. No doubt wondering what had happened to Persephone to reverberate to Hades like that.
I shuddered to think of it. Gods shouldn’t bleed. Stopping outside of Persephone’s room, I raised my hand to knock on the door.
“…just saying that was thoughtless,” Orpheus said from within the room.
I froze.
“I refuse to be afraid of them,” Melissa snapped.
I looked up and down the hall. No one was there. Shrugging, I pressed my ear against the door.
“That’s your first mistake,” Orpheus retorted. “But fine, don’t be afraid. Would it kill you to show a little humanity? Her daughter is missing—”
“Gosh, I missed that memo.”
I smirked. It was nice not being on the receiving end of Melissa’s snark.
“Look, I get it. She’s your best friend, and you’re scared and worried. But multiply that times infinity for Demeter. We’re lucky she hasn’t scorched the earth looking for Persephone. We’re extremely lucky she’s not pointing fingers. In case you haven’t noticed, deities aren’t the most mentally stable people, so the least you could do is not bait one who’s barely holding it together.”
I frowned. Yes, he had a point, but I didn’t like my mental stability being impugned upon by some half-breed. These crazy people kept acting like humanity was something to aspire to. Did they read newspapers? Humans were crazier than the gods had ever been.
I heard a thud, like something banged hard against the nightstand. “I hate her.” Melissa’s voice was so soft I could barely hear her.
“I don’t think you do.”
“Having fun?” A voice whispered in my ear.
I jumped a foot off the ground with an embarrassing, pathetic-sounding squeak.
“Easy now.” Ares laughed and put his arm around my shoulder to steady me. I jolted at the sensation of cold leather brushing against my bare arms.
Speaking of arms—wow, his were firm! I gave him a subtle once-over and tried to recover what dignity I could. Melissa was busy, and I was bored.
He caught my look and grinned. “Need a distraction?”
I leaned forward, pressing my body against his, balancing on my tiptoes, and whispered, lips brushing against his