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Chapter Forty-Six

Prometheus

I am still new to such things, but I never could have dreamed that my life could turn out like this after everything. Apparently, suffering isn’t the end.

“How are you feeling?” Hebe asks as she traces the jagged scars on my stomach where my new flesh doesn’t quite match the rest of me.

Like Hebe has somehow transformed my humble ziggurat into an Olympian-level temple that contains every possible pleasure. “I just hope Hades’ bargain wears off soon, or else I might endure a nightmare after all my sufferings.”

Gasping, Hebe recoils, forcing me to open my eyes to ensure she is still nearby. I like the idea of parting from my wife even less than the thought of having a nightmare.

However, Hebe hasn’t withdrawn completely. She still stands next to the dining couch I’m reclining on in my washroom containing half a dozen different types of pools. The chiton she put on— incorrectly— in an attempt to please me is soaked after both my baths. That’s my fault since I insisted that I was too weak to use the pumice stone, so she had no choice but to take care of me.

“What would make you feel better?” Hebe asks, adjusting the linen towel wrapped around my waist and then rubbing my shoulders.

Since this is doing the trick nicely, I let it continue a few moments longer. Then I glance at the Egyptian-style pool we haven’t used yet and wonder if I can get a third bath out of this arrangement. Not that there’s any dried blood left to remove, but the baths are close to causing Hebe to finally confess the secret mortal bonding tradition she continues to withhold from me.

But mayhap telling the truth will prove more effective? “I would recover much more quickly if you could stop playing coy and finally tell me what that tradition is. I would love to discover it alongside you.”

“I’m sure you would.” Laughing, Hebe presses her lips to the top of my head. “ Soon . But first, you must be starving.”

I groan, but she’s not wrong. Even if she were, Hebe rushes out of the washroom before I can put my protests into words.

A moment later, Hebe returns balancing a platter with leftovers from Dionysus’ picnic arrayed on it in one hand and a kylix in the other.

Hebe places the platter on my lab, and I take the kylix directly and throw it back. Wine isn’t perfect, but it’s better than nothing.

Except, it isn’t wine.

I choke as powerful ambrosia flows through me instead. “Wh-where did you get this?”

“From your storeroom.” Hebe purses her lips together. “Was that your emergency stash?” She furrows her brows like she isn’t sure what constitutes as an emergency if not my suffering.

“I don’t have an emergency stash,” I whisper, staring at the amber liquid in shock. “I don’t have any .”

“What?”

I throw back the rest of the ambrosia, feeling its healing power further soothe me. Then I set the platter aside and spring from the dining couch.

“Prometheus?!” Hebe cries, sounding alarmed that I’m abandoning my facade of weakness.

Ignoring her, I rush into my storeroom that was empty except for Dionysus’ picnic and some herbs that I can never seem to use up. All my clay containers are empty. All except the largest one, which is nearly as tall as me and kept in the coolest corner of the room. That one is filled to the brim with ambrosia.

“I can’t believe it,” I whisper.

Hebe comes running into the kitchens. “Prometheus, please explain what’s going on.”

I consider holding it over her to get information about the bonding tradition sooner, but I’m too stunned to be cunning. “The mortals hold you in reverence now. Their gratitude manifests as ambrosia.”

Coming up behind me, Hebe wraps one arm around my shoulders. “Are you sure this isn’t because you have risen in their esteem? You are the thief of fire, after all.”

Snorting at the misnomer, I press a kiss to Hebe’s curls. “They don’t care about that. It’s the goddess of immortality that they are excited about. And that’s just as well; you deserve to be a legend.”

“But you deserve their favor after all the suffering you endured on their behalf.”

I wrap both arms around Hebe, my fingers tracing with the skin she couldn’t properly cover when she put on her chiton . “I only care about one mortal’s favor now.”

“Whose?” Hebe narrows her eyes at me. “I’m not a mortal any longer, or have you forgotten?”

“Oh, yes, that’s right.” Leaning down, I press my lips where I Kissed her.

“Uh, pardon me.”

Hebe jumps out of my embrace and then slides between me and the Nymph standing in the doorway.

Juventas ducks her head. “I just wanted to say that I found an unclaimed ravine nearby, and I was going to make it my new domain. But I think I’ll come back later with my announcement.”

With that, the Nymph turns and strides quickly away, mumbling something about us being as bad as Aphrodite and Ares. And is Juventas wearing one of the gowns from my— well, Hebe’s— garment collection?

I turn slowly to Hebe, who seems relieved that we’re alone again. Except we should have been alone the entire time. “I thought you said you would take care of her?”

“And I have. I gave her some supplies and told her she could stay as long as she wanted—”

“ Hebe .”

“She didn’t want to go back to Zeus.” Hebe crosses her arms and glares at me like this is a fight she refuses to surrender. “And I certainly couldn’t blame her. Now you have your first acolyte.”

“That’s not how this works . . .”

“Then we’ve discovered a new way of doing things.” Hebe beams at me before striding into the room I keep my furniture collection. “Besides, she helped me when I first visited Zeus’ temple.”

I press my lips together. “Yes, right . . .”

“What do you mean?” Hebe turns to face me in the center of the room with crossed arms. She’s gotten very good at telling when I’m not being completely forthright.

“I’ll explain after you share the bonding tradition,” I offer as I lean against the doorpost. I don’t care to make it an official bargain, but if she makes me wait much longer, I may not be able to help myself.

“I think you’ll explain now, Ithax .”

Hebe’s use of my Ren draws me several steps closer to her. It also reminds me that even though I was close to discovering her secret in the washroom, she extracted mine with a single caress. My Little Flame is using ingenuity against me.

And she is continuing to do so.

Hebe’s sharp gaze glances between the doorpost she knows I wouldn’t abandon easily and me. “What was that?”

“You used my Secret Name. Even if the distance between us doesn’t require a rift to draw me to you, I am still compelled to move closer.”

“ Interesting .” Hebe looks far too smug about learning that information. “Thank you for sharing, Ithax.”

Groaning like closing the distance between us is somehow the last thing I want, I come to stand next to the bed Hebe is standing beside. “Is this close enough for you?”

“No, Ithax, it isn’t.”

I can’t disguise my smirk as I come to stand toe-to-toe with my wife. Then I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her against me. “How about now?”

Instead of responding directly, Hebe reaches up to caress my face. “Your personality may be absolutely boorish at times, but you have the prettiest eyes.”

“That is barely even half a compliment.” Despite my words, I wrap my other arm around her waist and hoist her into the air, if only to prove that I am now strong enough to learn all her secrets.

Hebe rests both her hands on my shoulders and wraps her legs around my waist. Then she arches her brows as she frowns down at me. “Someone seems to have recovered very quickly despite not being able to hold a pumice stone a few moments ago.”

“Your ministrations aided in my quick recovery.”

She just rolls her eyes, and I’m lost in the way they sparkle.

I sigh. “You may not want to give away all your secrets yet, but I’m ready to give you all mine. Starting with this one . . .”

Hebe leans closer, her hands on my shoulders moving to grip my neck so her fingers can tangle into my hair. “Yes?”

“You have the second prettiest eyes.”

She throws back her head and laughs. Then, even though it was even less of a compliment than the one she gave me, Hebe presses her lips to mine.

I kiss her back, utilizing every technique Hebe has taught me.

My grip tightens around her. No one will ever be able to tear us apart from each other again. I won’t allow it, and neither will Hebe. We belong to each other . . . forever .