Page 28 of Midwinter Night's Prince

Her eyes widened. She’d never even thought of that. Not his sweet, broken Blair. Even in her darkest days, she’d always assumed she was at fault, somehow deserving of her mother’s treatment.

He was going to enjoy burning Terra’s world down.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Seth snorted.

He’d been treated differently, revered his entire life because his matriarch had known there was no hope of controlling him, but Seth had seen Drusilla do the same to his own mother, and though he hadn’t been there to witness it, to his sisters, too.

The men and women in power dealt with competition swiftly and lethally.

Blair wasn’t ready to face it, and Seth didn’t have the time to make her see the truth.

“Aphrodite marked you. She told you we’re in her stepmother’s domain, which means that Hera’s pulling the strings.” He cursed under his breath. “We’re screwed.”

“Aphrodite said—”

“Nothing useful. She may be beautiful, but she’s as cunning as they come. She has to obey Hera’s will, like all of Olympus, and openly, she does, but she’s spent thousands of years using mortals to exert her dominance.”

Blair lifted her chin. “Doesn’t that mean that she’s, by default, on our side?”

“Gods are only ever on their own sides, witch.”

“Be that as it may, if Hera wants to keep you here, and Aphrodite wants to stick it to Hera, it stands to reason that she’ll try to be helpful. Ish. She said to escape the labyrinth, we have to be willing to leave our strength behind. And she told me to help you face your fears. What are you afraid of?”

“Nothing,” he shot back.

“You seemed afraid of me when I turned up. Who did you think I was?”

Seth flashed his fangs. “Let it go, witch.”

“Was it Hera? Why does she have something against you? Isn’t she, like, a nice goddess? Of something like family and childbirth…”

Now, he scoffed.

“Unless…”

She opened her mouth, and then closed it.

He didn’t need to enter her mind again to guess her conclusion.

"Don't say it. Don't even think it. Not here."

"You're a Stormhale," she said slowly. “I always assumed that was why you wielded lightning. Everyone did…but you’re stronger than anyone else in your family.”

“Blair.” He didn’t raise his voice, but she caught the warning nonetheless. “How much would you like to piss off our host?”

After a moment, she nodded. “Right. So, I’m guessing Hera wants you to stay here. Aphrodite has given you the means to escape.”

“Aphrodite gaveyouthe means to entertain her, nothing more.”

“You’re so jaded. Maybe your sister wanted to help you, ever think of that?”

Seth closed his eyes.

He didn’t need a mirror to tell him they were filled with thunder when he opened them again. Slowly, he crossed the distance separating him from Blair. His words hissed between his teeth, each a threat whispered against her ear.

“If you want to stay alive, shut that mouth, witch.”

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