11

11

Cassandra

Minos has invited quite the eclectic mix of people. I sip my wine and study them situated around the long banquet table. Minos sits at the head of it, his foster sons Theseus and the Minotaur on either side. It’s interesting that he’s blocked himself off from his guests, but he obviously has a plan. His two children, Ariadne and Icarus, are here of course, practiced smiles in place. The last member of his people, though not of his family, is a plus-sized woman with light-brown skin and luxurious wavy black hair who sits next to Theseus and has a delightfully loud laugh that carries all the way down the table. I don’t know what she’s laughing at, because it’s certainly not something Theseus is saying.

There are six members of the Thirteen here, most with plus-ones. Apollo, of course, sitting on my right. We saw Hermes, Dionysus, and Aphrodite earlier. But he’s also invited Hephaestus and Artemis. They’re cousins, both from legacy families, and both very much not on board with some of the waves the new Zeus has been making. If I were going to try to drive a wedge into the Thirteen, they’re where I’d start. The foundation is already there.

But then why invite the others? Hermes plays her own games, and she always has. Aphrodite might like starting shit, but she’s never going to side against her brother. I still don’t quite understand Apollo and Zeus’s relationship, but he wants what’s best for Olympus and right now he feels that Zeus is the way to that.

Then there are the true surprises.

I glance to the group clustered at the end of the table around Minos’s son. Pan and Adonis chat easily with a third person I recognize from school. Atalanta is an athletic Black woman with a scarred face and locs spilling down around her shoulders. Plus-ones for Dionysus, Aphrodite, and Artemis, respectively. If everyone is bringing dates or friends, I suppose that’s not outside the realm of expectation.

But the gorgeous woman with light-brown skin and long, dark hair and the handsome white man with their heads close together across the table from him? Them I did not anticipate. Eurydice Dimitriou and Charon Ariti. Best guess, they’re here representing Demeter’s and Hades’s interests, respectively, but I can’t believe either Persephone or Demeter agreed to allow Eurydice into what could potentially be a dangerous event. They’ve worked hard to keep her as sheltered as someone can be in Olympus.

I ignore the flicker of jealousy the thought brings. Demeter might be a political monster, but no one with the tiniest bit of intelligence doubts that she loves her daughters. It’s a different kind of love than most people experience, perhaps, but it’s there all the same.

Apollo shifts closer and my foolish heart picks up as he leans down and speaks directly into my ear. “Eurydice is a surprise.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“I need to speak with her.”

That strange flicker of jealousy threatens to ignite, but I do my best to dowse it. If Apollo is interested in Eurydice, it’s not my business. In another week, I won’t even be in the city.

I nod. “She’s a wild card.” The others, I can hazard guesses as to why they’d be present, though I’ll need a little time to fine-tune those suppositions. There are several powerful people heavily invested in keeping Eurydice tucked away from the rest of Olympus. Her being here doesn’t make sense.

The problem with having a table full of this many people is that Minos and his foster sons might as well be in a different room. I can’t hear anything they’re saying. Ariadne on my other side is entirely wrapped up in some story Hermes and Dionysus weave across the table from us. I catch something about a scooter chase, but I’m not sure I need to hear more. Hermes and Dionysus might play jesters in public, but they’re too smart to give away any kind of information without intending to.

Still… Can’t hurt to try. We didn’t manage to find the security room in our predinner explorations, though we did map out a portion of the downstairs floor plan.

Dionysus laughs uproariously as Hermes wraps up the story. I wait a beat and then lean forward, all interest and intent. “Is it true this used to be your house, Hermes?”

“Guilty as charged.” Her smile warms several degrees when she looks at me. It was that warmth that first attracted me to her. So much about her is farce, but when she enjoys a person’s company, she doesn’t pretend otherwise. “But I’m a city creature right down to my soul. It’s a shame to let such a lovely place waste away beneath dust and sheets, so when our friend Minos mentioned he was interested in purchasing a home, I offered mine up.”

