Chapter 40

40

SELENE

T he rain didn’t stop all night, and the arrival of a pale gray sky was the only indication morning had arrived. I stood in the archway, skirt whipping around my legs. The lycanthrope was somewhere out there in his human form now. He’d have to take shelter from the rain while he slept, and I wondered if he’d return to the building where he’d kept Hestia. If only the rain would stop for a time, I could go in search of him.

Ares came up beside me. He tucked his hands into his trouser pockets, a contemplative expression softening his features. “Someone has been very clever.”

I looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

“Did you get a good sniff of him?”

“Who, the wolf?” I feigned curiosity, but I already knew where he was going with this. With the rain and the blood, I’d hoped no one would notice. But we were vampires. The scent of smell was one of our strengths.

“He smelled distinctly human. Nothing like an animal at all. My guess is this is part of some larger plot against us. The mortals found a way to rebel against their vampire kings and queens, and they sent that creature to the island knowing we’d all be here at the same time. Easiest way to take out your enemies? Wait until they’re all in the same spot.”

“That is definitely an interesting theory,” was all I could manage.

“You don’t seem surprised by it.”

“I already had a similar thought. And I even asked Orpheus about it. He swore on my mother’s grave he knew nothing about it.”

I had to tread carefully here, to keep the focus off Troy while not being dismissive enough to raise suspicions. Ares surprised me by steering the conversation in an entirely different direction.

“I want to tell you something, but it can’t be here. Come to my rooms with me?”

My heart pounded. The idea of being alone with him again made me feel unsteady, but not because I didn’t want to be there. It was because I very much did . And that scared me.

But the curiosity to know what he had to say drove me onward. “All right, I’ll come to hear whatever is on your mind. But I’m not staying.”

With a sad smile, he brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. His hand brushed against my cheek, and I found myself leaning into it. “I don’t expect you to stay. Not after you hear my truth.”

B ack in Ares’s rooms, he motioned me to take one of the settees while he took the one directly opposite it, then he poured us both chalices of wine. He seemed far more on edge than usual, and for once, I could see clear signs that his nerves were getting the better of him. There was a slight shake in his hand as he leaned forward and passed me the chalice.

I put it down on the table in front of me before taking a sip. “You’re starting to worry me. What’s going on, Ares?”

The skin around his jaw tightened, and he glanced away. “You told me something earlier. About your fate.”

I nodded. “That’s what this is about? It’s made you wary of me, I’m assuming. And you want to tell me that we can’t be…allies. You don’t have to look so worried about it. I knew you’d feel that way. It’s why I told you in the first place. It’s for the best.”

“No.” He ground out the word, lifting his eyes to meet mine. He looked so unexpectedly tortured . “I was also given a fate, Selene. From Atropos.”

“Oh. And yours…”

“Is connected to you,” he finished, glancing at his closed door. “Well, specifically, it’s about the daughter of someone . And it’s someone whose name I doubt you want me to say out loud. I don’t think anyone is listening outside that door, but you can never be certain in a place like this. Especially after everything that’s happened these past few days.”

I swallowed, my heart pounding. We were dancing close to that line again, confirming the suspicions he’d only hinted at thus far. But despite feeling worried he knew the truth about my family, I was relieved. Atropos had told him who my father was, not someone else. That meant, hopefully, none of the other monarchs knew.

“You’re being very cryptic,” I said, after taking a few moments to gather my thoughts. “What did Atropos say about this daughter of someone ?”

Ares smiled sadly. “She told me I was fated to kill her.”

I blinked and sat back. “Oh.”

I was surprised, though I really oughtn’t be. The Fates had told me I was fated to live or die by Ares’s hand, and they’d told him the same. The only difference was, they’d informed him of the outcome. It was just…secretly, I’d begun to hope I’d misinterpreted it somehow. That there was another explanation. That it was one of the others and not him.

But I’d been right all along. It was Ares.

Abruptly, I stood, holding back the tears that blurred the corners of my eyes. “Why haven’t you done it then, Ares? Why do I still live?”

He gazed at me across the table, unflinching. “Because I don’t want to kill you.” He stood. “When I’m with you, I’m so focused on you that everything else melts away. You’re beautiful and cunning and strong. And you would do anything to protect your people. I am truly mesmerized by you, Selene.”

I’m mesmerized by you, too.

Breathing became difficult. I stared at Ares, wondering if I was dreaming. He, of all people, couldn’t feel this way about me. He’d tried to kill me.

And then he’d saved me.

Again and again, he had been there, despite knowing our fate.

“I don’t understand,” I said, my hands fisting. “You can’t change what we are to one another. You said it yourself.”

“I know. And it’s a cruel twist of fate that you can never be mine.”

