I don’t say it. Even if they believed me, both of them would name me a fool for very different reasons. Mother never let something as mundane as emotions get in the way of her plans and ambitions. And Eros? The only thing Eros offered me was safety and sex. Nothing softer, nothing more.
“Because I am choosing the method of my revenge.” That, at least, she should understand.
She finally nods. “I don’t like it, but I will abide by your wishes in this.” She points at Eros. “With the caveat that if something harms my daughter, I will burn your legacy to ash.”
“Noted.”
“I would like you to set up a meeting for me with Poseidon.” I’d do it myself, but I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen him at events in the last year, and even before then, he never did much mingling at Zeus’s parties. If I show up to the shipyard without an invitation, I doubt I’ll be able to get access to him.
Not to mention Poseidon notoriously loathes Eros, so there will be no help on that front.
Her brows snap together. “Poseidon? Your time would be better spent focusing on Hades or Zeus. Poseidon doesn’t like power games.”
I know. That’s what I’m counting on. He mostly stays out of the intrigue native to the Thirteen, but he’s a legacy title and carries the heft of power that brings. My mother has unique access to him because she handles feeding Olympus. While most of the food itself comes from the land surrounding the city, there are certain things that simply can’t be homegrown. Poseidon is in charge of imports and exports, one of the few who can come and go from Olympus as he pleases. It’s resulted in a decent working relationship between him and my mother.
We need both Poseidon and Hades in our corner before we circle back to Zeus. “Please, Mother.”
She finally nods. “I’ll see it done, though I can’t promise it will be speedy. The man likes to dodge my calls when he can manage it.”
“I’m sure you’re more than capable of pinning him down.”
“Of course I am.” She rises. “Now, I have an event to finish getting ready for. You know where the door is.” She pauses. “Thank you for telling me, Psyche.”
“You can thank me by tossing out the negotiations with Zeus.”
She gives me a tight smile and disappears down the hallway leading toward the master bedroom. I don’t exactly breathe a sigh of relief when she’s out of sight, but some of the fight goes out of me. I turn to Eros. “I—”
“We’ll talk in the car.” He jerks his chin at something over my shoulder, and I turn to find Callisto standing there.
I tense, half expecting her to threaten Eros like everyone else in my life seems to. But she turns a hard look at me. “Is it true? Mother’s still got her eye on Hera for one of us?”
I swallow hard. “Yes, but—”
“Don’t tell me that she’ll back off. We both know she won’t. If that situation with Persephone wasn’t enough to dissuade her, nothing you do or say will.” She flicks her fingers at Eros. “He’s a monster, but he’s no Hades.”
“Thanks,” he mutters.
“Callisto, we’ll figure it out.”
Her lips curve, but her eyes stay oh so cold. She crosses to me and grips my shoulders. “You and Persephone have been taking care of us long enough. I’ll handle this.”
True fear slashes through me. “You can’t kill him.”
“I know.” She squeezes my shoulders and drops her hands.
“But—”
“Worry about yourself, Psyche. If Aphrodite lays one finger on you, I’ll make what happened to the last Zeus look like a gentle death.” She turns and walks away.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“This is bad.”
“Psyche.” Eros waits for me to look at him. “You can’t fight every battle at once. We have to prioritize, and right now we have more pressing things to worry about than your mother’s potential marriage plans for your sisters. You can chase this down after we deal with Aphrodite.”
He’s right. I know he’s right. But releasing years’ worth of responsibility and worry is easier said than done. I’ve always worked with Persephone to manage Callisto’s anger, to protect Eurydice from the worst Olympus has to offer. Letting that go is terrifying in a completely different way than dealing with Aphrodite.
But I allow Eros to steer me to the elevator and then through the lobby and out onto the street. I have to trust that my sister knows what she’s doing and that she isn’t about to land us in even deeper water.
I really, really hope Callisto proves that trust is founded. If she doesn’t, we’re in for a whole lot of trouble.
29
Eros
I take Psyche home. There’s nothing else to be done tonight, and she looks as rattled as I feel. I honestly expected Zeus to step in. Zeus is—was—a friend. I should have known better than to expect that to mean something in this godsdamned city.
We have laws for a reason, though, and everyone knows what happened the last time a member of the Thirteen turned against another. The last Hades—and his wife—were murdered, leading to thirty years of Olympus assuming that title had disappeared entirely. Those deaths were the reason we have the law against killing one another in the first place. It’s supposed to safeguard both titles and their families.
It’s supposed to mean that if anyone violates it, the full weight of the other members of the Thirteen will come down on them.
Admittedly, that would mean I’d see consequences for my part in my mother’s schemes, but it’s a small price to pay to ensure Psyche stays safe.
Strange how my priorities have shifted so much in such a short time.
I glance over to where my wife is staring out the window with a contemplative look on her face. Or maybe not so strange at all. I’m a selfish bastard. She matters to me, so of course I don’t want her harmed. It’s as simple and complicated as that.
When we make it up to my penthouse, Psyche slows in the entranceway and stares at the statue for a long moment. “My plan might not work. If Zeus and the others admit that Aphrodite did this, then they have to deal with it, and it’s much easier to look the other way.”
I walk up behind her and slip my arms around her waist, gently pulling her back to rest against my chest. “Hades will help you.”
“I know. My sister will ensure that.” She sighs. “But ultimately Hades is one man. Even with my mother involved, that’s two of thirteen. Those aren’t winning odds, no matter which way you look at it.”
She’s right. I close my eyes and inhale her cookie scent. We have to make this work. My mother is smart and savvy and ambitious, but when she has her sights set on someone, she becomes obsessed to the point where she sees nothing else. She will back down if we can get enough members of the Thirteen in our corner. I believe that. I have to believe that. But… “If our plan fails, I’ll take care of it.” No matter what means are necessary. I don’t want to. Fuck, I don’t want it to get to that point, but I won’t let her hurt Psyche. That is my line in the sand, the one I will not cross, no matter who else pays the price. Even if it means I pay the price.
Psyche turns in my arms and clenches my shirt in her fists. “No, Eros. I won’t let you do that. Not even if it means my life.”
She’s serious. Her sincerity is written there on her pretty face. Gods, this woman kills me. I pull her closer, as if the press of her body against mine is enough to banish my dark thoughts. It doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t work. I let out a bitter laugh. “I lose regardless.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you figured it out, Psyche? I care about you. Losing you will hurt me.”
She shakes her head. “You’re just saying that.”
“No, I’m not.” I take a slow breath and rest my forehead against hers. “When I’m with you, I feel human. I flat out fucking feel. Do you understand what that means for a person like me? I thought those parts were dead and buried so deep that they’d never see light again. I had to cut them down in order to continue to do the things required of me.”
“Eros…”