Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1)(57)

“Understood,” said Jason.

“Are we doing this?” said Alia. “?’Cause I’m thinking about drowning you in the punch bowl and just making a break for it.”

Jason nodded and offered her his arm. Under his breath, he said to Diana, “Keep us in your sights.”

“I’ll try not to get in your way,” she murmured.

He stiffened and then she saw the corner of his mouth twitch again. Still an imperious bully, but at least he could laugh at himself—and maybe he’d begun to realize she was an asset. She didn’t want to fight him every step of their journey to the spring.

Diana spent the next half hour drifting through the partygoers with Nim, making sure to keep Alia and Jason within view. It wasn’t easy. The room was crowded, and the way voices bounced off the stone set Diana’s teeth on edge. She also felt like she was trying to read too many signals at once. She’d successfully picked out most of Jason’s security team, but the party itself felt unwieldy.

On the surface, it didn’t look radically different from the celebrations on Themyscira. Though the clothes might be cut differently, it was still a collection of people in silks and satins, glasses in hand, some bored, others eager. But there was something odd about the way the crowd separated and then re-formed. The men would step forward to greet each other as their female companions hung back, then a moment later the women would engage, shake hands, possibly embrace. Power moved in its own way here, driven by unseen currents, and it eddied and flowed primarily around the men.

I don’t belong here. The thought echoed loudly through her head, but she wasn’t sure if it was her voice or the Oracle’s that spoke with such conviction. She shoved the thought away. In an hour, she’d be on her way to Greece. By this time tomorrow, they’d have reached the spring and her quest would be at its end. For these few moments, she could let herself enjoy the newness of this place.

She noticed Nim murmuring names under her breath. “Do you know everyone here?”

“No, but I know who they’re wearing.” She reeled off a series of Italian-sounding names.

“More trivia?”

“Information. Design is all about conveying information. This whole room was built to convey messages you don’t even know you’re receiving. The sightlines, the way the tiles are laid into the floor.”

“You see the world differently.”

“Seeing is easy. The hard part is being seen. It’s why I’m always trying to get Alia to go out more.” Nim plucked a skewered shrimp from a passing server. “When I started at Bennett, it felt like everywhere I went people weren’t seeing me. I mean, they saw me. Boy, did they see me. But I was just the short, fat Indian kid who brought weird food for lunch.”

“What changed?” asked Diana.

“Alia. She was the first person to look at my designs and tell me they were good. She even wore one of the first dresses I made to a dance. It was truly hideous.” Diana had to laugh, but that did seem like something Alia would do. “She’s always been the one to prop me up,” said Nim, “and make me stick with designing.”

“What about your family?”

“Please. They have to tell me I’m a good designer. That’s their job.”

Diana thought of her mother saying, I didn’t expect you to win. “Not necessarily.”

“Oh man, do you have one of those tough-love families? I just don’t buy into that.”

“Why not?” Diana asked cautiously.

“Because the whole world loves to tell us what we can’t do, that we aren’t good enough. The people in your own house should be on your side. It’s the people who never learn the word impossible who make history, because they’re the ones who keep trying.”

The very air seemed to crackle around her as she spoke. Diana considered telling Nim she’d make a great general, but opted for “Alia is lucky to have you as a friend.”

“Yeah, well, we’re both lucky. I don’t know many people who would put up with me.”

Alia caught sight of them by the reflecting pool and separated herself from the couple she and Jason were speaking to, scurrying over to them as if afraid Jason would snatch her back.

“Please kill me,” she moaned. “My cheeks ache from smiling, and my toes are throbbing in these shoes. I swear this is the longest hour of my life.”

“Boohoo. Big party where everyone wants to meet you,” said Nim. “And don’t you dare speak ill of those shoes. They’re perfection.”

“I can’t tell if your brother is pleased,” Diana said, glancing over at Jason, who was listening intently to someone and nodding his agreement. He seemed at ease, his posture relaxed, but Diana could see the tension in his shoulders. He held himself as if on guard, unsure of where the attack might come from, but certain it would come nonetheless. “He doesn’t like these parties, either, does he?”

“You noticed?” Alia said, scanning the crowd. “I hate who he becomes at these things. It’s like he’s an actor in a play. He smiles and chatters, but I know he hates every minute of it.”

“Speaking of hating every minute,” Nim said, her expression turning sour. Theo was headed their way. “I cannot take his nonsense right now. I’m going to go ask Gemma Rutledge to dance.”