The Daughter of Zeus novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Gate

"Tell me what you can," I said.

We were on the terrace again, and the first grey light was coming up over the clouds.

Hermes had vanished somewhere, and I was glad of it.

Alekos stood with his back against a column and the black ring showing on his wrist.

He looked like a man who had been awake for a thousand years and was tired of it.

"I can't tell you about the hind," he said.

"I'll say what I can."

"Fine."

"I'd rather the sword was mine than the war god's."

I stared at him.

"If it comes to the third dawn, someone will carry out the sentence.

Hera chose me because it would break me.

If it was him, he'd make it slow."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"No," he said.

"It's supposed to be true."

"You slept with me last night."

"Yes."

"With that on your wrist."

"It wasn't on my wrist last night."

"But you knew it was coming!" I said.

"You knew she'd do something like this.

You knew whatever she says about the hind is true, and you let me walk in there."

"I did not know about the oath."

"But you knew about the hind."

He said nothing.

He looked at me with a pain so naked that I almost took it back.

Then I remembered my father's tin, and I didn't.

"I trusted you," I said.

"I hadn't trusted anyone since April.

I walked over to you of my own free will, and you've been holding something the whole time."

"I wanted to tell you."

"Wanting isn't the same as telling."

"No," he said.

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