Page 11 of A Contemporary Mythos Thanksgiving
I chewed on my lip, contemplating my next words before speaking. “Beyond anything we know. Maybe we take that at face value. It could mean the war won’t take placehere.”
Poseidon and Cordelia exchanged uncomfortable glances.
“Alright, let’s say a wariscoming with someone or something. Are we in a place to handle that? Prepared for it?” Zeus asked.
“Not in the slightest,” Hades quipped.
Stephanie scooted forward. “Individually, I believe everyone is, but when’s the last time everyone worked as a team? It’s an entirely different dynamic.”
A warm smile tugged at Hades’s lips, and he patted his queen’s hand.
Zeus nodded, his sapphire gaze focused on the warbles on the marble floor. “I hope it’ll come back to us quickly, but we’re lacking the means to strategize without knowing the stakes. I’ll summon Ares and Athena tomorrow to get their insight.”
“There’s not much more we can proactively plan for without knowing anything, butsomethingwill happen. We don’t even know the when or where of it.” Hades slipped his hand over Steph’s, interlacing their fingers.
“Agreed. Everyone is to keep eyes and ears open. And I do mean everyone.” Zeus panned his eyes between the Underworld and sea queens.
Poseidon cleared his throat, pressing a fist over his mouth. “Before we start into the festivities, there is one matter we wanted to bring up to you, Zeus.”
Zeus raised a single brow. “I’m listening.”
“It’s about Rhode.” Cordelia gulped and lifted her chin.
“Have you found her?” I asked, my voice raising an octave.
“We have. She’s in 18th-century Jamaica. Atlantis somehow transported her back in time.” Poseidon’s jaw flexed.
“That’s—” Zeus started rubbing his thumb and index finger together. “Problematic.”
“It was. Until Hephaistos revealed to us, he has a device to direct time travel.” Cordelia bounced in her seat.
Zeus rubbed his chin, his steely gaze focused on his older brother. “What exactly are you asking of me?”
“We’ve been planning for months. Developing contingency plans, ensuring the safety of the seas and all creatures within it in our absence, and—”
“Absence?” Zeus’s brow shot up.
Cordelia nodded, her eyes glistening with impending tears. “We hoped you’d give us leave to retrieve our daughter, Zeus. Wewilluphold our duties while we’re gone. We’ve made sure of it.”
The Zeus I first met would’ve immediately roared a denial. But this version, the authentic version, mulled it over with a set jaw and tapping finger.
“How long would this take?” Zeus’s demanding gaze fixed on them.
“We have no idea. Hopefully no more than a week. We knowwhenshe is, but there’s still the matter of finding her when we’re there.” Poseidon curled Cordelia to his side.
“Find your daughter. You have my blessing. But if this supposed war erupts, I expect you to answer my call—immediately.” Blue lightning flashed in the sky above us, Zeus slamming his finger to the table with extra emphasis. “Understood?”
Relief flushed Cordelia’s face, and she slid a hand over her mouth, squelching her tears, and instead, laughed.
“Yes, brother. You call for us while we’re there, and we’ll answer to it.” Poseidon stood and extended his arm to Zeus.
The two god-king brothers locked arms, sealing the agreement.
“Now that business is taken care of, for the time being. I do believe the Queen has conjured quite the spread.” Zeus grinned down at me and displayed his hand at the table.
Pushing to my feet, I waved my fingers toward the center, producing the steamy, golden turkey. “Happy Turkey Day.”
My fellow queens smiled brightly, and within moments, the table became a chaotic cacophony of bowls passing, sloshing sounds, and laughter.