Our friend Minos.

I have to fight not to narrow my eyes. There’s a bit of an ironic lilt to those words. There’s absolutely no way that Hermes considers Minos a friend; he’s far too similar to the last Zeus, and I’m intimately acquainted on her thoughts about him.

My voice comes out too sharp. “I would have thought a house owned by the vaunted Hermes would be less mundane.”

Dionysus coughs into his cloth napkin, almost managing to cover up his laugh. “She called you mundane, love. Fighting words if I ever heard them.”

“Cassandra does love a fight.” The warmth on Hermes’s face doesn’t fade, though her expression goes crafty in a way that used to thrill me. It usually meant a whole lot of fun or pleasure in the future—often both. Now it just makes me wonder what she’s hiding.

“Hermes—”

“You know me.” She doesn’t quite sink insinuation into the words, but it’s a near thing. “What would make you think I’m the type of person to just hand away my secrets for free? If you suspect there’s more to this house…go find it.”

I don’t have a chance to come up with a suitable response, which is just as well. In all the time I’ve known Hermes, I’ve never managed to outwit her, and I highly doubt I’m going to start tonight. She as much as admitted there’s something to find, but it would also be just like her to pretend this house held great secrets, only for me to discover it’s just as mundane as it appears to be. With Hermes, you can really go either way.

The table falls silent as Minos stands. He smiles at us, his gaze seeming to meet each person’s in turn. Neat trick. He’s had some public-speaking training because he manages to project his voice to the whole room without seeming to lift it at all. “Thank you for honoring me by attending this event. I hope you’ll indulge me further tonight with a little game.” His smile warms.

Gods, he’s good at this. We saw it a bit at dinner the other night, but I hadn’t realized how good. He’s holding the entire room enraptured. Even Dionysus has stopped nudging Hermes with his elbow and is focused entirely on Minos.

He spreads his hands. “Through the back door, you’ll find a hedge maze. I’ve left a little something in the center for whoever gets there first.”

A hedge maze.

I can’t help glancing at Theseus and the Minotaur. The second Ares trial was a maze, and it was the trial that eliminated Theseus—and was responsible for his current limp. Surely it’s left bad memories? Especially with Atalanta here, another competitor in that tournament. I can’t tell from his expression. He seems to permanently glower at everyone except the woman with the boisterous laugh at this side, and even she only gets a small curve of his lips in response.

Another look around the table shows that we’re missing Ariadne and Icarus, who must have slipped out at some point. I frown. It makes sense that Minos’s children wouldn’t participate, but he seems the type to care about appearances and so he’ll want to keep his family and people close.

Everyone starts standing, and Apollo is quick to pull out my chair. He presses his hand to the small of my back and guides me along with the stream of people out of the room and down the hall to the French doors leading to the backyard.

Dionysus huffs out a laugh as we follow a winding path through carefully curated trees to the entrance of a tall hedge maze. “Really, Hermes?”

Hermes shrugs. “It seemed romantic at the time. Turns out it’s just creepy.”

“Imagine that,” he says drily. “You came out here at night, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. What’s the point of a hedge maze if you can’t explore it at night and look for ghosts?”

Aphrodite laughs. “Don’t tell me you believe in ghosts.”

“Everyone should believe in ghosts.”

I lean harder against Apollo. “We’re playing?” With everyone occupied, it might be a good idea to use this opportunity to continue exploring without worrying about running into someone who’s going to ask questions.

He nods. “Minos isn’t really giving us an option.” He smiles suddenly, making me rock back on my high heels. “Besides, I think we have a solid shot at winning.”

I eye the tall hedges. “I hope you’re not expecting me to pull a Helen and climb these.” It was how she passed the second trial, in a feat of athleticism that had even me cheering at my television. Not that I’ll admit as much to anyone. Ever.

“No.” Amusement warms his voice. “I’ll keep you by my side.”

