Page 46 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

“How many other gods know about that?” I clenched my teeth together. Damn it. Janus had me continuing to blurt out things I didn’t intend to. I looked over my shoulder, but no one else seemed to pay attention to our conversation as the attendees laughed and chatted, the glowing of the gods swirling through the room.

“Not many. My temple doors, you see,” Janus said, “are only open when war is on the horizon.”

I paused a moment before answering, not wanting to let my thoughts pour forth again. “And they’re open now?”

“Oh, they’ve been open for several years, Prince Hyacinth. The major players are just finally realizing it.” He lifted his glass towards me and walked away.

I took a deep breath, my robe shifting over my shoulders with the movement.

The conversation had left me rattled. Which was not helpful. I had already felt overwhelmed trying to decide who to speak with in the room and how much information to share. And I was wary of speaking to any of the high gods. Apollo told me they could see into the heart of mortals and past the ruse I played here. It was lucky that few high gods attended, probably due to earth sickness, an ailment the lower deities didn’t share. I suppose it didn’t matter with Janus as he saw everything. But he had given me nothing but puzzles and disquiet. My life would be tragic—how shocking for a prince in a kingdom heading up a war and involved in a relationship with a being who would far outlive him. And warfare was coming. I assumed those things and had seen the fear of my mortality reflected in Apollo’s expression.

Apollo had left me in the summer to avoid that fate for me.

But I was caught up in this war between gods even before he got involved.

I gave my head a shake. Janus was just distracting me. Thinking about that wasn’t helpful. I needed to seek someone who may have answers about who we could connect with. And I knew who that might be.

I took a sip of my wine, letting the tang of it sit on my tongue, and walked up to Zephyrus, who spoke with a goddess with curly, sable hair and bright green eyes. “Ah, Hyacinth,” he said, pulling away from her. “Have you met Flora yet?”

Oh. His wife.

“I have not,” I said, offering her my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She gave me a half-hearted smile and then skimmed her gaze down me, stopping on my outstretched palm but not accepting it. “The pleasure’s mine, Prince Hyacinth.” She flicked flaming eyes towards Zephyrus before bowing and turning, disappearing into the crowd.

I clenched my fingers around the stem of my glass. “I’m afraid I’ve offended your wife.”

“Yes, well.” He tossed his head to the side. “That is often the case when a woman meets her husband’s past lover, is it not?”

I cleared my throat. “Even in a political marriage?”

“Things are usually more complicated than they seem, especially in politics, don’t you think?” He took a swallow from his goblet and set it on a low table near him that held a vase full of dried flowers. “On that note,” he whispered, “there’s a topic I would like to discuss with you, but alone, perhaps?”

Alone.

I did not like that.

But that was likely the only circumstance he’d share the things I wished to find out.

“Of course,” I said, but my heart pattered around. I trailed through the crowd behind him. Apollo laughed at something a nymph commented to him, his curls bouncing with the motion. How I longed to slip away with him instead.

He lifted his face to me again, for a heartbeat, and so much coursed between the two of us it stole my breath. I snapped my head forward and found Delon where he stood flirting with a woman in a long cream dress. Our eyes met, and I gave him a firm look. He nodded once and returned to his partner.

Zephyrus trailed down a hallway that sat in shadows and opened the door to an equally dark room. He stepped inside and lit an oil lamp that bounced light over his features, exaggerating them. “Before I get to the topic at hand, I heard an interesting rumor tonight that concerned me.”

I turned towards the shelf where stacked scrolls sat interspersed with small statues of horses. “What’s that?”

“That Apollo has vowed to Zeus to ascend by spring which will complete Zeus’ control of the elements.”

My breath caught, my heart aching. That couldn’t be true. Apollo would have told me. Though there was something in his conversation with Ares he hadn’t shared. But, no, he hadn’t met with his father that night. And Zephyrus probably lied to me to try and spark jealousy or uncertainty in me. Relief flooded through me. That had to be it. Apollo would never keep something that major from me. I almost felt ridiculous for even entertaining the idea. I shrugged. “He can’t deny his father. Zeus has the power to end the high gods.”

Zephyrus released a weighted breath before responding. “Yes, that’s true.” He sounded disappointed. So, he was baiting me by making up lies to try and get me to react. I swallowed back every ounce of emotion and chastised myself for allowing him to make me doubt Apollo. Zephyrus could say what he wanted, but he would not pull anything from me.

I turned around to face him where he leaned against the desk. “Your conversations with many of those in attendance tonight has surprised me.”

“Is that right?”

He shrugged, the flame flickering over his wings, making the feathers appear as though they fluttered. “I thought I may have information that interests you. But one can’t be too careful,” he said darkly. “Zeus has spies everywhere.”