Page 7 of Deadly Games
“Really?” I scoffed. “We’re talking about Olympus here. Besides, it wasn’t exactly a good deed.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was the bastard offspring of a runaway goddess and a frost giant my father killed,” I answered. “If it wasn’t for my mother, I’m sure he would have happily left me to die, and he’s been reminding me of the sacrifice ever since.”
“Loki, I… I don’t know what to say,” she murmured, her eyes softening with sympathy. If she was anyone else, I wouldn’t have hesitated to use that pity to my advantage. Pity, desire, none of it really mattered. They were all just switches that made the puppets so easy to manipulate, but her…
“That would be a first,” I said wryly.
She gave me a halfhearted glare. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “Just seemed like you needed to hear you’re not the only one with fucked up parentage.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice low with sincerity I’d never heard in it before. Certainly not directed at me. When she looked at me like that, her eyes the color of every verdant thing on Earth, I could understand why Hades was so smitten. I just wasn’t sure if either of them realized it yet.
“Anytime,” I said, nodding to her.
“If you two are done with your little heart to heart, we need to talk,” Hades said, striding over in his usual “I don’t give a fuck but I’m coming to harass you anyway” manner.
“Such as?” Kore asked, her countenance hardening immediately.
“Namely, why the fuck your dad brought us here,” said Hades. “Let’s start there.”
“He’s not my dad,” she snapped. “I don’t know him anymore than you do.”
“He must have told you something,” Hades pressed. I wasn’t sure if he actually thought this was the best way to get the information out of her or he just couldn’t help himself. Probably a combination of both.
“Yeah, he did. And considering the fact that it involvesyourdad, I think you’re the one who owes me an explanation.”
Hades frowned. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Please don’t start,” I groaned, pressing a hand to my temple.
They both ignored me and Kore continued, “You must know the reason your father banished him.”
“Of course I do,” he answered without hesitation. “He was a traitor. Everyone knows that.”
“So goes one of the many rumors and conspiracy theories,” Kore countered.
Hades’ eyes narrowed. He hated his old man more than anyone, but he was still a prideful fucker and to top it off, he didn’t seem to be able to help disagreeing with Kore. She could have said the sky was blue and he would have disagreed with her on principle. “And you’re implying what?”
“I’m not implying anything,” she answered, standing toe to toe with him in a way gods twice her size were unwilling to do. “That would beimplyingI give a shit about you or your father, which I don’t.”
“That’s funny, considering the fact that you wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for me.”
“That’s enough!” I snapped. “Both of you.” I turned to Kore, since she was a more likely prospect for reason, if not by much. “Did Ares say something about Cronus?”
“Yes,” she answered, growing somber. “He said Cronus framed him.”
“Of course he did,” Hades laughed, shaking his head. He was condescension in a flesh suit. “And you believe him.”
“I have no reason to believe him, and even less to believe your father,” she said sharply. “Paranoia and capriciousness sounds enough like him.”
Hades’ eyes narrowed, even though he’d said far worse about the man than that over breakfast. “Watch your mouth,” he said through gritted teeth. “You’re still bound to me.”
“And from the way Ares tells it, you’re bound to me,” she countered, staring up at him in defiance. It was hot as hell when she got all feisty like this, but at the moment, I was too concerned about the ramifications of them fighting on Ares’ territory to enjoy it.
Hades rolled his eyes, but he’d seemed far less certain when we were alone. “More bullshit he cooked up to delude you, and it’s obviously working.”
