Читать книгу The Goddess Hunt - Aimee Carter - Страница 7

Six months. One hundred and eighty-four days. That was how long I had to stay away from Eden, where Henry, my brand-new husband, waited for me to return in September. Looking forward, it seemed like forever, and the idea of being away from him for so long made me ache.

But I hadn’t had much of a choice. Six months on, six months off. That was the arrangement we’d made when I’d agreed to stay at his manor in Eden in exchange for him keeping my sick mother alive. Crazy as it sounded, Henry was really Hades, God of the Underworld, and he was more than capable of it.

I didn’t regret our deal, but after six months of falling in love with him, facing another half a year without him felt like torture. But he’d insisted, and in the end, it was probably for the best that I had a chance to step away from my immortal life and remember what it was like to be human.

During the first seventy-two hours away, I didn’t have much time to miss him, mostly because I hadn’t gone alone. My best friend, James, had agreed to come with me, and together we’d set off for Greece. He wasn’t Henry, but he knew exactly how to cheer me up and get me excited about our summer.

James had our whole trip planned out, and on the plane from New York City to Athens, I’d daydreamed about what the next six months would bring. Tours of ancient ruins. Mouthwatering Greek cuisine. Entire days spent lounging on the beach. And no longer having to look over my shoulder, wondering when someone was going to try to kill me.

Getting lost in a forest our first day there was the last thing I’d had in mind.

“You seriously have no idea where we are?” I said, trudging after James. Three hours after we’d split from our tour group, we were still wandering through the woods outside of Athens, more lost than I’d ever been in my life. James, however, looked like we were taking a light stroll, his hands shoved in his pockets as he admired the scenery.

“Not a clue,” he said lightly, and there was something in his voice that made me think otherwise. I had no choice but to follow him though.

“If this is some trick to get me alone,” I muttered. Couldn’t put it past him—had I failed my tests in Eden, James would have replaced Henry as Lord of the Underworld. And even though I wouldn’t have had any memory of my time in Eden, I was certain he had his eye on replacing him as my husband as well. Henry had won that fight, but from the looks James had given me ever since, it was clear he didn’t realize the contest was over. Or that there’d never been one to begin with. I was Henry’s, plain and simple.

James grinned. “You really think I’d do that?”

“Yes, even though you know damn well I wouldn’t kiss you for anything.”

He placed his hand over his heart with mock hurt. “You wound me, Kate.”

“If you don’t find civilization within the next fifteen minutes, I’ll show you what a wound really is.”

He flung his arm around my shoulders, and I tried to shrug it off to no avail. “You need to learn to take in the scenery. Enjoy the little things in life. We’ve got six months before we need to be anywhere.”

“Yeah, and by the time September rolls around, I’d like to not still be wandering,” I muttered. “Seriously, James, if you think I’m sleeping on the forest floor—”

Crack.

A twig snapped nearby. James stopped, forcing me to as well, and his gaze darted around the surrounding trees. I frowned. It wasn’t like there was anyone else out here. And if there was, terrific, maybe they’d know a way back.

“What—”

James shushed me, and I glared at him. His brow was furrowed, but as the seconds passed, his worry gave way to a boyish grin. “Excellent,” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes.

“If you don’t tell me what’s going on right this minute, I swear I’ll—”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”

That gruff voice didn’t belong to James. I jumped, and a half naked young man stepped out from behind a thick trunk. His dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and I could’ve done laundry on his abs.

I blushed. I’d been married to Henry all of three days, and already I was drooling after the shirtless locals. No way in hell was I lasting six whole months without him. Maybe James would take me back to Eden early, if we ever found civilization again.

I tried to step forward to greet him, but James’s grip on my shoulders tightened, holding me back. “Pollux,” said James with a nod. “It’s been a while. I see you still haven’t found a shirt.”

Pollux. The name rang a bell, but I couldn’t place it. Another god? From the looks of him, it wouldn’t have surprised me.

