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“His name was Lysandros. Child of Eris.” Alex saw my blank look. “Eris is the goddess of discord. In her wisdom, she granted Lysandros the power to produce her golden apples of discord. One bite and it amplifies your negative emotions ten-thousandfold. Like if it bothers you the way your friend smacks her lips when she chews her food, suddenly you hate that quirk with every fiber of your being. The next thing you know, you’re punching her teeth in for smacking on an orange.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah, yikes. Complete disaster if monsters ate his apples, so he was put in Sisyphean with no hope of using his power in battle. Because of that, Titans bullied him—calling him a useless dog, beating him up, using him for target practice. They didn’t let up until one morning they all took a bite of apple porridge.”
I hissed. “Do I want to know what happened?”
“They tore each other—and the academy—apart. Dozens injured, millions of drachmas in damage, and two dead.”
My jaw dropped. “People died?”
He nodded. “They had to shut down the school for a whole season for repairs. Such a thing has never happened before. Headmaster Drakos was buried under demands to not only separate the classes again but to build another academy and shove the Sisypheans there. Titans needed to be protected from the bitterness and jealousy of the disfavored.”
“That’s fucking rich. I mean, of course it’s terrible that his revenge got so out of hand and people died, but it wasn’t bitterness or jealousy. It was one bullied kid lashing out because no one was protecting him.”
“Hence Drakos’s solution. Titans and Sisypheans”—he waved his finger between us—“don’t fraternize. Can’t bully you if I’m not glancing in your direction. Can’t get bullied if you’re not in my way. Now if there’s a problem between a Sisyphean and Titan, both parties are harshly punished because we’re not supposed to be talking to each other anyway. Threat of the reflection room makes it easy for people to follow the rule.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “The same thing applies to friends? If I’m friends with you, we’ll both be punished?”
“We’re not supposed to be friends,” he said softly. “Obviously, I don’t agree with this stupid, ignorant shit, but your power determines your path and station in this world, and we’re not on the same one—according to other people,” he quickly added.
“So if your father finds out you’re hanging with a lowly Sisyphean, he’ll be mad.”
“I don’t give a fuck if he finds out I’m hanging with a Sisyphean,” he replied, surprising me.
“But then why—?”
“I care if he finds out I’m hanging out with a girl who has no record in Olympia past a week ago. I care if he finds out thatmonsters are using your mother as bait.” He moved in front of me, taking my hands. “I care if he finds out I’m helping you save her. I care if he has you locked away or executed.”
“He would do that?”
“Aella.” His eyes were hard. “I love my father, and he loves me, but none of that changes a thing. Maximos Damien is not a kind or even a good man. He’s ruthless, calculating, and power-hungry. He’s brutal to men and monsters alike.
“Drakos’s solution to the Titan/Sisyphean rivalry was a few new rules to the handbook. My father’s solution was to ban Sisypheans from Deucalion Academy and instead force all future eighteen-year-olds with useless powers to ten years of hard labor and indentured servitude.”
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Alex had to be exaggerating. No person could suggest something so horrible outside of a supervillain movie.
“I told you the council couldn’t find out that the monsters are planning something with you at the center, but truth is, I only meant my father. Hecannotknow that a half-mortal is running around the academy, working to spring a monster trap. He definitely can’t know that his only son and heir is helping her.
“He’s the one who’ll have you killed, Aella. He’ll say it was to protect me. He’ll say it was for the good of Olympia. He’ll say a lot of things... but you’d still be gone.”
My jaw worked. “If— If— If us being involved is the problem, you don’t have to be. This is my fight.”
“What nonsense are you saying, girl?”
Sometimes, I’d forget she was listening until she shouted in my ear.
“The son of Zeus breaks the chains. He must be involved. He already is.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. You and I are in this together.” He brought our hands together and pressed them to hischest. “I’m not telling you this to scare you. I only want you to understand why we have to pretend we don’t know each other. When your mom’s safe and we’ve stopped whatever the monsters are planning, then I won’t give a shit what his spies report back about you and me, but until then, all I care about is keeping you safe.”
“I understand,” I whispered. “Thank you. You’re the only one looking out for me. I forgot that for a moment.”
“I gave you reason to forget. I was such a filthy, rotten toova. It’d serve me right if you never spoke to me again.” He dropped a kiss on my fingers. “I promise I’ll never let it go that far again. Anyone points a bowl of porridge in your direction, I’ll boil them.”
I giggled. “Good. The punishment will fit the crime.”
We laughed.
