Page 65 of Sweet Obsession

I don’t want to. Fuck, I don’t want to do any of this. I’m not a soldier. I’m barely even a leader. I’m not sure I even believe in the same Olympus that Zeus and the others do. The one ruled by the Thirteen. But we’re here and we’re the only thing standing between Circe and a potentially catastrophic loss of civilian life.

I reluctantly draw my gun, pause to reach back and guide Icarus behind me, and then follow Zeus through the door. He, at least, shows no hesitation. He’s focused in a way that makes the small hairs rise on the back of my neck.

This ship is strange. It’s not quite military, but it’s not a cargo carrier, either. We’re on the starboard side nearest the stern, tucked back behind where the officer cabins should be. I would wager Circe’s is at the top, but we have to get to her first.

“This all ends tonight,” Zeus murmurs, almost too low to hear. He nods at Bellerophon. “Kick down the door.”

Bellerophon obeys without hesitation, kicking open the doorand moving gracefully to the side right as someone in the room fires. They didn’t even wait to see who it was.

I shove Icarus back, putting him between me and the wall. I think he makes a sound of protest, but it’s hard to hear over the ringing in my ears. Where I’m floundering in the first real combat of my life, Zeus isn’t.

When the person comes through the door, a shotgun in their hands, he grabs the barrel and shoves it skyward as they fire. He punches them in the throat, rips the gun from their hands, and shoves them at Bellerophon. Two pulls of their trigger and the enemy is dead.

It took all of three heartbeats. Zeus’s expression never changed. It still doesn’t as he turns to me. “Clear the cabin. We’re going to keep moving.”

I manage to nod, and then they’re gone, hustling down the hallway to the next door. The body is still on the floor at my feet. I’ve seen bodies before, but not like this. I never wanted to see them like this.

“Poseidon?” Icarus presses his hand to my back. “I don’t like this, either, but we can’t afford to freeze.”

Because if we freeze, we might end up dead.Hemight end up dead.

That gets me moving. “They came here to kill us.” Maybe if I say it enough times, this will feel right. Or maybe that’s just a lie we tell ourselves so we can sleep at night. If we’re getting the crew to safety outside of Olympus, there’s no reason we couldn’t do the same with the rest of the officers.

Not with Circe, but with the rest.

“Breathe, big guy.” Icarus is so close, he’s practically plastered to my back. I have no idea how he’s not stepping on my heels. He rubs small circles between my shoulder blades. “The man is an officer, and he’s the same guy who runs a fighting ring for street kids. Where do you think the Minotaur came from? Theseus? They didn’t crop up in a vacuum. Aeaea has just as much rot as Olympus.”

Knowing that doesn’t make me feel better, but itdoeskeep me moving. I step into the room to clear it. It takes only a single sweep to recognize that no one else is here. The cabin is familiar enough—it seems all maritime vessels have similar ones. Bed bolted to the floor in the event of tumultuous seas, a narrow door leading to a small bathroom barely big enough for someone to hide in. But when I open the door to the shower, there’s a person cowering there.

I jolt. “Shit.”

Icarus steps forward before I can stop him. Gone is the flirty playboy, gone are the lies. The compassion on his handsome face is so honest, it makes my chest ache. “It’s okay,” he says softly. He makes no move to close the distance further. “You’re safe.”

The only response is for the person to curl even more in on themself, their arms around their knees and their long hair covering their face. Icarus glances at me, but I don’t have the right words for this situation. I don’t know if thereareright words.

He eases down into a crouch. “They’re only after the officers. No one will hurt you.”

They lift their head a little, recognition shining in their dark eyes. “You’re Icarus Vitalis.”

He flinches. “I, uh, yes, I am.” On his next breath, he seems togather himself. “You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you. I promise.”

“Okay,” they whisper.

He hesitates. “Do you know where Circe is?”

“No.” They shake their head. “He…kept me here. Away from the others.” I catch sight of bruises, both new and old, marking the light-brown skin of their arms.

“I’m sorry.” He reaches out, but hesitates before making contact. When they don’t flinch away, he carefully grips their shoulder. “It won’t happen again.”

It’s like the strength goes out of their body. They slump down against the wall. “It always happens again. It’s how things are.”

“Not anymore. Stay here. This will be over soon.” He gently shuts the shower door and turns to me. “Do you understand now?”

Yeah, I guess I do. This person is obviously part of the crew, and is just as obviously being abused by the officer now dead on the floor outside. It’s just one person, but it certainly supports Icarus’s insistence that the crew wouldn’t choose to be here if they had a choice.

“Let’s keep moving,” I finally say. I almost tell him to stay here and barricade himself in, but I don’t want to let him out of my sight.

Out in the hallway, we find more dead bodies. I edge around them and follow the sound of fighting, Icarus close on my heels. “We just need to find Circe,” I huff. “Then this ends.”

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