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“They were playing some verbal dodge-and-weave,” Jaden confesses. “Almost as if they sensed I was listening. At least afraid of being heard. So no, it’s not like they were pushing around little figurines on their campaign board or anything. But if they did…”
His hedge has me scooting higher, throwing my most severe stare at him. If we were kids, I’d be a second away from grabbing my phone and outing him to his crush. Since he’s been openly thirsting at Liseli since last night, he has to know I’m just as serious now.
“If they did…then what?”
“Then the figurines would look a lot like you and Maximus.”
This time I don’t flinch. It’s not an unexpected revelation. What I need—and am wrenched about digging deeper for—are all thewhysbeneath.
“Because?” I ask anyway.
Jaden crosses his ankles and hurls back a pointed look. “You’ve got to know at least the first part of that answer, sister. You’re not just a diamond among the sorceresses. You’re something rarer. A human, demon, and witch hybrid. You’re like a shard of stardust pressed into blood and bone and flesh. My guess is, that means something to a lot of someones, and they’re not about to let a rare opportunity pass by.”
“Opportunity?” I don’t apologize for my new agitation. It’s just a drop in the depths of my new conflict. An ocean too huge to be ignored now.
For all the kindness and care Hecate’s shown to me, there’s also the underlying details about her interactions with the rest of the world. With Mother and Arden and Hades…and even, sometimes, with Maximus. The careful thought before her words. The meticulous calm. The Zen that seems so unbelievable.
Is that because it isn’t even real?
My heart yearns to screamno. And wants to be right.
My head fights back with too many unresolved issues. Irrefutable facts.
“What kind of opportunity?” I order him.
“Easier asked than answered,” my brother replies. “Becausethat’sa factor that they’re obviously unified about, to the point they didn’t have to name it directly.” He waxes both hands across the air. “I know, I know, it breaks my chocolate bar the wrong way too—especially because that seems to be all they can agree on.”
Again, not a shocking piece of news—but I’m more hesitant about replying to it. Maybe Circe’s so addicted to soap operas because of the relatable bickerings. But if my own life has taught me one thing clearer than the rest, it’s the exhausting pointlessness of all that.
Still, I force my head higher in order to keep up my side of the conversation. I can’t let Jaden cut it off here.
“So, let me guess. Some of them think my enlightenment is going too fast. Others probably think I should be making the West Coast disappear by now.”
He doubletakes. “Your enlighten-what?”
It feels good to give in to a chuckle. “An Iremia-ism for honing my magical side.” Just as quickly, I sober up. “But there’s no fancy way for expressing what the rest of them are likely thinking—unless they haven’t filled me in on the code fortoss her out and forget about it.”
No brotherly whip-back on that one, though his narrowed glance comes close to the same message. “Not the words on anyone’s lips—though slide over a little and you’ll hit the hot button.”
The second my mind does exactly that, my gut takes on new rocks.
“Maximus,” I rasp, hating my brother’s averted glance at that confirmation. “Maximus?They wanthimout of here? Why?”
Jaden drums a pair of fingers along his boulder. “You’rethe Valari with more tenure here.”
“Right,” I spit. “Enough to know that Maximus has been helping them feed their animals and clean up after their meals. That he’s been humble, generous, and smart with everyone. More obviously, that he’s way more fun to gawk at than me.”
Jaden pushes back to his feet as if every one of my points has slapped him with physical force. Not hard, but firm enough to inspire his irked frown. “Makes more sense than where their conversation went next.”
I’m liberal with my long groan. “You mean it got worse?”
“Let’s just say I started to wonder if I should take notes,” he states.
“About what?”
He turns and firmly plants his stance. “It’s not Maximus the dude they’re powering the lasers for. Their sights are fixed on his…other stuff.”
I shift my own weight, spraying pebbles in my urgency. “You mean because he’s a demigod? Why would that matter? Their own leader is a child of Olympus—”
