Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
I barely register the time passing and the light changing in the room. It’s not until the front door shuts softly that I snap out of it. I close the laptop just as Dionysus walks into the room. He doesn’t appear to have slept since I saw him last, but there’s a bounce in his step and he’s humming under his breath.
He stops short when he sees me. “Oh. You’re here.”
“I…do live here now.”
“Right. I kind of forgot.” He drags his hand through his thick dark hair. “I have some things I need to take care of this evening, but how about brunch tomorrow?”
I blink. “Brunch?”
It’s hard to tell, but I think he might be blushing. “Yes, well, I’m almost never awake in time for a proper breakfast, so brunch is the way to go. Plus, brunch comes with a flight of mimosas and the best food money can buy.”
If I didn’t know better, I might think he’s nervous. It’s such a strange experience that I almost don’t recognize it. Very few people even notice me, let alone consider me someone worthy of being nervous around. I don’t know if I like it.
But he’s making an effort, so I can too. I try for a smile. “Brunch sounds lovely.”
“Oh. Great. See you then.” He hurries out of the living room without another word.
It’s not a good idea for me to do sensitive work while he’s in the apartment, so I use this as an excuse to log on to my favorite fan fiction site and read the most recent update from one of my favorite authors. They write the most deliciously angsty hurt/comfort, and they branched out into fandoms that aren’t mine, but I still read every fic they write. This one is absolutely agonizing, and I soak up every feeling.
About an hour later, Dionysus reappears. He’s changed into a mustard-yellow suit with a floral-printed vest and shirt of the same color beneath it. It’s downright outrageous, but he manages to pull it off, just like he pulls off everything he wears. He’s obviously showered and combed his hair, and his mustache is looking particularly perky. This time, he doesn’t jump when he sees me. “Feel free to order yourself food or whatever you need. One of my people in the lobby will bring it up to you. After the…incident…the other night, the service elevator is locked down, and I’ve focused my people on the perimeter rather than having two stationed up here at the door. It’s best you don’t leave after dark, but if you need to, just let someone know, and some of my security folks will go with you.”
In other circumstances, I would appreciate that he’s not trying to box me into a corner. He’s obviously as uncomfortable with the situation as I am. Unfortunately, the first thing I’m going to do once he leaves is betray him. It kind of sours the whole experience of him trying to make me feel welcome.
Still, I attempt a smile. At least no more of his people will die because of me. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“It’s the literal least I can do.” He edges toward the door. “We’ll talk in the morning.”
“At brunch.”
“Yep, at brunch. Good night, Ariadne.”
I wait to hear the front door close, and then I wait several more minutes before I pull up the program I was working through. The address Asterion gave me isn’t particularly far from here, but I’ll have to take precautions so no one is aware I’ve left the building. A quick check of the security cameras shows they’re not on a closed network. It’s child’s play to schedule a loop for the time when I intend to leave. I’ll need to program another one for when I get back, but that’s a little bit harder to gauge. If I miss the window, my return will be in plain sight.
To distract myself from all the things that could go wrong, I finish crafting the back door into Dodona Tower’s network. It’s incredibly tempting to nose around in other files, but I force myself to keep on task. It’s only thirty minutes later that I realize I messed up. The blueprints are nowhere to be found, which means they’re probably filed at a completely different location. “Fuck.”
I look at the clock and curse even harder. I have less than an hour to get out of here and make my way to the apartment. Not enough time to hack an entirely new system. This was a foolish mistake, and one I wouldn’t have made if I wasn’t so stressed out. Unfortunately, I don’t think Asterion is going to be sympathetic. Or Hera, for that matter, but Asterion is currently the larger threat.
I hold my breath and dial the number he called me from yesterday. He makes me wait several long rings before he answers. “You better be calling to tell me you’re on your way.”