Chapter Seven
“What’s up?” Daciana poked her head in my alcove. “You’re staring at your clothes like you’re trying to set them on fire.”
“The only thing on fire here are my limbs,” I shot back. “I’m trying to motivate my arms to pick up that dress, but I can’t blame them for not putting the work in. It’s hideous.”
She looked back, then dropped her voice. “I’m so glad you said that,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to offend anyone, but the clothes here are so ugly. Has the academy ever heard of a color? It’s all white on beige on tan.”
The lady wasn’t lying. Alex and I never got a chance to go on that shopping trip, which left Luca to buy the clothes I needed for the academy. The guy would not have been a fashion designer in the mortal world. He picked the plainest, simplest items he got his hands on—which left me absolutely nothing to wear on my first date with Alex.
“What do I do, Daciana? I can’t wear this to the lake party.” I smacked the clothes away and only managed to flip over the leg of one pant.
My body ached all over from my first combat class. Vasili ordered us to demonstrate the different beginner strikes with a bo staff. When I stood there holding the stick like an idiot and doing nothing, he showed me, then made me do them over and over and over again until my arms begged to fall off.
“It’s going to be tree-to-tree gorgeous women running around naked while I’m trembling behind a boulder wearing a sack!”
“What’s it matter what you wear?” She stretched out on my bed. “And is it a party? I thought it was just a bunch of novices exploring.”
I bit my lip, turning to the mirror as I held up another white shift dress. “I talked to a guy who made it sound like more than just a bunch of us exploring the woods. He invited me specifically, and I want to look good,” I admitted. “I don’t do this kind of thing with guys very often. Or ever.”
“Seriously? But you’re beautiful, and sweet, and funny. How are guys not chewing the competition’s hind legs off to get ahead and get to you?”
I tossed her a look. “You have to say that. You’re my friend.”
“I do not have to say that,” she corrected. “Wolves hate the taste of lies and the smell of false flattery. I only speak what’s true, and what’s true is, if you’re going to this party to meet up with a guy, you can’t wear any of this.”
“Now that is the truth,” I muttered, tossing the dress away. It didn’t even get close to landing on the bed. “Daciana.” I wondered if my whine hurt her super ears. “Everything hurts. Help me.”
“You got it.”
She bounded up and took off to her alcove. I stuck my head out, seeing everyone picking out their outfits and getting dressed. No one seemed too bothered about undressing in front of people, while I wasn’t going to stop changing under my sheets anytime soon.
Daciana came running back, beaming from ear to ear. “Ta-da!” She whipped a dress out from behind her back. One that was nothing like the ones bunched up on my bed.
“Oh my gods...”
“Do you like it?” She tugged me to the mirror and held it up in front of me. “I brought the required uniforms naturally, but the rest of my clothes aren’t Olympian. Now, I won’t be the only one.”
“It’s beautiful.” My parted lips morphed into a smirk. “It’s perfect.”
Half an hour later, the six of us were tramping through the woods, heading for the noise. We were a fine-ass bunch, if I did say so myself.
Nitsa and Ionna wore traditional Olympian dresses. Pretty, flowy, short-sleeved, floor-length gowns that cinched at the waist with thin, golden belts. Ionna had a raven belt buckle and Nitsa had a peacock. Apollo and Hera.
As for Tycho and Theron, they wore poured-on linen pants and light armor that filled out their shoulders, and made them look tougher without even trying.
Then there was me and Daciana.
She wore a lethal, black thigh-length dress with ribbon strings going up the sides and straight down the middle. Daciana called it traditional werewolf clothes. She said their outfits were all made to be easily ripped off.
Theron tripped over nothing and fell on his face when he overheard that. Though he recovered quickly. By his darted looks at her out of the corner of his eye, he was more affected than he let on about sharing a space with us girls.
Then there was my dress.
We broke through the trees, arriving on the scene. My first-ever Olympian party with demigods... and first sights did not disappoint.
It was beautiful. Somehow, more beautiful than beautiful. I’d been to many wonderful places thanks to Mom taking me on spontaneous trips out of the country, but this meadow was more.
It was alive.
A bed of foxgloves cradled my sandaled feet, tickling my skin with tiny purple fingers. They surrounded the lake with friends of cornflower and poppy—each of them delighting the water’s shore in a myriad of colors. Gazing over the water, I saw the lily pads floating on their rolling water bed and felt the last traces of my nerves melt away.
Tree branches hunched over us, reaching for their lovers across the lake. It was late according to the reds, golds, and purples fleeing across the skies with the setting sun, but the trees enclosed us in our own little world—safe, warm, free.
Girls in flowy dresses and guys in light armor danced, flirted, and stripped off their clothes—running shrieking into the water.
Glowing, multicolored light orbs hung in the air, lighting the meadow like a disco ball. A gaggle of girls giggled beside a head-high boulder with a long-haired dude sitting on top. One by one, they took their place, and a rain cloud appeared over their heads. I understood what was happening immediately when rain soaked them, sticking their suddenly see-through gowns to their naked bodies, and all the guys watching hooted and hollered.
A water funnel burst out of the lake. Spinning, twisting, writhing overhead, it scooped a victim from the crowd and glided her through its tunnel before depositing her shrieking into the lake—clothes and all.
“Ajax!” she scolded before swimming over to a guy and swatting his shoulder. Their fight quickly ended in a fierce make-out session while the water funnel continued sweeping the party, claiming them for the water slide.
The wine was flowing, although I couldn’t see from where. People went up to a guy holding their empty mugs. He touched them, and in a blink, they were filled to overflowing.
Little dryads scurried underfoot, still the furthest thing from adorable, the little lumpy tree creatures latched on to the nearest guy and climbed onto their shoulders. Unlike the grimace that would be on my face if they were nuzzling and kissing my cheek, every guy receiving their attention looked more than pleased.
All in all, it was every teen party I’d seen in movies but never got to go to—except this one got a godly upgrade.
