Page 20 of A Goddess Unraveled (Olympus Rising)

Hades watched Lexi talk with Z and Mnemosyne in a private corner of the living room. She’d changed into a simple ivory dress that struggled to cover her lap. Since their interlude in the stable, he’d been occupying his mind with mundane thoughts, like the souls waiting for his return and the inevitable argument with Charon about hoarding the coins offered by relatives of the deceased. He couldn’t afford to dwell on the taste of Lexi’s mouth or her lemon-scented skin, which beckoned him like spring flowers.

“What do you suppose they’re talking about?” Lilith came up beside him, loosely cradling a glass of merlot and smelling strongly of spirits. Reaching only to his shoulder, she was a woman of delicate features, akin to a nymph, with pale-blue eyes and wheat-brown hair that framed her face in loose waves. Through the lines of age and worry, he saw a youth who had once been hopeful. Another mortal life sacrificed for the gods’ pleasure.

“Based on Z’s scowl, I’d say Lexi is making some good arguments.” It didn’t take much effort to notice the resentment behind Lilith’s tight smile, despite her attempt to mask it. “What do you hope they’re talking about?”

She glanced up, an unhappy resolve etched behind her glassy gaze. “Lexi’s freedom. And Dion’s. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, apart from my own. But it’s too late for me.”

Hades nodded, appreciating her insight and willingness to share her plight. “I feel as though I should apologize, perhaps in the way mortals feel responsible for the deeds of other mortals. Zeus can behave like a tyrant, but I’ll be the first to say that I don’t envy the demands of his position.”

“It isn’t healthy for one immortal to hold such power, especially when it comes to the welfare of mortals. Power only insulates the powerful from the lives they control. I had this argument with Charles when I first learned the truth. Of course, it happened after he’d already made the oath.”

“I’m sure it took a long time for you to come to terms with that. I also expect it’s been difficult raising the daughter of a Titan. You must have felt pressured to meet certain expectations.”

“Not from Mnemosyne. Oh, no. She’s the shining example of a benevolent goddess, leaving me to raise Lexi however I wished.”

Lilith didn’t hide her sneer as she lifted her glass in a mock toast. “She seduced my husband as an act of vengeance against your brother, in case you didn’t know. As punishment, Zeus kept Lexi out of Olympus. If you ask my opinion, Mnemosyne is the only one who avoided punishment.”

She took a large swallow from her glass and continued on as if she hadn’t stopped. “It’s been Zeus piling on the expectations. Keeping Lexi under constant surveillance. Grooming her to be an ambassador, separate from the gods. She’s going to be horrified when she learns about the nymphs.”

“Lexi has had a lot to process this weekend. Let’s save the nymphs for later.” He proffered a smile that he hoped would calm her, and she rewarded him with a laugh. It was probably due more to the liberal amount of alcohol in her body than amusement, but it was laughter all the same. “What about Lexi’s powers? Have you seen any signs that they’re strengthening, apart from the incident during the race on the beach?”

“Nothing too concerning. She’s caused a couple of minor accidents that she didn’t realize were her fault. And she arrived this weekend claiming that we’d painted the house, although I’m not sure if godly powers had anything to do with that. Zeus assured Charles and me that her gifts could lie dormant for thirty years, as long as she didn’t know about them.”

Hades suppressed a scoff, knowing it would only have her probing him. Despite her knowledge of the gods, Lilith was clearly not considering the potentially dangerous powers of a Titan’s direct descendant. Instead, he watched her scan the room and locate her husband.

“I’m afraid I’ve been punishing Charles ever since that night,” she said. “And he swears he’ll never abandon me. He supported me when we learned that I could die if I carried another child after Dion. And he never backed down when Zeus ordered us to find another way.”

“A mate who supports you through the worst of times is a rare thing. Rarer than any god. I’m glad you have that in each other. Perhaps it’s time for you to forgive and let go of what no longer serves you. I suppose I could say the same to Lexi.”

Lilith rested her mouth on the edge of her glass, wetting the rim before taking a sip. “I know you care for Lexi. I’ve seen the way you look at her. There’s emotion in your eyes, which is different from simple attraction. Contrary to what Zeus believes about your motives, there’s more going on between you two, isn’t there?”

