Ares And Mia

Chapter 34

"Do we need more allies?" I ask Ares. Despite being holed up in Olympus, it was pretty obvious to guess what the Gods were thinking. Poseidon and Zeus have gathered supporters. Those who trusted the Oracle and her sayings.

If they weren't looking for a Civil War amongst the Gods before, they were clearly making a statement now. Just with Hera calling on me...

I don't think that I'll be able to water Oliver on schedule anymore.

"Even if we did, sweetheart, nothing that you say would change Hera's mind once it's made up." He gave me a small nudge toward the right side of the arches, toward an empty clearing. "Call me when you're done." I nodded, before sucking in a breath.

I advance slowly, uncertainly, toward the stretch of grass. The second I crossed a nearly transparent line on the grass, a figure and a tea table appeared before me. My eyes widened, taking in the area that suddenly changed. That was... magic. "That took you a while."

Whoa.

Hera's voice, coming from one of the seats, shakes me out of the fit of wonder. I see her, sitting regally with a sense of luxury surrounding her. The table had two cups of tea, a tea pot in the center, ornament items scattered around in a strange array. She's gorgeous.

Today, she's dressed in a orange dress, with the same shade accenting her under-eyelids. I felt shockingly intimidated in an outfit that Eros had picked out for me when he was... Well, yeah, you know what I mean. "Hi." I chirp out, awkward in all sense.

I walk over to the opposite seat and she gestures to it. I sit. "No one on the outside can hear us. Same goes the other way around, so don't be shy." I squirm slightly, shifting my weight forward. She watches me with cold scrutiny, not as touchy as last time. In fact, Hera didn't seem to want to come near me at all.

Something about this felt different from the times that I met other Gods. This space that she was giving me... It made me feel like she sees me different. Stronger. Like I wasn't something to poke at and treat like a child.

I think she might take me seriously.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" My voice comes out clipped, almost like staccato notes that I, myself, can't decipher. She takes a sip from the cup before her.

My palms are sweaty.

"I see that you've lost your jumpiness from the first time I met you." She regards me from the rim of her tea cup and I feel small. Come on, Mia. You're the villain in this story, there's no reason for you to be afraid.

You're supposed to be cynical and cunning. I give her a faltering smile. "I don't think that being jumpy helps you when you're in a situation like this." She lets out a laugh, a light airy sound that sounds like the jingling of bells. Her sets her cup down onto the table.

I feel a thrum inside of me, like the coursing of electricity. I sneak a glance at my hands, relieved that the lightnings bolts weren't running rampant against my skin. I breathe slowly, trying to slow my heart rate down.

Stay in control.

"So, I heard that you and my husband and his brother are in a... tangle." I let out a short laugh at her words and she arches a brow at me. I stop immediately. "Tell me, Mia," My name feels strange in her voice. "What are you going to do?"

I swallow hard. What am I going to do? "I don't think I should share my plans with people that aren't on my side." I take a sip from the tea, calmly deflecting the question. It was bitter. Harshly bitter, bitter enough to make me swallow quickly so it wouldn't be in my mouth for any longer. Hera smiles.