No one was shocked by any of the sights blowing my eyes wide open, then they turned and looked at me.
The dress Daciana gave me was jaw-dropping by mortal standards but in Olympia...
An off-shoulder minidress covered in sparkling diamond sequins and boasting a high split up my thigh and a low split down the cleavage wasn’t something they saw every day or ever.
Alex dropped his mug on his pants. I penned in a giggle when he jumped up, cursing and swatting the growing wet spot on his lap. For a date at a distance, that was the best start.
A blond streak shot across my vision, coming up on us fast.
“Ladies, ladies.”
Jason grasped Daciana’s and my hands, twirled us out and dipped us. I’d have told him off if I wasn’t laughing up at the stars filling the skies. Credit to him, that was quite smooth.
“You’re a vision.” He snapped us to his chest, getting cozy against our breasts. “I’m bewitched. I’m in love.”
“I bite,” Daciana deadpanned.
“I hope so.”
Someone cleared their throat. “Uhh, hey, Jason.” Nitsa shuffled back behind Ionna.
“Nitsy baby, is that you?” Jason suddenly dropped us like hot rocks. “Can’t be. I thought you were Aphrodite rising from the sea-foam.”
I rolled my eyes. Nitsa did not. Her smile and blush came back with a vengeance.
“My queen, my air.” He dropped to his knees, taking her hand. “Do you have the flower I gave you, gorgeous?”
She stuttered out a yes.
“Well, why think of me when you use it... when you could use it with me?”
“Okay,” she burst out before he finished the question.
They launched at each other, tearing at each other’s clothes and making out hard.
“Wow,” I said as he carried her off. “I thought it would take more than a minute before our group was picked apart.”
“I didn’t.” Theron extended his elbow to me. “Everyone is here to do two things and two things only. Drink and fuck.”
Daciana chuckled. “Some things are the same in every dominion.”
Movement to my right caught my eye.
Castor and Dimitri posted up next to a group of guys playing instruments they had to have conjured because no way a harp was on the approved item list. Whatever they were saying to their customers was cleverly drowned out, but the hell rocks and vials they were trading for coin was plain for all to see. The only one missing was...
I searched for Sebastian but didn’t see him anywhere. He and I needed to talk.
“Let’s get a drink,” Ionna suggested.
The remaining five moved as one to the mugs and the guy filling them. There were Sisypheans around as promised, but it was easy to tell them from the Titans even out of uniform. They were posted up against trees and rocks, huddled in groups and making themselves as small and unnoticeable as possible while the Titans laughed, danced, and swam.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have come,” Daciana said, accepting a drink from Ionna. “The whispers going around about the Sisypheans right now aren’t things I want to repeat.”
“Let them whisper,” Tycho replied. “We have just as much right to be here as they do. This is our academy too. Plus, Jason put out the word for everyone to come. The invitation came from a Titan. If they got a problem with our being here, they can take it up with him.”
Tycho said all of this to a spot above our heads. He wasn’t looking at us. Too busy scanning the crowd for something or someone.
“Looking for Calix?” Ionna asked.
“No.” He dropped back on his heels. “I was looking to see if my old friend from—from Thetis is here.”
Theron arched a brow. “You don’t have any friends other than us.”
“That’s not true! I’ve got loads of fucking friends you don’t know about. Don’t get full of yourself, Zervas.”
“Uh-huh,” Theron drawled. “What’s their name?”
“Whose name?”
“This friend from Thetis.”
“Their name is”—his eyes darted to me—“Bae... lla.”
“Baella.” Ionna gave him a flat look.
Daciana and I tried and failed to hold in our guffaws.
“Well, I can’t help you locate your imaginary friend, but I can tell you Calix is going to make an appearance”—she cocked her head, eyes glazing as she stared in the distance—“now.”
A figure rose from the water—dripping wet, sculpted, and naked. My pulse quickened traveling down, down, and down the length of his cock. Shaking out his hair, Calix looked like a model from an adult magazine I needed to buy yesterday.
He hummed, scrunching up his face as he looked around. “My towel? Has anyone seen my towel? I was sure I left it right here.”
“Ooh, I’ll find it for you, Cal!” We scattered like bowling pins, flying aside as Tycho blew through us. “I’ll get it. I’ll find it.”
Tycho went running while Calix shrugged and dove back in the water, this time with a trailing entourage that stripped off their clothes and went chasing after him.
“What is he doing?” Daciana shook her head at Tycho. “We all know that towel’s been stolen and burned. His clothes too. No one was ever going to let that man get dressed again.”
My head bobbed hard. Truer words had never been spoken. “And then there were four.”
“Hey, you?” A short brunette with a pixie cut and wet, see-through clothes waggled her fingers at Theron. “You’re Theron Zervas, right? Your mom is the Dionysus councilwoman?”
He swiped away his fizzy ale mustache sharpish. “Uh, yeah.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, yes, she is.”
“Oh my gods, that’s so cool. Will you tell me about her? What’s she like?”
“Excuse me, ladies.” Theron was gone without a look back.
“Make that three,” Daciana muttered.
Ionna laughed. “Don’t worry, guys. I won’t abandon you. Unlike our lust-filled friends, I’m only here to drink.” She nudged my shoulder. “I’m a child of Apollo and of Athena, if you understand my meaning.”
We shook our heads.
“Athena wasn’t interested in sex, or love, or lovers,” she explained. “Neither am I.”
“Oh, you mean asexual,” Daciana said.
“Do I?”
“That’s what we say in my dominion, but I like child of Athena. So cool to think of it like you’re the reflection of a goddess.”
Ionna’s expression brightened. “There are children of Athena in your world too?”
“Absolutely. One of my packmates...”
My gaze traveled over to Alex and found him looking back at me. Grinning, he gestured with his brows, pointing out the general direction of the trees.
I was about to nod when Sirena came out of nowhere and plastered herself against him. She twisted to see what he was looking at and I quickly dropped my head, suddenly very interested in my shoes.
