Curses of Olympus (The Olympus Trilogy #2)

33. Hestia

33

HESTIA

“ H uh,” Alec mutters as the collected group stares up at the mysterious star in the cavern beneath the Under Temple.

“This has to be the star the Book Fates was talking about,” Hestia insists, squinting against the glaring brightness of the underground celestial body.

She does not want to get her hopes up, but it feels like something is finally going right for the Allegiance. What are the odds of one of things they need the most being beneath their feet? It seems too easy.

“Only the worthy can ascend. Is that what it said?” Isadora asks.

“Yes,” Hestia answers with a nod. “To retrieve what it protects.”

“All right. So the second key, or heart, is in that star. So how do we get it out?” Isadora raises an eyebrow and looks at the stumped group for any ideas.

“Can we shoot it?” Dionysus wonders, pursing his lips.

Everyone turns to him, brows crinkled as they try to determine if he is serious.

Shrugging his shoulders, the God of Partying continues, “I don’t see anyone stepping up with better ideas. Worst-case scenario, we lose an arrow, right?”

Hestia is certain that is not the worst-case scenario, but they need that key.

When no one responds, Dionysus gestures to Alec. “I am useless with a bow, but why don’t you give it a try?”

Alec looks to Isadora who rolls her eyes but says, “Do it. Go grab a bow from one of the nearest archers on watch.”

Hera puts her hand on Dionysus’s shoulder. “It isn’t a completely terrible idea.” She chuckles, and Dionysus blushes beneath her attention.

Hestia cannot describe the emotion that fills her while watching the two of them. Is it jealousy? She does not think so. She genuinely wants Hera to be happy, even if that means never sharing her feelings.

A realization dawns over her then, and her stomach feels as if the floor has fallen out beneath her feet; she is not jealous that Dionysus is touching Hera, Hestia is merely envious that she is not.

Dionysus looks up and catches her watching them. Glancing away quickly, Hestia walks over to where Isadora, Medusa, and Cassandra are deep in conversation as they brainstorm thoughts about the star.

The chatter between them flows freely, and Hestia nods along as if she is listening, using it as cover to let her thoughts float back to Hera.

Does Hestia wish she was with Hera and not Alec? No, that doesn’t feel right either. Her mind frantically tries to grasp a scenario that makes sense, but centuries alone in a library has given her little knowledge on how to navigate a situation as precarious as this.

If she is not careful, Hestia will lose both Hera and Alec, as well as her newfound friendship with Dionysus. Are these feelings worth blowing up everything she does have?

Footsteps sound on the steps behind them, and Alec appears with a bow and a quiver of several arrows.

Conversations comes to a stop, and everyone watches in silence as Alec hands the bow to Medusa.

At the surprised faces, Alec laughs and says, “Assumptions will get you nowhere.” He winks at Medusa. “Show ‘em what you can do, kiddo.”

Medusa takes a steadying breath and nocks an arrow onto the bow, pulling the it back tightly and bringing her fingers holding the string to the corner of her lips.

Bracing against the bright light, Medusa raises the bow and aims the best she can before loosing the arrow. It disappears into the brightness of the star.

For a moment, nothing happens and the disappointment is palpable.

Then the ground rumbles suddenly, and Hestia struggles to remain standing as rocks come crashing down. The group scrambles up the steps, tripping onto them as the debris blocks off the entrance to the cavern behind them.

Brushing off the dust from the collapse, Isadora narrows her eyes at Dionysus. “Worst-case we lose an arrow, my ass.”

“Hey, no fault of mine that you chose to listen to me of all people.” He laughs and the sound echoes loudly, especially since no one else joins in. Dionysus rolls his eyes. “I’ll go grab some people and get the clean-up started.”

Isadora’s fierceness does not relent as she says, “Make it quick, please.” The leader of the Allegiance then addresses the rest of the group. “I guess we will reconvene once we have access to the cavern again. In the meantime, I guess carry on as usual.”

Irritation radiates from Isadora’s retreating form as she ascends the steps without saying goodbye to the group.

T he small sitting area near the room Hestia shares with Alec is chilly, and she pulls her cloak around her tightly. She doesn’t think she will ever get used to the frigid cold of the Underworld as a mortal.

Noticing the gesture, Alec wraps his arm around Hestia, pulling her closely to his warm body. She sighs, leaning into him and breathing him in, his woody cedar scent grounding her.

“Supervising clean-up was exhausting,” Dionysus sighs as he plops down onto the same sofa as Hestia, leaving a gap between them. Hestia’s heart could rival a hummingbird’s as Hera sits in the space.

An acolyte enters next with a tray of bottles and the usual plates of cheeses, breads, and fruits that always follow Dionysus wherever he goes.

As the acolyte places the bottles of wine and mead on the table, Alec laughs. “Are you expecting more people, Dio? There’s enough alcohol here for an entire Legion of Heroes.”

“One can never be too prepared when it comes to the imbibing of spirits. Better to have entirely too much than run out early and ruin a party.” His smirk is almost hidden by his flaxen mustache and beard.

