His brows knitted together, and he looked around. Maybe he was confused by her question. After a moment, he stuck out his hand, as if asking for hers. Hesitantly, she obliged and he flipped it, tracing letters into her palm.
D-E-L-P-H-I, he spelled and then P-A-L-A-E-S-T-R-A.
A palaestra was a training center, primary used for wrestling.
The Palaestra of Delphi.
She was in Delphi.
“Apollo,” she gritted out, frustrated that the God of the Sun had brought her here with absolutely no notice. Despite his warning last night at Aphrodite’s, she thought he’d at least visit before whisking her away to some unknown engagement.
Then she looked up, into the man’s haunting, white eyes.
“You are deaf?” she asked.
He nodded.
“But you read lips,” she said.
He nodded again.
“Thank you for saving me earlier.”
He brought his flat palm to his lips and moved it in a forward motion, speaking, “You’re welcome.”
His speech was slightly distorted, almost guttural.
She smiled just as a voice rang out that made her cringe.
“There you are, Sugar Dumplin’!”
Persephone whirled to find the God of the Sun striding toward them. He looked luminous, especially in the gloom of the day. He wore a similar outfit to the enormous man behind her, but his breastplate was gold and laurel leaves twined through his dark hair. Despite the exuberant tone of his voice, he seemed almost frustrated, his jaw tight, his eyes an unnatural shade of purple.
“Apollo,” she gritted out as he took hold of her arm.
“Don’t like that one, either, huh?” he asked.
“We talked about nicknames.”
“I know but I thought you might...warm to it.”
She glared and Apollo sighed. “Fine. Let’s go, Seph!”
“Apollo,” she warned, planting her feet. “Let go of my arm.”
He whirled to face her, eyes aglow. Something was definitely off.
“Bargain,” he snapped, as if that word would convince her to let him push her around.
“The word you are looking for is please.”
They glared at one another, and then all of a sudden, she felt a presence behind her. She tilted her head back and found the massive man who had helped her earlier. He hovered, glaring at Apollo, thick arms crossed over his chest.
“Are you challenging me, mortal?” Apollo’s eyes narrowed. Persephone could feel his magic gather.
“You will not fight him,” Persephone said, glaring at him pointedly.
Apollo chuckled. “Fight? There would be no fight. This one couldn’t take me in battle.”
“I’ll fight for you, my lord,” another voice joined the fray and they all turned to see the naked men who had been wrestling earlier. They’d stopped, and now stood bare and muddy, completely oblivious to the cold—or too numb. The one speaking had been the one with the advantage earlier. He was handsome, with large brown eyes, a mass of short, curly hair, and a beard.
“There’s no need,” Persephone said.
“I do not answer to you, woman.”
For the briefest second, Persephone saw fury flash in Apollo’s eyes.
“This woman is Hades’ betrothed, the future Queen of the Underworld. Kneel before her or face my wrath.”
The man’s eyes widened before he dropped to his knee, followed by his opponent and the deaf man, her new friend. When she looked at the God of the Sun, he was smiling.
“See what your title does to men, Persephone?”
She sighed. “I should have left this bargain when I had the chance.”
She pushed past Apollo and headed for the cover of the porch. She didn’t know where she was going, but it was cold, and she was angry.
“You don’t even know where you’re going Seph,” Apollo said, jogging to catch up.
“As far away from your dick measuring contest as possible,” she replied.
“You act like that was my fault,” he said. “You were the one who didn’t come when I asked.”
“You didn’t ask. You commanded. We talked about this.”
Apollo was silent as he walked beside her. After a moment, he started to make what sounded like hissing sounds. “I’m…s-s—”
Persephone slowed as Apollo struggled beside her. He tried again.
“I’m sor—”
His mouth quivered, as if the words made him want to vomit.
“I’m sorry,” he finally managed, shuddering.
“Is your brain hemorrhaging?” Persephone asked.
“This might surprise you, but apologizing isn’t my thing,” Apollo said, glaring.
“I am astonished. I would have never guessed.”
“You know, you could acknowledge how difficult that was for me. Isn’t that what friends are for?”
“Oh, we’re friends now? Because it sure didn’t feel like we were friends earlier.”
Apollo frowned.
“I…didn’t mean to upset you,” Apollo said. “I was…frustrated.”
“I noticed. Why?”
“I got…distracted while brining you here,” he admitted. “I thought…I lost you.”
Persephone’s brows furrowed. “Why were you distracted?”
Apollo started to open his mouth and then closed it. “The snow started falling again.”
At the mention of snow, she turned in the direction he was gazing—the flurries swirled, thicker now, and her stomach knotted.
“Can we please agree that you will not teleport my entire being without permission?”
“Does Hades need permission?”
Again, she glared.
“How else am I supposed to summon you?”
“Like normal people do.”
“I am not people.”
“Apollo—”
They’d been together for seconds and she had already warned him twice.
“Fine,” he sighed, folding his arms over his chest, as he pursed his lips.
“Why did you bring me here?” Persephone asked.
“I wanted to introduce you to my hero,” he said, “But you already met him.”
“The big one?” she asked, thinking he meant the deaf man, and was surprised when Apollo’s features hardened. “No, that is my hero’s opponent, Ajax. My hero is Hector, He Who Holds Everything Together.”
She expected him to look a little prouder of that fact, but as he continued to speak, she understood his frustration.
“The one who insulted you.”
“Hmm, where did you find him?”
“Delos,” he said. “He is a decorated hero, but arrogant. It will be the death of him.”
“And yet you give him your favor?”
“Delos is where my mother took refuge to give birth to me and Artemis,” he said. “Those are my people and he protected them. I owe him favor.”
They cast their gazes toward the field where several men lingered, all naked. She noted Hector, whose eyes were narrowed, expression mocking. She followed his gaze and saw that he stared at Ajax, who was in the middle of removing his clothes. Persephone averted her eyes. She knew it was traditional for Greeks to participate in most sports naked—with the exception of chariot races—but did they really need to practice that way, too?