“Ugh, I know,” Ionna said. “Sirena has that effect on me too.”
“You don’t like her either?”
Her curled lip answered that question. “Theron, Tycho, Nitsa, and I all grew up in the Trono City palace. Theron’s mother is a councilwoman. Tycho’s dad is a palace scribe. My mom is the cartologist and census-taker, and Nitsa’s parents are nobles. Sirena’s mom is the Aphrodite councilwoman.
“All the children of people who live and work in the palace are sent to the same school. No difference for children of servants, staff, or council people,” she said. “It’s why palace work is so sought after. Your kids get to grow up in the safest place in Olympia with the best education. Unfortunately, Sirena took side lessons where they taught her she was prettier, stronger, and better than us mere peasants and shouldn’t have to breathe the same air as us.
“She was fucking relentless about us staff kids not belonging in the same school as her, even when she was seven. Whine, whine, cry, cry nonstop about how we smelled bad, asked stupid questions, distracted her, and all around interfered with her precious learning. When that didn’t work to get us kicked out, she made our lives hell. Destroyed our scrolls, framed us for destruction and pranks on the instructors. I spent most of the school seasons taking on extra lessons and punishments for shit I didn’t even do.”
“What the hell?” I cried. “How could anyone be so evil?”
“The god of evil scattered into pieces—too weak to carry on.” Ionna’s eyes narrowed. “Sirena Cirillo took his place.”
Daciana snapped around, eliciting surprised yelps from behind us. “Do you need something?”
Three Titan girls had crept up behind us. My lips pressed tight together recognizing one of the girls from that morning in the cafeteria. She helpfully dumped a bowl of pumpkin soup on my head to round out my fall look.
“We just— We were wondering—” She dropped her voice. “Those dresses...?”
I braced myself for the insults.
“Where did you get them? They’re stunning,” she breathed. “I love what they did with the ribbons. So naughty.”
“And those shiny things on your dress,” her friend said to me, reaching a tentative hand. “Beautiful. They look like diamonds.”
I relaxed. Some things are bigger than long-standing class feuds. I should’ve remembered that. “Thanks. I wish I could give my fashion sense the credit, but it all goes to Daciana. I’m just her mannequin.”
Daciana waved. “I’m so glad you like my dresses. I made them myself.”
“Really? Could you—? I mean, can I ask you to make me one too? I’d pay of course,” she rushed. “Whatever you ask.”
“Me too.”
“And me.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Daciana replied easily. “I brought a bunch of fabric and stuff with me, so you can choose which one you like.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much?” I asked.
Daciana waved that away. “Trust me, you’re doing me a favor. Daddy taught me to sew to focus my mind and strength. I need that more than ever now since I can’t take off and run like I used to.
“Tell you what?” she told them, clapping. “I’ll make them for free. Tell your friends, and I’ll see what I can do for them. This is why I’m here after all. To learn your culture and share mine.”
They squealed like it was Christmas morning.
“I’m Sofia,” said the first girl. “Daughter of Artemis. This is Venetia and Dafni. Can we get one like hers? With the...” She drew a line down her cleavage. “And the...” Then a line up her thigh.
I had noticed that every girl was wearing a dress with a high neckline and long skirt. Olympians obviously didn’t have trouble showing skin, going by all the naked novices running about the place. They only dressed like they did.
“Easily,” Daciana agreed.
Sofia beamed. “You’re the best. I don’t care what anyone says. All my friends are going to love your dresses—”
“The fuck they are.”
The smile melted off my face.
“What the hades are you saying, Sofia? You don’t have to take diplomacy that far—pretending these hideous, cut-up rags belong anywhere other than the trash. These two look like a couple of tumblers who should be shaking their minuscule skirts at passing men.”
Slowly, we turned, coming face-to-face with Sirena and the other six girls in the Future Twelve. I’d say she had a nasty look to go with her nasty words, but her smile was pleasant. Brilliantly beautiful eyes shining. She could’ve been discussing her favorite ice cream flavor if you glanced at her from afar.
“You’re not buying her clothes or wearing them.” Sirena snapped her fingers. “Leave.”
“Yes, Sirena,” Sofia mumbled. “Sorry, Sirena.”
The three girls beat it out of there fast.
“What was that for?” My face was unpleasant. No one would ever say my lips-peeled-back snarl was pretty. “What do you care what she wears? Who gave you the right to comment on our clothes? Mind your own damn business.”
Silence smothered the party so hot and fast the band cut off with harsh, discordant sounds.
Everyone was staring at me—again.
Sirena raised her brows, laughing mirthlessly. “Who gave me the right? I’d expect the ignorant little wolf girl to ask that, but not you. What hole have you been living in, child of Eirene?”
My muscles went rigid. Target struck. Had I said something wrong? Something that I was supposed to know if I grew up in Olympia like I wanted everyone to believe? Everyone was certainly looking at me like they couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
I searched the crowd for Alex and found him by Theron of all people, speaking in his ear. Alex passed him something I couldn’t see.
A figure blocked my vision. “It’s your ignorance that’s the problem,” Daciana growled, “if you think wolf girls like me were raised to take shit from people like you.” She held out hands suddenly tipped with fearsome, lethal claws. “Back the fuck off. We’re not bothering you.”
Sirena lazily glanced at her claws. “Is that supposed to scare me, mutt?” Dragon’s paws erupted from her elbows, shoving us back with their mere enormity.
I swallowed hard, standing between claws bigger than me. In a blink, they were gone, and Sirena’s smile remained.
“You just don’t get who you’re dealing with,” Sirena said. “Since the peasant here doesn’t know what gives me the right”—she flapped a hand at me—“I’ll tell you. I’m Sirena Cirillo. Daughter of the Aphrodite councilwoman. Chosen for the Hera council seat. My chosen husband is Alexander Damien, heir to the Zeus council seat.
“This is Hyacinth, heir to the Demeter seat.” She pointed to the tall, red-haired beauty on her right. “One touch and a creature will die of starvation in seconds. Simply wither into an emaciated husk and die.