“Oh, so this is a party now, is it?” Hestia asks.

Dionysus raises his goblet in a toast. “It is always a party when I am present.”

Hera purrs, leaning into the God of Wine. “It certainly is.”

Hestia squirms in her seat, looking away from what should possibly be a private moment between them. An unfamiliar feeling tugs at her consciousness.

Am I jealous?

She dismisses the thought almost instantaneously.

Alec picks up a cup and reads the labels on the bottles before uncorking one and pouring it. When he leans back with it in his hand, Hestia’s eyes widen when he places the goblet in her grasp. He nods in encouragement, and she brings the rim to her lip, letting the cold metal ground her. Perhaps this is precisely what Hestia needs to move past her silly hangups.

The bubbles tickle Hestia’s nose as she sips the honeysuckle sparkling wine. Its sweetness sends an energetic spark through her body, and she takes a deeper drink, welcoming the loosening of her inhibitions.

Hestia remembers the berries from her first time being at one of Dionysus’s events, but she does not care if he has them with him here. She wants this. Wants to let go of the blocks in her mind that are holding her back from confessing her truth.

Her eyes flit to Hera, and wine almost dribbles out of her mouth when she finds the goddess watching her with a gleam in her eye.

Oh Fates, is there even a chance this could be real? Is this a cruel trick to force me back into my loneliness? Have I betrayed your plan of solitude for me?

As the wine swims through Hestia, her brain takes on a fuzzy edge she finds incredibly pleasing. Her anxieties are notably absent. She gulps another long drink, closing her eyes and letting the delicious nectar work its magic.

After a while of chatting, laughing, and increasing levels of inebriation, Dionysus clears his throat. “I may not be the God of Love and Sex, but I can spot tension anywhere. It is past time that we had a discussion, and now I believe everyone is ready for it.”

A giggle spills out of Hestia, and she clamps a hand over her mouth, thoroughly enjoying the buzz filling her body.

“Definitely ready, then,” Alec says, nowhere near as tipsy as Hestia, but he is not the one who will have to bare his soul.

“What are you talking about, Dio?” Hera asks, a loose laugh lingering on her lips as she sips her own wine.

“You and Hestia have feelings for each other. I know it. Alec knows it. The only people who don’t seem to know it are the two of you.” Dionysus levels a look at her that finds it mark, even through her buzz.

Hestia looks to Alec, searching for any signs of betrayal or understanding in his eyes. Did he and Dionysus just ruin everything?

Alec’s face is unreadable, and Hera says, “Dio, perhaps now isn’t?—”

“It is true,” Hestia says, taking another sip of her wine for liquid fortitude. There is no point in denying it now that it is out in the open. She can only hope Alec will forgive her.

Hand moving to her chest, Hera says, voice low in almost a whisper, “Hestia?”

Hestia looks into Hera’s eyes, and the world moves in slow-motion when she finds hope in them. Is this her chance?

“I wish I had known my true feelings for you before you were taken. Perhaps then, I could have prevented it. If I hadn’t been such a cowardly hermit, if I had experienced the world the way it was meant to be experienced, perhaps I would have been aware so much sooner.”

Hera takes Hestia’s hand into hers, interlacing their fingers together, and her heart skips a beat at the contact. How could Hestia have never noticed the electricity in their touch in the past?

Looking around, Hestia realizes Alec and Dionysus have stepped out of the room to allow them this moment in private. Hestia’s stomach drops at the thought of him being angry with her. But one problem at a time…

With the absence of an audience, Hestia feels emboldened as she reaches out and cups Hera’s cheek.

She is unsure who moves first. Their faces draw closer until she can feel the warmth of Hera’s breath on her skin. The world falls away as Hera’s soft lips brush against hers.

A tear rolls down her cheek then, and Hera reaches up to wipe it away with her thumb before gently grasping Hestia’s neck and pulling her in for a deeper kiss, their lips parting for each other as their tongues meet. Hera sighs into Hestia’s embrace, and the sound ignites the inferno of desire within her.

She is unsure if it is the wine causing her increased boldness, but as the heat pools between her thighs, a thought occurs to Hestia that she cannot ignore.

Breaking free from their kiss, Hestia takes Hera’s hands. “I have an idea, but if it is beyond insanity, we can chalk it up to the spirits and never speak of it again.”

Hera’s mischievous smirk is the only encouragement Hestia needs as she continues, “It seems a shame that Alec and Dio aren’t here, after all they were ones to orchestrate everything.”

“I think I know where you are going with this, if it is what I hope,” Hera says.

“I can only pray to the Fates that that is the case.” Hestia laughs.

“The chambers he and I share have a bed that is quite spacious.” Hera’s voice is laced with desire, and Hestia cannot believe this is happening.

“Let’s go find our men, shall we?” Hestia proposes.

“Yes. Let’s,” Hera answers, but her mood dims. What state will Alec be in when they find them?