‘Oh Fates.’ Mother brings a worried hand to her mouth. ‘He’s early. Step back. Let me look at you.’
I do as she asks, taking in the spread she has arranged for my father’s arrival: feta-stuffed artichokes glistening in olive oil, dried chickpeas dusted with flakes of salt so large they catch the light, tarts with creamy cheese and pickled vegetables, flaky pastries with dollops of raspberry jam and a dozen breads with flowers baked into the top – decorative edible ones that I created because I thought they’d make my mother happy, flowers and domesticity in one.
But it’s all for show – Father won’t be staying to eat any of it. He’ll make a few withering comments, put me in my place andthen dash off to pay attention to his favoured children or the future mothers of them.
‘All right, you look fine,’ Mother says to soothe herself. ‘But, Kore, you need to behave when he gets here. Don’t rile him up. I need to … Look, he’s going to want to marry you to the god who offers him the most cattle, or bows lowest, or, gods, I don’t even know what. I’m already going to have to push to choose someone who will treat you well. Don’t make him angry enough to spite you with a different choice.’
‘Yes, Mother. I’ll behave.’
I’m not an idiot.
‘Good girl,’ she says, pressing a kiss to my temple as the door slams open.
I wince at the noise. Father likes to be loud – everything about him is thunderous. He likes it best when his voice is loud enough to have people cowering. As he enters our home, the air itself tenses, crackling with the static of something other than his lightning. I fall to my knees as he enters, head bowed.
‘My king,’ I mutter, my voice echoed by my mother on her knees beside me.
‘Rise,’ he commands.
I keep my eyes glued to the floor as I do, wishing I could sink into the tiles. Mother edges forward, her shoulder brushing mine as she positions herself in front of me as subtly as she can.
He snorts. ‘You’ve done a decent job, Demeter. She looks somewhat tame.’
My cheeks flush with anger but I hope he mistakes it for an embarrassed blush.
‘Indeed. Now, shall we go?’ Mother asks.
He ignores her, and begins stepping round me in a long, languid circle.
‘Yes,’ he finally says. ‘I imagine we will get quite the offers for her. I’ve already had several in, trying to hedge their bets. Kore.’ He shouts my name like I haven’t been able to hear him, and I jerk my gaze up.
‘Father,’ I answer with a delicate nod of my head.
‘Are you looking forward to your wedding?’
What to answer? If I say yes he’ll sell me as a woman who’sup for it, who can’t wait. If I say no, there I am, being obtuse, refusing him.
‘I’m excited for my marriage, my king.’
‘Last time I was here you were begging me not to have one.’
I’ve done that so often I can’t even recall the specific time he’s referring to. ‘My highest wish remains as always to follow your commands. If you want me to marry then I am excited to do so.’
He hums his amusement. ‘And what else do you want?’
It always comes back to this. I’m not sure he’s angry any more, just satisfied to break a stubborn girl down into a subservient woman. Like if he crushes me he’ll be able to crush every person on the planet who ever challenges him.
‘What would you like me to want?’
His eyes start crackling, lightning racing across them, and he takes a step forward that has me jumping back. He laughs so loudly they must hear it on Olympus. ‘That, Kore. I want that – for you to never forget who has power here. When you’re on Olympus, making your husband’s house a home as a good woman should, I want you to remember that I’m the one who put you there.’
My teeth grind. ‘Yes, my king. Whatever you want.’
‘And you won’t feel sad to leave this place? To maybe even leave this world?’
‘I’m simply the goddess of flowers, Father,’ I say, relieved to be on familiar ground. He likes this, me making it clear that I am settled in lacking the power I once craved. ‘What more could I possibly offer this world?’
‘Excellent,’ he chirps happily, stepping back and turning to my mother. ‘Come, let’s get this over with. There’s a tournament in Ithaca I’d be awfully loath to miss.’
