Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“Right down to business. Good.” Hera props a hip against the kitchen counter. “You have to know this is unacceptable. The number of casualties we’re looking at is astronomical. When we missed our first window, I was of the belief that we’d work together to create the proper timeline. Obviously that’s not the case. Unless you can give me a legitimate solution—today—I’m pulling the plug on this whole mess.”
At this point, she’s welcome to it. But if she interferes overtly, then what little time I have left of Minos assuming that I’m still on his leash is over. That means things will get ugly. Fast. “We’re working on a solution.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying from the beginning. You stalled about the blueprints, and now Minos is in a frenzy to get results. Isn’t that right?” She looks from me to Ariadne and back again. “This is a mess of your own making. Clean it up, or I’ll do it for you. You don’t want that. Trust me.”
“Hera.” Ariadne takes a step forward but stops when I hook a hand into the back of her jeans. I don’t want her closer to that woman than she has to be. Today Hera is dressed in a gray pantsuit that’s fitted enough to not be able to hide a gun, but that doesn’t mean I trust that she isn’t hiding a weapon somewhere. Whatever leverage we might’ve had in our favor is quickly diminishing. At this point, if she thought it would serve her purposes, I wouldn’t put it past her to see us dead.
For the first time, I am really fucking glad Ariadne is on the outs with her father. And that she’s given all the information she has to the Olympians already. It ensures her value to them has already been spent. They might not have any reason to actively keep her safe beyond a promise, but they have no reason to hurt her, either.
Yet.
Hera gives her a cold look. “You have done very little but waste my time. I sincerely hope you’re not about to ask me a question that will waste more of it. You know the terms of our deal. If you don’t uphold your end of it, don’t expect me to uphold mine.”
It occurs to me that the way she’s speaking seems to indicate that she has no idea the offer Dionysus made Ariadne. It’s just as well. It’s hard to threaten someone when they’re miles and miles away. The Thirteen are more than capable of committing harm in the countryside—and so is Minos—but soon they’ll have bigger things to worry about.
I could offer Hera information about the barrier, but she has a vested interest in keeping it up, and that outcome is unacceptable. That shit is coming down.
Ariadne swallows hard. “I understand. We’ll figure out a way through this. Today.”
“You’d better.”
I give Hera a long look. “You could’ve just called. You didn’t have to sprint down here in those ridiculous fucking heels to threaten us when we already know the stakes. Now who’s wasting time?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Minotaur.” She starts to turn away. “I was down the street when Dionysus came to me. I decided it would behoove me to have this conversation face-to-face. I need your solution by tonight or the deal is off.”
We watch her walk away and listen to the front door slam. Ariadne opens her mouth, but I hold up my hand. After a quick internal debate, I say, “Where’s the bathroom?”
“The bathroom?” When I just stare, she shrugs and leads the way down the hall to a bathroom nearly the size of the apartment I’m keeping. Holy fuck, but this place is ridiculous.
I grip her elbow and guide her to stand next to the shower. “Give me a minute.” I move around the room, turning on the fan as well as both sink faucets and all three of the showerheads. In a normal bathroom, that would be enough, but the sound barely fills in space. With a muttered curse, I flip off the sinks. “The shower.”
“Asterion, there isn’t a waking hour that I don’t want you, but now is not the time to be fucking in the shower.”
“In. Now.” I pull off my clothes and step into the large space. It’s like everything else about this apartment. Wasteful. After a couple seconds of cursing creatively, Ariadne follows me. I pull her close, and as tempting as it is to forget the reason why we’re here, I force myself to keep on task. “We can’t run to the countryside. We need to be here, in the city proper.”
If it was possible to get through the barrier in the countryside, that’s where Minos and Circe would’ve attacked. It’s all farmland out there. Easy enough to march an army right through…except for the mountains. Olympus sits in a valley between mountains and sea. I don’t think anyone has been trying to excavate the mountains, but as best we can tell, the barrier slices right through them.