Page 26 of A Goddess Unraveled (Olympus Rising)

Zeus walked into the tack room with a smug grin and a plate of eggs and toast. No doubt, he knew what an act of rebellion looked like. She also suspected he thought he was getting his way. It was the cocky ones who were the most clueless.

“Here’s your breakfast, Lexi,” he said as he slid the plate across the table. “I hope the eggs aren’t too cold. The wind is really picking up outside.”

He dropped into the chair across from her without preamble and watched her dig in. “So, where shall we start?”

“Why don’t you start while I work on this.” Lexi glanced up from her plate, praying that all he could see in her eyes was confidence.

“All right. I think we can both agree that you’re in dire need of training. Had I known you were so close to wielding your power, I wouldn’t have pushed so hard.”

Bullshit . “Go on.”

“I’ve spoken with Athena, and she has agreed to stay three more days to help you practice a few skills.”

Of course he’d choose Athena. She was a hard-ass. Lexi acknowledged him with a nod and continued eating.

“I concede that this situation has had me flummoxed. Not only are you a demigod, but you’re the daughter of an ambassador. It’s a wholly unique situation that I hadn’t fully prepared for. And I apologize for my neglect in this regard.”

She nearly choked on her toast but managed to swallow before that happened. “Who told you to say that? Mnemosyne? I’ll bet it was her.”

“I don’t need to be told when I’ve miscalculated. A good ruler knows when to put themselves in check.”

She didn’t respond even as he sat silently watching her eat. Did he expect her to congratulate him on being such a good ruler? She finally set down her fork and gave him her undivided attention.

“Fine. I acknowledge everything you just said. But I’m not stepping foot in that estate until you leave the property. I told you that you’ve broken my trust, regardless of your epiphanies and apologies. I’ll sleep with Jackie O if I need to.”

He snorted and looked ready to argue, but she locked him down with a gaze so fierce nobody could mistake it for anything but a challenge. “I will acquiesce to your request, but I’ll not leave as long as Hades is here.”

“Really? That’s the hill you’re dying on? Whether or not I sleep with your brother? How old are you again?”

His brows rose. “I understand that you’re upset, but I don’t appreciate your tone. You do not have the full picture of a god’s life yet. You don’t know the sort of consequences you could face from your choices.”

“Then let me live my life and find out for myself. Why do you feel the need to direct every action I take? What is so fucking important about me? I’m just some random demigod. I’m sure there are hundreds of us roaming around. Is it the estate that’s so precious to you? Are we sitting on all the gold that’s owned by the gods?”

“Certainly not. We would never keep everything in a single location. I’ll admit, there’s a lot invested in this estate and I’d like to keep a trusted family here to protect it. Some of that gold belongs to you, young one. But that’s not my point when I talk of consequences as a god.”

“I don’t care about gold.”

“You would if it all went away. You’ve never been without means, and I think you would change your tone if you experienced poverty for yourself. That’s a true loss of freedom.”

Lexi couldn’t dispute his point, although, having the powers of a god would always give her an advantage. She could help herself and others. Wasn’t that the point of being a god? They were supposed to use their power for the good of humankind. At least, that was how humankind saw it.

Zeus stood from his chair. Apparently, he was done. “Why don’t you leave the stable with me and come say goodbye to your guests on the patio. Some of them have suspended their departure to wait for you. I also suggest you apologize to the parents of Sami and Roderick. Neither boy was aware of our true nature yet, and both have been in shock since your stunt on the beach.”

Lexi had too much on her mind to worry about her party guests and the carefully made plans she’d fucked up for them. But rather than start another argument, she planted a fake smile on her face, grabbed her empty plate, and left the stable with Zeus.

Their walk up the path took place in silence, and the closer they came to the estate, the harder it became for Lexi to breathe. Was he playing a trick on her? Was he planning to throw her over his shoulder and carry her inside? She should have made him take an oath not to.

When she saw Hades and Mnemosyne relaxed and chatting in patio chairs, this helped a little. Surely they wouldn’t let Zeus get away with such a dirty trick. Were they talking about her? Would the Titan be able to keep their secret? She loved to tell stories.

“I’m glad you decided to see us off, signorina Lexi.” Aphrodite offered a sparkling smile as she swept up to Lexi in a sheer lace gown, revealing the gifts she’d been blessed with. “You gave us all a fright this morning. But it looked like you would have managed things without our help.”

