Page 158 of Hades

“Why she’s been acting strange.” Lettie turned to face me, eyes bright with anger. Not fear but anger. “It’s him,” she hissed. Her voice dropped even lower. “Every year she transforms into someone I barely recognize. Now I know why.”

“You know him?” I asked.

“Not really.” Lettie shook her head. “He comes every year. Buys products. Makes small talk. I never thought...” Her words trailed off as she looked at her mother, jaw tightening. “The change only happens when he’s here. One week a year. Because of him.”

I watched the pieces click into place for her. Saw the relief and fury war across her face.

Relief that the strangeness had an explanation.

Fury that the explanation was a man.

“She’s pleasant for him,” Lettie said, her voice flat. Cold. “She gets dressed. Leaves her room. Smiles. For him. Not for me. Never for me. But for some man who shows up once a year.”

I pulled out my phone and texted Zeus.

Need you at the festival. Now.

His response came immediately.

On our way.

“Brock?” Lettie’s hand found my arm. “He’s harmless. I promise. Just a customer who makes my mother act human for one week.”

“Want to make sure he’s just a customer.”

“He is.” But she didn’t sound certain anymore. “Isn’t he?”

I watched Zander step back from her mother. Watched him glance toward the booth. Toward Lettie.

His eyes found mine across the distance.

And he smiled.

Not friendly. Not warm.

Knowing.

Like he’d been expecting me to be watching. Like this was all part of some plan I couldn’t see yet.

Then he turned and walked away. Slow and casual, he disappeared into the crowd like he’d never been there at all.

Lettie’s mother sat back down in her chair. That soft expression faded, replaced by something harder. Satisfied.

Like she’d accomplished exactly what she’d come here to do.

I spotted Rykard and Apollo cutting through the crowd from the north side—Apollo in his wheelchair, Rykard pushing with single-minded focus. Both heading straight for the booth.

My body wanted to follow Zander. Track that knowing smile, corner him somewhere quiet, and find out what the fuck he thought he was playing at.

But backup was arriving.

And Lettie was here.

Unprotected.

I made the only choice I could. My arm wrapped around Lettie’s waist, pulling her close. Keeping her grounded. Keeping her mine. I kept my eyes on Rykard and Apollo as they approached, but my body locked around Lettie like a cage.

Rykard was supposed to meet her naturally today. Assess her, watch her, figure out if Apollo’s theory held any weight. Establish if she was Colette. If she was the child they’d been searching for since she was almost two years old. The weight of that reality pressed down on me like something physical, because I needed Rykard here for the Zander threat, but I also knew what he was really doing.