Page 8 of A Veil of Gods and Kings

I sighed. He was right. I grabbed a plate and placed a fig, some bread, which burned against my fingers as steam rose from the loaf, and a handful of almonds on it as the murmuring of everyone’s conversation swept through the space. Hades stood, walking over to a corner and speaking with a nymph.

Heracles scowled at me. “Do you still not eat properly, Apollo?”

My hands froze on the food. “You worry about your plate, and I shall worry about mine.”

Heracles rolled his eyes, his nose wrinkling, his lip curling up. “It’s no wonder Father is so disappointed in you. Afraid of eating meat.” He clicked his tongue, swallowing his wine.

Kaliope walked over and eased beside me, her auburn curls swept back with a headband, framing her face like a crown. “Don’t pay him any mind.” She smiled. “He’s just jealous of the attention your father gives you.”

I sighed. How I wished Father would redirect his attention.

Kaliope leaned in closer to me, her scarlet lips parting, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Please tell me you intend to spend the night.”

I cleared my throat. “Kaliope, listen—”

“Come now, Apollo.” She traced a finger over my arm. “We had fun before, didn’t we?”

I snagged her hand and eased it away from me. “We did. But… it was a mistake on my part.”

She cocked her head to the side. “What was the mistake about it?”

“I just… I shouldn’t have… That’s all.”

She shrugged, snagging an almond, placing it in her mouth, her lips peeling down her fingers. My gaze rested there too long, and she smirked. “Are the rumors true, then? Will you only lay with mortals now?”

I chuckled. “How boring the gods' lives must be if all they have to gossip about is my personal life?”

“Or”—she cocked her eyebrows up, leaning in towards me, a floral smell drifting off of her—“how interesting your personal life must be?”

I suppose the one mercy of my life was that I lived too far from Mt. Olympus for the gods to spy on me without traveling. I parted my mouth to speak, but Poseidon stepped into the room, saving me. “Apollo, Zeus has requested your presence.”

I shrugged at Kaliope and stood, joining Poseidon. We strode down hallways lined with windows that allowed the sunshine to spill in puddles over the tile flooring. Poseidon kept his gaze ahead, tucking his arms behind him. His skin glowed a warm brown in the golden light. “How does your sister fair?”

“She’s fine. Pissed at me half the time, but what’s new?”

He smiled. “And your village?” He shifted his gaze to me. “Are your accommodations still comfortable?”

I sighed. “It’s fine. You’ve asked about me enough. Let’s not pretend it overjoys my father to see me.”

“He’d be happier to see you under different circumstances.”

“My ascension,” I growled.

“Of course.”

“It won’t happen,” I said under my breath.

Poseidon grabbed my arm, stopping us in a pool of light. He didn’t speak until I met his tight gaze, his eyebrows pressing together. “It will happen, Apollo. Fighting your fate just makes things harder for everyone.”

“Does it? You asked after my sister. Is it in her best interest if I ascend, exposing her to the derision of the gods? Or do you not have it in your heart to care about a mortal?”

A dark shadow passed over his eyes. “Your sister will be fine. Zeus vowed her to you—”

“And what good will that do if I’m here?”

He nodded. “What good will you do her there if your presence brings scorn to her life?”

I frowned. He had a point.