Page 76 of For the Love of the Gods

“I’m here because your actual guard dogs caught me,” Odell explained, pointing fingers at Raiden, mainly, who just looked bored.

The low growl Rose released shocked me to my core. It was a genuine show of protectiveness for my friend. I would be stupid to believe her friendship with Raiden was anything but pure after that reaction.

Rose stepped forward. I stayed where I was. Following her like a lost puppy would only pull Odell’s stupid grin tighter. “So you admit to being near the gates, then?”

“Can’t deny it,” Odell said, noncommittal.

“Whywere you near the gates?”

“Your little arrangement is nothing but a bandage.”

Rose stiffened.

Odell noticed. And chuckled. “Oh, my dear. Did you really think that marrying him would absolve you of your sins?”

“It wasn’t aboutmysins,” Rose said. I fought a cringe. This whole marriage started for precisely that reason. “Better to combine our houses than destroy another line. A powerful one at that.”

“Another whimsical choice made by the gods without any regard for their human patrons,” Odell responded lazily. Everyone was silent for a moment, waiting for him to continue.

He didn’t. And I already had enough of his bullshit.

I stepped toward the bars that separated his cell and dropped into a crouch. I fought a sick chuckle at the realization this man was much smaller up close. “You assisted a group of what—mercenaries? Rebels? To storm the gates, assault two of our guards, and try to break into our house.Then, you force my wife down here under the promise to speak. So, speak. In full, detailed sentences. Or I’ll remove your ability to do so.”

Odell swallowed and sat up a little straighter, the threat hitting true.

“The humans, myself included, are tired of being thrown around by the impulses of the gods. Funeral rites are the oldest, closest held traditions in this world. And you two threw that all off balance with a shotgun wedding that no one could plan for.”

“You know that’s bullshit, Odell,” Rose defended. I stood and backed toward the wall, letting her take the reins. “The funeral rites are the exact same regardless of which house you support.”

“And yet I’ll find myself praying toLady Plutowhen I pass into the Underworld.”

Rose crossed her arms and puffed air out through her nose. “That’s nothing but petty semantics. Would you rather the house disappear altogether?”

“No, I would have rather you killedhim.” Odell lifted his hand and his chained wrist and pointed at me. I knew Rose’s father would have rather croaked than let us marry. He was the one who called off our childhood arrangement in the first place. Good thing his soul floated in a distant corner of the Underworld.

“And what purpose would that have served?” Rose questioned and even though I was at her back, I could picture her perfect eyebrow lifting in doubt.

“Not letting another Greek line die!” Odell spit out. “Having Jupiter reign is bad enough.”

Fucker.

Rose took another step closer to him and away from me. “Adrian has just as much Zeus in him as Jupiter.”

“And yet the Zeus name hasn’t been used for anything other than a curse in close to three decades.”

“Need I remind you that Poseidon still rules the seas?”

“Thank the Fates for that,” Odell said. “Having Hades rule would balance it out. Prevent the Roman scum from taking over.”

I’d have figured he was a loyalist to the Greek lines, but his disgust was more potent than I’d imagined.

“You’re delusional,” Rose said. I agreed.

Odell narrowed his eyes. “And you’ve gone soft.”

“Excuse me?” Rose asked just as my back shot off the wall. He didn’t get to sling insults at her from inside a cell. Rose flattened her hand out behind her back, silently asking me to not approach further.

I listened just to see what he would say for himself.

---