Hoping to prevent Lucian from accidentally insulting this terrifying creature, I grabbed his elbow.
Lucian brought his hand to mine, gently covering it reassuringly, as if to say “I’ve got this.”
Good, good. I certainly didn’t.
“We thought we might, if we were infinitely lucky, hear your words of wisdom. Seeing you in person is a privilege.”
“Pretty words,” Apollo remarked, tilting his head, fiery eyes assessing Lucian. “Pretty man. I like you. But don’t waste my time, darling. I’m here because you called, and you paid the price.”
“The price?” I heard Silver ask.
I was immediately on my guard. I knew her too well. She was fully capable of offending him with her direct, irreverent self, if given a chance.
“Yes, pet. The shields around this world are quite clever.Anyonecan call a god, if prepared to face their antithesis. You want me? You have to deal with my good friend Python first.”
“It would be nice if that had been written at the door,” Silver grumbled. “Or like, on a pamphlet.”
Oh, for the love of every god, someoneshut her up.
Too close to clasp my hand to her mouth, I looked at Gideon desperately. Instead of doing his best to silence her, he hung his head, as though resigned to the fact that she was going to get us all killed.
Then the divine monster threw his head back and laughed.
Helaughed.
It sounded like a melody, pure joy and happiness wrapped in one sound lost to time. Catching his breath, he then proceeded to lower himself to the cave’s floor and sat crossed-legged, eyes back to sky blue.
Silver was the first to do the same, but we followed suit.
“That’s not our style, little hunter. We don’t just tell people what to do. Takes the fun out of any quest.” His smile was downright disturbing, while the fire in his eyes ate all the blue again. “Besides, I like the rules. They mean that if some weak punk has the audacity to call me, they get their just desserts, and I don’t have to deal with them.”
He was completely ruthless.
“You have me for a further twenty-three minutes. Make them count.”
Fuck. Where did I start?
“Why twenty-three? Is that a sacred number?” Silver hadzerofear.
Our eleven years of friendship had made that clear, but I hadn’t realized her bravery would remain intact when faced with actualgods.
“Nah, I just can’t afford to stay longer than a half hour. Right now, most of me’s at the sun palace ‘meditating.’” He made air quotes with his fingers. “And there’s no reason to think anyone will notice I’ve projected part of me here.”
This was onlypartof him?Fuck.
“But Python wasn’t as subtle, and it’s not impossible his stirring could have been noticed. I can’t afford for some individuals to find out I’m here.”
“Some individuals? Like wh?—”
“Sil,shut up,” I hissed.
Would she ever learn?
“No names, please. Don’t you remember what happened at the Wild Horn?”
I didn’t even want to say Pan.
Calling the name of a god was invoking them; by saying any of their names, she could bring the attention of the very people Apollo was attempting to evade.
