Page 76 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

“Because he doesn’t trust me. He said he wants you to watch and make sure I don’t ruin things further.”

Delon laughed. “Cyn, you asshole.” I frowned at him, but he just gave his head a shake, his eyes twinkling. “He told you that shit to hurt your feelings. Which obviously worked.” I cleared my throat hard and crossed my arms. “He sent me with you because he gives a fuck about you. I mean, I am one of his closest childhood friends and a son of a prestigious family from our country. Do you really think he’d risk my life to watch a god… as if that was actually a possibility, anyway?” He shook his head again, his chestnut hair glimmering with highlights of gold in the sunset’s light. “No. He needs some space, but he’ll come around.”

Could that be true? If so, I’d go to Ansair and find some way to get them on our side. I’d do anything to win Hyacinth back. If there was even a glimmer of hope, I’d snag onto it and cling to it like my soul depended on it. I was afraid it did. “I’m not sure. Will he be able to forgive me? I messed everything up.”

“Everyone messes up.” Delon shrugged. “Even Cyn.”

I sighed. There was messing up, and then there was shaming your partner in front of a room full of hundreds of deities and human leaders. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how stupid and impulsive that was. I could have knocked a table of glasses over. I could have punched Zephyrus in his face and see what color his blood ran. That would have been fucking satisfying on a different level. Though it might have actually made people like him more. And Hyacinth was right. I kissed him because I wanted to mark him as mine. I wanted everyone in the room to know he belonged to me. He said I’d disrespected the hell out of him, and it was true.

I hung my head. “It was more than just a small misstep on my part.”

“Yeah.” Delon raised his eyebrows. “You fucked that one up royally.”

I turned towards him. “Is that supposed to be reassuring?”

The horse’s hooves clattered along the road, and the sound tangled up with Delon’s laugh. “Hades’ realm, if I know. If Hyacinth wanted someone who could give you wisdom, he should have sent Len. But he stuck you with me.” He shifted his eyes in my direction, a smirk stealing over his expression. “I’m offering the best I’ve got because I need you to come out of this funk, so I can finagle the rest of your money bag from you during this trip.”

I stared at him for a moment, my lips inching up. “I’m a better card player when I’m in a foul mood.”

“Noted. I’ll work harder on the cheering up aspect, then.”

I huffed a laugh but then dragged my fingers back through my hair. Because he was right. I’d royally fucked up.

31

Artemis

“Damn it.” I slammed my fist onto the table in the center of the room. The light of sunset poured in, highlighting the texture of the cream-colored walls, brightening shadowy corners.

Sappho looked over her shoulder at me, her eyes holding a touch of irritation, before she shifted back to the shelves in front of her, shuffling through scrolls on them.

Valerian stood against the wall, his arms crossed. Where he had swallowed into himself, I had spent the last half an hour pacing the floor, glaring at Epiphany’s guards who milled around the edges of the room and snapping at anyone who spoke. I knew I was being prickly and unhelpful, but it was the only thing holding off sheer terror for me.

We’d found blood.

Which meant…

No, not necessarily. She could be okay. And we’d find her and get her back.

We would.

Valerian shifted, his expression darkening. He had to feel the same as me, like this was his fault. We probably were both to blame, but thinking that didn’t do a damn thing to help.

Sappho unrolled a map and spread it over the table, drumming her fingers against it. “We know a few things. Princess Epiphany was last seen a few hours ago, and while Hera can travel instantly herself, she cannot do so with a mortal.” She flowed her ruby-painted nails over the page. “If she wanted her dead—”

“She’s not dead,” I bit out, and Valerian shuddered.

Sappho sighed. “I agree.” She spoke slowly. “Because if that was Hera’s intention, she would have left her there for you to find. Which means she has taken her.” My body slumped. I needed to calm down and focus. Fury would not help us here. Sappho swept a circular motion around the pale blue color of the ocean on the map. “So, Hera either has her on my island or somewhere she could have gotten to by boat quickly.”

“We should be out looking, then. We’re wasting time.”

“Dionysus’ panthers are already searching. And they have far keener senses than you, even in your newly revealed form.” Her eyes trailed over the silver glowing along my arms, and I crossed them. “It will take months, possibly years, of dedicated effort before you can ascend to your full power.”

Valerian shifted again, his expression turning to one of desperation and hopelessness. I had to turn away from him. I couldn’t have him believing Epiphany was doomed. Because I needed to believe that she had a chance.

A panther jumped through the open window, landing on the tile floors with a thump, and glittering before shifting forms. Atara’s words rushed together. “We know where she is.”

Epiphany’s guards, Valerian, and I all jerked our faces towards him.