Page 166 of A Touch of Chaos

Persephone sat up a little straighter when the heroes were announced and Ajax walked onto the field. He was hard to miss with his dark hair and large frame. She and Apollo both stood, twisting their hands in the air at the wrists—which was the sign for applause.

Ajax grinned and waved back.

Persephone recognized other heroes from the Panhellenic Games, including Hector, Anastasia, and Cynisca—all loyal to the gods because they had been chosen by the gods.

The heroes were followed by the mortal competitors, and once they were all positioned on the field, Aphrodite rose and approached a podium located a few feet away from where the gods had assembled.

She looked beautiful, dressed in white and pearls, though the sun beat down on her, igniting her like a flame. Her gaze seemed to linger on Hephaestus. Persephone glanced at him and saw that he was gripping the arms of his stone chair. It made the veins and muscles in his arms bulge.

“For centuries, our people have honored the dead through sport. Today, we carry on that tradition by celebrating the lives of Adonis, my favored, Tyche, the Goddess of Fortune, Hypnos, the God of Sleep, and the one hundred and thirty lives lost during the attack by Triad on Talaria Stadium.”

A tense silence followed.

Aphrodite’s commentary on the Talaria Stadium attack was a painful reminder for many, includingPersephone, who had not only witnessed the explosion that took so many lives but also fought to protect other innocent people. In the process, she had been shot, and while she had successfully healed herself, she would never forget the pain of the blast or the way Hades had reacted.

It was in those moments that she saw his true darkness.

But Triad could not deny the attack, because they had taken credit for it, defaulting to their usual argument: Where are your gods now? The argument was an excuse for violence and ignored the fact that the godshadbeen there, and they had fought—hard—but to no avail.

“Today we honor those whose lives were cut short by Triad, whose volatile actions only prove they have the freedom and free will they so often demand.”

Her words were met with guttural boos and angry shouts.

“It is evident to me that fairness has escaped you,” she continued, her voice rising above the noise. “For if such a thing existed, none who had a hand in these deaths would breathe the free air.”

Persephone shivered, and Hades’s hand squeezed hers.

Despite Aphrodite’s words pointing out the hypocrisy of Triad, Persephone knew it was not enough to win back favor from mortals because the gods were no better. She was no better, though she had started her career pointing out similar hypocrisies; except then, no one had cared, not until Theseus had established himself as a viable leader.

And while Persephone could acknowledge that the Olympians were not the best, they were the lesser oftwo evils.

“Let the games begin,” Aphrodite said.

A horn sounded, marking the start of the games.

Aphrodite returned to her seat, and the competitors cleared the field.

“What is the first competition?” Persephone asked.

“Wrestling,” said Hermes, rubbing his hands together.

She raised a brow. “Really?”

“What?” Hermes asked. “I like the outfits.”

“They’re naked, Hermes.”

He grinned. “Exactly.”

She was about to roll her eyes when someone shouted from the stands, “Death to all gods!”

It was not the first time Persephone had heard the chant, but it still made her blood run cold.

When no one joined, the heckler tried again.

“Death to all gods!”

Persephone’s fists clenched. Hades rubbed his thumb over hers to ease her frustration, but it didn’t work. She started to stand but was surprised when Hera rose to her feet and faced the mortal.

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