Page 115 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

Beneath it, the writing changed. Large looping letters written by another hand formed four words.

And mine for you.

I traced my fingertips over the page and sobbed, tears finally coming.

48

Apollo

Months passed.

And my life changed.

Temi had centered me as she often had. She crafted my new reality—a cottage in the heavens, far from my father—where I could watch Hyacinth’s kingdom.

She’d convinced me to visit Zeus’ court, to play the game for Hyacinth’s country’s sake, to stop fighting the sun and guide it across the sky. Amazingly enough, Zeus had yet to catch onto our dissension, either because the gods present at the Palace of the Four Winds were too afraid to tell him, or because he assumed the actions that occurred there were primarily about my personal relationship with Cyn.

But—I leaned back in my chair, and the clouds by my feet scattered as I lifted my ankle up to my knee—Zeus was becoming more demanding. Twice he’d asked me to channel the sun’s power to harm those he stood against. So, my dissension against him would soon be obvious. But that worry would have to keep for now.

Other than fretting about that, I had nothing else to do for the day. I sat on my throne and watched as spring flowers made their slow stretch up, leaves unwinding, petals unfurling.

I didn’t watch all the blossoms, however.

There was one in particular I waited for.

A new flower.

The green leaves of it had already fanned out.

Perhaps this was the day the blooms would show.

I edged forward on the seat, resting my chin on my hand.

My stomach dropped with the nearness of the edge, the world far below.

But if I closed my eyes, I could feel Hyacinth’s rough fingers in mine.

The wind whipping around us.

I swallowed back at the tangle of different emotions that assailed me.

A breeze shook its way through long grasses, and birds whistled and chirped.

A crack of thunder resounded, tearing through the peacefulness, darkening the clouds that wisped through the heavens. A sour feeling swelled within me like a wave rising to crash. I didn’t break my gaze from the world below as I spoke. “Hello, Zeus.”

He stepped out until he crossed my path, the thick muscles of his legs swirling up the mist. He frowned. “Will you not even rise to greet me?”

I dropped back into the chair and tapped my fingers against the armrest. “Forgive me. I’m tired today.”

He glowered. Another boom of thunder sounded, the world growing dark. “Are you attempting to raise my ire?”

“No, I’m not.”

“I called for you yesterday.”

I slipped my gaze up to him with a sigh. He wanted me to manipulate my powers as a weapon against innocents. And I wouldn’t stand for it. “I received the invitation but didn’t desire to attend.”

He took two steps closer to me, his eyes ebony dark. The clouds burst with his movement, rain sweeping over the valley. “It was not an invitation. Let me make this clear to you. When I call for you, you will answer. When I tell you to do something, you will follow through. Do you understand me?”