Radiant Sin(26)

“Sorry,” I mutter. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I move to the door. “Shall we do some exploring before dinner?”

“Exploring sounds great.”

The hallway is empty, but there are faint sounds of conversation echoing from somewhere close by.

Cassandra looks around with raised eyebrows. “Interesting acoustics.”

Something we’ll need to keep in mind going forward. If even a low conversation carries through the area, the only place safe to have a frank conversation is within the bedroom. But we knew that already, even without the acoustics.

I offer my arm. “Let’s see who else is on the guest list.”

“Can’t wait.” She sounds less than enthused, but she takes my arm, sliding up against me. Her proximity threatens to make my brain skip the same way my heart is attempting to right now.

It takes far more concentration than it should to turn and start down the hall in the direction of the main entrance. We find a trio standing there. I recognize all of them as we descend the stairs to stand before them. I’m surprised to see Pan present; I hadn’t thought he left his restaurant often. He’s dressed in a pair of perfectly tailored slacks and a white dress shirt. Next to him is Aphrodite, a tall white woman with long, dark hair and a propensity to cause mischief. Until a few months ago, she was Eris Kasios, daughter to the last Zeus and sister to the current one. She’s tucked under the arm of a handsome Black man with a shaved head and a bright smile.

Adonis. He’s an up-and-coming socialite with a family legacy that stretches back through the history of Olympus. Off the top of my head, I can name three of his distant family members who have been one of the Thirteen, though the last was his maternal grandmother, who was Artemis for a number of years. A short reign as such things go, but she made an impact.

Aphrodite catches sight of us and waves a languid hand. “Do come down, Cassandra. Bring your little boyfriend.”

At my side, Cassandra tenses and her smile goes knife-sharp. “Aphrodite, I know you did not just call Apollo my ‘little boyfriend.’ If you’re trying to insult him, you can do better than that.”

“You’re right.” Aphrodite’s grin widens. “I’m delighted to see that your relationship hasn’t softened you at all. I was worried.”

Cassandra laughs, and I find myself staring down at her. I’ve never heard her laugh like that. She certainly doesn’t in the office. She releases me and leans against the railing. “You know better.”

“I guess I do.”

I’m not certain whether I’ve just been insulted. It hardly matters. I clear my throat. “Nice to see you again, Adonis.” I reclaim Cassandra’s hand.

Adonis’s easy smile never wavers. He’s not a foolish man, but he seems to ride the political waves of Olympus without overmuch worry. It baffles me. “Apollo.” He reaches out the hand not wrapped around Aphrodite and shakes mine. “Nice to see a friendly face here.”

“And what am I?” Pan raises his brows.

“Cranky.” Adonis laughs.

His charm comes off him in a pulse that I can almost feel. Not even Pan is immune, a slow smile pulling at his lips. “I have reason to be cranky.”

“I don’t doubt it for a moment. You’re here as Dionysus’s plus-one and he made you take your own car. Poor thing.” He steers Aphrodite toward the stairs. “Now, let’s go check out the bedroom.”

She gives Cassandra a long look that seems to be a promise to speak later but allows her date to guide her to the stairs and away. I don’t quite breathe a sigh of relief when they’re gone, not when this thorny interaction will be the first of many. “I didn’t realize you and Aphrodite are friends.”

“Oh, we’re not.” Cassandra finally looks back at me. “But we get along just fine. I like watching her leave chaos in her wake. She enjoys the way I snap and how my presence at her sister’s parties stirs the pot with the other guests.”

I don’t understand that. Parties in general are hardly my favorite thing, though they’re rife with information so I can’t afford to skip them often. But Cassandra can, and what she just described almost sounds like they set her up like a carnival attraction. I don’t like it. “If you say so.”

“I do.” She turns to Pan. This time, her smile is much warmer. “It’s nice seeing you again.”

“The feeling is entirely mutual.” He hefts his bag over his shoulder. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

As we turn and head for the back of the house, it strikes me that I don’t know as much about Cassandra as I thought. It seems like every time I turn around, she’s revealing a new angle, a new piece of information. It’s disconcerting…and addicting.

I can’t wait to see what she shows me next.





11


Cassandra

Minos has invited quite the eclectic mix of people. I sip my wine and study them situated around the long banquet table. Minos sits at the head of it, his foster sons Theseus and the Minotaur on either side. It’s interesting that he’s blocked himself off from his guests, but he obviously has a plan. His two children, Ariadne and Icarus, are here of course, practiced smiles in place. The last member of his people, though not of his family, is a plus-sized woman with light-brown skin and luxurious wavy black hair who sits next to Theseus and has a delightfully loud laugh that carries all the way down the table. I don’t know what she’s laughing at, because it’s certainly not something Theseus is saying.