Hermes clears his throat as if we interrupted him. “The remaining champions may all start climbing down, and best of luck to you.”
Zai floats us downward as soon as the glass that had been caging me in disappears. At a screech, I look up behind him, where my owl is flapping its wings to stay aloft. Clutching Zai tighter, I hold out my left arm, and the beautiful, brown-feathered creature with his horned face flies straight for me. He doesn’t perch but sort of leaps right into my skin, growing smaller and turning into glittering blue lines. The tarantula waves its front legs at him, and the fox snuggles into him like one friend greeting another.
“That’s a handy gift,” Zai says.
In a very unexpected way. “Yeah.”
“The Daemones don’t seem too happy about it.”
I glance over Zai’s shoulder to where all four are lined up, wings flapping to hold them aloft. They’re watching me with such intensity, my stomach clenches. Twice. Hades must have taught them how to glare. “I noticed.”
“Be careful,” he says.
I nod, then change the subject, not wanting to face the dread knotting in my stomach at gaining another enemy in the Daemones. So I ask instead, “How’d you figure it out, anyway? The book?”
“Not entirely. The book isn’t the internet. It doesn’t give direct answers but how to find the knowledge for yourself. Sharing your answers helped narrow things down.”
He launches into a description of “if and only if” questions that is mind-numbing, but I think I follow. I’m happy to listen all the way to the ground, trying to keep up mostly to not start worrying over a new problem—facing Hades again.
With a new ally. I think.
After two Labors lost.
After that kiss.
39
Can I Really Trust This?
Zai lands us gently, like stepping off a stair, as if he’s been flying with Hermes’ sandals his entire life. But, despite starting to wheeze, he doesn’t put me down right away.
“Thank you,” I say again. “Hopefully I’ll be able to pull more weight on the next one.”
Zai’s dark eyes—lighter up close, with golden brown streaks that shoot out from his pupils—remain serious. “You did great. I’m a Mind champion, and you’re…”
I guess he realizes who he’s saying this to, because a tinge of red sneaks up his neck.
“Exactly,” I say dryly. “Nothing. I’m nothing.”
He shakes his head. “Hades is a king as well as a god, and unlike Zeus, no one ever tries to take that title away from him. He is not nothing, so you are not nothing.”
Zai is trying to be kind, so I don’t snap his head off for basing my value on something I have no control over. “I guess we both fill gaps,” I say instead.
“Exactly.” He sets me down on my feet, although I sense the move is reluctant. Like he’s not quite ready to let go of me. Then his gaze lowers, brows coming together. “Did Poseidon find you last night?”
Bloody hells. The cut on my neck. I shrug. “Yeah, but I handled it.”
“How?” he asks, then reaches out to rub a soft thumb across the spot just below the cut on my neck. I swallow, suddenly aware I’m standing close to a good-looking man—and we’re both in our pajamas.
“We should probably get dressed,” I say, glancing over my shoulder at Hades’ house. I’m surprised he’s not out here already, upset I’ve lost another challenge.
When I turn back, Zai is turning a little red again. “Um—can we meet later today?” He coughs, rubbing his chest. “We should probably talk strategy and other possible allies.”
I nod with enthusiasm. Dex and his unholy alliance almost killed us both. “Sure.”
“We could meet at Hermes’ house or maybe…here.” His gaze shifts past me with a look of trepidation.
A choice between Hermes or Hades breathing over our shoulders? No thanks. “How about the bar in town? Or is that too public?”
Zai considers that, then shakes his head. “There are private rooms upstairs.”
“That’ll work. I’ll meet you outside Hermes’ gates, and we can walk together. Around noon? We can eat lunch there.”
His gaze suddenly turns sharper with interest, and a wide smile overtakes his thin face. “Sure. See you then.”
With no warning, he leans forward and wraps his arms around me in a hug that is…really nice. I stiffen but then relax into him, closing my eyes a little, trying to absorb this, because I’m guessing the next hug is years away. Zai’s a good hugger, sweet and just enough squeeze without lingering.
His eyes crinkle with humor as he pulls back. “Not used to hugs?”
I laugh. “Not really a thing when you grow up in the Order of Thieves.” I tilt my head. “I’m surprised you are used to them, though.”
“My mom.”
Ah. “I like her already.”
“Me too.” Then he gives me a little salute, which I take as my cue to leave first.
