Page 56 of Prometheus' Priestess

“Yes, Prometheus,” said Zeus darkly. “Why don’t you tell us of this human woman it appears you have been spending all your timewith?”

When he didn’t answer, Dionysus continued digging. “She must be someone special. I’ve seen the way you two are together. Warm smiles shared over fire-breathing whisky, the odd nightcap. Why just the other night there was a rather heated discussion over a bottle of wine or three, wasn’t thatright?”

Prometheus wanted to kick the legs out from under the chair and send the god toppling backwards onto his sorry arse, where he belonged.

When the silence stretched on, Zeus growled. “You’ve been holding out on me, Prometheus. Come, I would have you tell us all about this woman who has captured yourattention.”

Prometheus had no intention of doing any such thing. It was already painfully apparent Zeus knew everything he needed to know, or at least he thought he did, in order to pass judgement. At that moment, Prometheus’ thought of Jesus, a man named Judas, and a table laid for twelve.

He chose to answer the question with one of hisown.

“Tell me, Dionysus, who bore the bloodline of Judas with a human lover thanks to my acts, how did youknow?”

Dionysus stroked his wisp of a beard that still looked like bumfluff on his chin and shrugged. “I keep an eye on Tyche’s proclivities. I found it rather interesting when she stopped going to visit yourcabin.”

Prometheus remained silent as he rocked back in his own chair observing hisaccuser.

“I’ve never known her Highness of Chance to ever bestow such favourable odds to anyone before as I have you,” Dionysus continued.

“Perhaps that’s because you forever skew her odds with your wine,” Prometheus finally answered, giving him a pointed look.

Dionysus and Tyche had a ... complicated relationship. Given her influence, and Dionysus’ penchant for not wanting any responsibility, there was once atime when the young god had wanted to woo the Goddess of Chance. However, true to form, Tyche had proven to be fickle ... stringing the young upstart along until revealing her hand, which had not swung in Dionysus’ favour. Humiliated in front of the family, Dionysus had started taking his responsibilities a little more seriously from then on, often at the frustration of Tyche. It would likely be a cat-and-mouse game that would last for millennia, though Prometheus knew who he would place his money on. She would be pleased, he thought, to learn that he had finally learnt the lesson of loyalty over logic.

“What did you say this human woman’s name was again?” Dionysus asked coyly.

Prometheus specifically hadn’t mentioned her name. It shouldn’t have been a problem. The gods often treated the humans as little more than toys; they certainly didn’t care for names. But Dionysus had a bee in his bonnet, as the humans would say, that Tyche and he got on so well. And now Prometheus couldn’t very well claim not to know her name, not given the amount of time he’d spent with her. Then there was the fact that he had always prided himself on learning the humans’ names. It was a point he had been teased for relentlessly in Olympus in thepast.

“Amara,” he saideventually.

“Amara … Amara. Now where do I know that name from? Hold on a moment. Isn’t that the name of the priestess Athena and Aphrodite have been arguing over the last fewmonths?”

Prometheus stared at him.

“How the hell did you know about that?” he growled.

Dionysus tsked. “My name’s been mentioned in passing as they squabble. I keep an eye out for suchthings.”

“How diligent of you.”

“Is it true, Prometheus? That this woman of yours was a priestess of ours? That you plotted behind my back to give the humans my power for a mere priestess turned mortal?” Zeus asked so menacingly, so quietly, that even the birds stopped singing. Silence so sharp it engulfed all ofthem.

Prometheus could have mentioned the others’ involvement, but he didn’t. Where Amara was concerned, he would always bear the brunt of punishment. He’d turn the world to rubble before he saw her harmed and he entrusted no one else with her safety.

“I did not lie to you. The humans are dying …”

Zeus stood, rising to his full height, and Prometheus rose with him − not one to back down.

“You lied byomission.”

To that Prometheus could say nothing. It was true.

“To dare to try and pull the wool over my eyes … to make me look a fool. You truly have gonemad.”

“I am as sane as I’ve ever been,” Prometheus statedcalmly.

Zeus looked at him and continued as if he hadn’t heard Prometheus. “It must have been all that time alone that caused it. The first woman you see you decide to ruin the world for! Imagine that! By my name, I should have sent you a dozen whores! It is my fault. I should have given you a punishment the first time, not solitude, but I wanted to see if your allegiance had truly changed over time. Clearly it has not. It will not be a mistake I make again,” he warned, pointing a finger at Prometheus.

Stepping out from the table, Zeus began pacing. No doubt he was thinking things through in his head … or actually discussing them with Athena’s mother. Meanwhile, Dionysus leaned back in his chair, a sly curve across his face.

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