Page 45 of Releasing the Gods
Rhea glared. “I knew it was your fault. Thanks for confirming that.”
Fuck. I’d just incriminated myself. Now she thought I was an even bigger idiot than before.
Cronus ignored her. “I cannot go back and keep you from opening the box, no. There are a lot of rules. I cannot interfere with living beings such as humans or gods or animals. I can mostly deal only with inanimate objects. Unless I’m willing to completely destroy the world, of course. So since Pandora's Box contained gods and is technically alive, I cannot touch it in the past. Make sense?”
I frowned. It did. Kind of.
“So the sins were once upon a time gods?” I pressed, having deduced this already from a few things I’d heard.
“Of course they were,” Rhea said, waving her hand like this was old news. “How do you think they got so powerful?” She dismissed my question, turning to her ex. “Cronie, I’m bored. Tell a story like the old days … something dramatic.”
Cronus sucked in a long breath, like he was counting to ten in his head or something. “Why doesn’t Maisey share a story. Anything. Tell us of your childhood.”
He leaned back; the fire danced shadows across his face.
My childhood? Fuck that. My “mother” died when I was seven and then my “dad” started drinking. Drank himself into liver failure and a stroke. Passed away last year. And at this stage I still didn’t know how I was related to Selene or if one of my parents was not actually my parent. So, no, we would steer faaaar away from my childhood.
Rhea glared at me. “Her life is too boring for dramatic stories, dear. Tell us of the time you almost slew Zeus on Mount—”
“I was seven when my mother died. Car accident,” I blurted out.
Fuck this bitch. She wanted a story. She’d get one.
They both stilled and I stared at the ground. “It was raining when my dad told me. I remember that so clearly. Weird, right? I remember thinking the Earth was crying for her.”
Silence.
“My dad started drinking after that. Only at night, after work, but enough to make him pass out by 6 P.M. in front of the TV every night. He did the best he could.”
#NotReally
What was I doing?
“For a long time I thought I didn’t belong. Had nothing that really felt like mine. I felt worthless. Then one day, I was thirteen and at the mall with a friend. A model scout gave me his card. He wanted me to do a big campaign for one of the local department stores. He told me I was special and beautiful and could make a career off my looks.”
My eyes flicked up to see Cronus was watching me behind darkened eyes. We were at the end of our bond length, about eight feet from my guess. The distance was growing longer with time, which was interesting, if I had time to wonder about things like that.
I continued. “Brought the card home to my dad and he said he’d take me to the casting call the next day.”
My heart was pounding in my ears. Why was I telling this stupid story? I barely remembered it until now.
“When I got home from school, I waited and waited but my dad never came home. Not until 7 P.M. fully drunk and dropped off by a taxi. I never made the casting call.”
Cronus looked … angry, while Rhea clutched her chest. “I said dramatic, not tragic. Dear gods, how awful. Cronie, fix this mood.” She waved her hand again.
Cronus didn’t say a word, he was still looking at me with smoky darkened eyes. “You’re not worthless.”
My heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe in that moment. I’d never spoken that fear out loud.
“The god’s mead is getting to you both!” Rhea snapped. “Cronie. A story. Now.”
My eyes flicked to the bowl and I groaned. Great, I’d been drinking some powerful gods wine. No wonder I was spilling my soul all over the place.
“Once upon a time I had a beautiful wife,” Cronus started. My jealous gaze raked over Rhea and I had to suppress a growl. She curled her lips into a smile and stroked his arm.
“She cheated on me more times than I could count and deadened everything inside of me. The end,” he said.
I grinned as Rhea made a choking sound, pulling her hand away from him as if she’d been burned. “You two are perfect for each other. Good night!” Turning away from the fire, she crouched below a tree and curled into a ball.
