Page 55 of Apollo

What?

What the hell was it? And why did the shadow of that answer have him turning a damning glare at the burning star in the sky?

Summoning his look of complete command . . .

Around them on the sidewalk, people paused and peered around. Then straight up. Some gasped and gawked harder. Others started commenting to each other, forming a stunned chorus of a hundred different languages.

“Eh? Nani ga okite imasu ka.”

“Dude, this is weird. What’s going on?”

“Éclipse? Comment?”

“Honey, was an eclipse predicted for today?”

“Kowai desu.”

“Holy crap. It’s so eerie.”

“So desu ne.”

He relished the reactions a few seconds longer than he should have, especially knowing the stunt would put him on the hook with Selene, Artemis, and Hecate for years. They were fine if he messed with heat waves, sunrises, and sunsets, but unauthorized eclipses meant countless recalibrations on their end. If he knew the three well—and he did—all three would be exacting payback in the form of big purse payments at Elle’s magical jewelry store.

Worth it. By every last shiny coin.

All he had to do was turn and claim his own reward in the pretty astonishment across Irowen’s—

What the hell?

She was still there. That was his only silver lining takeaway off the moment.

She didn’t offer anything more. Certainly not with the droll regard across her face, ticking up only one side of her mouth and its coordinating eyebrow. Definitely not with the really, cowboy? ennui defining her eyes, the emotional lagoons now all but drained.

What did remain?

She at least gave up a long sigh, before crossing her arms and hazarding a fast peek up at the sky.

“Come on, Glow Worm. You do know it’s not the gesture but the attitude, right?” Then beneath her breath, nearly to herself: “Dude’s mixed and mingled with mortals for how many eons and hasn’t figured that one out?”

And again, didn’t that just settle things with a big fucking bow?

Like him taking his every right to go full eclipse boy throttle. And also, as the morning became an eerie lavender twilight, to snap back, “You didn’t eat your pizza.”

She rolled her eyes. “Holy shit.” And then again, as if she intended to launch her irises all the way around the globe. “And what else? I didn’t tell you how good your pie is too? Or say you look really pretty today? Tonight?” As she blurted the correction, she gestured sharply at the dimness he still ordered in place around them. “My freaking hell. Okay, you’re pretty, Apollo. You hear that? No, screw it. You’re beautiful. I—you—well, you blow me away. You have since the second I stared at you, through the feathers of the arrow you put in my chest.”

“Wait.” He gaped wider, attempting to wrap his mind around every word that had just spilled from her. “Is that why you’re insisting on breaking it off? Because I shot you with—”

“Whoa. Excuse me?” She rocked backward but gave good face, framing her astonishment behind the new flash of her palm. “Break what off?”

“You know what I meant.”

“No. I’m not sure I do.” The syllables were still gruff, but her decibels softened. “I’m serious, okay? What are you going for here, buddy? You have no more obligation to me, Apollo. I thought I made that part clear. You’ve got me closer to finding Genny than any of my own efforts would’ve. As for the arrow thing, let’s just say it zeroes out the ledger. We’re settled up. You’re off the hook and I’m on my way.” She began a firm nod but jerked the movement short. “Though if you can do me a solid and turn the sun back on, I’d appreciate it. A little light goes a long way in canvassing a new neighborhood.”

You’re going to need him for a lot more than that.

If any moment validated that Kaw Kleos should reincarnate as a ballet dancer on a wire in a windstorm, here it was. But as thoroughly as the thought made Apollo smirk, it also granted freedom for a little sarcasm.

“Bird in a bush? Really, filarákos?”