Chapter 131: Hera and Ares
Leo
I finally stepped out into the living area where the others were already assembled after admiring myself in the mirror for a few minutes.
The designers were putting the final touches on Rhys, who actually looked intimidating as Poseidon.
His suit was a deep, shimmering teal velvet that looked like the ocean at midnight, held together by silver chains draped across his chest. He wore a silver crown of jagged coral, and when our eyes met, I knew why I had chosen him to be Poseidon—his blue eyes were as cold as a storm.
Beside him, Kayden was a vision in gold as Apollo. His white tunic-style suit was embroidered with golden sunbursts, and a laurel wreath made of real gold leaf sat nestled in his curls.
He looked like he was literally glowing, jumping slightly as he checked himself out in the mirror.
"You seem really happy to be Apollo," I commented, announcing my presence. All eyes turned toward me immediately.
"Well," Rhys was the first to speak as he caught sight of me. He looked me up and down, his eyebrows shooting up toward his coral crown. "You actually went through with it. You look like you might actually go one night without killing us with your words. After all, you are the bringer of peace."
I adjusted the gold-trimmed cuff of my gown, my expression as flat as ever. "Don’t be absurd, Rhys. My capacity for verbal evisceration is not dependent on my attire. In fact, according to the myths, Hera was known for her sharp tongue. If you overstep tonight, I have a litany of observations regarding your lack of impulse control that will make you wish you were back in the ocean."
"There he is," Rhys muttered, shaking his head. "The doctor is still in."
I chuckled and turned my head as I noticed a presence behind me that made my heart start racing.
Miller was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. He was dressed in a deep, oxblood silk Ares tuxedo, and the dark bronze chest piece he wore emphasized just how broad his shoulders really were. He held his silver wolf mask in his hand and then looked at me.
He was not just looking, but staring with such intensity that I felt it in my bones. He looked completely stunned, his mouth slightly parted, standing there like a statue.
"You look..." Miller started, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat, his tone dropping into a low, gravelly rumble. "Leo, you look... incredible. You look like a goddess."
My eyes widened at his comment, and I started hearing my heart racing again. The heat I had been trying to suppress finally won, creeping up my neck and staining my cheeks.
I kept my posture rigid, refusing to let him see how much his words affected me, but the tension between us was suddenly insane.
It felt like the air in the penthouse had been sucked out, leaving only the two of us standing there.
We just stared at each other for a long moment, neither of us looking away. His green eyes were intensely on me, like he wanted to pin me against the wall and do something dangerously, crazily naughty.
"Realism is subjective, Miller," I eventually replied, though my voice lacked its usual sarcastic edge. "Tonight, we are all just playing roles. I suggest you get used to it." I pretended I wasn’t affected by the way he stared at me. "The wolf mask belongs on your face, not in your hand," I added, pointing to it.
Miller stepped closer, ignoring my words, until he was standing so close I could smell his cedarwood scent. "The mask can stay off for a few more minutes. I want to look at my Queen while I still can."
My face turned red immediately, and the control I had tried to maintain almost slipped away, but I managed to recover.
"I am not your queen," I whispered, my eyes locked on his, "Also, staring is a waste of optical energy."
"Then I’m happy to be inefficient for once," he countered immediately, smirking. "I could stare at you all night long if I want to." He stretched a hand toward my face but did not touch me.
Rhys cleared his throat loudly, breaking the moment. "If you two are done having a staring contest, can we get to the car? I’d like to get this over with." He let out a groan.
I almost thanked him for breaking the moment because his words were all I needed to move away from Miller.
I straightened my peacock mantle and checked my reflection one last time, then faced everyone. "Indeed. Let’s go, my fellow gods. And remember—no one removes their mask until midnight," I informed them and headed toward the entrance of the penthouse.
~~~~~
The car ride to the venue was a disaster for my heart rate.
I sat as far away from Miller as the interior of the limo allowed, but it didn’t matter.
The space was too small, and he was too large—or maybe he just wanted to be close to me, to torture me all night long.
Every time the car turned a corner, our shoulders would brush, and I’d feel that stupid shiver go down my spine again.
I kept my eyes fixed on the window, watching the streetlights of Iron City blur while I tried to calculate the probability of surviving this night without my heart actually exploding.
Miller was relentless. I had thought that ignoring him would make him stop watching me, but that didn’t work. His green eyes stayed on me throughout the ride, and it was impossible to breathe around him.
"You’re awfully quiet, Hera," he murmured. "Still thinking about how much energy I’m wasting by staring at you?"
"I am mentally preparing for the social variables of the evening," I lied, my voice sounding more strained than I liked. "It requires a high level of cognitive focus."
"Right," he chuckled, and the sound vibrated through the seat and straight into my skin. "Focus. Whatever you say, Doc."
That conversation did it. He stopped looking at me and started talking with Kayden and Rhys.
I heaved a deep sigh and could finally breathe again.