Page 44 of Loved By Aphrodite

“I know,” she said. “Thank you for your support. You didn’t have to vote with me.”

“What will you do?” Geri asked.

Aphrodite glanced up at Hephaestus. “I need to think.”

“Of course.” He placed an arm around her, then turned to the others. “Thank you once more.”

“No prob.” The god of the sun waggled his eyebrows at them. “So are you guys like?—”

Before he could finish, Hephaestus teleported them out of the divine hall.

Chapter 11

Hephaestus

Hephaestus’s living room was comfortably cluttered, with shelves of tools and gadgets vying for space with books and artifacts from his workshop. Aphrodite’s presence, though, transformed the room into something else entirely. She strode across the room with nervous energy, her hands moving restlessly as though trying to grasp at thoughts she couldn’t quite form.

He sat in his chair by the window, watching her. He knew they had to talk. The burden of it pressed on him, heavy and insistent. She could feel it too—he could tell from the way her steps faltered slightly every time she glanced his way, only to look away again.

“You’re wearing a groove into the floor,” he said, hoping to coax her into stopping.

She paused mid-step, shooting him a glare over her shoulder. “And what else am I supposed to do, Hephaestus? The council wants blood for all the chaos with Winged, but it doesn’t seem like they think it has anything to do with Eros.”

“Aphrodite, you and I both know Eros’s actions brought this on himself. The mayhem in the Upperworld didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s tied to love, so it could be connected to either of you. You can’t deny that.”

Her shoulders stiffened, and she turned to face him fully, her chin lifted in defiance. “I’m not denying anything. But he’s my son. I’m not going to just throw him to the wolves.”

“No one’s asking you to,” he replied evenly, though his jaw tightened. “But he’s a god, Aphrodite. He needs to face the consequences of his actions. He’s not some mortal who can’t understand responsibility. Heshouldunderstand it by now.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? I’m furious with him. Furious,” she crossed her arms, her fingers tapping against her elbow as if she were holding herself together. “You don’t understand. The council won’t treat him fairly given his track record. They’ll come down harder on him because of it.”

He moved to stand next to her. “Maybe they will. But you said it yourself—he has a track record. If he doesn’t learn now, when will he? The longer you shield him, the worse it’s going to get.”

Her gaze wavered, and he could see the conflict in her eyes. She was angry—at Eros, at the situation, maybe even at him. But beneath that was a mother’s love, fierce and unwavering. He understood that. He’d seen her defend Eros countless times, even when the boy had pushed her to her limits. It wasn’t a weakness. It was who she was.

“You think I haven’t considered every possible outcome? I have a feeling they’ll go easier on me than on him. I’m…Aphrodite. But Eros? He’s reckless, impulsive, and they’ll see this as just another one of his stunts.”

He sighed, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly but didn’t pull away. “Maybe they will. But protecting him now might cost him more in the future. If you lethim take responsibility, it might be the only way he grows into the god he’s meant to be.”

She turned to face him, her silver-blue eyes blazing. He found himself rooted in place, unable to look away. Her fierceness was magnetic, but beneath it, he could see something else—a vulnerability she kept carefully hidden.

“I’ll deal with the council,” she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. “Eros doesn’t need to be dragged into this. I’ll take responsibility for what happened.”

“No. You’re not doing that, Aphrodite. This isn’t all on you. Eros made the mess; he should clean it up.”

Her gaze narrowed, and her hands went to her hips. “He’s my son. It’s my job to protect him.”

“And what happens when protecting him means you take the blame for something he did? Do you think the council will go easy on you just because of who you are? They won’t.”

She scoffed, throwing her hands up. “I can handle the council, Hephaestus. I’ve been dealing with their judgment for centuries. This is nothing new.”

“They’ll want to make an example of you,” he countered; the thought of her standing alone before the council made his chest tighten. “Love magic causing chaos in the Upperworld? They’ll see it as your failure to keep control.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her voice was quiet but full of fire. “I won’t abandon my son.”

“And I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for him. We’ll face the council together. If they need someone to blame, I’ll take the fall.”

Her eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, she was silent. Then she shook her head. “Why would you do that? This isn’t your fight.”

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