“Cora.” The brunette on her left was next to go. She had pouty lips and an imperious air like I wasn’t worthy to even know her name. “Heir to the Apollo seat. She speaks words of persuasion. If she tells you there’s a snake living in your gut and you need to cut it out, you’ll stab yourself till you keel over.”
It was everything in me not to put a thousand feet between me and powers like that. I suddenly understood why Vasili made us all stand up and announce our abilities in front of each other. We needed to know who to fear and who to run from.
“Penelope, heir to the Athena seat. She turns her enemies into olive trees.
“Charity, heir to the Hephaestus seat. She creates living statue warriors.
“Elisavet, heir to the Dionysus seat, can strike madness in the soul of those who look in her eyes,” Sirena whispered, moving close to me. “And Sara, heir to the Artemis seat, can find an enemy’s weak spots in her mind’s eye and release arrows that all fly true.
“You’re looking at some of the most powerful beings in this, or any, dominion,” she hissed. “So what gives me the right to order little toovas like you around? The fact that I have the power to make you do what I want, and you don’t have the power to stop me.” She leaned back, smirking. “Clear enough for you?”
I nodded.
“Good.” She stepped back. “Now, get out of our party and take all your Sisyphean friends with—”
“Pbtfffffffffffff!”
Sirena ground to a stop. “Excuse me? What did you just—?”
“Pbtfffffffffffff!” I sounded off another raspberry. “That’s what you sound like. Clearly your mouth’s an asshole because nothing but bullshit comes out.”
Sirena flushed a concerning, mottled purple as raucous laughs broke out. “How dare you—?”
“Pbtffffff.”
“You little—”
“Pbtfffff.”
The laughs got louder, and Sirena’s expression more hilariously angry. I was being a bit childish, but it wasn’t my fault. I stole it from another patient in the psych ward. Whenever a conversation went on longer than his interests, he blew raspberries until they stormed off or shut up. Who was I to argue with what worked?
“Unless you want me to hold your severed head above your gutted body, you’ll stop—!”
“Pbtfffff.”
“Hey!” Feathery, taloned claws ensnared my throat. “What the fuck is wrong with you, bitch? Do you want to die?”
I rolled my eyes. “In my experience, people who intend to kill you don’t go around shouting about it. They just do it.”
This was my experience because my former roommate certainly never gave me any warning the times she jumped me with a shiv.
“Sorry, Sirena, but you don’t impress me, and you definitely don’t intimidate me.”
“Is that right?” Her voice was a low, dangerous hiss.
“Yes.” Daciana fell in beside me.
“That’s right,” Ionna said, standing tall on my other side.
“Mmm. What am I to make of this pointless, suicidal show of toughness?” She released my neck—hand returning to normal. “Am I supposed to quake in my boots? Or back down in shock and awe that you dared to stand up to me?”
“You could just go back to your life and us to ours,” I suggested. “It’s a party. No need to fight.”
She snapped her fingers. “I have a better idea. Cora, tell them their hair is poison and they’ve got to rip it all out by the root now, or they’ll die. Let’s see if bleeding, bald scalps teach them respect for their betters.”
My eyes bugged as Cora stepped forward, grinning. “With pleasure.”
“Wait—!”
“Stop.” Theron shoved between us. “Relax, Sirena. Cora, don’t even think about it.”
Sirena bared her teeth. “Step aside, Zervas. You should know better. Didn’t Mommy teach you what to do when peasants get too big a head?”
“Did my mother teach me to react like a twisted, violent psychopath? No,” he drew out, getting another laugh from the crowd and thinning lips from Sirena. “But she did teach me that all problems can be settled with a round of Penalty or Punishment.”
“Yeah,” chimed someone in the crowd.
“Penalty or Punishment.”
“Go on, Sirena,” Penelope said. “Put her in her place.”
“What’s going on?” I demanded, peering around Theron. “What’s Penalty or Punishment?”
“It’s a game soldiers play,” Ionna explained, “to prepare them if they’re ever taken prisoner. But a more popular version is played by everyone—usually with a lot of drink.”
So it’s a drinking game. How fitting for the equivalent of a college party.
“Fine,” I spoke up, cutting off Sirena’s refusal. “I’m down for a drinking game. How do you play and how do I know when I’ve won?”
“I don’t need a stupid fucking game to teach this useless a lesson or permission from any of you to do it. Now move aside, Sisyphean!” She reared back, readying to punch Theron with the fist of an animal that I couldn’t begin to guess.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Theron said lightly. “Children of Ares are only placed in Sisyphean until they prove they’re filled with enough hatred to use their power at will.”
That was the most horrible thing I’d ever heard.
Theron bore into her eyes. “You and I both know I am.”
Sirena didn’t hit him. She didn’t drop her fist... but she didn’t hit him.
“Did someone say Penalty or Punishment?”
Sirena’s hand dropped back to her side. She spun around, beaming smile returning as Alex loped over.
“Are you playing, Rena?” he asked. “Awesome. I’ll cheer your win or cheer you up if you lose.”
She giggled, shooting my brows up my head. The transformation from evil witch to blushing princess happened so fast, I somehow missed it even though I was watching. “Like I’d lose, Xander. Hate to deny you a chance to wrap your arms around me, but you and everyone else will be cheering me on.
“These loud, smelly Sisypheans were bothering everyone and making fools of themselves, so I suggested a game of Penalty or Punishment to return the peace.”
Theron, Ionna, Daciana, and I exchanged incredulous looks.
“If I win, they get on their knees, apologize”—she threw me a nasty smile—“and say they’re nothing but useless trash with assholes for mouths that spout nothing but cerberus shit. They also agree to leave and take all their Sisyphean friends with them.”
“But if I win,” I snapped, “you get on your knees, apologize to Daciana, and agree to keep your nose out of other people’s business. If Daciana wants to make clothes for the girls, that’s got nothing to do with you.”
