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“I am sorry, Apollo. I didn’t mean to let anger overcome me, but she flaunts all the protocols and pushes all the boundaries.” His voice was deeper than usual.
Apollo stepped into the room, while the stranger leaned up against the frame, a smile still stuck on those lips. Except, I could see, even from where I stood, that the emotion didn’t quite reach those eyes.
Brown eyes, brown hair, brown skin. Normal features. He was neither handsome nor ugly, just ordinary. Which made him extraordinary. Who was he?
The god answered Octavius. “I know. She is all that. But I have already received more information from her than I ever got from the others. Because of this, I need her here. I might need her help in determining how this will all turn out.”
Well, hell’s bells. This was a hint as to why I was still here. He was getting something from me, but I wasn't sure what.
The stranger behind him frowned, realizing the same as I had, that the god had said something he might not have wanted to. Not in front of me, at least.
Apollo scrunched his face, also coming to the same conclusion. Too late. He couldn't take it back now.
He shook it off and focused back on his guard. “Come on, my friend. Walk with me.” He reached for Octavius, and the man went with him, his expression a little dazed.
He stopped at the door, turning to gaze at me over his shoulder. “Ah, yes. Lily, this is Hermes, but you can call him Henry. He has agreed to fill in for Octavius while he takes a well-earned rest. Henry knows ravens, so if the bird returns, let him handle it.”
Well, fuck a duck. I would just have to make sure Blackie came when Henry wasn't here.
The stranger gave me another smirk as Apollo walked away, holding his guard's arm. “So you are Apollo's pain in the—” He trailed off.
"Ass. You can say it," I snarked back, studying him.
His voice was much deeper than I had expected, given he wasn’t barrel-chested.
Preconceptions? Meet reality.
Casting brief glances at him as he strolled around the room, I noted the window held most of his attention. He bypassed me and went to it, examining the scratches on the sill. I wondered what he could determine from those.
He turned, a line appearing on his forehead, the only sign something baffled him. “I don’t recognize this raven. Did it give you a name?”
He could determine which bird made claw scratches in the wood? Who was this man? Something told me he was at least a minor god, unlike those who had guarded me previously. I would have to be careful around him.
Huh. Hermes. Fuck. The messenger god. Later. I would have to think about this more later.
Shrugging, I fluttered my eyelashes at him innocently. Knowing I hadn't fooled him—but points to me for trying, right?—I questioned, “A bird? Speak? To me?”
Pointing at my chest before relaxing into my normal grin, I giggled. “Come on… Henry, is it? Birds don’t talk. It squawked at me and almost let me touch its feathers. But then Thea scared it away, and you guys came and made it so it won’t want to come back.”
Flopping down into a chair, I threw one arm over my forehead in an overly dramatic fashion. “And to think I was going to have something exciting happen today.”
The man studied me, expressionless, before looking over at Thea. “I don’t know how you stand her. Mortals are so—” He shivered and moved to the door. “I’ll be out here. Call out if you need me.”
He went through the door, closing it behind him without another word to me.
“Well.” Lowering my arm, I glowered at the door. “He’s an asshole. Like he can’t lower himself to speak to a lowly mortal.” I yelled at the door. “We are not scum!”
A muffled growl came from the other side of the door. “Right.”
I threw a pillow towards it, getting up and stomping into the bathroom. “He’s not welcomed in my rooms, Thea. If you need to talk to him, go out into the hallway.”
I didn’t slam the door, but I shut it with a firm click before walking over to the toilet and sitting down on the lid, a small smile on my lips. Pulling out the scrap of paper, I opened it with anticipation, skimming the words written there.
Lilianne,
I am going to help you escape the sun god. Someone will return to guide you when it is time.
Xotchi
