89. Hermes Hive
Poseidon found the entire affair with Athena exceedingly frustrating.
For months after her treachery was revealed, she had sequestered herself in her most monastic temple.
The priestesses were unsmiling, unattractive and reclusive.
The few he encountered wore frumpy layers of white sheets, their hair was held away in severe buns, and veils covered the lower half of their faces.
Other than bowing as he walked past, they stayed clear of him, not even stealing glances at his face.
And to think he had chosen a particularly handsome appearance today.
Irritation rising, he hastened his pace and made it past the final bend that opened to a secluded courtyard.
Dressed in similar white attire, Athena sat alone beneath the swaying shade of a wisteria tree. A wide scroll was spread like a mat before her, and at her sides incense burners released coils of smoke that shifted in the soft breeze.
There was no halo. No exaggerated beauty.
Today, she wore her real face, the plain one that bore the tattoos of the death priestesses as they once were.
The thick lines travelled from beneath her ears, looped over both cheeks and met at the bridge of her nose.
There was a scar on her forehead, a branding that held a damning sentence.
To leave such an appearance exposed, she must have come to the end of herself or was planning something particularly sinister.
He settled on the grass across from her and folded his legs. She continued to ignore him, her eyes trailing lines of text as her lips moved soundlessly.
"Your sulking is childish," Poseidon said, breaking the silence. "He made you suffer the thorns for a mere day. That's blatant favouritism."
Not even a twitch in response. If anything, she appeared serene as she continued reading. But now was not the time for serenity. Something was off, a wrongness he couldn't shake off, and it pained him greatly that she was the only one he could safely bring his fears to.
"The Fate of Heroes is a few days away. I learned you recently withdrew your intended contenders."
She finally replied, tone flat with detachment. "I wish to be a mere observer this time, game master."
Silence stretched again, the soft rustling of the leaves its only interruption.
"I didn't do it," Poseidon said, finally dragging the ignored truth into the light. "You must know I knew nothing of the other death priestesses. Someone is planning something and has dragged me into a scheme I know nothing of."
Silence.
"You know I speak the truth." His words came out harsher than he intended, but her blatant disregard was beginning to grate on his patience. "And stop this juvenile sulking."
Athena looked up then, blinking at him as though she were seeing him for the first time.
"I know," she said quietly.
"Know what?"
"I know that you did not betray me."
"Then why are you here?" Poseidon spat, frustration swelling. "Why are you hiding? Why did you say nothing?"
"Demeter hates you enough to dare to deceive Zeus." Her voice hardened. "I was disgraced—humiliated. My position was stolen from me because I joined hands with you."
How tedious. "Now it's my fault? You just said I had nothing to do with this. Staying away for so long kept me from—"
"I've had months to think about it," she continued, the heat draining from her voice. "Months to reflect on where I miscalculated. Everything... everything points back to you. If I had not let you into my plans, I would have retained my place of glory."
"You have no way of knowing that." She loved ridiculing him, dishing barbed words in layers of staggered insults. Now she resorted to shameless blame games. Though he itched for a fight, he was clear-headed enough to remember he needed her.
"You are the most hated among the gods. I was naive to join hands with one who never sanitises his affairs."
She unrolled more of the scroll, her focus returning to the tiny lines.
"Demeter included me in her strike against you because I held your hand. It's you, Poseidon. You are my biggest mistake."
For a blinding moment, the urge to strike her clear off the courtyard yanked at his senses. But he gripped his knees tighter, forcing himself not to forget why he came here in the first place.
Releasing a long breath, he forced a smile. "I admit my foolishness. I made too many enemies. But can I be blamed? Why care about the hurt feelings of those beneath me? After Zeus, I alone hold the greatest power on—"
"Oh, please." She chuffed, her focus still on the scroll. "Did you forget my brother Ares? How about dear uncle Hades? Our family—"
"Listen, you stupid bitch," Poseidon thundered in her face, his cool erupting into boiling rage. "Can't you see? Something is off. Zeus is completely bewitched by Demeter, unable to use his senses. That soulless doll merely tolerated the old man, but now she embraces him for all to see."
Athena scowled as some fire returned to her dull eyes.
"Yes." Poseidon leaned back, his burst of rage quickly cooling.
