Chapter 130: The Masquerade ball
Leo
"This is your apartment?" Miller asked as the elevator dinged and opened directly into the penthouse I had borrowed from Nico for the night.
"You didn’t tell me you had a place here in Iron City and made us suffer through those reporters back at the team’s hotel."
I shrugged, stepping out of my shoes and placing them in the rack. "The thing is, this doesn’t belong to me. It’s Nico’s penthouse. I just borrowed it for tonight because going to the hotel and then trying to head back out to his masquerade ball would be impossible. Rhys and Kayden are still being talked about, and they’re the reason the reporters are there in the first place. So no, going back there and then attempting to attend Nico’s party would be hell."
"What do you call the party again? Gods and what?" Rhys demanded as he stepped in beside Miller and took a seat on the couch, looking like he would rather be anywhere else. "Can’t we just skip the stupid party?"
"Absolutely not," I said, turning to face them. "Nico invited us personally. It’s a victory celebration. Declining is not something I would do, and I should be the one skipping since Alaric won’t be there, but I am going to celebrate with my cousin," I told them. "And besides, you three only have tonight before you are back to your boring games, and I am back as your medical therapist, so I say we enjoy it."
"I’m definitely going," Kayden chimed in, leaning over the back of the couch with a grin. "I want to meet all of Nico’s crew and take pictures, and besides, I have never been to a masquerade party. Rhys," he hugged him from behind and kissed his neck, "come on. It’s one night. We’re going back to Oak City tomorrow anyway."
Rhys groaned, rubbing his temples, but he didn’t argue further. He knew as well as I did that once Kayden made up his mind, the debate was over. "Fine. Let’s go to the stupid party."
"So, what’s the plan?" Miller asked, leaning against the marble counter. "I don’t exactly have a ’Gods and Monsters’ outfit packed in my gym bag, last time I checked."
I grinned and raised my phone. "Nico already asked his personal designers to get you all outfits for tonight."
"Your cousin seems to live a flashy lifestyle."
I chuckled. "Well, he wanted to be an idol while growing up, but he gave it up and focused on racing, so I would say he still has his idol lifestyle buried deep inside him."
"I see," Miller responded, then pointed at all four of us. "So what are we all going as?"
"I’ve assigned everyone a role based on their personality to make this as efficient as possible. Kayden, you’re Apollo. God of the sun, light, archery, and poetry. It fits your energy."
Kayden clapped his hands excitedly. "I can work with that."
"Rhys, you’re Poseidon. God of the sea," I continued. "You’re moody, protective of your territory, and you have a temper that can flip a boat. It’s a perfect match."
Rhys let out a dry huff. "Good. I’ll take that. And let me guess. Miller is the monster?"
"No," I said, looking at Miller. "Miller is Ares. The God of War. He’s impulsive, he acts before he thinks, and he lives for conflict. The bronze and blood-red tones will suit him."
Miller tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Ares, huh? You know me well. And what about you, Doc? Who are you supposed to be? Zeus?"
"I will be Hera," I replied calmly. "The protector of order and the All-Seeing eyes. Someone has to keep the three of you from causing a scene, and Hera is the only one with the authority to manage a God of War."
Miller chuckled, a low sound that vibrated in the quiet room. "The Queen of the Gods trying to keep me in line? You’ve got your work cut out for you tonight, Leo. I have to say that I am up for my Queen keeping me in check," he winked at me.
I rolled my eyes, even though I could feel the heat rising in my neck and the way my body shivered at his words. "Well," I pretended to check my watch, "the designers will be here in a few minutes. Let’s prepare."
"What about our sizes?" Rhys asked. "You..."
I chuckled and pointed to myself. "You are forgetting one thing, Rhys. I know everything about all of you," I said proudly.
"Have I ever told you that I hate your guts?"
"I hear you say that all the time, Rhys. It’s nothing new," I responded and clapped my hands. "Let’s move."
~~~~~~~
An hour and thirty minutes later, the penthouse had turned into a total mess of silk, velvet, and the sharp scent of expensive cologne.
Nico’s personal designers moved through the living room, preparing everyone for the ball.
I had spent the last forty minutes in the master suite, letting the lead designer finish my transformation. If I was going to be the Queen of the Gods, I was not going to do it halfway. I had to let everyone know that outside of my lab, I was more.
When the designer finished, I stared at my reflection, barely recognizing the person looking back at me. I was wearing a waist-length raven-black wig that felt like cold silk against my back.
That was far too much hair for me compared to my usual buzz cut.
My outfit was structured and pristine white with a high collar, and draped over my shoulders was a peacock feather mantle that shimmered every time I moved.
I looked like someone you did not want to challenge.
But it was the face staring back at me that gave me pause.
The designers had been meticulous. My makeup was done so beautifully that I looked like the female version of myself.
The subtle contouring, the shimmer on my eyelids, and the way they had softened the lines of my face made me look completely feminine, like an entirely different person.
I tilted my head, studying the version of myself in the glass.
For the first time, the All-Seeing eyes of Hera were not just a costume. They were a shield.
I looked graceful, elegant, and hauntingly feminine.
And, to my own surprise, I liked it.