Although Hades would not have characterized his attraction to Lexi as simple, it wouldn’t have been appropriate to point that out. “Lexi has an unquenchable passion for life. I’ve seen this in her actions and in the stories she tells. She speaks her mind without reservation, but she also brings out the best in those around her. All very desirable qualities.”

“I’d expect no less from a goddess.”

A smile swiftly claimed her lips, almost wistful, and Hades raised his flute of champagne in a salute. She left him with an eyebrow lift that she barely pulled off, then she traveled across the marble tiles in shiny black heels, doing a grand job of balancing, something he figured she’d had plenty of practice with.

~

Lexi twisted the hem of her dress as she listened to Zeus explain why she should embrace her role as an ambassador with godly gifts, while Mnemosyne sat beside him being uncharacteristically quiet.

“When were you planning to tell me?” Lexi asked.

“When it was time for you to know,” he said.

“You’re not even trying.” Lexi clenched her teeth, forcing her body to stay put and not do something she’d regret . . . again.

Zeus pursed his lips, doing a less subtle job of hiding his emotions, and Mnemosyne gave him a nudge on the arm to prompt him. “Just imagine the attention you’ll command now that you know such power is at your disposal,” he said. “Success will come easy.”

“When have you known me to do things because they’re easy? I’m sorry, but you need to do a better job of convincing me to keep house for you at the expense of my freedom.”

“Don’t use that freedom horseshit on me again. You’re free to go anywhere you wish. Do whatever you wish. The only boundaries are the ones you impose on yourself. I’ve been telling Lilith this for years.”

Lexi frowned and her gaze flicked to her mother standing on the other side of the room talking to Hades. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand. You’ve never known what it’s like to be human.”

Mnemosyne lifted her hand, and it looked like she wanted to reach for Lexi, but she just lowered it back to her lap. Was she worried Lexi would bite her head off too? “It might help if you didn’t think of these things in terms of freedom,” Mnemosyne offered, her voice soft and patient. “How much freedom does anyone really have—mortal or immortal? There are always rules guiding us and defining us in our pursuits. Whether it be for prosperity, safety, or love. But these rules don’t keep us from having choices.”

“And mortals have the certainty of death to relieve them from their burdens,” Zeus added. “Immortals have an eternity to live by those rules. How much freedom do you think I have, Lexi?”

“I wouldn’t know because you’ve kept me in the dark.”

“Well, now you know. And I’ll tell you that it’s not as much as you might think. In fact, most gods have duties that direct their choices. But here, you can embrace your power as you live a life of leisure among family and friends.”

“What about the family I’ve never met? The ones in Olympus? What if I wanted to pay them a visit and embrace my power there?”

Mnemosyne tucked her chin into her collar and pretended to be interested in the stitching. Zeus never flinched.

“It’s not that simple. It takes years for a demigod to assimilate to Olympus after leaving the human realm. Especially an untrained one.”

“Again, not my fault.”

She held Zeus’s stare, remembering that he’d been her uncle Z just twenty-four hours ago. A man she battled with often, but who still supported her wins and laughed at her jokes. Had he ever really cared, or was it all a performance? And what about Mnemosyne? Did she think about Lexi when she was in Olympus?

“How do you feel about me staying here, Mnemosyne?” she asked. “Now that the truth is out.”

“As opposed to where? Olympus?” She glanced at Zeus, and Lexi knew she was choking down the words she couldn’t say. “I would love to have you living close to me. But it would be selfish to ask you to give up your mortal family.”

“What do you mean? How long would it take me to assimilate? Maybe if I practiced every day—”

“A century, Lexi,” said Zeus plainly. “You will swear an oath to stay in Olympus for a century if you choose to leave the mortal realm.”

“What? Everyone I know would be dead.”

“And you would still be at the genesis of your existence,” Mnemosyne said. “There will always be time for you to choose Olympus.”

“So, that’s it, then? You all get your way. You had that tied up in a neat little bow didn’t you, Zeus?”

“Honestly, young one, it’s not as terrible as your stubborn will wants to believe. You don’t have to marry a boy from one of these families. Choose someone else. Someone you love. Of course, he or she would have to be worthy of our trust, but the gods are not unreasonable.”

“What if I didn’t want to get married? That’s not something most gods do, right? They just screw each other. No commitments. No hurt feelings.”

