Chapter 7 Zara #2
It had been awkward the last couple of days, especially during that long, silent ride back to Alindale.
They were all exhausted, so no one wanted to make conversation.
She had to sit in the back of the van, inches from Hektor, the air between them so thick with tension that she wanted to jump out of the window and walk home.
The following days hadn’t been any better. Today had been the best actually, her fall at least had broken some of the unease between them.
“Are you gonna do anything about this?”
Zara nearly jumped out of her skin as her sister’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “What are you talking about?”
Liora rolled her eyes. “We shared a womb, I know what’s going on.”
“No, you don’t.” She had fallen for Liora’s bluffs before, but she wasn’t going to this time.
“I don’t know the details”—she leaned in and narrowed her eyes at Zara—”but I know something happened back in Orunai between you two.”
“Zara! Liora!” Medusa called as she stuck her head out of the conference room door. “Meeting’s about to start. Grab your brother and come in here.”
“Will do,” Zara called. “C’mon, you heard what she said. Go get Elian.” Not bothering to wait for her siblings, she scampered down the hallway and into the conference room. Perseus and Medusa were already seated at the head and the right, respectively, while Hektor sat across from the gorgon.
She sat next to him, then shot him a small smile. His gaze dropped down to his folded hands on the table.
Zara sighed inwardly.
Thankfully, her brother and sister scrambled inside and took their seats before things got any more awkward.
“Good morning,” Perseus began. “I have some good news. We found our next lead. But first, Medusa wanted to share some other developments.”
Medusa opened the folder in front of her. “Our research has….”
Zara let out another sigh. Though her gaze remained on Medusa, her thoughts drifted off.
I need to fix this.
She thought she’d been doing so well, exploiting those cracks in Hektor’s resolve, getting into those crevices to worm her way under his skin.
He had kissed her—and other things—but hadn’t yet admitted he liked her.
Hektor wanted her, yes, as he was just as horny as any man.
But that part was easy. It was the rest of it…
You have another man in your life.
Hektor thought he was being noble, not wanting to encroach on another man’s territory. While it seemed the idea of her being interested in someone else had initially activated that alpha male part of his brain, the more civilized parts of him prevailed.
Her fictional man was the problem.
Then I should get rid of him.
Could she?
Of course you can, he doesn’t even exist! It’s not like it’s murder.
That’s right. She made up her basilisk lover.
Yeah, that’s right. Get rid of the—
“…basilisk.”
“What?” Zara jolted out of her seat as her internal thoughts became external. Everyone’s heads whipped toward her. Liora and Elian looked amused, while Medusa and Perseus simply stared at her like she’d gone insane.
And Hektor? Well, he was his usual unreadable self and was the first one to look away.
“Are you okay, Zara?” Medusa asked.
Mortified, she sank back down into her seat. “Yeah, um, I think there’s uh, a nail sticking out of these new seats. Better get back to your supplier and tell them.” She forced a laugh. “I’m sorry, you said ‘basilisk’ right?”
“Yes. That’s what I’ve been talking about for the last five minutes.” The note of reprimand in the gorgon’s tone was unmistakable. “Our next target is Solkaris, and we suspect that Zeus has at least one child there.”
“At least one?” Elian exclaimed. “Is this going to be another centaur situation?”
“I mean, we’re talking about Zeus here,” Liora said. “Why are you even surprised?”
Hektor spoke up. “It is more likely because basilisk females tend to have a clutch of eggs. It’s also possible that a female can have different males as fathers to one clutch.”
“Whoa, you go girls,” Liora snickered. “Why choose, am I right?”
“What else can you tell us about basilisks and Solaris, Hektor?” Perseus said. “Since we’re all here, you might as well tell us, since Medusa and I won’t be going with you.”
Hektor frowned. “You won’t?”
He looked at Medusa, who gave him a short nod. “Since our last trip went well and you all handled the situation easily, we don’t need to supervise you anymore.”
“And really, the best way to learn is on the field, on your own,” Medusa added. “Besides, basilisks aren’t nomadic like centaurs, right? And they have cities too.”
“Yes,” Hektor said. “The main ones are similar to Alindale though not as large and they’re located in the dry, hot desert. If I remember correctly, there are only a few inhabitable areas and they’re interconnected with tunnels to shield them from the dangerously high temperatures.”
“I guess we should bring some sunscreen then,” Elian joked. “When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow,” Medusa said. “And don’t worry, this time we’ve contracted a local fixer to help you navigate Solkaris.”
“We don’t want you accidentally wandering around and getting burned to a crisp.” Perseus sounded deadly serious. “Anyway, be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow.”
Medusa closed her folder then stood up. “Perseus and I have a meeting in the city, we’ll see you all later.”
Once their bosses left the room, Liora let out a groan. “We leave at dawn again?”
“The drive should be about six hours westward,” Hektor said.
“I’ll drive,” Elian offered.
“Shotgun!” Liora called, jumping out of her seat. “You losers have to sit in the back again.”
Hektor looked confused, but simply shrugged and stood up. “If you’ll excuse me…” With a curt nod to no one in particular, he headed out the door.
“You’re welcome,” Liora said to Zara. “Now you can make goo-goo eyes at him for six hours in the backseat.”
“I do not—” Clamping her mouth shut, she got to her feet and marched off after Hektor.
I need to tell him now.
Maybe it would make their long drive tomorrow less awkward, too, and they could get back to how it was before that night in the tent.
“Hektor,” she called as soon as she stepped out into the hallway. He was halfway down, but didn’t stop. “Hektor!” she repeated as she sprinted toward him. “Hey, one sec.”
His hulking form stopped, then he pivoted to face her. “Yes?”
“Hey, uh, I just wanted to tell you something. Something important.”
“I think I know what it is.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and I completely understand.”
“Oh good.” She breathed a sigh. “I’m glad things don’t have to be awkward between us.”
His jaw hardened. “I will do my best to support you and your basilisk.”
“Good, because—what?” her voice pitched higher than she wanted. “Support me? And my basilisk?”
“Of course. I assume that since we are going to Solkaris, you will take this opportunity to meet this male you have been getting acquainted with.”
Oh. Shit.
It hadn’t even occurred to her that that was a possibility. Or that he would think she’d take that opportunity to meet with this fictional man.
Lie! Tell him you broke it off! Or that the other guy is dead! A tunnel collapsed on him or he accidentally walked out into the desert and was barbecued by the sun.
“Hektor—”
He put up a hand. “You needn’t worry or say more.”
“But—”
“All has been forgotten.” With that, he spun around and trudged off.
What. The. Fuck.
Zara slapped a hand over her forehead.
Why did I have to say my fake boyfriend was a basilisk?
She’d chosen it at random, never thinking she would actually have to produce this boyfriend in the flesh.
How could she have known their next mission would take them to basilisk country?
Talk about rotten luck.