Page 57 of Queen of Tempests and Sin

Perseus barked out a laugh, nearly choking on his water. ‘No. There haven’t been any demigod births for over a millennium. We’re descended from the originals—the legends.’

That tracked; my brain, however, veered left. Like the way Si had held an entire conversation in flawless French at Jolie. His accent had been spot-on. ‘So, what’s the deal, do you all just speak French too?’

Perseus tipped his head back, swallowing the rest of his drink before swiping an arm across his brow. ‘Gods can grant certain gifts to chosen acolytes. Those with demigod blood swear a blood oath. We drink a drop of Poseidon’s blood⁠—’

‘Eww,’ I muttered, pulling a face.

‘—and it amplifies our natural abilities. Enhanced strength, speed, healing, enables us to teleport, and, yes… grants us the ability to speak and understand any tongue, mortal or otherwise. All of it comes with the bond, for all of our kings’ acolytes.’ He paused, then added. ‘Well, except Ajax. He’s human.’

‘Oh, is he now?’ I mused, filing that nugget away for later. Handy information. Very handy.

‘You want to help me prep lunch, Guinn?’ Perseus said to my sister, who walked up to us, giving him moon-eyes.

‘Sure.’ She smiled.

He grabbed her hand, and they disappeared in a flash of swirling mist.

‘Come here,’ Persephone said as she placed a hand on my shoulder. Two seconds later, the burning pain abated. She’d healed me.

‘Thanks,’ I murmured. My life at the moment was an utter mind fuck.

‘So,’ Tee crooned as she sidled up to Sephy and me. ‘What’s going on with you and Poseidon?’

‘Nothing,’ I responded as Tee quirked her head to the side and lowered her brows. Sephy pursed her lips, her face full of scepticism. ‘Seriously!’ I threw up my hands. ‘The collar and leash thing is irritating.’

‘You’re into that freaky shit, then?’ Tee’s eyes widened as Sephy grinned.

‘Ugh, no! Definitely not. I mean a leash and collar, as in he’d try to control me. He’s a possessive asshat.’

‘Ah, yeah. That’s a given. Gods can be a huge buzzkill with all the controlling shit. That’s what you get for banging him.’ Tee shrugged as she drank some water.

‘Erm, I’m not… banging him.’

‘Could have fooled me,’ she scrunched her nose.

‘Hey!’ I snapped. ‘I’m no one’s possession. His ego is so large I’m surprised he doesn’t suffocate.’

Sephy giggled. ‘Yep… He’s an arrogant twatwaffle for sure.’

‘But, the good thing is, we make up for being possessive, arrogant assholes by being monsters in the sack.’ Tee winked at me. ‘So maybe you should consider banging him.’

Sephy almost choked on her water, but the thought of actually banging Si made my thighs clench and my nipples harden. I put a hand on Tee’s shoulder and pushed her away as she laughed. I imagined climbing him like a tree, and thinking about climbing that ripped body made my ovaries vibrate.

‘She’s not wrong, Cordie,’ Sephy piped up. ‘Sex with Hades is full of fireworks. Oh. My. Gods… It’s like a pleasure cruise. You just wanna ride that boat straight out to sea. It’s so good! He makes me sing to the angels when he’s deep inside me.’ She extended the word deep and smirked at me as she wiggled her eyebrows.

‘If you hadn’t just healed my shoulder, I’d punch you in the kisser,’ I deadpanned, making her shriek with laughter.

* * *

After a delicious lunch of assorted pizzas and salads, Sephy took Guinn and me to the library to meet Simos. He was to spend a few hours a day with Guinn, ensuring she kept up with her studies, then Theseus would collect her to take her to Zeus’s IT facility each afternoon, which she was hyped about.

We entered the sanctuary of gods knows how many books through an enormous door carved with ancient symbols—the library was draw-dropping.

Guinn squealed in delight, her eyes wide as she surveyed the circular room, its thirty-foot-tall walls brimming with books. A mezzanine level, accessible by a grand staircase, held even more literary treasures. Spotting the rolling ladders, she bounced up and down, gasping with excitement—she was in paradise. Magical sunlight streamed through the high glass ceiling, illuminating the cozy arrangement of sofas, tables, and chairs scattered throughout the space.

As I wandered, I traced my fingers along the spines of the books, sighing contentedly. The sweet, nostalgic scent of old books filled the air—a comforting blend of knowledge, adventure, fantastical romances, and distant lands. It was an oasis of endless possibilities.

‘I’ve always wanted to do a Beauty and the Beast,’ Guinn shrieked as she raced to a ladder, climbing it, then rolling down a towering bookcase, one hand raised in the air.