She shrugged. “Since I won’t be losing, I’ll say yes.”
Those were the magic words. I stood by in a whirlwind as the lake was abandoned, novices rushed into their clothes, stone seats and a table erupted from the ground, and mug after mug of ale was placed in front of both of us.
Through the chaos, I shared a silent communication with Alex. It was clear to me what he’d done. He prompted Theron into suggesting the drinking game, so no one would question why he was rushing to a Sisyphean’s rescue. He defused the fight without directly getting involved.
He was smart, and he had my back.
“But I still don’t know how to play,” I whispered to Ionna.
“It’s simple,” Theron replied, overhearing. “You go first because you’re the challenger. Sirena will ask you five questions that no one in their right mind would answer truthfully. If you do tell the truth, she either takes your punishment for underestimating you or downs one of the mugs as penalty. Whoever runs out of full mugs first is the loser.”
I nodded. “Got it so far, but what if I lie?”
“Sirena has to guess if you’ve lied or told the truth. If you lie and she guesses correctly that you lied, she gives you the punishment, or you take the penalty.”
“All right, I’m with you so far. What about if I tell the truth and she guesses that I’ve told the truth?”
“Then you’re both safe. Same thing if you lie but trick her into thinking you told the truth.” He handed me a rock. “Five questions from her, then you give her the verity stone and ask her five questions. You have ten seconds, then you have to guess truth or lie.”
Verity stone. Verity as in truth.
“Do I hold this the whole time she’s asking me questions?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I didn’t ask anymore. I’d revealed too much of my ignorance already.
Over Sirena’s head, Alex winked at me. An imperceptible toss of the head pointed out the forest again. I got his message loud and clear. After I was finished putting this squawking chicken in her place, we’d finally have time. Just us.
“Let’s get this over with,” Sirena said, kicking back in her seat. Her goddess entourage fanned around her and Alex, whispering compliments to her and insults about me and my friends. “How many people have you had sex with?”
I opened my mouth as Sebastian, Castor, and Dimitri pushed through the crowd, falling in right next to the table. Apparently, the Hell Boys, minus Jason, wanted a front-row seat to this.
My toes curled in my boots when Sebastian leaned in, pressing his lips to my ear. The smile on Alex’s face wiped away.
“Don’t worry. I sent your father away for this part, so please, be very, very honest.”
I twisted, pressing my mouth to his ear. “Please... go fuck yourself.”
“Are we doing this or not?” Sirena snapped.
Laughing, Sebastian pulled back.
“The answer is none,” I said clearly. “Zero. Zilch. Nada. No one.”
She smirked. “Now that’s definitely the truth. Not even a toothless beggar would sink as low as you.”
I was proud of myself for not jumping over the table and dumping a mug over her head. Breathing through my nose, I held the verity stone out between us, wondering when it would light up, sing, dance, or do something to prove I told the truth.
It did a fat lot of nothing.
What the heck is this for, then?
“Second question,” Sirena continued. “Have you ever picked your nose and eaten it?”
“No!”
Fierce, searing pain erupted in my palm. Screaming, I flung the rock away—snapping my hand to my chest.
Smug as hell, Sirena looked at the verity stone on the ground and sang, “Liar.”
I felt my cheeks heating. That’s what the verity stones did? Which meant to win the game, I either had to answer every horrible, embarrassing question she asked truthfully or try to keep a poker face while that torture device burned a hole in my hand.
I was doomed.
Sirena held out her hands, accepting her claps and high fives from her friends. “All right, useless. Either drink or your punishment is to lick the armpits of everyone here.”
I downed the mug so fast half of it dribbled down my cheeks. Setting it down, I noticed the pain in my hand had already gone. This game was meant to be played for a long time. Wouldn’t do for agony to make me tap out early.
“Third question. Is there someone around this table that you want to have sex with?”
Keep your cool, Vanda. This game ends only one way, with Sirena Cirillo on her knees.
Expression smoothing out, I replied, “Yes.”
Her smirk flickered. Ten seconds counted down as she searched for a sign of a lie, like me screeching in pain. All I had to do was keep eye contact with her—
I glanced at Alex, inside warming at the private smile he had just for me.
“Lie!” Sirena bellowed, making me jump.
“Nope. That was true.” I kissed the rock as proof. “As punishment, turn into a chicken... and cluck.”
Titters broke out among her friends. She silenced them with a single look.
Sirena downed her ale, then launched into the next question. “Who around this table do you want to have sex with?”
I blew a hard breath out of my nose. After all Alex was doing to protect me, I wasn’t about to let a stupid drinking game ruin it.
“You, of course, Sirena.” I smiled with all my teeth when she recoiled. “I’ve never been with a woman before, and you’re so pretty and evil, it’d be like having sex with one of those femme fatales in a— Fuck’s sake!” I flung the rock away, tears springing to my eyes. Verity stones burn hotter the longer you hold them. Now I fucking knew that.
“Lie,” Sirena deadpanned. “Your punishment. Catch a dryad and kiss her.”
The words were barely out of her mouth before shrieks and wails assaulted my ears. I turned in time for the first twig to smack me in the face. More dirt and sticks followed, raining down on me from everywhere.
“All right, all right,” I shouted over the demigods’ howling. “I get it. Consent not given. I’ll take the penalty.”
I drank my second glass. I wasn’t worried yet. I had eight more until I was out, and Sirena only had one more question until it was my turn.
“Last question, who do you want to have sex with standing at this table!”
“Nice try, Sirena,” Theron broke in. “You can only ask a question once. You forfeit your turn.”
Theron picked up the verity stone and handed it to her.
I never wanted to touch that thing again. How fitting it was used to train soldiers to survive the horrors of enemy capture.
“You got this, Aella.” Daciana squeezed my shoulders. “You’ll win.
“Right, Ionna? Doesn’t the future say she’ll win?”
Ionna bobbed her head up and down, then side to side. “The future says that no matter which way this goes, it’s going to be an interesting game.”
