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)
Ares looks like she wants to shoot to her feet and only barely manages to resist the urge. “I don’t understand what Circe’s doing. It’s been days, and she hasn’t moved or attempted communication. If she’s going to invade, why hasn’t she done it already? If she’s going to threaten us, she has to make contact to do that.”
“It’s rather brilliant.” Athena doesn’t say it like it’s a compliment. More like it makes her furious. “The entire damned city can see her squadron just floating there, threatening us. The longer they do it, the worse the fear will become. She’s softening us up, just like she’s been doing from the beginning. First with that damned family, then with the murder of the last Theseus and her pet assassins continuing to rile up the general population. It might not be textbook, but it’s close enough. She’s ensuring that when she sets foot in Olympus, there will be as little fight as possible.”
“She’ll find plenty of fight from me and mine,” Ares practically growls.
“Not without a vote for war,” Artemis snaps. “Which you didn’t have the majority vote on last night and sure as fuck don’t today.”
Athena ignores her and keeps speaking. “Fear is a useful tool and Circe obviously knows how to wield it. Don’t underestimate that.” She pushes to her feet. “Now, as lovely as this meeting that has accomplished nothing has been, Demeter and I have an evacuation to oversee and people to call back. We might not have forces, but if we can conscript citizens—”
“We need a vote for that. As Artemis so helpfully pointed out, we don’t have it. Unless one of you who voted against war have changed your mind?” Zeus speaks for the first time since demanding a report. When no one speaks to say they’ll change their vote, he nods. “In that case, we evacuate everyone. I don’t give a fuck if some of the people try to volunteer. They’re civilians and should be treated as such. Get them out of here. Ares, I want you to start patrols. Work with Poseidon to set up some kind of schedule to supplement his sentries along the coastline. When Circe finally does move, I want to hear about it the moment it happens, not when they’re knocking down our doors.”
“If I—”
He keeps speaking over his sister. “Maybe at that point, the people in this room will stop prioritizing petty politics over the good of the city.”
Ares looks like she wants to fight with her brother but finally nods. “I’ll see it done.” She rises, and she and Athena leave the room together, shoulder to shoulder. They’ll be getting in contact with me later for the sentry schedule apparently. I look around the room, but there’s no peace to be had. Artemis glares at Zeus as if she’d like nothing more than to just shove him through a window. Aphrodite and Hephaestus speak in low voices. Dionysus appears to be taking a nap.
I guess the meeting is over. I haven’t formed much of an opinion on our new Hephaestus—aside from xe being more capable than Theseus was in the position—but xe was right. There had to be a more efficient way of communication that didn’t require all of us to travel to Dodona Tower.
My gaze catches on hazel eyes and stops there. Hera jerks her chin slightly, a clear command. I rise and walk out of the room, taking the elevator down one floor to where her offices are. From what I hear, she doesn’t spend much time in them, preferring the orphanage she’s recently renovated, but the door unlocks under my hand. I don’t have to wait long for her to arrive.
“The evacuations aren’t enough. You have to know that.”
I nod slowly, but can’t help pointing out, “We’d be doing more than evacuating civilians if you’d voted in favor of war.” I’d like to believe that getting the people out of the city is enough, that we might have a way to be victorious if we aren’t worried about civilian casualties, but the longer this goes on, the more I wonder. Circe has outmaneuvered us at every available opportunity. I can’t imagine that now that we’re in new territory, with Olympus facing a threat from outside our walls for the first time in the city’s history, we’ll suddenly turn the tables on her. It’s possible Icarus has information that might undermine her, but it’s even more likely that we’re past the point when information will actually matter.
We’re about to have a fight on our hands.
And we can’t even get organized enough to vote on meeting that fight head-on. Circe will be at our gates—if we had gates—and the Thirteen will still be squabbling.
Hera moves to the window and peers out before lowering the blinds. “I spoke to Circe. She wasn’t willing to discuss terms over the phone, but she will in person. Tonight.”