Minos finally reaches the backyard, a basket in his hands. Where did he pick up that? “There are several entrances around the edge of the maze, all with equal chance to reach the center. You will pick your partners from this.” He shakes the basket. “The first pair to reach the center gets the prize contained there. My household will, of course, not be playing. Hermes has also agreed to sit out, seeing as how she’d have an unfair advantage.”

This whole thing is so weird. Maybe weeklong parties and group games were the norm a few centuries ago, but they hardly are now. Even in Olympus. It’s also strange that he said household instead of children. Not that it matters, but this entire situation is like a puzzle I don’t have a map for. I can’t even see the edges properly. It bothers me.

It’s not until we start stepping forward to pick names that I realize the new pitfall. I won’t be paired with Apollo. It’s so statistically unlikely as to be laughable.

Apollo dips his hand into the basket and comes out with a piece of card stock. “Eurydice.”

That horrible jealous feeling surges. I can feel eyes on me as I fight to keep any evidence from my face. Why would I be bothered that my fake boyfriend is pairing with the lovely youngest Dimitriou daughter?

I bet Demeter would fall all over herself to approve a marriage between them.

I shake my head, trying to focus. It doesn’t matter. I will keep repeating that to myself as many times as I have to in order to make it stick. Apollo being paired with Eurydice is honestly a great move for him because it will give him a chance to figure out what she’s doing here. It stands to reason that Hades wouldn’t trust the rest of the Thirteen to sniff out Minos’s plans, but that only explains Charon’s presence. Not Eurydice. No matter what I considered earlier, I don’t believe for a second that Demeter actually sent this daughter as her representative.

“Cassandra.”

I jolt at the sound of my name in a familiar voice.

Dionysus smiles at me faintly. “You’re my partner, love.”

Of all the options, he’s probably the least offensive. Only a fool would underestimate him, but it’s not a bad way to pass the time.

Everyone else picks their partners up quickly. I get a dark sliver of amusement when Aphrodite steps forward, forcing Minos to look up at her. She pairs with Pan. Artemis is with Adonis. Atalanta is with Charon. And Hephaestus is left as the odd man out, given the choice to compete on his own or sit this one out.

He surveys the group and shakes his head. “I’ll pass.”

“Very well.” Minos turns to the rest of us. “Let’s begin.”

It takes about fifteen minutes to actually begin. As Minos said, there are several entrances—I’d bet six—around the perimeter of the maze. Dionysus and I end up near the rear, far away from the lights of the house. There are cleverly lit lanterns periodically placed, but the shadows reign supreme in this area.

He twirls his mustache contemplatively as he looks around. He’s wearing a remarkably simple suit for once, a plaid that’s so low-contrast it looks black in the darkness. “Maybe Hermes wasn’t far off with the talk of ghosts.”

I fight down a shiver. I don’t believe in ghosts, but there’s something truly eerie about this place. Like we’ve somehow stepped out of time. Or maybe we’ll reach the center of the maze to discover the body of one of the guests. “Ghosts aren’t real.”

“That’s what ghosts want you to believe.” With that confounding statement, a bell chimes in the distance. Our signal to start. He offers his arm with a flourish. “Can’t be easy walking in the grass and gravel with those.” Dionysus peers down at my feet. “You look absolutely devastating, by the way. A stone-cold fox.”

If he were anyone else, I’d bristle at the compliment and start looking for the barbs hiding beneath. But Dionysus is as free with compliments as he is with affection—at least to those he enjoys. If he doesn’t like a person, that charming wit turns downright lethal.

I try for a smile. “Thanks.” I will absolutely not admit that my feet are killing me. I’m truly not used to spike heels, no matter what I told Apollo.

The hedge walls close in on us as soon as we step through. I can hear low voices in the distance, but the maze distorts them, giving them an alien quality. I shiver. “Hermes would have a damned hedge maze in her backyard.”

