Page 83 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

I sighed and set the mug down. Drinking wouldn’t help fix anything. “Today was a disaster.”

“Yes,” Delon said, lifting his face to the pink bleeding over the sky. “We both knew it would be. But I didn’t expect how this turned out.”

“What do you mean?”

“The king mentioning some sort of alliance with another god and dismissing Niria with such little decorum. Hyacinth was right. Our relationship with Ansair has been neglected. And it may harm us in this war. I had thought they might just be a neutral non-ally, but perhaps they’re actually an enemy.” He frowned. “Him hinting at Zephyrus has me worried that the wind god might have made some deal with him. Maybe he convinced him to try and capture you in exchange for something?” He gave his head a shake. “We need to be wary of our meeting tomorrow. The king may not have exercised whatever plan he had in front of the eyes of his court, but we’ll be alone in the morning.”

I studied him, his gold-highlighted hair brushing together in the wind against the shoulders of his formal coat, and I shivered at the meaning of his words. “You picked up on all of that from the meeting?”

He nodded. “That and I had a few guards remove their uniform and talk with some people. It’s amazing how much someone will tell you if you purchase them a few drinks.”

I clenched my teeth. Even Delon knew how to act strategically and move within a political realm. I didn’t know a damn thing about that. As much as I hated to admit it, there was wisdom in my father sending me to mentor under Hyacinth. He had an entire skillset I knew nothing about. And I wasn’t anything more than a liability. Gods, it’s a wonder Cyn had ever liked me.

“It wouldn’t matter, Apollo,” Delon said, his eyes on the undulating forms of the buildings that made up the city.

“What wouldn’t?”

“Nothing you or I could have done differently would have changed today. And it probably won’t help tomorrow either.”

“I’d hoped…” But I stopped speaking. It was foolish. Discussing it with Delon even more so.

He tipped his mug back and finished it. “Hoped what?”

I sighed. “That if we got Ansair to align with us, it might show Hyacinth…” I shook my head. “Never mind.”

“Hyacinth knew we didn’t have a fucking chance to turn them towards us. This was a punishment.” Delon grinned. “But we’ll try to feel out things more tomorrow and let King Magnes know our impression of what may be happening here in Ansair. So, that will be useful. And there’s another perk to this, at least.”

“What’s that?”

“We can go home sooner than expected.” He clapped his hand over my shoulder. “Gods, I long to spend a night sleeping in my bed and have some decent fucking food. Hades’ realm, I’m not created for travel.”

I smiled, but my body sank at his words again.

Home.

I didn’t have one.

Hyacinth had been that to me.

But I’d broken that.

Like every other good thing life had ever offered to me.

So, we’d go to this meeting in the morning and—gods willing—walk out of it unscathed. And then we would head back to Niria. I’d attempt to mollify Zeus by making offerings along the way. Spring would come—Zephyrus’ fucking season—and I’d ascend. I would use my powers and any scraps of authority I could garner to protect Hyacinth and his kingdom.

That all felt so hollow and hopeless.

I’d do it. I’d promised Cyn I would.

But what really mattered to me—Hyacinth—was gone.

Delon studied me, like he could see through my thoughts. “Listen, Apollo…”

“We should go,” I cut into his words, “before it gets dark if you want to stop by other public dining houses.”

Delon hesitated for another moment before jumping back to his feet. “All right.”

I rose alongside him and reached for his mug. “I can return these.”