Page 117 of Ungodly Rich

“My brother’s fiancée has gone missing in the middle of a freak storm. Isn’t anyone worried for her safety?” Hephaestus raised his voice, his words directed at all of them. “I’m going out there, and you should all join me.”

Wind rattled at the windows like an angry guest demanding to be let in. Rain drummed harder against the roof. Aphrodite barely registered any of it.

She couldn’t just stand there, helpless, and watch her husband walk away from her. Not this time.

Chapter Forty-Six

Hermes

The noise in the ballroom had reached a fever pitch.

Aphrodite and Hephaestus had retreated to the front of the makeshift altar and were speaking in low tones. Hermes cast his preternatural hearing toward them, but he could only make out a few words here and there—not an Olympian,and then,I’ll protect you.Not enough to make sense of over the shouting match currently happening between Ares, Athena, and Hera.

Ares had whirled on his mother, fists clenched. “I can’t believe you were plotting against Julia the whole time!”

“I wasn’t plotting against Julia; I was plotting to protect you!”

“You promised you would be my ally, back in Olympus! Youlied!” Ares bellowed. His eyes were red with rage, his muscles quivering with it. He looked every inch the god of war.

Hermes cast them one last glance, then started toward Zeus, who had retreated to the back of the ballroom. The king of the gods sprawled on a folding chair—which was tied with little sprays of greenery andwhite blossoms in each corner—as if it were a throne, his whole body radiating entitled ease.

“Hermes,” Zeus said in greeting, and reached inside his tuxedo jacket for a metal flask. He took a long pull before offering it to Hermes, who shook his head. He wanted all his wits about him for the conversation that would follow.

Hermes had done plenty of negotiating in his day, but never with the king of the gods himself.

Zeus shrugged and screwed the top back on the flask. “My family gets more outrageous by the year,” he said ruefully.Myfamily, notourfamily, as if Hermes weren’t even part of it. “What a lot of fuss to make over a mortal woman!”

“I think Ares is caught off guard by everything that’s happened,” Hermes replied neutrally.

“I know, what a trick Aphrodite pulled. It’s the sort of thing I might do myself, if I knew how.” Zeus let out a guffaw of laughter. “Not that I blame her for being unfaithful. Marriage is long in an immortal lifetime. But she needs to be more discreet.”

Hermes nodded as if he agreed. He needed Zeus to think of him as an ally, given what he was about to ask.

“Zeus. I was wondering if I might bring something to your attention,” he began, and bent forward in a bow.

The gesture, or perhaps the wording, made Zeus take notice. “Yes?”

“I know why everyone is so fixated on Julia. I think you’ll find it interesting,” Hermes added meaningfully. “On a personal level.”

Zeus cast a glance toward the front of the ballroom, where his wife and children were still feuding. “I’m listening.”

“I need to know that sharing this information will be worth my while.”

Hermes was done playing in the minor leagues, spying for Hades or Hera and getting nothing in return. Though Hades, at least, had followed through on his promise. Hera had never really cared whether she fulfilled her vows to Hermes.

Hermes would go straight to the top from now on, wouldnegotiate for power, and position, with the only god who could truly grant either.

When Julia had knocked at his door in the middle of the night, visibly distraught, Hermes had longed to ask what had happened. But for once he knew better than to pry. Whatever nasty trick Aphrodite and Hera had pulled, Julia clearly didn’t want to talk about it. Now he knew, of course—and even he, who had a decidedly wicked mind, would not have imagined how royally fucked-up Aphrodite’s actions were.

“Percy. I need to get out of here,” Julia had said breathlessly as he gestured her into his dark hotel room. “Can you help?”

“Get out of here?” he repeated, brows drawn together.

“I need to get off this island. As far as possible, preferably to another country. Or another continent.”

“You are aware that we’re in the middle of a freak storm?” Hermes asked, just as thunder rumbled outside.

“Am I wrong, or can you help?” Julia pleaded.