Page 17 of A Veil of Gods and Kings

The children’s eyes widened, and they nodded.

And we set out to the next house. By the time we finished handing out packages, stars speckled across the rippling silk of the sky. We ambled back home, the trees darkened into silhouettes, but birds whirled and chuckled at each other.

Temi folded her bag into a square. “I keep thinking.”

“About what?”

“I wish there was a way for us to actually help the people.”

My calves burned as the hill grew steeper. “Are you not helping them?”

She shook her head, her lips pursing. “We offer temporary aid. I wish I could find some way we could enable them to help themselves. Give them back some dignity.”

“The gods and their ridiculous laws steal that from everyone they can.”

“If only”—Temi sighed, her nose flaring—“the laws for women could be as it was in our village growing up.”

I froze for a moment. It was rare for Temi to bring up our village or our childhood. It was a topic we both avoided though I suspected she did so for my sake. Our life was one long string of tragedies, starting with our mother dying in childbirth with Temi, continuing with her absent father and my monstrous one, and rising to a crescendo with the hardships and heartbreaks I’d brought down on both of us five years before.

I fiddled with the edges of the bag in my hands before answering. “I’m afraid the belief that women are considered equal with men is shrinking as each village like ours disappears.” I swallowed. We had long since lost our childhood home. “The prevailing idea anymore is that male patronage”—I rolled my eyes—“keeps women safe.”

“It does no such thing.” She growled through her teeth as her feet found placement along the rocky path. “In fact it does the opposite, leaving women vulnerable and unable to care for themselves. And I hate it.”

“I know.” I released a breath, and it fluttered out into the dark world we lived in.

Temi frowned, her voice taking on a heavier tone. “So, tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

She shot me a look. “Whatever the bad news your father gave you is.”

I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I have to leave.”

Temi’s muscles tensed. “He’s forcing you to live in Olympus?”

“No. He wants me to spend a year tutoring under”—I smacked my mouth—“Prince Hyacinth.”

Temi nodded. “All right. When do we go?”

I stopped walking. “We?”

“Yes, we.” She crossed her arms. “Do you seriously think I’m going to let you run off and make an ass of yourself alone?”

“Your faith in me is so inspiring.”

“My faith in you is deserved.” She shrugged. “Besides, I liked Hyacinth.”

I rolled my eyes. “You were a child the last time you saw him. I’ve spent time with him more recently.”

She jabbed her finger into my chest. “I’ve always been an excellent judge of people, even as a child.”

True. But I wouldn’t admit to that. I brushed my hands through the long grass alongside the path. “What about the people in the village here? They need you.”

“Our staff at the house can handle it for me while we’re gone and”—she cut her eyes at me—“don’t think I’m unaware of all that you do for the villagers.”

I threw the bag over my shoulder and started walking again. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, Apollo, you’re not as slick as you think you are. A handsome stranger that just happens to dole out blessings to people in the village? You forget how well connected I am here. I hear all the gossip.”