“I’m glad you were there. Jackie O hates to swim.”

“One day I’ll introduce you to Poseidon’s horses. They’re all excellent swimmers.”

Lexi was reminded of the stories of Aphrodite and Poseidon, and wondered how many were true. But there would be time for those conversations later. Sir Henry leaned in with a peck to her cheek and a whispered comment.

“You really showed Zeus a thing or two this weekend. My best to you, Lexi.” His tanned cheeks grew even darker as he tapped his walking stick to his forehead.

Apollo and Artemis had already left, and so had Dionysus, but Athena hung out poolside, fully dressed and clad in leather boots, like she was preparing to charge into battle after catching some rays. When those pleasantries were managed, Lexi followed her parents to the front of the estate where Rod’s and Sami’s families prepared to leave, and she made her apologies with as much sincerity as she was capable of. She wished she could get the boys alone to tell them to grab as much cash as they could and run for their lives.

During the awkward conversation Lexi watched Ham organize two loads of luggage into the limo’s trunk like a Jenga puzzle. Could he guess what had happened in the back seat? How many secrets did he know?

After the fake farewells, Lexi retreated to the front of the estate. Incredibly, everyone left her alone, and she sat on the steps for a while, tracing the swirls in the marble and trying to detect a glamour. A few memories surfaced, but none of them triggered any melancholy. Apart from the horses, she wouldn’t care if she never returned to the place again.

“Hey, brat.” Dion’s usual saunter looked more like a limp as he walked up, like he’d been riding an unbroken horse bareback. “What are you doing out here?”

“Staying out of prison.” She smirked, and he pursed his lips.

“Strangely, I don’t need to ask why you’re being so cryptic. But I do need to tell you something important, and it needs to happen now, before anyone finds us.”

She turned and saw he was frowning. “What’s going on, Dion?”

He exhaled a long stream of air, and her heart started beating faster. Dion wasn’t the type to get serious, but when he did, it was seriously serious.

“I just overheard a conversation that could get me thrown in prison if it ever gets out that I was privy.”

“A conversation between who?”

“Zeus and Mnemosyne. I was passing by their bedroom. Normally I ignore the noises coming out of there. But you know how Zeus’s voice booms. I heard your name, and my feet just stopped moving. The longer I stood there, the more crazy shit I learned, and the more crazy shit I learned, the riskier it was for me to stand there. So, I left to find you.”

“What were they saying about me?” She blinked at him as her insides twisted into knots. After everything that had happened over the weekend, she honestly didn’t know if her brain could handle another bombshell.

“Did you miss the part about me getting thrown in prison for repeating what I heard?”

“If it’s about me, I should be the only person you tell. This family keeps more damned secrets than the dead.”

“I love you, Lexi. And it’s because I love you that I’m even telling you that I overheard something crazy about the father of all gods. Something he would do anything to keep under wraps, even threaten Mnemosyne with eternal damnation if she talked.”

Lexi responded with an open mouth. She couldn’t begin to imagine what eternal damnation might look like for a god, and she wasn’t in the state of mind to try to figure it out as Dion continued his censored confession.

“The point is, Zeus is a lousy, selfish, conniving bastard, and none of us can trust him. Especially you. Whatever he has promised you will only last as long as you obey him completely. If you step one toe out of line, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll make you a prisoner. Not just of the estate, but of the mortal world. The story of Prometheus comes to mind.”

Oh, hell . That was a very believable and visually disturbing definition of eternal damnation. Spending forever trapped in a home by the sea was a luxury compared to having her liver eaten by an eagle day after bloody day. She preferred to avoid both.

“So, where do we go from here?” she asked. “Do you have a plan for how I can avoid this life of forced obedience? Everyone else seems to think I have no right to complain. That as long as I have access to unlimited wealth, I should be happy, even if I have to live by someone else’s rules and marry someone I’m not in love with. For eternity, I might add. How many husbands will I outlive?”

“You hit the nail on the head, Lexi. You’re immortal. Something I didn’t know until this weekend. It’s bullshit to sentence an immortal to a life of forced obedience. To never be able to choose your own path. If you ask me, that’s worse than prison.”

“It’s bullshit to sentence a mortal to a life like that. A mortal like you. And like Mom. Your mom.”