“Don’t disappoint, Vanda.” Sebastian gazed into my eyes with that infuriating intensity of his. “There’s no mercy in Punishment or Penalty.”
“Okay,” I said. “First question. Fuck, Marry, Kill. Between Theron, Alexander, and Sebastian, who would you kill? Who would you fuck? And who would you marry?”
“Ooooh.” Sebastian laughed. “I did want you to make it interesting.”
“And she failed.” Sirena gripped the stone. “Don’t know why you’re going soft on me, trash, but it won’t work.”
I rolled my eyes. “Stop stalling. Answer.”
“Fine. I’d marry Alexander. Kill Theron and—” She winced.
“Lie.”
“No, wait,” she cried. “You confused me. I meant I’d marry Alexander. I’d kill Sebastian, and I’d fuck Theron.” Her hand jerked, spasming with pain.
“Lie.”
“No!”
Wow, this girl really didn’t like to admit defeat.
“I’d marry Theron, fuck Alexander, and fuck— Fine!” She flung the stone, making half the crowd duck.
It was my friends’ turn to high-five me.
“As punishment for saying you’d kill them, give Sebastian and Theron a little smooch.” I puckered my lips, blowing kisses at her reddening face. “Make it all better.”
“Leave me out of it,” Theron muttered.
“I’d kill you, Eirene trash.” Sirena didn’t take her eyes off me as she drained her drink. “Without hesitating.”
“Keep your fantasies to yourself— Actually, don’t. My next question is, what’s your deep, darkest sexual fantasy?”
“Oooh, yeah,” someone hooted. “Finally, this is getting good.”
Sirena’s nostrils flared. She didn’t make a move for the verity stone Theron held out to her. “No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said no. That question is beneath the dignity of Hera’s heir. I will not answer it.” That nose couldn’t be up higher in the air if she sprouted wings and flew. “Ask another one.”
I looked at Theron in disbelief. “Is she for real? Can she just refuse like that?”
“Yeah. Cowards do it all the time.”
“Watch yourself, Zervas.” Sirena shot to her feet. “There’s a difference between cowardice and dignity. This freak already admitted to having an obsessive, deluded sexual crush on me—”
“That was a lie!”
“—I’m not about to feed into her fixation. Why is she so interested in my sex life anyway? Disgusting.”
“You’re so right, Sirena,” Cora agreed. “So nasty to ask a woman that in front of all these people.”
“Gross.”
“Freak.”
“Stalker.”
My jaw clenched with every insult her cronies threw at me. “This obvious move to try and force me to change the question would work if you hadn’t literally started the game by asking creepy questions about my sex life,” I said, calm as could be. “Either answer the question or admit you’re a coward who can dish it out but can’t take it.”
The look she gave me would’ve exploded my head if she had the power. I was lucky she didn’t. Looking from me, to the crowd, and back to me, I saw her realize that I wasn’t going to back down.
“Okay, Sisyphean.” She snatched the verity stone. “My deepest fantasy is to participate in an orgy, and you’re not getting any more details than that, you deluded freak. So?” She shook the stone. “Am I lying?”
I studied her. There was a whole lot of hatred and rage, but— “Truth.”
Thus began the most intense, harrowing drinking game of my entire life. I thought I’d been sweating, having hundreds of pairs of eyes follow me through the streets of New York City, knowing they were all whispering about the crazy teenage axe murderer.
The game got more and more vicious and personal the deeper we went. The party had all but stopped. No one cared about skinny-dipping, dancing, or drinking when the future queen of Olympia was getting her ass handed to her by a Sisyphean nobody.
“What’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?” Sirena barked.
She was barking everything by that point. She was down to two full mugs, while I had four. None of us had taken a punishment so far because each was more disgusting than the last. Sirena gave me the option to piss myself, and I told her to lick the slimy green algae off the lake rocks.
Fact was, I had the best mom in the world and never went through a rebellious phase. Why, when Mom was usually right there with me, kicking off the trouble? There wasn’t much for me to be ashamed or embarrassed about in my life—although she kept hunting for something—which left me zero reason to lie.
Sirena, on the other hand, had a reputation she was entirely too fond of, and she kept lying rather than telling the truth about the first person she gave a blow job, her most embarrassing act, or her deepest insecurity.
One thing was sure. Win or lose, Sirena would never challenge me to this game again.
“My worst lie. I shoplifted lip gloss from a store on a dare. My mom found it, asked where I got it, and I lied and said a friend bought it for me.” I tossed the rock from hand to hand—smug as hell and loving it. I winked. “Am I lying?”
“Truth,” she gritted.
“My turn.” I tossed her the stone. “Sirena, why do you keep lying and telling people you’re going to marry Alexander Damien when you know he isn’t the least bit interested in you?”
Her expression changed.
I dove for the ground, hitting the dirt as a wyvern claw swiped the spot I’d been in, knocking the mugs from the table in a shower of ale and glass.
“Game over.”
Ionna, Daciana, and Theron helped me up as Sirena grabbed Alex’s hand and stormed off, taking her harpy parade with her. The crowd quickly dispersed with nothing more to see.
“Dare I ask who won?” Daciana put me on my feet and dusted me off.
“We won,” Ionna said. “Aella put herself through that so Sirena couldn’t force us away like Sisypheans don’t have the same right to be here as she does. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone put her in her place.” She bumped hips with me. “Well done.”
“Thanks, but it doesn’t feel like a victory.” I squeezed Daciana’s hand. “She didn’t apologize to you or agree to back off about the dresses.”
“That’s okay. A pack doesn’t have to win every fight. They just have to fight together.” She reached for Theron’s hand too. “Thank you. To have one pack is a right. To have two is an honor.”
“That’s what we do.” Ionna pulled us all in for a hug. “We’re friends. We stand up for each other. Always.”
Over her shoulder, my smile melted away. I had friends. Two best friends in the whole world. They said all the same things too.
