Chapter Two
Chloe
“Do you have to leave?” Chloe whined, sitting cross legged at the bottom of a plush bed draped in lavender and white crochet blankets.
Her brother’s seer leaned against her desk, or rather the desk she had used the past few weeks since returning to Nexos from the endless chasm of Aidesian.
Thalia’s psychí was curled around one leg, her tail hooking the seer’s calf.
The underworld took a toll on the young woman and the creature as well, more than most in this court cared to admit.
When Thalia first returned, she was barely conscious most days, in and out of a fitful sleep.
The small white cat had more energy to her, but still only enough to waltz around the room, not hunt in the woods as Alexander explained Mykonos loved so much.
A curse, Thalia called it, for leaving a realm that no mortal should venture into. A curse that could never be broken.
Chloe watched her over those weeks, becoming enamored with the small daimon that seemed to terrify both her brothers.
The unadulterated fear in Dimitris’s eyes brought a simple kind of joy to Chloe, especially as he sulked most of his days in the corner of this very room.
Always brooding and complaining about being there, but never leaving of his own accord.
Men.
What idiots.
Her brothers, equally at the top of that list.
“You know as well as any that I would rather claw my own eyes out than spend the next few months with the young prince.” Thalia clacked her nails—nay, claws—against the wood. “I would much rather have you as part of my crew than some inexperienced rake.”
Inexperienced. Chole wouldn’t say that word described her brother Dimitris well.
He was actually quite the opposite, one of the most skilled ship captains on the isle.
Her brother had even built his ship, the Aphrodite, from scratch, no magic to be seen.
Dimitris happened to be experienced in other things as well—those that got him into a fair amount of trouble over the years. Those Chloe would rather not recount.
Chloe uncrossed her legs and slid to the end of the bed. He was her brother afterall, she could think of one nice thing to say about the male. “He can be useful…sometimes, that is…with his hands.”
Thalia’s face turned bright red as she lost her grip on the desk and knocked her elbow back into the wood. “His…hands?” she coughed out.
“Yes, of course. As much as I hate to admit, he is quite the woodworker. Must have picked it up from our uncle.” She brought her cheek to her palm and let out a sigh. All those little figures he crafted as a child paid off. “Most of the items in this room he made himself.”
“Yes,” Thalia replied, oddly breathy. “I’m not particularly concerned if he can make a proper chair or not. I am concerned he will not take his responsibility seriously.”
“I am not sure that’s ever something he’s done.” Chloe popped up from the bed and gave a slight shrug. “But sometimes it helps to have a brute around. Good for protection against other insolent men.”
For a moment it looked as if Thalia smirked, but her face quickly turned stone-like. “We will need more than just brute force with what we are tasked to do.”
“Won’t we both,” Chloe sighed. She padded over to Thalia and wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. “I will miss you, and your little creature!”
Mykonos purred, rubbing along Chloe’s legs in agreement. “We will miss you too, Chloe. But we will all be back together soon.”
It would only be a few months. A few months on the seas and in these kingdoms, searching for allies that might help defeat the feared Olympi.
A few months until the real battle would begin.
There was a tradition on Nexos that stood out more than all the others: the sendoff of a ship and her crew to a long journey. Chloe said her goodbyes to her dearest uncle Cal and of course the seer and her psychí, even her dastardly brother.
One person, however, was missing from the small collection of court members that led the crew to the docks and left them with cheers and waves as cleats were undone and the Aphrodite’s sails filled to make her way toward Skiatha.
Farah.
The southern princess was nowhere in sight, not since her meeting this morning with the king and queen.
It was typical of the woman to disappear; gods, she had left a few years ago without a word.
Not even to Chloe. She still thought about the moment she woke up three years ago to a cold bed, not even a note left on the neatly tucked sheets.
Chloe had never spoken a word of it to anyone, too embarrassed to admit she was scorned by such a woman.
Chloe Athena Kirassos was Princess of Nexos, beta of the Nexian wolves, and Goddess of Persuasion. She was no fool. Not even for the chestnut-haired, intoxicating sorceress from the south.
Running through the pleasantries of court, Chloe curtsied and nodded to the others along the dock before she made her way back toward the markets.
