Fangs and Fennel (The Venom Trilogy #2)(62)

I blushed and Narcissus smiled. “I can take these cupcakes for you.”

I tightened my hold on the container. “No, no, I’ll personally deliver them to Zeus.”

“He’s not here,” Narcissus said, a slight frown only heightening that perfect beauty. Good grief, I couldn’t stop staring.

I made myself look over his shoulder so I only really saw half his face and Ernie’s wide grin. It helped, but only a little. “I was told he was at home, and so I made this dessert to his specifications.”

Narcissus shrugged. “He’s not here. He opened his house up for the party and then left. Said he had business he had to handle. Actually, you only missed him by ten minutes.”

I looked at Yaya. She frowned and shook her head. “If he had a police scanner, he would have heard all about the wreck. It’s on the only road that leads here.”

In other words, Zeus had run the second he’d realized I was headed his way. Was he scared of me? Or was he just avoiding the fact that I would hold him responsible? I was betting on the latter. What a jerk face.

My chest tightened with a sudden bout of anxiety I couldn’t tamp down. What the heck did I do now? If he had business, he could be anywhere. “Is Hermes here?”

“Last I saw, he was out by the pool with the rest of the guests. He was given the day off.”

“Who gave him the day off?” Ernie swept between me and Narcissus.

“Hera,” the young man said.

I took several steps back, the youth’s beauty no longer dazzling me. “Is . . . Hera here?”

“Oh, goddess no! There’s only a few gods here. Hephaestus, Hermes, and Achilles.”

“Achilles isn’t a god,” I pointed out, even as I realized that him being here wasn’t any better, really, than Theseus.

Ernie swept around to me. “Hey, Narcy, back off a second.”

Narcissus did as he was asked, a sweet smile plastered on his face. Ernie grabbed my cheeks and turned me to him.

“Look, this is your chance.”

“Chance for what? I was hoping to get info on Theseus from Zeus. Like a weakness I could exploit, you know, his Achilles’ heel?”

“Ha-ha.” Ernie rolled his eyes. “But he isn’t here. So use your charms on Hephaestus and get him to spill about Theseus.”

“But I don’t want to use my charms on him,” I squeaked out. “That is the last thing I want to do. You said it yourself that Aphrodite is upset—”

“That is an understatement, but she’s already upset. You might as well make the upset worth it.” His eyes were serious, no longer teasing.

“You really think encouraging his interest is a good idea?” I grabbed Ernie’s hands and pulled him so we were nose to nose. “I do not need more Greek goddesses trying to remove my head from my shoulders. I’m deep enough in pig slop as it is.”

Ernie pressed his nose to mine. “Here’s the thing. Theseus worked for Hephaestus for years, learning the craft of blacksmithing. If anyone can give up the goods on your rival, it’s going to be him. Things happen for a reason, Alena. Take this and run with it.”

I let him go, my mind racing with possibilities. “Yaya, what do you think?”

She grabbed my hand and marched us forward. “I think you’re overdressed for the occasion.”

Narcissus’s eyes widened as Yaya dragged me forward. She waved a free hand at him. “Flora, priestess of Zeus, we need to get cleaned up.”

He bowed. “I didn’t realize. You’ve aged since I saw you last, Flora.”

She swatted him on the butt as we hurried past him into the house. “That’s enough out of you, boy.”

We stepped into the mansion, me gripping the cupcakes and Yaya gripping me. Ernie floated at my shoulder. “I think the extra clothes are this way.”

“Wait, extra clothes?”

“Well, with all the orgies he has, there’s always clothing left behind,” Ernie said as though he were telling me about the weather.

“Good grief, you want me to wear something that someone else cast off in the middle of an orgy?” I gripped the cupcake holder hard enough that the plastic creaked. I made myself ease off. “Why can’t I just talk to Hephaestus and ask him my questions?”

“Because you want him so stunned by your beauty he doesn’t realize what secrets he’s giving up,” Yaya said. She pulled me up the double-wide staircase. At the top she turned to the left. As if she knew where she was going.

“Yaya, when were you here last?”

She didn’t turn around. “After the Blue Box Store incident. I came to talk to Zeus, to try and get him to help you with Hera. He gave me the grand tour.”

Ernie snickered. “Is that so? The grandma tour?”

Yaya whipped around and smacked him on the cheek so fast I was shocked.

Ernie squawked and flew up to the ceiling. Yaya pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you imply that I slept with Zeus. Bad enough I was a fool as a young priestess. I’m not that child anymore.”

I kept my mouth shut. Tad had been smacked more than once for mouthing off at Yaya, and I’d seen her handprint on his cheek. She had an arm on her. Ernie stared with big eyes.

“Won’t happen again.” He floated down, but not within reach.