Doesn’t matter if Ionna means it or not. You’re here to rescue Mom. When she’s free, we’re going home. Getting our lives back.
Movement caught my eye.
Alex had broken away from Sirena and made for the tree line. He met my eyes before disappearing into the shadows.
“You guys go and enjoy yourself now,” I heard myself say. “I’m going to find Dimitri, buy that River Lethe stuff, and try to forget that the entire class now knows I’m a booger-eating virgin.”
Laughing, they sent me off.
Casual as ever, I slipped into the trees twenty feet from where Alex did, calling Nitsa’s name. Anyone listening or looking should think I was searching for my friend. Only when the party noise faded did I give up the ruse.
Veering right, I picked up the search for Alex. I wished there’d been a chance to discuss exactly where we’d be meeting. It’d been such a bizarre start to our first date. I was ready to fall into his arms while he told me I looked beautiful and kissed me until the world spun.
A gnarled branch of a dryad stuck her head out from behind a tree, glaring at me.
“I don’t like you much either,” I muttered, “but can I get points for not kissing you?”
She hissed.
“Fine. Then what if I said I will kiss you unless you tell me where I can find the handsome, young, powerful demigod that’s waiting somewhere close by?”
I was expecting the stick that bounced off my forehead. “Have it your way.”
“Your handsome man is that way.”
I tripped over my feet. Struggling to right myself, I gaped at the unattractive nymph speaking with the most attractive, clear voice. I thought they only screeched and hissed.
“He waits for you.” She pointed. “Gods know why. You’re no prize.”
“Thank you so much,” I forced through clenched teeth. “Have a lovely evening.”
I continued on, thoughts returning to Alex. I was talking about him when I said there was someone around the table that I wanted to have sex with. Wild that I’d have such a strong attraction to him so soon and after everything I’d been through.
My trust should be shattered pieces on a sinking ship, falling farther out of reach. It should... but not with Alex. There was nothing false in the way he touched me or the look in his eyes when he looked at me and only me.
I missed out on all the things that made Punishment or Penalty such a scandalous game. There was nothing for me to hide because there was nothing for me to say.
I couldn’t wait for Alex to change that.
A twig snapped, pausing me in my tracks.
“About time.”
Grinning, I rounded a large oak tree and quickly darted back. Pressing against the bark, I peered around the barest inch—breath catching in my throat as Sebastian Barba grabbed some kid’s collar and shoved him against a tree.
“I’m sure you have my money, Omiros, because you wouldn’t dare come here without it.”
A shiver climbed my spine, forcing me lower. That voice. His expression. This Sebastian was nothing like the smirking flirt I met earlier that day.
“I—I—I—I have it, Sebastian.” Shaky hands tried to reach into his pocket. “All of it, but—but—this is all the money my parents gave me. I won’t have any more to pay you next time.”
“And that’s my problem? Pay or don’t pay. It’s you who’ll regret it, not me.” Sebastian snatched the coin purse out of his pocket himself. “Want to hear something you won’t want to believe? There are at least three dead souls in every room, hallway, and dark corner of this castle, and they all report to me.” He erased the scant distance, drawing taller as Omiros shrank. “So if you don’t want the livings finding out your little secret, you’ll have my money on time. In full.”
“Y-y-yes, Sebastian.”
“Leave.”
Omiros ran off, blowing past without seeing me in the shadows.
I stepped out.
“You can stop counting your money—”
Sebastian turned to me, expression nowhere near shocked or guilty.
“—and hand it to me,” I finished.
“And a very merry evening to you, Vanda. Trixie said you were here, but I wasn’t expecting a robbery.”
“I can’t steal what’s stolen.”
“Where’s that written?”
“I’m giving the money back to Omiros,” I snapped.
He cocked a brow. “Are you now? That would quite defeat the purpose.”
“What purpose?” I ran up on him, shooting that brow higher. “Scaring, bullying, and blackmailing people! Just when I was thinking you couldn’t be more of an asshole.”
“Whoa,” he cried. “Hold on. Blackmailing? How dare you accuse me of such a thing? I wasn’t blackmailing him.”
I rocked back, folding my arms. “Oh no? Then what would you call what just happened?”
“Simple. I know something about him that he doesn’t want getting out, and he has to pay me to keep quiet.”
“That’s what blackmail is,” I forced through gritted teeth.
“Is it? Huh.” He shrugged. “Then yeah, I am blackmailing him. You mortals have funny words for things. What does extortion have to do with mail? And why would the color of it matter?”
It was everything I could do not to punch in that smirk. “Is everything a joke to you? What’s wrong with you, Barba? We’ve been here two whole days and you’re making people’s lives a misery. Omiros gave you all the money he had. What do you expect him to do?”
“I expect him to get creative.” He shook the coin purse at me. “I did.”
“Give it to me now.”
He laughed. “Look around you, half-mortal. Where do you think you are? Commands are nothing without power.” His forehead pressed against mine. “What’s your power, Aella Vanda? Is it the ability to make me give you this money?”
I held still, face blank. I couldn’t be certain, but there was less mocking in that question and more... something else.
“Didn’t think so.” His tone tightened my jaw. “Want to know what my power can do? It’ll make you turn around and walk away, forgetting what you saw.” He stepped around, circling me. “All I have to do is tell you Trixie listened to your conversation in the bathroom this morning and told me everything.”
Roaring sounded in my ears. No, please no.
“You and Alexander Damien?” His laugh grated on my ears. “Never in a century would I have thought the golden boy had it in him. Consorting not just with a half-mortal, but a Sisyphean at that?
“He’s right, you know. His father would be none too pleased if he found out about the two of you or that you’re both working to spring a monster trap.” He hummed, shaking his head. “Still trying to figure out what that means, but you could save me the trouble and tell me.”
My glare answered that question.
“Will you kill him now?” Selene demanded. “By now, if you claim you do not want him dead as much as me, you’re lying.”
