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 smile a little despite everything and pull a robe around me. “Okay.” Maybe one day I’ll stop finding it strange how much I enjoy Dionysus’s company. Maybe I’ll never get a chance to become used to it.
He’s in the kitchen, this time with a bottle of wine. When I raise my brows, he shrugs. “It seems like you need to talk, and wine is excellent for those types of conversation.”
I watch him pour the deep red liquid into large wineglasses. “I guess I never really thought about what kind of alcohol best fits different types of conversation.”
“Not just alcohol, my dear.” He hands over my glass. “Let’s sit.”
It’s not until I’m curled on the couch opposite him that I really stop to think about whether this is wise. Dionysus has shown me every kindness, but that doesn’t mean he’s an ally. This could all be a ploy to get information and… I don’t know if I care. I’m so damned tired of being worried about making missteps. “Thank you for that break at dinner. It was much needed.”
“Mmm.” He swirls his wine absently. “I’m glad you had a chance to eat in peace.”
I freeze. Surely he’s not… But when I look into his deep eyes, I realize that he knows exactly what I spent that time away from the table doing. “How did you—”
“Darling, you weren’t exactly subtle, and Pan might not be my biggest fan, but he is a fan of Olympus, so he still passes on information he thinks is of value.” He sips his wine. “Don’t look so worried. I am glad you had a moment of peace and a chance to eat.”
“A moment of peace.” I shift and make a face. “I don’t know if you could call it that.”
“I suppose.” He shrugs and settles back into his chair, stretching out his long legs onto the ottoman. I belatedly realize that he’s wearing a dressing gown, which is so perfectly Dionysus that I almost smile.
We sit in companionable silence for a long time, long enough for the tension to start bleeding out of my body and the wine to warm my insides. When he finally speaks again, it’s with a slow drawl that barely bruises the comfortable air between us. “You love him, don’t you?”
I try to tense, but truly it’s too much effort. There’s a relief in hearing those words spoken aloud, in his tone having no judgment whatsoever. “Yes. I have for a long time, even if I was too scared to admit it.”
He rests his head on the back of his chair, staring at the ceiling. “Thought so.”
I should probably leave it at that, but words bubble up all the same, drawn out by the strange feeling of safety Dionysus has created here. “What does it matter how I feel? He owes everything to my father. For almost half my life, he’s been doing whatever he was commanded. If I trust this—trust him—it might be the last thing I do.”
Dionysus’s lips curve in a sad little smile. “Darling, considering three of my people died on the first night you were here, two on the other side of that door…” He nods at the door just visible down the shadowy hallway. “I would venture to say if he really planned to commit violence against you, he would have already done it.”
“But—”
“Life is short. Or long, I suppose, depending on how you look at it.” He drains half his wineglass. “You’ve already taken astronomical risks to help others. Maybe it’s time to take one to help yourself.”
I inhale slowly, letting his words settle over me. It’s shocking how tempting they are. The very idea of walking willingly to the cliff that represents my and Asterion’s relationship, of jumping over and letting faith in him, in me, in us, guide me… It’s terrifying. It’s exhilarating. “What if it ends badly?”
“That’s the wrong question.” He finishes his wine and climbs slowly to his feet. “The question you should be asking is what if it ends well?” He walks over and plucks my mostly empty glass from my fingers. “Come along. I think you might be able to sleep now.”
Indeed, my eyelids are already starting to get heavy. Too heavy to blame on the wine. I lean on his arm and blink up at him. “Did you drug me?”
“Only a light sedative. You need your rest.” He walks me to my door and then helps me stumble to my bed. Dionysus smiles down at me, though his eyes are still sad. “You’re strong, Ariadne. Strong and good and far cleverer than most people. I suspect you already know what you need to do.”
I suspect he’s right. Still, I grab his hand and stop him from retreating. “Thank you. For everything. You didn’t have to show me such kindness. I’ll never forget it.”