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It’s an effort not to shrink down in my chair. I am rich, handsome, and from a legacy family, but none of those things have anything to do with me. I didn’t earn them. They are mine through an accident of birth. But painting? That’s something I always felt good taking credit for. It’s a craft I worked hard to develop, and my career exists because of that skill set.
A skill set I haven’t been able to deploy for nearly a year.
I have a dozen answers to that question, ones I’ve given repeatedly in the months since I stopped painting. None of them are the truth. Even as I call myself seven kinds of fool, I give an honest answer. “I lost my muse, and after that my world went gray. It’s hard to find inspiration in a world without color.”
Eurydice sucks in a sharp breath, but I can’t make myself look at her. Not when it feels like I just laid my heart on the table before us. For his part, Charon merely seems thoughtful. He finally says, “I’ve decided how you can make things right, Eurydice.”
She sputters. “I didn’t do anything wrong…”
He turns his head slowly to look at her, and her words die out. Charon leans forward and props his elbows on the table. “You want to try that again?”
She opens her mouth like she wants to continue arguing, but then her shoulders drop and her head bows. “Look, I was never in any danger, and this needed to be done for the benefit of the city as a whole.”
“Your sister and Hades might buy that line of bullshit, but I know better. I don’t give a fuck about Olympus. You made me a promise, and you broke it.”
It’s fascinating to watch her expressions flicker over her face. I don’t get the feeling that she and Charon argue often. Based on what they’ve both said in the last couple days, it seems like he’s taken the role of the supportive protector. He made her feel safe enough to find her feet, and that doesn’t necessarily happen by kicking them out from beneath her the way he is now. It’s enough to make me wonder how many times he’s bitten his tongue until it bled to keep his worry inside. I bet it’s happened more than once.
She finally sighs. “You can’t expect me to move around wrapped in bubble wrap. This city has always been a dangerous place, and it’s only getting more so as time goes on. If you put me in a cage, I’ll wither away to nothing.”
Charon shakes his head slowly, his lips curving just a bit. “That’s a nice little straw man argument you came up with, baby. The city being dangerous isn’t the problem. You making a call that will no doubt benefit the Thirteen in the ongoing conflict doesn’t matter. What matters is that you lied.”
She curses and flops back against her seat. “Okay, fine. I lied. I told you I wouldn’t go anywhere without a security detail, and I had every intention of slipping them the first chance I got. Are you happy now?”
“Fuck no, I’m not happy. But at least we’re getting somewhere.” He turns to me. “I want to see what you’ve got.”
“What?” He jumped subjects so quickly, I can’t keep up. “What are you talking about?”
“Eurydice owes me an apology. Truth be told, she owes you one too, because she put you in a position where you couldn’t talk back without fear of her leaving you behind. As her punishment, I want you to paint her.”
I’m already shaking my head. “I just got done telling you that I don’t paint anymore.” Even if I have started to feel the first glimmer of inspiration in the last two days. It’s not enough, not to do anything resembling the kind of work I used to be capable of.
“I’m not telling you to make a paintingofher, Orpheus. I want you to paint her body. And Eurydice? You will be good and sit perfectly still for the duration. At the end, if we’re both satisfied, you’ll be forgiven.”
Heat licks through me. I turn just in time to see Eurydice’s eyes go wide. “You can’t be serious.”
“You don’t know how agonizing the drive was to pick you up today. Hades didn’t give me any information except that you needed help and needed it as soon as possible. A little bit of sensual agony won’t hurt you, baby. I think it’s more than a fair trade.”
She narrows her eyes. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Absolutely not.”
“So be it.” She motions at me. “What paint do you need?”
Charon pushes slowly to his feet. “I already have the materials.” He doesn’t give either of us a chance to argue before he turns and walks out of the dining room. A few seconds later, his footsteps ascend the staircase and move in the direction of the bedroom. He didn’t technically give us an order to follow, but the intent is clear all the same.
Eurydice looks shaken. “Did you two talk about this beforehand?”
I shake my head, feeling just as rattled as she looks. “No. We talked a little, while you were in the clinic, but not about this. I don’t know when the fuck he had the time to get body paint.” Assuming those are the materials he’s talking about. Theoretically, other paints would be safe to put on the skin, but I don’t feel comfortable getting experimental. Body paint exists for a reason.
We rise at the same time and follow Charon up the stairs to his room. I can’t help sneaking glances at Eurydice all the while. There are plenty of nerves present, but she shows the same anticipation I feel curling through my stomach. It’s happening again, that strange alchemy that seems to pop up when the three of us are together.
Once in Charon’s room, we find him laying a dark sheet over the bed. I still can’t believe his audacity. He had no doubt in his mind that we would both obey. He was right; here we are, obediently waiting for our next command. I can’t help but lift my brows when he pulls out a bucket of previously opened body paint. “You’re just full of surprises.”
It’s hard to tell in the low light, but I think Charon might beblushing. “There was a party several months ago where a particular kind of costume was highly recommended.”
Next to me, Eurydice frowns. “I don’t remember any party.”
“That’s because you weren’t invited.” Before she can do more than tense a little, he continues, “Hades and Persephone presided over the revelry.”
