Chapter 33
Chapter thirty-three
ILIANA
Iliana’s head pounded with too many names and too many truths.
This was nothing like watching a glamorous portrayal of Achilles calling out Hector outside the walls of Troy. These weren’t sanitized figures from books and movies. They were flesh and blood. Real.
And if she had to take in one more revelation before food, she’d scream.
She should’ve expected this. Nothing in her life had ever been stable. Why should this be different?
Her mind drifted. Had she crossed a line with Thanatos by asking about his powers? Everyone had limits. What if she asked about his past lovers?
A laugh almost escaped.
When she entered the kitchen, the moment of amusement faded. Hypnos’ movements, usually lazy, had turned stiff and controlled as he set plates on the table. Gone was the detached, unaffected god.
For a brief, foolish moment, she wanted to ask him what was wrong. She cleared her throat, wiping the concern from her face. If she got too curious about Hypnos, she’d only be inviting trouble.
Instead, she gave him a reserved smile. “This looks great, Hypnos. Thank you.”
He waved his hand. “It’s only sandwiches. Sit.”
Iliana sat down reluctantly. She didn’t want to react, but Hypnos’ distance unsettled her. Maybe it was just the contrast with Anubis and Thanatos, who were openly affectionate. Hypnos was the opposite. Distant. Unreachable.
It shouldn’t bother her. He didn’t even like her.
The sound of footsteps broke the awkward silence.
Warm hands landed on her shoulders as Anubis leaned over her. She looked up, inhaling his spice-and-incense scent, loving how his nearness made her feel calmer.
Her stomach flipped when he leaned down, kissing her forehead.
It was gentle and sweet, causing desire to warm her entire body.
It differed from Thanatos’ kisses, the tentative one by the fire and the heated one shared in her lesson.
How could the simple kiss feel like safety and temptation all wrapped up?
By the time he pulled away and sat next to her, her skin was flaming.
Iliana’s gaze moved to Thanatos, who’d witnessed the affection as he walked into the room.
She tensed, expecting annoyance or possessiveness from him.
Instead, he gave her a small smile, his eyes friendly, and settled into his chair.
Hypnos’ presence drew her attention. His grip tightened around the handle of the water pitcher before he set it down. He immediately looked away when their eyes met, shifting his weight and turning his body from her. What was going on with him?
“Are you going to stare at us all day or eat?” Hypnos snapped.
She grabbed her sandwich and took a defiant bite, chewing aggressively. If he wanted to push her away, that was fine with her.
After cleaning her plate, with her hands resting on her stomach, she risked looking at the others. They were watching her curiously. Were they amused by her struggle, or did they see something worth protecting?
Her face went hot, and she wiped her mouth with a napkin. “What?”
Thanatos chuckled and shook his head. “Nothing. I enjoy observing you.”
She refused to look at him, concentrating instead on her now-empty plate. It felt safer to look at something inanimate that didn’t make her heart twist or her thoughts go all mushy.
Thankfully, the gods started talking. Their voices turned into background noise as her thoughts wandered. She couldn’t figure out her emotions lately. Perhaps that was the cost when everything she had believed turned out wrong.
“Hermes says the most talkative of the gods have been keeping their mouths shut, even Pheme,” Thanatos said. His troubled tone grabbed her attention.
Her eyebrows furrowed, and she asked, “What are they being quiet about? Me?”
Thanatos nodded.
“And who’s Pheme?” She winced as she asked, her damn curiosity demanding she know. There were already too many names jumbled in her mind. She didn’t need to add another.
“She’s the goddess of fame and rumors,” he explained. “With this situation—multiple gods protecting a human—she’d be spreading the truth or fabricating something to stir the pot.”
“So why isn’t she?” Iliana asked.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Thanatos said. “When Pheme goes silent, it usually means someone more powerful than her has demanded it. Someone with enough authority to make even the goddess of rumors afraid of speaking.”
“You think someone’s forced her to stay quiet?”
“We think someone does not want the other gods to know the full truth about your curse. Or why we are protecting you,” Anubis answered.
“Hermes said he will keep pressing. He seemed uneasy, though. For a god who trades in information to be nervous about asking questions…” Thanatos let the sentence hang. The unfinished thought came across as more ominous than any answer.
Uneasy. She hadn’t thought that was possible for Hermes. Had she missed something in their exchange earlier? Was there something they weren’t telling her?
Anubis pushed away from the table and held out a hand. “Are you ready for your next lesson?”
Iliana placed her much smaller hand in his. “I guess so. Just…go easy on me.”
As the twins’ chuckles followed them, Anubis guided her away from the dining room, their fingers loosely intertwined.
She didn’t know what to expect from training—only that it would probably be embarrassing—but at least it would be a welcome distraction from all her churning thoughts.
She could only focus on what might be in store for her at the end of the hallway.
The room was spacious, with thick mats covering every inch of the floor.
Weapons lined one wall: sickle-shaped blades called khopeshes she recognized from hieroglyphics, spears and maces, a recurve bow, and many other blades she couldn’t name.
Some she knew from the classical literature she’d read.
The Iliad depicted immortals and mortals crossing paths, the winners of battles molding the world.
Dread and excitement rolled through her. Was she supposed to use all of those?
Before stepping on the mats, Anubis let go of her hand and removed his shoes.
She followed suit, peeling off the sneakers the gods had given her. They were comfortable. Expensive. Not hers.
A sudden longing hit her, and her breathing hitched. Before she could get sucked into those emotions, warm, callused hands were on her cheeks. She looked up at Anubis, startled by the concern in his ancient eyes.
“Iliana?”
“Sorry, I was thinking about my things back home.” She forced the words out.
Without hesitation, Anubis pulled her into his arms. She tensed but quickly sank into his embrace, letting his warmth steady her until the flood of grief passed.
When she felt strong enough, she pulled away and smiled. “What kind of training have you planned?”
Anubis grinned. “We will start with grappling and see how that goes.”
Images of his body pressing against hers flashed through her mind, and heat flooded her cheeks. Instead of running from it, she smiled confidently. “Let’s do this.”