“I came to terms with my fate years ago,” he said to his fingernails, which were buffed to a glossy sheen. “I’ve been pushing my luck with it too. Asking for more time to find a girl to marry. Making myself indispensable at the company. I’m afraid I was hoping you’d fill the gap I was leaving, at least for a while longer. I was hoping that once you got the traveling bug out of your system and met somebody nice, you’d stick around and keep my future wife company.”

“That’s pretty shitty, Dion.”

“I’m not proud of it. It’s a shitty situation. And I’m not saying I wouldn’t feel shitty for doing it even if I didn’t know you were a demigod. But learning that changed things for me. And Zeus is being completely unfair about it. So when I overheard him with Mnemosyne, there was no question in my mind that I wouldn’t tell you what I’d heard, or at least an abbreviated version of it. I want you to have the freedom that everyone deserves, mortal or immortal.”

Lexi sat with Dion’s revelation for a few seconds, while he craned his neck to check for silhouettes in the estate windows. He’d make a terrible criminal.

“Listen, Dion. I want you to know that I plan to petition the council of the gods to have them stop this practice of binding ambassador families with unbreakable oaths. It sounds dangerously close to interfering with free will.”

“If anyone can do it, I’d put my money on you.”

She smiled. “How long have you known the secret about our friends, the gods?”

“Three years. When I graduated college. That’s when I learned that my life was already scripted for me. I guess they like to keep us clueless and carefree for as long as possible.”

“So none of the other boys visiting this weekend knew the truth?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. We’re told not to discuss it.”

“Of course you are.”

“I do hope you can get them to loosen their grip. Each generation should have a choice.” His eyes widened and he jumped up like he’d been zapped by a cattle prod. “I should go. Whatever you decide, I support you.”

She watched him bolt around the western edge of the estate, and that’s when she noticed a figure emerging from the trees. She knew it was Hades by his stride, always poised and untroubled despite the weight of responsibilities he carried. He’d accepted his purpose and perfected it. Being around him gave her hope that a purpose was possible. That happiness was possible. There was so much she could learn from him. Too bad fate seemed to be against them.

But why was she so ready to let her life be directed by some outside force? She was her own force. A godly force. As she watched him approach, with his eyes on her face and a simple smile on his lips, she came to a conclusion. For the first time in her life, she knew what she wanted. And it felt like freedom.

~

Hades was good at reading emotions. If pressed, he would even admit that he’d perfected the art. So he knew, as he walked toward Lexi, that something was going on behind those ocean-blue eyes. Something deep. Was it an idea? Resolve? Was she just happy to see him? Hopefully, she’d be willing to share.

“I hope I’m not interrupting something important,” he said. “I won’t be offended if you send me away.”

“You’re just the god I wanted to see.” She patted the marble beside her, and he took his seat.

His last guess appeared to be the correct one, and he gave her hand a squeeze to let her know he felt the same. “How may I be of service?”

“I’ve got some ideas I’m bouncing around, and I’d like to run them by you.”

Ah, so his first and last guesses were correct.

“The reason I wanted to talk to Mnemosyne was to get her side of the story about my conception. I asked her what happened between her and my dad. Turns out they hadn’t been involved in a long-term affair, which kind of reassured me. Then we talked about Zeus. Then we talked about you. You didn’t tell me she helped you find your feet in the underworld.”

Hades knew Mnemosyne was holding back when he’d asked about her conversation with Lexi. She had taunted him with that secret smile she liked to wear when she was sitting on something interesting.

“She made several sacrifices to stay and help me settle into the role. I wouldn’t have adjusted so well without her guidance. I didn’t mention it before because I was worried you might have thought we were somehow colluding, which was not the case.”

“Okay, so we can both attest that my mother is one of the good gods. I hate to say it, but the gods I’ve met are not getting off to a great start. They lied to keep me in service to them. Even the nymphs have been lying to me. Do you know the story with Ham? Is he in the loop?”

“I don’t know Ham’s story, but I suspect he’s a mortal in service to the gods as penance for breaking an oath. And I apologize for the poor impression you have of the gods. Most of them don’t visit the human realm as much as you’ve been accustomed to. The few you know well are here because of your demigod status and their desire to know you better.”

She pursed her lips as she stared at the marble. “I’ll take that into consideration and decide if it lets them off the hook or not. I know Zeus has them all under a gag order. I also think I understand the logic behind these ambassador family estates. But that doesn’t take away the fact that the gods are exploiting the ignorance and greed of mortals who can’t see further than a century, if that much. The oaths they take condemn generations of innocents.”

