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Zeus’s jaw dropped. Apollo actually screamed a high-pitched sound of disbelief. Aphrodite laughed. The chorus sang a tune. It sounded suspiciously like “he had it coming!”

Hera watched in shock as Nemesis stood from the table, rolling down her white sleeves, lean muscles disappearing under silk. The crowd did not dare breathe. Not until⁠—

“I assume the yacht is at its usual marina, Zeus?” He nodded mutely, still looking in complete stupor between Nemesis’s face and the cards on the table. She picked up the Queen of Spades, then looked back at him. When she spoke, her voice was devoid of all intonation.

“Tell the captain to set it on fire. And tell him to film it. I like to watch.”

The room erupted. One of Zeus’s bodyguards approached Nemesis, clearly too undisciplined and enraged on his boss’s behalf. A clean, powerful left hook took care of him in a second. Shouts and cheers and gasps rang from every corner. Nemesis gracefully walked out, paying no attention to any of it. She stopped in front of Hera, gently placing the Queen of spades in her hand. A circled number 1 traced in red ink stood in sharp relief on the back of it. Some of the color bled on Hera’s fingertips, the feeling warm and, for some reason, comforting. Somewhere behind them, Zeus whimpered.

5

WHERE EVERYONE CROWDS THE EMPRESS (AND HER EXHAUSTION INTENSIFIES…)

“OH MY GOD! WHAT WAS THAT?”

Erato literally bounced on her boot heels as she cornered Hera in her office.

“Which God? You prefer Goddesses anyway. And that was Vengeance in her natural environment and her perfect, most refined state of being. Deadly.” Aphrodite made herself comfortable on the ivory sofa by the windows. She waved her fingers, and the smallest bear appeared as if on command with a tall flute.

“That better be apple cider.”

The second the words left her mouth, Hera knew all eyes in the room were on her. Come to think of it, why were so many of them in here? In her very secluded, very private office?

“Oh, don’t even bother.” Demeter reclined on the cushion next to Aphrodite and unceremoniously took a sip from her flute. “It is some kind of fizzy monstrosity, but it is not alcoholic.”

Aphrodite only managed an indignant “hey” before Erato also tasted her drink.

“It’s that new Ambrosia-Lite flavor Zeus’s formerly new, currently ex girlfriend—like the one from three girlfriends ago?—put on the market. ” she said.

“Eww!” Both Demeter and Aphrodite made disgusted faces.

“I mean, it is kinda tasty, but out of solidarity with you, Your Majesty, I shall never touch the cursed thing again. Why are you stocking it?”

The bear looked like a deer in headlights before Hera rolled her eyes and motioned for him to go.

“Drink your little fizzy water, Dite.” The eyes in the room were suddenly even more focused on her. These people drained her.

“What? I don’t care about Zeus’s girlfriends. The one from three girlfriends ago, or this one.” Hera said, and reached for a document from her desk, just to occupy her hands.

Gasps all around followed her statement.

“You cannot be serious!” Demeter passed Aphrodite’s glass back to her

“I do not believe this!” Dite took a gulp and set it down. “Gross. It’s tasty, but gross, if you know what I mean. Solidarity. Never again.”

“No way, no how!” Erato perched on the edge of Hera’s desk, clearly feeling way too conformable for everyone’s good.

“I miss the beautiful old days when you all hated or ignored me.” Hera pressed her fingers to her temples.

“I mean, once you literally engineered my eternal happiness, there was no chance I’d ever hate or ignore you ever again. You’re my favorite sister-in-law.” Erato laid her hand on her heart.

“Hestia will be wounded, I’m sure.” Hera drawled.

“Hestia knows when to mind her business. Which reminds me, we have not seen head nor tail of that woman in ages. Where is our sister again, Hera?” Demeter took another sip of Aphrodite’s drink and made another face.

“She’s off living her best life, I imagine. Alone. With no one to bother her. Which is something I can only dream of. And you know this club has a bar that stocks over a thousand brands of drinks? All of you could just get your own drinks.” Hera wondered.

“Eh, no time.” Demeter patted Aphrodite’s stomach.