“Hermes. It’s Lux now,” he said in his heavily accented voice. Most of it was English, but there were hints of other places, too. And was it my imagination, or was his jaw clenched?

“Ah, so you got the memo as well,” said James. “Not that Lux blends in much better than Pollux, but whatever tickles your fancy. I’m called James now.”

“And I’m Kate,” I said. “What’s going on? How do you two know each other?”

Lux eyed me. “Long story. I’m only going to ask you once—piss off.”

James’s grin faded. “Not exactly asking now, is it?”

“Come on, let’s go,” I said, tugging on his arm. “Clearly he doesn’t want to be bothered.”

“No, we’re not going,” said James. “What the hell’s going on, Lux? Where have you been the past three thousand years?”

Right. Definitely a god. Lux growled in the back of his throat. “I like you, James. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret to your pretty little friend.”

Pretty little friend? Who did he think he was? Apparently it touched a nerve for James as well, because he snapped, “You can’t do a damn thing to me, and you know it. On the other hand, all I have to do is let the right people know you’re here, and you’re a dead man.”

Whatever line James was toeing, he might as well have taken a giant leap across it. Lux snarled and flew toward us so fast that I didn’t have time to move away. James managed to push me aside a fraction of a second before Lux tackled him, and the pair of them hit the ground hard.

“Stop it!” I screeched. Lux had James pinned with his knees, and his fists were a blur as he beat the unholy snot out of him. James struggled against him, but he wasn’t a fighter, not like Lux clearly was. Could gods hurt other gods? I had no idea.

In a fit of desperation, I grabbed Lux’s ponytail and yanked back hard. It was enough to throw him off balance, and he hissed, scrambling back to his feet.

He advanced toward me, and I stumbled backward. Terrific. Not only did shirtless guy like to fight, but he had no qualms about hitting a girl. Which would’ve been fine, except the only self-defense I knew was a knee to the boy parts and running away as fast as I could.

“Lux.” A quiet voice echoed through the trees as if the wind were carrying it, and Lux stopped dead in his tracks. He didn’t take his eyes off me though, and had he not been half a step away from pummeling me, I wouldn’t have minded. They were a beautiful shade of brown. Pity he had such a temper.

“I told you not to leave,” said Lux through gritted teeth. “Go back to the cottage.”

“They’re not here to hurt us.” Another young man stepped through the trees, and I did a double take. He and Lux were identical, down to their worn jeans and rebellion against shirts. “Let them go.”

Lux’s eyes searched mine, as if he were certain he’d be able to find some sort of malicious intent by staring me down. However, James chose that moment to sit up and groan, and Lux broke away from me, positioning himself between James and his brother. Apparently I wasn’t so much of a threat after all. “They shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should you,” muttered James. He stumbled to his feet, and to my relief, he looked completely unharmed. Just dazed. “What are you two doing back in Greece?”

The brother who hadn’t beat James into pulp shrugged. “You know how it is. Hide in the last place they’d expect. We’re just passing through anyhow.”

“And we’re leaving now.” Lux took his brother’s arm, but he stood his ground, refusing to budge. “Casey, let’s go.”

James snorted. “Casey and Lux? Really trying to hide your identities there, aren’t you?”

Lux glared at him, and I linked my elbow with James’s. “Don’t antagonize him,” I muttered. “Let’s just go, all right?”

“I’m very sorry for my brother’s behavior,” said Casey from the other side of a growling Lux. “Our interactions with the other members of the council have been less than pleasant, but James has been good to us. Please—night’s about to fall. Stay with us. As an apology.”

“Thought you had to go,” said James as Lux spun around to face his brother. Before he could open his mouth, however, Casey gave him a steely look.

“We were in the process of sitting down to dinner when Lux sensed you coming. As long as the other members of the council aren’t with you, we can afford to stay the night like we’d planned.”