“Perhaps you should do something about it.”

“Maybe I will. As soon as I’m living among the gods, I’m going to bring it up.”

Hades wanted to kiss her in that moment. To show her how much he believed in her. Lexi was beginning to stretch her wings, and he didn’t doubt she would soar as high as any god before her. She turned to face him, as if she’d heard his thoughts.

“I’m also giving the underworld serious consideration. What do you think about that?”

As she held him under an unwavering gaze, an odd sensation overtook him. He was pretty sure it was hope. It seemed he’d been right on all accounts. There had been resolve in her face. Did he dare hope a goddess would be willing to follow him home? Did he dare think of the consequences of such a choice? For both of them? What else had Mnemosyne said to her in the stable?

“Why?”

It was the only rational question he had. Hades needed to know if she knew why before he could entertain her suggestion. While his heart galloped, he tried not to see uncertainty in the way her eyes glistened and her mouth moved around the words as she spoke.

“I’ve just been granted immunity from death. As long as I don’t fall on any swords, I have an eternity of choices to make. Of course, I know there are consequences, so you can save that speech. But if I’m going to do right by myself and live authentically, I’ll be the one making those choices, for better or worse. Why the underworld? Because I can see a potential future there. I can see purpose, and friendship, and maybe even true love.”

Every argument Hades might have used was driven out of his head by her admission, as well as some of his doubt.

“I’ll take your stunned silence as a good thing and continue,” she said. “I realize there aren’t many gods in the underworld, but since Zeus doesn’t seem keen on having me join him in Olympus, I feel like the underworld will give me more opportunities to practice my skills than if I stayed here. And just so we’re clear, the fact that you’re banned from Olympus factors heavily in my decision. I’d much rather be where you are than where my controlling godfather is. Can I even call him that anymore?”

Hades blinked when he realized she’d asked him a question. Although perhaps it was rhetorical. “I wouldn’t.”

“Good. Then all we need to do is figure out how to blow this joint without letting the blowhard find out.”

She stood and paced the steps, crossing in front of him and mumbling plans as his head spun. It had been centuries since a goddess had chosen to follow him to the underworld. He wanted to jump up and kick his heels. He wanted to sweep her into a dance and spin their bodies until they were dizzy and laughing. He was sure he could make her happy. He would certainly try his damnedest.

“Could we just take a walk and never come back?” she said. “How do we get to the underworld?”

Lexi stopped in front of him, her brows raised as she posed her question, and Hades had to bring his thoughts back from hand-holding along the river Styx and bouncing children on his knee.

“We would need my chariot,” he said.

“A chariot? You’re kidding me, right?”

“Chariots have served the gods since the beginning of our existence. We have no need to modernize like mortals. Z ascends through the clouds to reach Olympus, while I descend through the earth, usually by way of a canyon or a gorge.”

“Like the gorge in our backyard?”

“Yes. But Lexi—” He grabbed her hand and held on to it as he stood. Then he pressed her palm to his chest, hoping she could feel his resolve. “I would love nothing more than to spend the next century with you, perhaps beyond that. But are you truly prepared to face the punishment of a century in the underworld? I’d like to say that Z will be overruled by the council, but if he’s angry enough, this could be your fate for a long time.”

Lexi’s gaze dropped again, and Hades hoped she wouldn’t misconstrue his question for indifference. It would be like a dagger to the heart if she saw him the way she saw the other gods she hated. “And your fate, too, right?” she asked.

“I won’t be spared his wrath. However, I know the meaning of a century. I’ve been confined to my home for longer than that.”

She squeezed his hand as her focus returned to his face, sending his pulse racing. “As far as I’m concerned, the gods can have their fancy estates made of gold. If that’s what I’d see in Olympus, gated communities with a bunch of preppy clods throwing their powers around, I’d be better off anywhere else. Although I wouldn’t say no to a trip to Asia first.”

He chuckled, although he wanted to laugh out loud. There was so much more behind her words than levity. “I may have mentioned this before, but there’s no hiding from the nymphs. If your destination is the underworld, it needs to be the first stop on our itinerary.”

She offered him a beautifully devious grin. “All right, then. Since you’re my second, I’m putting you in charge of getting us there.”