Page 99 of Invoking Ruin

I don’t envy the weight of the world on his shoulders. “They’ll get over it. We have the time to wait it out.”

“Yes, but perhaps not unnoticed, like before. The chasm was seen all over the world. By god and mortal alike.”

I blink, not fully understanding at first. Mortals had forgotten us. I learned that firsthand as Sandro, as my false memories had shown we were nothing more than historical curiosities to most people.

But now…

Now there’s proof of gods, and the mortals will have to reconcile it with their modern reality.

It’s a whole new set of challenges. Ones I’m already exhausted by. “What are we doing about that?”

But Apollo places a hand on my shoulder. “Let me worry about that, brother. You have another task ahead of you.”

“Task?” I don’t like the sound of that.

“Yes. I mentioned Atê must be supervised. Eris and I agree the task should fall to you. Since she is banished from Olympus, you must supervise her on Gaia.”

Gaia. I glance back at the bed, at Atê’s sleeping form, unable to keep the hope I feel from expanding in my chest.

“Are you sure?” I can’t help but ask, as one last attempt at what I know I should want. “Don’t you need me here? To help?”

Apollo shakes his head. “No, I don’t. Lethe was quite insistent about that. She said it was Atê’s last request, to make sure you didn’t stay here.”

Before I can process that information, Apollo goes on, “Besides, I think you’ll have your hands full with her. No one else was willing to do the job.”

I don’t know what to say. I should thank him, probably, but Apollo wouldn’t want to hear it. The words form and die on my tongue unspoken.

Technically, this is a punishment. Perhaps for the others, it would be, but I can’t keep a grin from my face.

“If you put it that way, then I have to accept, don’t I,” I say at last.

“You do,” Apollo agrees, giving my arm one last squeeze before letting go. “You’ll be doing us a favor, keeping her distracted and out of trouble.”

He turns toward the door, but before he opens it he says, “There’s one additional favor you can do for me, actually.”

“Oh?”

“There’s a village I tended to the last few centuries. The mortals there know of our existence and worship in the old ways. They are devoted, but I haven’t been able to be as present for them as I used to be, with my role on Olympus. You and Atê might find it a useful place to convalesce or call home.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He leaves. I rock on the balls of my feet, unsure what to do with myself.

Freedom. The whole wide world, with Atê as my only responsibility. A wide open future with no plans, no duties. Only whatever we decide to do.

“I thought he’d never leave,” comes a groan from the bed.

I whirl around. Atê is pushing herself up, fighting against the covers.

“Don’t move so fast.” I rush over to her, climbing into bed beside her to prop her up in my arms.

She struggles for a few seconds, weak as a baby bird, then she sags against me.

“How long have you been awake?”

“I don’t know. I heard Apollo droning on and on, and I decided to keep my eyes shut.”

“Probably wise.” Chuckling, I kiss the top of her head. The gesture of casual affection surprises even me, but based on the way she pulls back to stare at me, I suspect it surprises her far more.

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