She didn’t mean to look at Mnemosyne but it happened anyway, and the Titan met her gaze without reproach. She’d been at the game a long time and knew exactly how it was played. Zeus just scratched his beard, looking confused, like he hadn’t expected Lexi to have a viewpoint that didn’t match his own.

“There are plenty of unorthodox partnerships happening in the human realm these days,” he said. “Who am I to interfere with your choices?”

Since when?

She wanted to laugh. Instead, she located her brother, who stood with her dad and the family from Belgium. Would Dion be moving his future wife into the estate to help him produce baby Maxwells? Of course he would. He was the heir to the throne. So why did Lexi have to stick around? Ugh . How could she even consider dropping everything on Dion and his innocent future wife? She sounded like a selfish god already.

“Lexi, please. Can we call it a night?” Zeus said, his voice coming out softly, almost sad. “Let’s just pretend that things haven’t changed until the party is over. I’ll answer all your questions about Olympus and the gods tomorrow.”

Her godfather had always found ways to make her feel guilty for being angry with him, even when he deserved it. This time, she wasn’t giving him a pass.

“If only it was that easy. Trust has been broken. No, it’s been obliterated. And not just with you. With everyone. It’ll be a long time before I believe anything this family tells me. And now that I know how much time I have, I don’t recommend you hold your breath.”

Zeus’s jaw stiffened, and she prepared for another excuse, but his gaze dropped to the floor, as if her words had actually stung him. She let him have his pity party and glanced over at Hades. Dressed in a white button-down shirt and heather-gray pleated pants, the tone of his muscles clearly defined beneath them, he looked like a god in human clothing.

Her mom had left him standing near the bar nursing a flute of champagne, and since then, he hadn’t taken his eyes off Lexi. When they’d returned from the gorge dinner had already been served, along with a plethora of lies, and the other families appeared reluctant to even look her way now. As far as they knew, she was a spoiled human girl who had thrown a tantrum and run off. Zeus was going to keep her secret locked up tight.

“I need some privacy. I’m going to my room.” Lexi stood and straightened the hem of her dress. “Mnemosyne, will you reassure Hades that I haven’t retired for the night? I know he’s been worried about me since my swim in the river.”

“Of course, Lexi.”

Ignoring Zeus for all she was worth, Lexi took the stairs up to her bedroom and closed the door. She stretched for her phone on the nightstand as she dropped onto her bed, desperate for a bit of normalcy. The text icon was lit. James had sent her a message, and it read like a cruel joke.

I hope you’re having a brilliant day!

Impulsive Lexi wanted to throw her phone across the room, but levelheaded Lexi took three deep breaths and sent a reply—a censored one.

Thanks. It’s been a strange day indeed. Details at five. LOL

Lexi hit Send and shoved the phone under her pillow. Chatting with James about the drama unfolding at Maxwell Manor was not her idea of normal. What she needed was some fresh air.

The temperature had dropped, and she wrapped her arms around her chest as she stepped onto the balcony. The cold made her painfully aware of how much her body ached. Not just her muscles, but her brain felt wrung out too. She crawled onto the chaise, which gave her a partial reprieve from the wind, and squeezed her eyes shut.

As far back as Lexi could remember, her brain had operated at full speed. It commanded her to anticipate potential outcomes for every decision and develop solutions for every problem. Was this an attribute of the gods? If Zeus was any gauge, she’d guess no . But Hades had a more human outlook. Even the other misfit gods showed some consideration for future events. Had eternity warped Zeus’s idea of what a life was truly meant for?

A deep voice lilted below her, speaking her name as if it was part of a lyric. She knew exactly who owned those sultry vocal cords, and a thrill rushed through her as she sat up to acknowledge Hades. He stood in the courtyard below her, wearing a sheepish grin, hands clasped behind his back.

“Can’t anyone get a little peace and quiet around here?” She offered him a weary smile, which almost turned into a yawn.

“I apologize. Would you like me to come back later?”

“No. The damage is done. I’ll probably be awake all night trying to figure out what to do with all the information that’s been dropped in my lap.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? I’ve been told I’m quite good at psychoanalysis.”

“I’m not sure. I need honest answers. Are you in a position to provide those?”

“All I have are honest answers. It’s been my job for years.” Hades stared up at her, his eyes clear and intense even in the dark. She climbed off the chaise and yanked the boat ladder out from underneath. Regardless of her aches and exhaustion, she wasn’t about to pass on some private time with Hades.

“Climb aboard.”