Page 26 of Dark Gods
"What do you want me to do to her?" she asked warily.
"Nothing. I just need you to gain her trust. Learn as much about her and report back to me." My gaze softened and I cupped her face in my hand. She melted immediately. "Can you do that for me, Ariadne?"
"Of course I can," she said urgently.
"Good girl." I tucked the pouch into the pocket of her blazer and sent her off. She staggered a little, looking back at me forlornly.
If I had a soul, I probably would have felt sorry for her. I knew that lovesick look well enough, but that ship had sailed a long time ago. The closest thing to love I was capable of was what I felt toward the other members of the Triad, and even that was a fickle, changeable thing that ebbed and flowed like the tide. Some days I hated them just like I hated everyone else, but never quite as much as I hated myself. That was the grand irony of it all, but Kore... she was unique. She was mine by the law of the gods, or very soon would be, which made her just close enough to me to despise with the same fervor I usually directed inward--and distant enough to get some voyeuristic enjoyment out of her downfall.
And shewouldfall. They all did sooner or later. She was just putting up more of a fight than I'd expected, according to my sources. I'd never had to lift a finger on a Hunt before, but for her, I just might make an exception if she proved interesting enough.
Only time would tell, and in the meantime, I was going to enjoy watching from afar.
"You really think she's going to fall for the mole?" Loki asked lazily, all but melted into the couch with one long leg sprawled over the back and his left arm dangling off.
"You overestimate our Rabbit," I told him, taking another drink.
"And if you underestimate her?"
"Then we'll up the ante," I said with a shrug.
"Are you collecting intel to better torment her with, or because you're curious?" he challenged.
I bristled in irritation, mostly because there was some truth to his assumption. For all his flaws, Loki was perceptive. It was the main reason I kept him around. That and his father being Headmaster provided certain advantages to the group. Even as first years, we'd ruled the Academy and now all that was left was to enjoy the spoils of victory. Kore's dignity would be my finest prize yet.
"You're the one who went to visit her. If anyone's curious, I'd say it's you."
He looked over and the surprise on his face told me he hadn't expected the revelation. "Since when are you spying on me?"
"I'm watching her. Did you really think I wouldn't notice you sniffing around?"
He snorted, closing his eyes once more. "You know she's not my type."
"Bullshit. Your type is anything with a pulse."
He gave a breathy chuckle and sank deeper into the nest of pillows behind him. "We share women all the time. What makes her different?"
"She's my fiancée, for one thing."
"Ah, yes. Your future Queen," he said in a mockingly serious tone. "She mustn't be defiled."
I shot him a glare he was too stoned to notice. "I mean it, Loki. She's off limits, even to you."
His eyes finally slid open, more lucid than I'd given him credit for. He rose from his lazy perch and leaned in to put a hand on my shoulder. "You're like a brother to me, Hades."
"You've tried to kill your brother on more than one occasion," I reminded him.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Bygones and semantics. I'm not going to deflower your virgin Queen, but might I suggest that if your interest in herisanything more than political, you call all this off before irreparable damage is done. We can find another Rabbit, the semester's only just begun."
"No," I growled, tightening my grip on the neck of the meade flask. "Not until she's learned her place."
Loki gave a weary sigh and patted my shoulder before sauntering off. "Suit yourself." He raised his hands at the door. "Let the Games begin!"
A whoop of victory went up around the room even though the others didn't have a bloody clue what he was talking about. I rolled my eyes and went back to my drinking. It had become the only thing that made the droll day to day routine of the Academy remotely tolerable, but that was about to change.
13
Kore