I glanced toward the dusky purple sky. “How far are we from Athens?”

“Half a day’s walk,” said Casey, and I groaned.

“James. You promised we weren’t far.”

“He knew we were here,” muttered Lux. “That’s why he dragged you out this far. To check on us.”

I rounded on James. “You dragged me out into the middle of nowhere to check on two people who clearly want nothing to do with you? And who have no problem punching your lights out?”

James shrugged sheepishly. “It’s been a while. I wanted to see how they were.”

A wolf howled in the distance, and all four of us turned in the same direction at once. It would’ve been funny had Lux and Casey not looked so terrified.

“You can either come with us or piss off. Doesn’t matter to me,” said Lux, tugging his brother in the opposite direction. This time Casey didn’t struggle.

They hurried off, and James started to follow, but I held him back. “We’re seriously going to have a sleepover with someone who just tried to grind your bones into dust?”

He shrugged. “They’re my brothers.”

“No, we’re not,” called Lux. “Casey’s my brother. You’re an unfortunate relation I try to forget exists.”

James grinned. “Can’t take it personally. They say that about the whole family. Come on, I haven’t caught up with them in ages—just one night.”

He gave me a pleading look that should’ve been illegal, and I groaned. “You’re an ass. There better be indoor plumbing.”

“There isn’t.”

I elbowed him. Hard.

“Coming or not?” called Lux, far enough away now that his voice was distant. I gave James one more good glare, and together we raced through the underbrush to catch up with the twins.

After half a mile of trudging through the forest, we came to an abandoned cottage hidden by deep thickets and tangles of vines. If Lux and Casey hadn’t led us to the front door, I would’ve missed it entirely. “It looks like it belongs in a fairy tale,” I said.

“Don’t get too attached.” Lux undid an old wooden latch and pushed open the door. The inside was dark, but he waved his hand, and a fire roared to life underneath a stone mantel. Everything inside looked straight out of a historical movie set—handcrafted furniture, not crude but certainly not made by machines. No sink or refrigerator, just a simple wooden table with two place settings. And a single bed that couldn’t possibly hold more than two people.

“It’s nice,” I said warily. “Cozy.”

Lux let out a bark of laughter. “It’s cramped and probably older than we are.”

“We use it on occasion,” said Casey, who was busying himself at the table. “Haven’t been back in a while though. Is anyone hungry? We managed to score some game on our way here.”

“Game?” I said.

“Yeah, rabbits.” Casey held up a platter full of sliced meat, and my stomach churned. “It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough.”

I shook my head. “We ate back at the hotel. Thanks though.”

“Who’s this we you speak of?” said James. “I’m starving.”

Casey smirked. It was easy to tell them apart when they were talking, but that look on his face reminded me entirely too much of his brother. He fixed two plates, heaping each with what had to be an entire rabbit. “Help yourself. Lux, eat.”

While James attacked his food, Lux grunted and sat down heavily at the table, digging in with his bare hands. I glanced at James, searching his face for some explanation as to why these two were living in the fifth century, but he was too busy chewing to notice.

“I’m sorry, we didn’t have the chance to introduce ourselves properly back in the forest.” Casey stepped toward me, a warm smile on his face as he offered me his hand. “I’m Casey, and this is my brother, Lux.”

“I gathered.” I smiled back and shook his hand. “I’m Kate Winters. I’m Henry’s new wife.”

“Henry?” said Casey. Behind him, James began to cough.

“Henry—Hades?” I said. “I’m Persephone’s replacement.”

Everyone stopped moving, as if someone had hit the pause button. James sat frozen, his eyes wide. Across from him, Lux stopped mid-chew. All three of them stared at me.

The fire crackled, and my face grew warm. It was the first time I’d called myself Henry’s wife out loud, and it was hard enough to say without this kind of reaction.

“Persephone’s gone?” said Casey after an unbearably long silence. I nodded.

