“WHAT IS HAPPENING? Why have I been left in the dark about everything that is going on?” Pelias asks. His commanding me to his office is quite a nuisance as I had really planned to spend the entire day between Aphrodite’s thighs. I honestly don’t know which I take more pleasure from: bedding her or knowing how much it pains Hephaestus. A little of both I suppose.
“Jason has entered Colchis,” I say and drop myself into the plush chair behind his desk leaving him to either pace the room or to take the seat before the desk. He chooses to pace with his hands behind his back, keeping his stance as rigid as a vigile doing drills. I didn’t like Pelias when I first saw him, a limping boy who was moping over some girl. But I was impressed after witnessing him take his first beating. He didn’t fight back, but neither did he flee. Later, after he had put on some strength and confidence, I saw him break the leg of the boy who had initiated that first beating. I knew then he would go far in the ranks of my vigiles.
“Colchis? He’s gotten that far? What of Typhon? What of this Needle you said was so dangerous?” I’m disappointed by the whine lurking at the edge of his accusatory questions.
“Typhon has decided we aren’t worth his time and the Argoa slipped through the Needle. Oh, and I learned from Aphrodite that Hera made her put a love spell on Aeetes’s daughter to make the girl willing to help Jason.”
“Is Aphrodite against the gods as well?”
“No, she loves Olympus and thrives on being worshiped by mortals, but she also loves the pleasure I give her. You yourself know what a woman will do for a satisfying lover.”
“But if this—what’s her name?”
“Medea,” I say picking up a quill and twirling it between my fingers.
“If Medea helps him—”
“Then she may be able to get him the pelt, which you will then take and use to enhance your right to be leader of Osteria. Now, do you trust my judgment or not?” He nods. “Then stop worrying. Jason will die tomorrow in the Colchian arena. And it’s highly likely that by this time next week, Odysseus will have been sold off to the Califf Land slavers, so he’ll be out of your way as well.”
I have never been one of the gods who lust for men, but I can’t help but take a certain pleasure in the cruel smile that brightens Pelias’s face.