Page 50 of Prometheus' Priestess

“I’ll get Dionysus to join us and bring somewine.”

“Wait, Zeus. I would speak to you first. Alone,” Prometheus stressed. Zeus sighed wearily and for the first time Prometheus detected age in his sigh.

“Very well, what troubles you so? You’ve been badgering for my ear allday.”

Prometheus paused, composing himself, before speaking.

“Athena approached me some time ago with concerns over thehumans.”

“Missing us, are they?” Zeus chortled, but his heart wasn’t in it. The humans, once his most cherished possession, were now abandoned like an old toy a child no longer wished to play with. Instead, he stared at the meat, practically salivating though it had barely begun to char.

“Zeus, they aredying.”

That got his attention. His eyes, a cobalt blue so painful they could pierce your soul, snapped to Prometheus. Oh make no mistake, it wasn’t because Zeus cared about the humans. Well, he did. It was … complicated. Prometheus knew Zeus had asked him to make the humans in his image after all, so he loved them. It was just that, sometimes, Zeus didn’t particularly like what he saw in the mirroring they offered him. Perhaps Prometheus had beentooaccurate in his portrayal. Perhaps that had had a little influence over his sentencingtoo.

About to bite out a retort, Prometheus quickly continued. He must play this right and there was no room forinterruptions.

“Athena was right in her concerns. I can see why she isfavoured.”

Something flickered behind Zeus’ eyes and Prometheus imagined Athena’s mother, who had turned into a snake and inhibited Zeus’ mind after he’d swallowed her, was listening also. Zeus paused for a moment, cocking his head, before offering an amused smile that held an inch of cruelty.

“It’s not like you of all people to give platitudes, Prometheus.” Zeus’ lips tilted up further.

Prometheus had been sure that praise would have been important to both Athena’s mother and the boy within Zeus who had never had anyone else to truly play with and praise him. Well, apart from that goat-like nanny of his with hairs on her chin, who no one seemed to count.

He continued carefully, “I do so because I now share her concerns. After spending time in the human realm, I can see Athena is right ... your humans are introuble.”

Zeus waved his hands in a gesture of ill concern and returned his attention to the fire pit. “I’m sure she will take care ofit.”

Here itgoes.

“Her plan is failing, myLord.”

Zeus merely hummedunconcernedly.

Prometheus tried a differenttack.

“While the statues of you remain, there is no adoration towards you like there oncewas.”

Prometheus began to see a thick vein in Zeus’ neck pulsate.

“And instead of heeding your lessons of decadence, they have begun to sacrifice themselves. Albeit in a more ... discreet manner, so as not to capture yourattention.”

Zeus’ head snapped back to him. Everyone in Olympus knew Zeus had specifically forbidden the humans to sacrifice themselves before Hera’s ruling had taken effect. He had told them he found the act itself repugnant. His eyes bored into Prometheus. Cold and calculating they were much like a predator measuring another predator of a different species.

“They dare defy me? Again? Are youcertain?”

“Without question. But there must be a reason why the Fates turned to Athena.” A little pandering would not hurt Prometheus’ cause. “Perhaps there is still something that can bedone.”

Zeus shrugged. “I could simply ask Poseidon to wipe them all out with another flood. Problem solved. Now can weeat?”

“You would really put yourself through this whole sorry charadeagain?”

“Come now ... you enjoyed making them the first time, didn’tyou?”

“I did,” Prometheus nodded in agreement while silently cursing him. “But I thought that there may be an even more ingenious plan for you to embarkon.”

“Oh?” Zeus turned the leg of the heifer with his bare hands, the heat of the fire doing nothing to scorch the God of Lightning, impatience thrumming through hisblood.

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