Page 78 of A Veil of Gods and Kings

“Or maybe you take compliments too easily. You just assume there are interesting people attending this dinner.”

“Ouch.” He pressed his fingers over his tunic, draping the fabric against his chest. It flowed over the firm lines of his body.

Sweat broke out on my brow, and I slid my chair back, turning towards the window, bringing Epiphany to mind, my mother, the gardens. Anything but this gorgeous damn man—no, not a man, a god, Zeus’ son—sitting in this room with me, smiling at me like that. Damn it.

“On that note”—I gentled my voice—“I know you don’t enjoy flaunting your godlike powers.” He flinched. “But, I wonder, if I could ask, as a personal favor, if you would do so at this dinner.” I sighed. “It would help keep others from being offended.”

He trailed his fingers over the knapsack he always kept with him, his fingernails gleaming in the light. “All right. But, you owe me one.”

“I owe you one?”

“Yup.”

“Is keeping you for the year not a big enough favor if we’re tallying up who owes who?”

“Nope.”

I sighed. “You’re impossible.”

“You seem to like it.”

“Yes, I have a habit of enjoying things that bring me pain.” I chuckled, but Apollo’s expression darkened, his lips pulling down. And that tug in my chest seized at me, that desire to know what caused that turn in his demeanor, what secrets weighed on him. Apollo snagged his pile of papers again, draping back against his chair, his head bowing over the work.

At a loss for words, I dipped the reed back into the ink pot and returned to my own tasks.

26

Apollo

Temi walked out of the washroom dressed in a gown of gold and ivory, her braids pulled into a bun that she’d laced glittering amber ribbons through. I gasped. “You look beautiful.”

She scanned over me. “You’re almost wearing a robe.”

I rolled my eyes, readjusting the thigh-length coat. “It’s a jacket, all right?”

“And you’re going without a veil?”

The silver shimmer around my limbs reflected in the floor, and I sighed. “Hyacinth asked me to.”

She cocked up an eyebrow. “And you agreed?”

“I have something I should tell you that may shock you,” I whispered

“What is it?”

“Perhaps you were right.”

She shifted her face towards me. “Oh, Apollo, don’t flatter me like that. You’re making my entire night.” She chuckled and slipped her arm into mine.

“You flat out ignored my comment on the dress.”

“I already know I look stunning in it. This dress is kick-ass.”

I smiled and patted her hand. “You speak the truth. It is.”

“But thank you.” We traipsed out of our room and down the carpeted stairs. “Now what was I right about?”

“Maybe Hyacinth and I have more in common than I realized.”