“She’s fond of the dramatic, yes.” We take a turn and then another, coming up against a dead end.

I should be asking about what he knows of Minos, but that isn’t the first question that springs from my lips. “Everyone has a plus-one except Hermes and Hephaestus.”

“Oh, he does. He’s sharing Atalanta with Artemis. Kinky.”

I give him the look that comment deserves. “Now you’re just being preposterous. Everyone knows Atalanta is too smart to get caught up in some family drama with those two.”

“Not everyone, love. Just you.” He squeezes my arm. “You have a knack for seeing what’s really there instead of what the peacocks want you to see.”

“Dionysus, you’re one of the peacocks.”

He chuckles. “And a splendid one at that.”

If I don’t rein this in, the conversation will spiral. I take a deep breath. “And Hermes’s plus-one?”

“Surely you’re not jealous when you have Apollo chasing you around with hearts in his eyes?”

I snort. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“Now you’re just trying to hurt my feelings.” We move deeper into the maze, hitting another few dead ends. Gods, this is going to take forever. Dionysus hums a little. “Hermes had someone coming to the party. I think?” He shakes his head. “No, I’m certain of it. They were supposed to be here for dinner. I wonder what happened with that? She was all secret smiles about the surprise.”

A shiver cascades down my spine. It could be nothing. Hermes isn’t exactly fickle, but she pivots easily and often. “Are you sure she didn’t change her mind?”

“As sure as I am of anything.” He peers at the high hedge walls. “Maybe they were murdered and we’re going to find them at the center of the maze. This is beginning to feel like one of those kinds of parties.”

I don’t like how his words mirror my earlier thoughts. “Surely Minos wouldn’t start a murder spree. What could he possibly gain out of it?”

“That’s for smart people like you to figure out. I’m just here for the free booze.” Dionysus gives a mournful sigh. “On that note, I wish Minos had parlor games among the plans tonight. There’s top-shelf liquor in the parlor.”

As if Dionysus doesn’t have the best alcohol and drugs Olympus has to offer in his warehouses. Like all the Thirteen, he’s disgustingly rich. Calling him out on his lie won’t earn me any favors, though. “Maybe tomorrow.”

We walk around a few more turns before he answers. “I doubt I’ll be so lucky. I imagine most of the events are like this. He’ll likely force us to double up for them, too.”

To what aim? Most of the people invited already know each other. There won’t be any new alliances coming between Hephaestus and Artemis and the others. Minos isn’t using tonight to network, not when his household isn’t participating…

I stop short and Dionysus nearly drags me before he stops, too. I look up at him. “Is he trying to marry off his children?” It would make sense. All of the Thirteen present are unmarried. If he couldn’t secure one of his sons as Ares, a marriage to a member of the Thirteen wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.

It’s what most of the legacy families already do, after all.

“Maybe.” He shrugs. “Good luck with that. I’m not in the market for a spouse.”

“Not now or not ever?” It’s not my business. I know Dionysus is asexual, but I can’t remember him ever dating anyone, either. Maybe he’s also aromantic. Which, again, none of my business. Still, he brought it up so I can’t help saying, “You brought Pan to the party.”

“He’s a friend and potential business partner. Nothing more.” He shrugs. “I’m not overly interested at this juncture. I don’t see that changing.”

“Well, I guess Minos should let that ship sail, then.”

“Yep.” We start walking again. I can’t tell if we’re headed toward the center of the maze or just getting hopelessly lost. I’m so busy trying to figure it out, I almost miss Dionysus’s next words. “But let’s not talk about my romantic life when yours is right there and oh so juicy.” He tugs me into a dead end and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Spill, dear Cassandra. Tell me every little sordid detail.”

This is it. The first real test of this experience. Dionysus knows me well enough to know my reasons for never wanting to publicly date a member of the Thirteen. I can’t say I’ve changed my mind without a good reason. No one will believe that, let alone him.

I take a deep breath and prepare to lie.