"While you hid in your little hole of shame, she succeeded in seducing him and growing comfortable on the seat you once possessed."
He laughed bitterly. That stiff, vengeful woman.
Every time he saw her beam at Zeus, sitting on his lap and even playing with his beard, he was overcome by rage and bitter jealousy.
Emotions that previously came in scarce bursts now flooded in, cooking his head.
Was this an extended version of her revenge?
After taking his son from him, she made him a partner in her so-called uncovered treason.
What worried him more was his inability to find her angle.
How would she strike? He was ashamed that his worry was beginning to cost him sleep, one of the few mortal activities he still enjoyed.
The bitch was too vindictive, and she pursued vengeance with a patient dedication that unnerved him.
Poseidon was not one to regret, but he was beginning to wish he had kept his hands to himself that day.
Or not. He had taken by force what the old man snivelled and begged for.
It was a rare victory over Zeus he would forever relish.
Whatever plan to bring him down will fail, starting with his son.
He will get Akrivi and take her as well—make her kiss his feet for slivers of his attention.
"It always circles back to you, Poseidon." More fire had returned to Athena's eyes. "If you had stayed away from Demeter, all this wouldn't have happened."
"Your hypocrisy stinks, Athena." He fixed her with a glare of his own. "Remember the songs you permitted at your temples when I put her in her place? Have you forgotten the parties you threw for half a year! The satirical plays? Now that I think of it, she may also have aimed her vengeance at you."
Athena returned her focus to her scroll, but her eyes weren't as dead as they first appeared. "Why are you here? Word of advice: associating with a treasonous leper such as myself is unwise for someone of your high position."
Poseidon huffed. "Stop being difficult."
She glared at him. "Difficult? Quickly state your business and get out of my temple."
"Help me find my son."
"No," she spat.
"What do you want in exchange?"
"Nothing from a man sinking in the quicksand of his enemies."
"Hah!" Poseidon slid a hand down his face, fighting for patience. Physically attacking Athena would achieve nothing but more resistance. There must be something she wanted. A desire she couldn't hide. Or something he could hold over her head.
"Since you wouldn't speak." She waved, and the scroll rolled shut as she rose.
"I will do it."
"Do whatever you wish. It's none of my concern." She snuffed out the incense with her fingers and waved them out of sight.
"I will tell him."
She slowly straightened.
"Your plans for Phorcys' daughter and Zeus' son. What was his name? Perseus? I will tell Zeus everything. Petrification. The war. The monolith veins. Everything."
"You..." She glared at him. "You idiot."
The lovely way her face contorted. All that trembling. Such a robust show of raw emotions. He must have struck a fat nerve and triggered real terror.
He gestured around nonchalantly. "I see your ambition more clearly than Zeus. But unlike him, I deeply... deeply admire it."
After all, he had been the only commander Athena approached after her denunciation.
The ambition in her eyes and how well she hid it when he presented her before Zeus had been fascinating to observe.
Zeus assumed he had taught Athena a lesson with the thistles and demotion, but the fires of her ambition were not so weak as to be put out by such limp efforts.
He stood. "It pains me to use this underhanded method, but you said it yourself. I am sinking."
She continued to glare at him.
"We have both come so far." He embraced her and stroked the back of her head. "I will never betray you if you remain loyal to our long, enduring history."
She stood stiffly in his arms. A pity he had never felt a lick of attraction for her. Now would have been a good time to add some charm and seal their reunion with some good body heat.
"Surely you understand the plight of a sinking man. Hmm?"
She still said nothing, but Poseidon knew he had already won her over.
"Help me, please." He pecked her cheek and leaned back with his hands resting on her shoulders. "This may be hard to believe, but I want you to be happy," he said softly. "I want you to fulfil those glorious, ambitious dreams, and I want to be part of the Cosmolith you create."
She didn't stop glaring.
"Come on." He gently squeezed her shoulders. "What do you say?"
Shrugging off his grip, she spat, "Fine."
Akrivi knocked twice, waited for three breaths and knocked twice again.
The slot slid open, revealing pitch black.
He held up a gold coin. A grunt, and the door opened, revealing darkness.
His night vision kicked in. Though the ability wasn't perfect, he had honed it to the point of finding his way without counting his steps.