Panacea perked up. Goddess or not, she was a kindred spirit.
They talked about books. Fantasy. Romance. Even a murder mystery set for release next month. The conversation wandered easily between topics, tropes, and authors.
“Well, I’ll tell my book club we’ve gained a new member,” Panacea said.
“Book club?” Iliana asked, trying to picture it. How would those humans react knowing they had discussed their likes and dislikes with a Greek goddess?
“Yes. We don’t meet that often. Persephone’s absence for half the year makes it tricky. No one wants to go to the Underworld to carry on the meetings, and it’s not the same without her.”
Iliana stared. “Wait. Persephone’s in your book club?”
Panacea laughed quietly. “She started it.”
Iliana asked question after question. Other members included names she knew, such as Demeter, Artemis, and Calliope, as well as ones she didn’t: Eos, Mnemosyne, Brigid, and Saraswati. The thought of ancient goddesses arguing about book boyfriends was surreal.
Before she could ask for more information, a knock at the door pulled her from the image. Iliana opened it to find Anubis holding two plates of food.
“I lost track of time,” she acknowledged sheepishly.
“I figured,” he said. His smile was altogether too pleased as he set the plates down on a small table that materialized between their chairs.
Before leaving, he leaned in and kissed her cheek, lips lingering hot on her skin.
Panacea didn’t bother hiding her amusement, her lavender eyes turning sly.
As soon as Anubis was gone, Iliana groaned and covered her flushed face. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” the goddess said with faux innocence. “I’m just enjoying the show.”
Blushing, Iliana returned to her seat. Instead of broaching that subject or any men she was infatuated with, she sat down and began eating.They kept talking about books, medicine, and mythology—anything but the kiss Iliana still felt on her cheek.
Panacea lit up when discussing her work in hospitals, medical research, and expeditions through the Amazon. Iliana almost choked when she mentioned a prank Aphrodite had pulled during the creation of a now-famous drug.
“I was trying to develop a treatment for chest pain,” Panacea said dryly. “Aphrodite seduced the researcher and inspired him to tweak the formula.”
“What happened?”
“It still helps with chest pain. But now it also spreads love and happiness.” Her smile turned wry. “When I asked her, she just said, ‘Sex sells.’”
They talked and giggled until their plates were empty. The table vanished with a wave from Panacea, and Iliana curled up in the chair, her feet drawn up.
“I don’t want to push you, but…how are you, really? With all of this,” Panacea asked.
“Overwhelmed. Curious. Angry. Excited. Frustrated.” Iliana huffed, shaking her head. Every time she thought she understood everything, the gods dropped new information on her that completely threw her off balance.
Panacea nodded. “Let’s start with frustration. What’s bothering you most?”
Iliana rested her head in her hand, her elbow propped on the chair arm. Her eyelids became heavy, weighed down by the day’s training and the delicious food settling in her stomach. She stalled, not wanting to admit the more intimate parts of her frustration.
“When I’m training with Anubis, sometimes I think I’m getting the hang of things, and then I’m quickly reminded that I’m no match for a god.”
“You’re thinking too much about what you can’t do.”
Iliana scoffed. “That’s kind of important when you’re human and fighting a god.”
Panacea smirked knowingly. “And yet, here you are, holding your own against Anubis. Do you think he would train just anyone? If he thought you were hopeless, he wouldn’t waste his time.”
Iliana stared at the goddess.
