Page 37 of Blood of Olympus

They separated as Aros called names and designations. Caelus shot a glare at his friend as he was sent off to work with Apollo.

Leave it be for now, Velira advised. Let him try to work through whatever plagues him on his own.

Yes, mother.

My dragon nipped playfully at my shoulder before the muscles in her legs coiled. She launched herself into the sky, beating her wings furiously to gain altitude, then looped and twirled with a grace that belied the enormous beast that she now was. I laughed as she snapped as a passing dove — thankfully not the snowy white one belonging to Aphrodite.

“Fancy a rematch?” someone called.

I whirled, coming face to face with a woman I had hoped never to see again.

A woman I’d faced in this very stadium just a few short months ago.

“Diana.”

The blue serpent suddenly made a lot more sense.

Artemis’ daughter grinned wolfishly. “The last round wasn’t exactly fair, what with Athena interrupting it.” The smile fell from her face as she dropped into a low bow. “I apologise for the part I played in Hera’s duplicity. Neither my mother nor I had any inclination of her true motives, and I’m sorry for helping her attempt to achieve them.”

I blinked, taken aback by her candour and apparent guilt.

She kneeled before me with zero regard for the dirt besmirching her outfit, keeping her eyes trained on the ground, even as the arena fell silent to witness.

Vel landed with a resounding thud to my right, snarling at the goddess bowed before me, and I felt, more than saw, Caelus sidle up to my left, ever the protector. The bond in my chest purred at his proximity, like a fucking cat on heat.

“Queen Nyssa,” Diana said, her voice loud enough to echo across the arena. “Upon the River Styx, I pledge myself to you — to your cause and to your rule. I swear to follow you from this day until my last, into war and the peace beyond. I shall raise my sword alongside yours, and use my body as your shield, if ever the need arises.”

My lips parted, though no sound would come out. Diana — Diana — had taken a Guard’s oath, tweaking it so that it offered her no route of escape.

“Do you accept, your grace?” Artemis asked softly — anxiously — having approached cautiously when her daughter took a knee.

And though I had not offered her the position — would not have ever considered it of my own volition — I cleared my throat, knowing I had but one choice.

And surprisingly, I found I didn’t mind making it.

“I accept your oath and your service.”

“Seriously?” Aros whined. “I have to deal with her too?”

Diana’s head snapped up, her eyes round with shock.

“I… was not expecting that answer.”

“Were you expecting banishment, then?”

For that was the only thing awaiting those whose oaths were rejected or broken.

“I don’t know, your grace. Perhaps?” She grimaced.

“I hate that title. Please, call me Nyssa. And I could use your skill with a bow today.” I shot her a rueful smile.

“How so?”

“We need another archery instructor. Relieve your mother of the position — that is, unless you’d prefer to demonstrate the various effects of, say, belladonna poisoning?” I crooned, only half teasing.

Diana blanched, jolting to her feet and retreated to the archery targets without another word.

“And as for that rematch…” I called after her.