Warrior Rising (Goddess Summoning #6)(65)

“Was? I believe the correct word is ‘am,’ as in ‘I am wrong to disturb you in your chamber, my queen.’ ”

“I know, I know. I wouldn’t have bothered you except I do believe it’s an emergency,” Venus said, conjuring ambrosia out of the air.

“What has happened? Do not tell me your little mortal who’s in Polyxena’s body has gotten herself almost killed again. By Zeus’s beard! This Trojan War gets more and more annoying by the day.”

“No, Kat’s fine. It’s Athena.”

Hera had been reclining on a velvet and gold chaise, delicately nibbling sugarcoated, ambrosia-soaked grapes, but Venus’s proclamation had her sitting straight up in concern. “What is it? What has happened to Athena?”

“She has had sex with Odysseus.”

Hera blinked once, twice, then shook her head as if to clear it. “I could not have heard you correctly. I thought you said Athena has had sex with Odysseus.”

“That is exactly what I just said.” Venus sat on the chaise next to Hera and conjured a glass of ambrosia for her queen. “I was keeping an eye on the Greek camp. I mean, we certainly don’t want another debacle like the attempt on Kat’s life.”

“Of course—of course, you must be diligent. What did you see?”

“Sex. Between Odysseus and Athena. On the beach.” Venus spoke in shocked little bursts between sips of ambrosia. “She conjured a satin blanket for them. It was actually very romantic, if slippery.”

“You watched after you knew who they were?”

“Of course not!” Venus drank her wine, not meeting Hera’s eyes. “Though I can tell you, from the little I saw, that Odysseus is very, um, enthusiastic.”

“Well, good for Athena. She has been far too serious for far too long.” Hera lifted one slim brow at Venus. “And this is what you’re saying you were wrong about? I’m surprised at you. How many times have I heard you rail at Athena that she needed to orgasm, she needed to loosen up, she needed this, that and the other. Now she’s finally got some of the ‘other’ and you think it’s a problem? You, Goddess of Love, do not make sense.”

“I wanted her to do all of that with Odysseus before we decided to step into the Trojan War on the side of the Trojans. After what happened on the beach tonight do you think Athena is going to allow Odysseus and his men to be defeated?”

“Oh no.”

“That is my point. So we’ve gotten Achilles out of the way and set up events to bring about the end of the war. Now here comes the Goddess of War, firmly behind Odysseus’s firm behind. Even if she only manipulates things without actually stepping into the battle, she will more than equal the absence of Achilles.”

“Perhaps you should have a little talk with your mortal. If we sent Achilles back into the fray along with Athena’s influence, I imagine the war would end quickly. And that is what we wanted,” Hera said, sighing heavily. “Though the thought of that wretched Agamemnon being victorious certainly rankles me.”

“I suppose I could…” Venus said.

“You suppose you could, but?”

“But I’ve also been watching Achilles and Katrina. They’re in love,” Venus said.

“And this is important to me because?”

“Because if Kat loves him she won’t be willing to send him to his death. Remember that little prophecy about Achilles being killed before the Trojan walls after he kills Hector?”

“Your modern mortal is but one player in this drama. I will not allow her to get in the way of what needs to be done,” Hera said.

“Hera, you have, of course, had dealings with modern mortals, and you do visit Tulsa to see your son from time to time, I know that. And I mean no disrespect when I say this, but for all your interaction with modern mortals, you really don’t understand them. They don’t revere or fear us as do the ancients.”

“They should!” Hera snapped. Then she drew a deep breath and controlled her temper. “You know that I do not enjoy being cruel, so we’ll wait a little longer and see what happens. But if Athena weighs in on the side of Greece, we will have no choice but to put our might behind the army and aid in their victory. I will not risk creating enmity with the Goddess of War.”

“There are those who would argue that love is stronger than war,” Venus said, with an unusual hardness in her voice.

Hera touched the goddess’s arm softly. “I did not mean to say that Athena is more important to me than are you. But would Love want to cause civil strife amongst the gods for the sake of one modern mortal?”

“Isn’t that what I’m being accused of in the ancient world, only the strife I was supposed to have caused over one mortal woman is between the Greeks and the Trojans?”

“Yes, and how do you feel about that?” Hera asked shrewdly.

“I despise the fact that the war is being blamed on me,” Venus said.

“So I’m assuming you wouldn’t want anything similar to happen on Mount Olympus.”

“No, I wouldn’t.” Venus sighed. “So we wait and see what happens.”

“And if Athena aids Odysseus?”

“Then Achilles will have to reenter the battle,” Venus said.