Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“I want a meeting with Circe. How do I contact her?”
“Hera!” Poseidon roars.
I ignore him, keeping my attention on her. “So abrupt.” The more I speak, the smoother my tone becomes. I know how to do this. How to flirt and charm and take everything while giving the bare minimum. I have at least some of the knowledge she needs, and while I’m obviously not immune to torture, blunt doesn’t seem to be this Hera’s style. “You’re not even going to buy me breakfast first?”
She flicks her long dark hair over one shoulder. On anyone else, the move might seem flirtatious. With this woman, it’s a threat. “As I’m sure you’re aware, I don’t have time to waste with this song and dance. If I have to drag you out of here by your hair, then I will. Your father had a way to contact Circe. How did he do it?”
This, at least I have the answer to. I shrug. “It’s this deliriously clever device called the telephone. You should try it sometime.”
“You do have a quick mouth, don’t you?” She moves closer to me, and even with the new clothing now covering my body, I somehow get the sensation that she sees my wounds. I barely have a moment to tense before she grabs the back of my neck and presses her hand to my chest. Hard.
It happens so quickly, there is no bracing for it. Agony sends me to my knees, and Hera follows me down, bending to keep the pressure on my wound. “Let’s try this again, shall we?” Her voice is perfectly even while I’m fighting not to scream. “How do I contact Circe?”
“That’s enough.” Just like that, it ends. Hera’s still in front of me, still gripping the back of my neck, but the hand causing me so much pain has been removed. Poseidon has his fingers wrapped around her wrist, and he holds her touch several precious inches away from me. “Let him go.”
“I knew you were soft, but I didn’t think you were suicidal.” He releases her so she can rise to her feet and take two cautious steps backward. Somehow, it doesn’t look like a retreat when she does it, but more like a recalculation. Hera examines her wrist. “I should kill you for that.”
I don’t miss the way Poseidon half steps in front of me, shielding me with his large body. “I didn’t hurt you, and you know it. I simply stopped you from hurting him.” For all his firm words, his finger has started that tapping on his thigh again. “Icarus.”
I jolt. Has he ever said my name before? Surely he has. And yet it feels different this time. It feels, somehow, like he’s reached out and touched me. Dangerous. Ill-advised. I know better than to fall for the good-cop, bad-cop act. I’m not entirely certain Poseidon has the duplicity to pull off that sort of ruse, but I can’t entirely rule it out. It’s possible they’re manipulating me. I have to keep that in the back of my mind.
Poseidon glances over his shoulder at me. “Do you have her number?”
“It’s hardly something my father would just give out.”
He narrows his amber eyes. “So you do have it.”
Dammit, I thought that non-answer might distract him. But then again, pain is making me slow, swirling my thoughts as if they were molasses. If I give them Circe’s number, what use do they have for me?
No, I can’t afford to think like that. Circe is hardly going to entertain a compromise at this stage of the game. I don’t know her overly well, but I know enough of the moves she’s made to be sure of that. Giving them the phone number ensures they continue to believe I have information they need. They’ll call her and be shut down immediately, and then they’ll come back to me for more. This is the right move. I’m sure of it.
I stagger to my feet, ignoring the way Poseidon starts to reach out to help me. “Fine. You can have it.” I rattle it off, watching as Hera wastes no time pulling a phone out and typing in the number. I half expect her to make the call right then and there, but she slips her phone back into the pocket of her dress and nods.
“Lovely. I’ll be in contact.” She turns and sweeps from the room, and a few seconds later the front door slams to signify her exit. It’s the only outward sign of her anger. Surprising that she’d allow even that much on display. Interesting.
But I’ll consider that more when I’ve rested. Right now, I’m swaying on my feet. I start to take a step but my body won’t cooperate. Poseidon catching my elbow is the only thing that keeps me off the floor. His expression is downright forbidding as he studies me. “You’re supposed to be in bed.”