“No? Oh well.” He balanced such a perfect tone of menace and amusement. “Doesn’t much matter. I’m sure Trixie will find out soon enough. What does matter is that I have business in this academy, and my Hell Boys and I are going to carry out that business with no interference from you or your secret lover. I know this because I have the power of your secrets, my darling.”
He halted in front of me—smiling, though gods knew why. “Now I’ve shown you mine. You show me yours.”
I tipped my chin. “There’s nothing for me to show,” I said lightly. “My kisses calm people. They don’t make them into better people. I don’t have the power to force you to give up the money.”
Sebastian brushed past me to leave.
“But I bet the headmaster does.”
He ground to a halt.
“Since Trixie was listening—fuck her, by the way—she heard Alexander tell me the story of Lysandros and what Headmaster Drakos did to make sure there was never a repeat. Titans aren’t supposed to talk to Sisypheans, so what’s he going to say when I tell him you’re blackmailing one?”
Slowly, stiffly, he turned. Sebastian wasn’t smiling anymore.
“Theron and Nitsa said something strange at the placement. Rumors about you having a power that lets you hide from spies. But it’s not your spies that are the problem. It’s the council’s,” I said. “I assume they keep a close eye on every demigod with ‘powers that can topple kingdoms.’”
His eyes narrowed, but his lips didn’t move.
“There are only five children of Hades in Olympia, and my friends didn’t know a thing about four of them until you all walked through the gates. I’ve been wondering about you like you’ve been wondering about me,” I said, drawing closer. “Mostly, I’m curious to know why someone who’s figured out a way to hide from the law would suddenly voluntarily surrender for military service?”
Sebastian lifted his shoulders as his mouth turned down. “I want to do my duty. I hate monsters as much as the next demigod.”
“He lies, but you know this. You’re doing well, girl. Now, deliver the killing blow.”
I tried to push her voice out of my head. “We both know that’s not it. You’re here for a reason.” I pointed at the coin purse. “Hard to make money when you’re living in a cave, drinking your own urine and enjoying the company of fleas.”
“I imagine so. You must tell me all about it sometime.”
“Oooh,” I crowed, chuckling. “Someone’s losing their fake smirky, my darling act. How ironic that you don’t like your secrets picked at.”
His fingers went white, clutching the purse. “Whatever you think you know—”
“What I know is that you and the Hell Boys are pushing a little too hard to make money. Announcing your powers are for sale at the placement. Letting your best and sluttiest salesman loose on the school. Inviting Sisypheans to a Titan party, even though that was never going to turn out well, and now I catch you blackmailing scared little novices in the woods.
“Whatever it is you’re up to, and whatever you need the money for, I’m going to bet the last thing you want is Headmaster Drakos to stop you. You—”
“What do you want?”
I made a noise in my throat. “Wow. Just like that? Not going to deny it?”
“We don’t have time for that,” he snapped, glancing over my shoulder. “Damien figured you got lost and is coming this way, looking for you. What will it take to keep you from talking to Drakos?”
“You don’t tell a soul, living or dead, about me, where I’m from, Alexander, or what we’re searching for. You also stop blackmailing people,” I said. “If they want to buy your flowers and rocks, fine. Alex says everyone sells their gifts. But no forcing or scaring people.”
“Hmm.” Sebastian’s expression changed. “You’re saying I shouldn’t extort novices to keep their secrets quiet. I should be selling their secrets to the people who want to know them.”
“Wait, no—”
He snapped his fingers. “That’s genius, Vanda. Like you said, I’m entitled to sell my gift same as every demigod. Why use threats and force when there are plenty who’ll happily part with their coin to know what’s whispered in my ear?”
“That isn’t what I—”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.” He clapped my palm, shaking it firmly. “I won’t tell a soul, living or dead, your secrets, and you won’t tell a soul that I’m selling everyone else’s.”
“Excellent. We won’t have to kill him after all.” Selene never sounded more pleased. “Well done, child. Fate has chosen my devious, sly champion well.”
“I’m not devious!”
“No, you’re better. I’m fairly certain you just gave me the key to millions. I’ll drain this academy of drachmas in a month. The opposite of blackmail,” he said to himself, walking off. “Must be another thing common in the mortal dominion. I bet you call it whitemail or something strange like that.”
“Will you stop talking over me and wait?” I ran out in front of him, forcing him to plant his feet. “That is not what I meant and you know it. People’s private business is their business. It’s not for you to sell. If you do, I’ll—”
“Tsk, tsk. Careful, Vanda,” he said, shaking his head. “We came to a civilized deal. If you finish that sentence the way I think you were, then it’s you doing the blackmail.”
“Aella?” Alex’s voice broke through the trees.
“But it’s not right,” I hissed—torn between running to Alex and stopping Sebastian. “You know it isn’t. Come on, Barba. I’m not threatening you. I’m asking you not to do this. No amount of money is worth it. I don’t care what your power is. Other people’s secrets aren’t yours to sell.”
The corner of his mouth curled up. “Well, that depends entirely on the secret, doesn’t it?”
“Aella? Aella, can you hear me?”
“Some women might believe it’s their business to know if they’re tumbling the most evil, dangerous, Janus-faced bastard that ever walked the earth.” Sebastian turned his head toward Alexander’s stomping and calling. “They’d want to know if they made the biggest mistake of their life falling for that toothy grin and sweet words and if there’s any chance of running far enough to escape that monster’s grip.”
“What are you talking about?” I rasped. “You don’t mean Alex. You can’t be talking about him.”
“Who else would I be talking about,” he growled. Oh yes, the smirky, sly guy was gone. “Alexander Damien is the worst, most vile person you’ll ever meet in this life or the next.”
“Aella?” Alex called. “Call if you can hear me.”
“But you wouldn’t want to know why from me,” Sebastian said softly, slipping into the trees. “Other people’s secrets aren’t mine to tell.”
“Aella, there you are.” Alex shoved between the bark, running to me. That grin knocked me back. It was so bright and happy. “Finally,” he whispered, taking me into his arms. “We’re alone.”