“You can’t mean that,” I said, more insistently. “Even without our fate, we’re nothing alike. You’re loyal to Erebus and allied with Zeus. And that means you believe in his ways. The marketplaces. The breeding. The cruel punishments for the mortals who try to escape. My mother told me about the Bull. You should realize by now that those things are against everything I stand for. The humans are my people, too, and I will protect them with my life.”

Something flashed in his eyes. “And you believe I’m just like Zeus? That’s what you think of me?”

I looked away. My chest ached with the warring emotions that were battling for dominance. Why did this have to be so hard? None of this was supposed to have happened. None of it .

“I don’t know,” I said hoarsely. “But I think you’re loyal to him, which isn’t any better. It means you stand aside and let him do all those horrible things. And in this world, if you don’t condemn the cruel, that just makes you one of them.”

“Says the newest High Queen of Troy, who fell in line the instant Zeus snapped his fingers. You willingly came to this island without complaint.”

I gave him a wry smile. “And I see now that was a mistake.”

Without another word, I downed the rest of my wine and made for the door. Ares watched me, speechless. I’d already opened the door and had one foot in the hallway when he called after me.

“I know you’re thinking about going up against Zeus, Selene. You’re clearly a trained fighter, but I’ve never met anyone who stood a chance against him. He has a strength and power none of us possess. Be careful.”

I smiled. “I don’t know why you’re so worried. You’re the one who’s going to kill me, remember?”

D espite what I’d said to Ares, I didn’t plan on making an attempt on Zeus’s life tonight. My life wasn’t what I was worried about. It was the lives of all the mortals back in Troy. My fate said nothing about captivity, and if I lost my fight against Zeus, he might very well throw me in his dungeons. That left no one to protect my people. He would invade and claim my crown. Everyone would end up in chains, cages, or worse.

When I dragged myself into my rooms, I found a coded note from Orpheus. He hadn’t been able to get to the sacrifices yet, but he would try again. Sighing, I climbed straight into bed. The past few days had left me drained, and I needed sleep to rejuvenate myself.

Sleep came easily, though my dreams were full of darkness and death. My mother’s song echoed through my head, but the roar of fearful screams soon drowned it out. When I awoke, I was sweating profusely, and strands of my hair were plastered to my face. My heart was pounding, and it took me several moments for me to calm my breathing.

And then Hector poked me in the cheek.

“Ouch,” I said, rubbing my chin. “What was that for?”

He flew over to the boards that covered the windows and pecked. Three times.

Frowning, I climbed from bed and padded over to the window. Pressing my ear to the wood, I held my breath, fearing what I might hear. But there was nothing but silence. Sweet, sweet silence.

“The rain has stopped,” I murmured, my heart lifting.

This was good, though I wished it had waited until dawn. I could emerge from the palace and hunt for the lycanthrope now, but so could all the other vampires. And together, they would no doubt rip the beast to shreds.

I needed to talk to him first.

Quickly, I dressed, pulling on the same trousers as the night before. This time, I didn’t bother with the skirt. Everyone knew I was armored now, and a skirt would only impede my movement if I needed to fight. After jotting down a few notes in my journal, I hastened for the megaron.

The room was empty. Wine glasses and dirtied plates were scattered everywhere, and no one had bothered to remove the leftover food from last night’s feast. Several loaves of bread remained, along with chunks of meat and cheese. Flies buzzed around it.

Voices sounded from nearby. I backtracked into the corridor and found the vampires hovering by the archway, staring out into the courtyard. Every face was tense.

Dion was near the back, fidgeting with the bottom of his ruffled shirt.

“What’s going on?” I asked him.

He winced. “The wolf is out there again. Zeus wants you to lure him inside.”

“He wants me to what ?” I hissed.

Dion’s face paled. “It’s that dagger you have. Zeus thinks the wolf won’t come any nearer because it knows you have it in the building. So he wants you to go outside, pretend to drop the thing, and then run back inside. He thinks the wolf will follow you.”

“That is a terrible idea,” I whispered.

The lycanthropes were feral in this form, and I didn’t know to what extent. They couldn’t control their bloodlust, but I didn’t know if they would actually attack someone they knew. If he really was one of Medea’s creations, that meant he was a citizen of my kingdom. He would know me. And a mortal of Troy would never attack his queen.

If I went outside and the beast refused to attack me, Zeus would wonder why. It wouldn’t take long for him to connect the dots.

“There’s no room for negotiation.” Zeus’s booming voice nearly made me jump. The monarchs parted to reveal him sitting near the steps. He rose from his chair, turning toward me. “It’s a blood moon tonight. Again. And there’s not a cloud in the sky. You’re going outside, Selene. And if you argue, I will collect your advisor from his quarters, and I’ll toss him out there instead.” He smiled when I flinched. “So what’ll be?”