She would find the stubborn woman and drag her back to the castle kicking and screaming if she had to.
Neither of them wanted to sail to Hespali, but Chloe sure as shit was not getting blamed for whatever tricks Farah had up her sleeve to get out of the journey.
Farah fucked her over once, and she was about to learn the consequence of doing it a second time.
Sliding her hood up over her hair, Chloe weaved through the market streets, quiet and lethal.
According to Nexian tradition, she should be back at the temple blessing the Aphrodite before its perilous journey across the Mykandrian and Manos seas.
If she was caught by the guards there would be hell to pay.
Her parents did not care if she scampered off to the tavernas and spent her evenings wandering the streets of the seaside town, but formally it was a disgrace to disrespect the Grechi in that manner.
When your father was the god you prayed to, it seemed a bit crass.
The late morning’s sun warmed slightly, casting its amber glow about the whitewashed buildings of the cliff kingdom.
She trailed past each one, inhaling a mix of burning wood and sugar and yeast of breakfast pastries.
Beneath her fur cloak, Chloe’s stomach let out a growl.
Not now, she commanded it, though it was her own fault for not sneaking one of the croissants from the kitchen before she left for the docks.
Cart sellers and patrons strolled alongside her, preparing for what would surely be a busy day.
The winter solstice was more than a month away, but that did not prevent Nexians from finding simple joys of Haloa early.
Men and women alike browsed for trinkets and specialties to gift to loved ones, trying different food along the winding path through the center of the town.
Chloe would much rather be doing just that than sneaking about after the southern spy. She slipped up to Athena’s, the Kirassos family’s favorite taverna on the isle, although none would openly admit that except Chloe and her eldest brother. Who could blame her, it was called after her namesake.
She peered her head in, stepping past the stone perimeter.
Despite the open sides of the establishment, once Chloe passed the threshold a rush of warm air would hit her, spelled for the daunting winter months.
There were a few people seated around the taverna, though not nearly as many as after dark.
Athena’s was the place to be for supper and further into the night, known for live music and Marianna’s special ouzo recipe that no one could seem to replicate.
Looking around, Farah was nowhere in sight. Good. At least she didn’t break into the ouzo so early, unless she left already, moving on to the next place.
“Mari,” Chloe called into the back kitchen, “you in there?”
A woman, not much older than Chloe stumbled out of the kitchen, apron on and flour streaked across her cheeks and scattered in her hair. “Lo! Surprise to see you here so early!” Marianna said, wiping dirty hands on her apron.
“I am technically not here if anyone asks.” Chloe held a finger up to her lips and Mari smirked back with a light shake of her head. “Have you seen a woman come through here? Curvy, most likely dressed in leathers, amber eyes, long brown hair?”
Marianna let out a laugh. “You’ve just about described half this kingdom, Lo. But if you were asking about the southern princess, no, I have not.”
Chloe’s lips twisted to the side. Maybe she overreacted. Maybe Farah was simply back at the castle, packing her trunks for the journey.
“I did hear about a round of cards starting down at the Iron Wolf, though.”
Or maybe Chloe was totally fucked.
“Just my luck,” she sighed before Marianna gave her a curt smile and a cock to her head.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, Lo. I’m sure if Farah’s down there, she hasn’t gotten into half the shit your brother used to. Probably just blowing off some steam before you two set sail.”
Marianna was being far too reasonable. Blowing off steam, Chloe could completely understand. Wallowing in liquor, smokes, and cards was a totally different venture.
“I hope you’re right, Mari.” Chloe doubted she was.
“You come see me before you leave, alright? I have something for you. A good luck charm of sorts.”
Chloe’s features softened for a moment and her hands unclenched. “I’ll try to make it back tonight, then. Thanks for your help.”
“As always, Lo.” Mari blew her a kiss before scrambling right back into the hectic kitchen.
Chloe really did hope she could make it back tonight.
She would miss seeing Marianna most days and had become accustomed to spending time with her almost sister by marriage.
And even though Marianna had long forgiven Dimitris for breaking their engagement, Chloe wasn’t sure she ever would.
She brushed that sentiment away for now, because there were more pressing matters at hand.
Chloe would find the southern princess and lock her up in the brig herself to get her to Hespali.