“Sort of a long story, but she decided to give up her immortality. Henry was going to fade if he didn’t find someone new, so…” I shrugged. “The council tested me, and I’m his wife now.”

“And Queen of the Underworld?” he said slowly, as if he were trying to wrap his head around it.

James cleared his throat nervously. “She isn’t queen yet. They only just married a few days ago, and she’s on her six month sabbatical—”

Crash.

The sound of pottery shattering cut him off, and Lux pulled his fist from his broken plate. Bits of rabbit meat had splattered across the cottage, a large chunk landing in James’s hair, but neither twin said a word about it.

“Let me get this straight.” Lux rose, his muscles rippling underneath his flawless skin. “Not only did you hunt us down, something you’d promised you’d never do, but you brought Hades’s wife with you as well?”

While his eyes were focused on me, his head was tilted toward James, who looked ready to fly through the roof if that was what it took to get away from Lux. “I swear to you, she has no idea,” said James. “She was born mortal, and she has nothing to do—”

“That’s not the point. You think Hades isn’t watching every move she makes? You think they don’t know we’re here by now?”

“Lux.” Casey’s quiet voice cut through the air. “Shut up. Kate, you won’t tell anyone you saw us, right?”

I blinked. “I—of course not. What the hell’s going on?”

“We’re leaving, that’s what’s going on,” thundered Lux. “Casey, get your shit and let’s get out of—”

“No.” For the second time in ten seconds, Casey effectively leashed his brother’s temper. “We’re not leaving until you’ve rested. You’re going to eat and regain your strength, and in the meantime, we’re all going to sit down and talk this out. James must have had a reason for bringing her here.”

“Yeah, so she can report back to Hades dearest,” said Lux.

James blanched. “Honest, she just happened to be with me. She won’t say anything, right, Kate?”

Whoever these men were, they had the power to turn James into a babbling boy, and that terrified me. I crossed my arms and said with more bravado than I felt, “I already said I wouldn’t. Will someone please tell me what’s going on before I really do have to go to Henry to figure it all out?”

Casey gestured to one of the mismatched chairs settled around the fire, and I perched on the edge. He took the one across from me, and without looking over his shoulder, he said to his brother, “Sit back down and finish.”

Lux grumbled, but did as he was told. He didn’t exactly look like he was weak and about to pass out, but I had a feeling he didn’t argue with his brother all too often.

I cleared my throat. “What’s going on? I swear I won’t talk to anyone about this.”

“I know you won’t.” Casey reached across the space between us and set his hand on mine. “Really. If James trusts you, so do we, despite what my brother wants you to believe. We’re Castor and Pollux. The Gemini twins.”

“The—what? You mean like the zodiac sign?” I glanced at James again, but his head was bowed, and he shoveled food into his mouth so quickly that it was a miracle he didn’t choke on it.

“Yes, something like that,” said Casey. I frowned, and the myth Irene had briefly covered during my time at Eden Manor surfaced from its hiding spot in the back of my mind.

Twin brothers, one mortal, one immortal—and when the mortal one died, the immortal one begged Zeus to allow him to share his immortality with his brother. “Didn’t Zeus turn you into stars?” I said stupidly.

At the table, Lux snorted, but Casey ignored him. “That’s one version of the myth, yes, but oral stories change over time when they are not drawn from a written source. As mortals told our story, they warped it into something more than it was—something magical, with a happy ending. Something they could draw a lesson from. As I’m sure you’ve discovered by now, there are several different versions of most of the prominent myths, and many of them do not even come close to the truth.”

I nodded. That had become painfully clear when Henry had explained to me exactly what had happened between him and his first wife, Persephone. The myths had detailed how he’d kidnapped her and forced her to be his wife; he’d insisted it was an arranged marriage that had failed, and Persephone had been his willing bride. The rest of the council of Olympians had confirmed his side of the story.

“So what really happened?” I said. “Why are you so afraid of Henry?”

