Page 42 of Crown of Olympus
“Why? Are you jealous?” he returned with a smirk.
“In your dreams, golden boy.”
CHAPTER 12
Caelus
“If only you knew,”I whispered, knowing she was too far away to hear the admission.
Furies, the woman was relentless — maddeningly so. And yet, I could not stop myself from seeking her out at the first opportunity. I could not refrain from riling her up just to watch her fury burn. And now, after that ill-advised, reactive decision to knock her to the ground, I could not stop myself from obsessing over the feeling of her body beneath mine.
I paused to readjust my aching cock through the thick leather of my pants. My balls were firmly in the blue category now.
Entirely your own fault, idiot.
I trailed Nyssa through the forest, eyes lingering on the curve of her ass as she moved. It definitely wasn’t helping the cock situation, but it seemed I was a man of little impulse control today.
In an attempt to distract myself from her biteable curves, I let my mind wander. Unsurprisingly, it landed right back on her again — on the day I’d first met the goddess of death. I’d only been a boy of seven then, the illusive daughter of Hadeslittle more than a mystery to most. I wasn’t even old enough to have hairs sprouting on my chest or tickling my balls.
I sat on a cold,uncomfortable throne, doing my best to be still and avoid drawing attention. Do not disappoint your father, Mother had ordered.
I hated this thing. Hated the shiny gold, the lingering stares, the expectations placed upon my too-small shoulders.
What if I wasn’t powerful like Father, or cunning like Mother? What if I was the first god to never develop powers at all?
Suddenly, the room quietened — like a bucket of water dousing flame.
Hades had arrived.
The King of the Underworld was not what I expected. He looked as though grief itself had taken an immortal form: pallid, grey skin, abyss-dark eyes, tousled ebony hair. His black formalwear fit like a suit of armour.
He looked as though every ounce of colour and joy had been drained from him until nothing remained but icy sorrow.
He had not arrived alone.
The girl standing beside him was radiant in comparison. His daughter. She was small, but wholly unafraid. Her emerald eyes met and held the gaze of any who dared to look down on her. Long hair, as dark as midnight, fell in waves to her waist as she held her head high. The girl did not shrink, not even under my father’s cutting stare, which grown men often failed to meet.
She looked as though the moon itself had kissed her skin — soft, pale, and shimmering. I’d never met anyone so hauntingly beautiful.
I longed to go to her. To speak to her. But Mother had not allowed it. I was forbidden to leave the throne while they were here. Not even to use the bathroom.
Still, I could not look away, not even if I wanted to.
Midnight and moonlight. That’s what she was.
As though she felt my stare, the girl with the piercing green eyes turned to face me.
Something seized within my small body. I did not understand it, but my gaze was stuck — glued to hers.
And she did not look away either.
At some pointduring my reminiscing, Nyssa had vanished. There one moment and gone the next. I scanned the trees, but she had simply disappeared, like a taunting wisp of smoke, forever dancing out of reach.
Frowning, I turned west — or at least, I thought it was west.
I still had to complete Artemis’ trial if I wanted a shot at the final round. TheXifos tis Moirashad one goal — a goal that just so happened to line up perfectly with mine.
As I walked, I shoved my hands into my pockets. My fingers brushed against something sticky. Frowning deeper, I withdrew my now-gooey fingers. I stared at the mess of half-melted caramels clinging to my skin, then threw back my head in uproarious laughter.
