Aeëtes’s smile widened as he sat down across the fire from her, peering over the top of the flames.
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s final. It’s not up for debate, and I don’t remember asking you for your opinion.” Hecate still wasn’t looking at him.
“I’m coming with you.” Aeëtes was very slow to anger, but he was annoyed. Hecate was still being dismissive of him, and he would take anything from her over dismissive. The goddess finally snapped her eyes to him, nearly growling.
“Your capacity for persuasion truly astounds me. No.” There was a viciousness in her tone that sent a spark down Aeëtes’s spine. Something within her had captured his attention from the minute he laid eyes on her, and he had a feeling that the fact she had rescued him from being a sacrifice didn’t even matter. It most certainly did, but Aeëtes knew that he wasn’t unfairly projecting. He could have run into Hecate on a crowded street, and he would have been equally consumed by this woman.
She’s not a woman.Aeëtes chastised himself.This is a goddess… The Goddess of allwomen.Who are you to even assume that she wants to spend time with you and insist that she does?
A dark voice of insecurity appeared from the corners of Aeëtes’s mind, the same voice that came out when he would only learn defensive maneuvers when he trained as a child. It was the same voice that threatened to block out the sun when the king of Colchis threatened him, and when he wondered why he never even got to learn his mother’s name. A voice that was loudest when he thought of Helios, who had sent him away, leaving him to be raised outside of the world of immortals.
It was an oppressive, cold feeling that threatened to pull Aeëtes under and drown him every time it appeared. He was an immortal with no real power, annoying to the gods and unable to relate to humans. The only way that Aeëtes was able to throttle the voice was to overpower it with such a confidence, such an easy bravado, that no one would guess what was happening in his head.
Yet, when Hecate looked at him with a deathly cold face and an unimpressed scowl, his only thought was to curl up next to her until they both had chased away their demons with sunlight. He wanted that for her, even if she couldn’t spend another minute in his presence. It had been enamoring to watch her as she faced off against Hera, giving him a glimpse of gods and the world that he only half-belonged to for the first time.
He wanted her to be his next adventure. If that meant that he called on the life debt and forced their time together, he’d make her smile. If that was his adventure, he’d do it—no matter how insane it sounded, even if he hadn’t known her for a full day.
Aeëtes swallowed thickly but hid it with a smile.
“I’ve been told that I can be incredibly persuasive.”
“I will feed you to my dogs,” Hecate sneered, “And I’ve yet to see it.” Hecate’s quip in return was quick, not missing a beat. Aeëtes continued to study her through the flames. She was sitting neatly, her hands in her lap, hardly moving except for a fidgeting of her fingers.
“It remains,” Aeëtes tilted his head to the side, softening his tone, “You claimed a life debt. You claimed a life debt in front of Hera…and took it from Hera. I was hers.”
“You are no one’s.” Hecate surprised even herself with the strength of her voice. She paused, coughing slightly and attempting to clarify. “You do not belong to Hera. She cannot grab people and immortals and do whatever she wishes.”
“She did, though, and you held your ground. You took on my life debt, Hecate. I’m not a god, but I am immortal. I know what that means.”
“I only did it to get back at Hera,” Hecate growled, power flickering over her arms as her eyes burned red. The accusation that Hera had flung at her had found its target in the deep recesses of her heart, and she was still reeling from it. Aeëtes felt the heat coming off her words.
“You did it though,” he pushed again, unperturbed. Hecate sighed, shaking her head as she looked up towards the heavens.
“I am not changing my mind on this, Aeëtes. This is not some wrestling match that you can jump into last minute. The games of gods don’t stop until someone is dead.”
“Good thing I’m immortal.”
“You love to remind me of this.” Hecate rolled her eyes. “You have no power, Aeëtes. I couldn’t care less on a personal level, but it does mean that you’re just as vulnerable to me as a human.”
“But you do think of me on a personal level?” Aeëtes’s face lit up, and Hecate could see it through the fire, his wide smile only illuminated by the crackling flames. “You do realize as soon as you turn your back or leave me in Heraklion, then you’d leave me defenseless?”
Hecate opened her mouth and closed it quickly, chewing on her lip as she found herself caught in a trap of her own making. If she was worried about the life debt and Hera’s false claim on Aeëtes, then he was right. He would be even more exposed the minute that she left.
Aeëtes saw the moment that he had won written all over Hecate’s face, and he had to keep from laughing out loud. It was getting closer to dawn, and the atmosphere seemed to lighten around them with the encroaching sun.
“What’s the plan then?” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and he could’ve sworn he saw Hecate’s magical snakes flicker across her arms. She sighed deeply and hung her head back, shaking it slowly before she responded.
“Hera didn’t remove the curse. You’ll probably turn back into a ram at dawn,” Hecate delighted slightly in the shock on Aeëtes’s face. “The fact that you turned back into a man at all was probably a loophole since she didn’t intend for you to live past nightfall.”
“Pleasant.” Aeëtes clicked his tongue and suddenly felt a little more disdain for his father and the rising sun. Hecate continued without acknowledging him.
“I know of a spell that will probably work to undo the curse. But we’ll need to return to Colchis to do it.” Hecate’s words fell down on Aeëtes like heavy stones, slowing crushing him under their weight. She watched in slight concern as a grimace ate up Aeëtes’s smile for the first time.
“Is there…” Aeëtes coughed awkwardly. “Is there any way that we can avoid that?”
Hecate eyed him warily, her curiosity spiked as to why a crown prince would have concerns about returning to their birthright. She shook her head.