Lux scoffed. “We’re not afraid of him.”

“Sure seems that way to me,” I said, and Casey managed a small smile.

“Forgive Lux. He does not admit weakness easily. The beginning of the story is true, for the most part. We have different fathers, but obviously we are twins.”

It was my turn to smile. “Obviously.” They were identical down to their slightly crooked bottom teeth.

“Whether I was made in Lux’s image or Lux in mine, we don’t know. We were born to the same mother at the same time, and we were raised as my father’s sons. He was a king, and we had a good life with our sisters.”

“One of which you may know as Helen of Troy,” said James from the table, and Lux’s expression darkened. Instead of grumbling even more, he shoved a large piece of rabbit into his mouth and took his time chewing.

“Oh.” Kind of hard not to know about her. “Right, so—happy childhood with a gorgeous sister who inspired a war. Got it.”

“A war we never saw, as I died shortly before the start of it.” Casey folded his hands together and stared into the crackling fire. It was the first time during our conversation that he hadn’t met my eyes. “After my death, Lux went to his father—”

“He’s not my father,” said Lux through a mouthful of rabbit.

“Lux went to Zeus and begged that he allow us to stay together. Zeus relented, and he told my brother that we would alternate days between the Underworld and Olympus.”

“Lying bastard.” Lux again, though at least this time he’d swallowed.

“He did not lie,” corrected Casey. “Lux simply understood it one way while Zeus meant it another.”

James stood, his meal only half-eaten, and he moved to sit with us. “It wasn’t a misunderstanding. Zeus knew what he was doing.”

“Told you,” said Lux, and Casey sighed.

“Yes, well, regardless. My brother understood it to mean we would spend one day in the Underworld, one day in Olympus—together. Zeus, however, meant that we would spend it apart, sharing Lux’s rightful time in Olympus and mine in the Underworld.”

My hands tightened into fists. No one had to tell me how much the council enjoyed trickery. The past six months of my life had been one big deception on their part, though I didn’t hold a grudge. It’d all turned out perfectly all right for me—better than all right, even. But nothing about what Zeus had put Casey and Lux through was even remotely okay. “I’m sorry,” I said. “You’re together now though, right?”

Lux pushed his empty plate away. “Not because of anything Zeus did. Once I realized what was happening, I broke my brother out of the Underworld, and we’ve been on the run from the council ever since.”

“There’s a bounty on our heads,” said Casey. “Quite generous, really.”

“Thankfully the council’s mostly too busy to look for us, and the minor gods can’t tell their arses from their armpits.” Lux flopped down beside his brother. “But your dear husband is even more interested in finding us than Zeus is. Funny how much escaping from the Underworld can piss someone off.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What part of ‘I won’t say anything’ don’t you understand?”

“Forgive me if I’m skeptical. You are newlyweds, after all.”

Casey set his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Let it go. Kate, we don’t have many friends among the members of the council. They don’t take kindly to having the tables turned on them. Hermes—James, he’s the only one who’s shown us any kindness at all.”

“Well, you can count me as a friend, too,” I said. “I’m not going to let their egos get in the way of me helping you.”

“See?” Casey nudged his brother. “She’s not so bad.”

Lux scoffed, his dark eyes fixed on me. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

His lack of trust didn’t exactly inspire my confidence in him either, but at least he had a legitimate reason for being suspicious. I stared back, refusing to look away, and the seconds ticked by. Lux smirked.

“Feisty.”

I wrinkled my nose and gave him a look, which he returned mockingly. Casey grinned and patted his brother on the knee. Now that they were beside each other, they were in constant physical contact, as if reassuring themselves that the other was still there. I didn’t blame them.

“You need rest,” said Casey to Lux. “Go to bed, and we’ll figure out where James and Kate will—”

“Stop.” Lux tensed, and he turned toward the door. Several seconds of silence passed, and he whispered, “Did you hear that?”