Page 4 of Sweet Obsession

He might as well wish on a star for allthatis going to happen. I shift, drawing his attention back to me. “That’s true, but I don’t know how we can formulate a defense for Olympus without taking the lower city into account.”

Ares is Zeus’s younger sister, her skin reflecting a rosier tint than his, which is mirrored in her auburn hair. I had my reservations when she won the tournament and took her title, but in the time she’s held it, she’s showed every evidence of being a fair leader. She certainly elevated what fighting troops we have. But is it enough?

“You’re right, but it’s one and the same. Hades said he will deal with the Thirteen once we are a whole and unified front. He’s not interested in wasting time bickering.” Ares makes a face. “Neither am I, honestly. Zeus called a vote and it’s time to actually vote. I’m in support of war against Circe.”

Artemis snorts. “You might as well lick his boots while you’re at it, Ares. Circe hasn’t attacked yet, so there’s no reason to think she will. I vote against.”

“On the contrary,” Apollo cuts in. “We haveeveryreason to believe she’ll sack the entire city. She’s done a good job of it even before she actually arrived. I vote in support of war.”

Two in support. One against. We need seven in support to have the majority—and without a majority, we cannot act. I study the table, trying to anticipate which way the rest will go. Athena votes for war, which is expected. Obviously Zeus does. Hephaestus and Aphrodite, both being new and cautious, vote against it.

Four and four.

Dionysus looks sick to his stomach when he speaks. “I don’t think war serves anyone, but I’ve seen firsthand the damage done to this city and I’m not interested in letting Circe run rampant. I vote for war.”

Five and four.

“I vote for war,” I say softly. I don’t want it, but it’s the onlyoption. That leaves us with six in favor of war, four against…and only two left. We just need Demeter or Hera to vote in favor and it will be done.

Demeter keeps her chin high, her hazel eyes steely. A pit forms in my stomach. I know this look. Sure enough, when she speaks, it’s firm and frank. “While I applaud your initiative, we don’t have troops in the traditional sense. We don’t have a navy. We are not prepared for a war, and throwing our people into combat will only end in them dead and Circe still victorious. There is another way. We just have to find it.” She takes a deep breath. “I vote no.”

“No,” I whisper.

All eyes in the room turn to Hera. I already know what she’s going to say. It’s there in the barely hidden satisfaction on her face and the way her lips curve ever so slightly. She shuts it down immediately, presenting a perfectly composed mask as she meets her husband’s eyes. “I agree with my mother. There must be another way. I vote no.”

And with that, Zeus’s plans die a terrible death. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t show even the slightest bit of disappointment. “So be it.” He rises. “This meeting is over.”

I watch the rest of the Thirteen file out of the room, my heart sinking at the implications. While Demeter isn’t wrong—we have no navy to speak of, and Ares’s troops are hardly trained in active combat—her vote spoke volumes. It undermined Zeus to a point where I don’t see how he recovers from this.

I heft myself to my feet and sigh. No matter how fractured the Thirteen, the fact remains that Circeisa threat. Our only chance to get ahead of her is to have the people in charge unified. Hades knowsthat; it’s why he’s refusing to waste his time until we can actually agree on something. Whether that happens at all, let alone before Circe attacks…it doesn’t seem likely at this point.

Andmypeople will be the first harmed if she stages an attack with those ships.

3

Icarus

I don’t know how long I sleep for. Not long, judging from my headache and the drowsiness clinging to me, urging me back to blessed unconsciousness.

Unfortunately, the one-eyed man from earlier is currently standing over me, so close to the edge of the bed that I could reach out and touch him. He doesn’t look particularly happy with me.Shit.

Without meaning to, my gaze skates toward the door. Looking for Poseidon? But that doesn’t make any sense. He hates me just as much as the rest of the Olympians do. And why not? My father was instrumental in the events that brought down the barrier protecting Olympus from the rest of the world. Or at least that was always the plan. That, and destabilizing their power structure so that when Circe finally sailed up with her squadron of ships, the city was ripe for the plucking.

By all accounts, there’s no reason to keep me alive. I might have a wealth of knowledge about the key players in Circe’s inner circle, but it’s not like anyone in this city would believe me. The only person who gave me the benefit of the doubt sailed off with her monster of a boyfriend. The Minotaur will protect Ariadne. That,at least, I don’t have to worry about.

I don’t have to worry about…anything. Not even my unwelcome guest. I’m not going to survive this. My chance of obtaining freedom is gone forever, and maybe if I live long enough I’ll mourn that loss, but right now all I feel is relief. There’s no one left to disappoint.

None of that explains why this man is in my room, though.

I stretch out carefully and prop my arms behind my head. “Go ahead. Look your fill.”

He looks at me like I’m dog shit on the bottom of his shoe. “I don’t expect you to know this, but when your people killed Triton, there were others caught in the crossfire.”

My bravado threatens to buckle. I had nothing to do with any of that. Responsibility would require my father to trust me enough to tell me anything. It would require me to be something other than the son he never wanted. The son he claimed he never needed. Apparently, my failure as a son was so spectacular he had to foster two sons to fill the void created by my disastrous performance.

“Sorry?” I don’t quite manage to sound as irreverent as I’m aiming. The word crumples around the edges. “That wasn’t my op.”

“But itwasyour father’s. He bribed Triton to bring people into Olympus. And once he did, they murdered him and his guards. Including my sister.”

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