Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Yes, Atalanta, thank you for stating the obvious.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “The smart thing to do would be to let them get their aggression out, and then step in to pick up the pieces.”
Hecate drains the rest of her coffee, apparently impervious to the scalding temperature. “That is, in fact, the smart thing to do. But you won’t be the one to do it.” She hops up to sit on the counter and kicks out her legs, apparently feeling more like herself now that caffeine is hitting her system. “The movement needs a face, and it can’t be just anyone. They have to be willing to usher in this new form of government, and then disappear before someone decides to make them a figurehead. Or, more unfortunately, a martyr like poor Demeter.”
I cross my arms over my chest. Years ago, we talked through several options for the end of the Thirteen and how that transition would take place. None of our scenarios included a riot willing to kill the people they see as their enemy—namely the Thirteen and Circe and anyone associated with them. “I’m sure this is where you tell us that you are the right person for the job.”
“Ding, ding, ding.” She points at me. “That’s exactly what I’m about to say. This is what we planned, Atalanta. Maybe not this exact scenario, but the path changes nothing about the destination.”
“And what is the destination, if not you being crowned queen?” Circe asks slowly. “No matter what you’ve both said, I don’t see how your methods are different from mine.”
I give her the look that statement deserves. We may have killed to make our plan happen, but we didn’t orchestrate the kind of violence and destruction that could have leveled the city. It might still do it. “The destination is a proper democracy.”
“Because that will never be corrupt.” She snorts. “Don’t be naive.”
“There are more checks in place than with a single ruler—or thirteen of them.” Hecate’s energy dims a little, but she’s still kicking her feet, unable to stay still. “Right now, the upper city is overrepresented. The lower city has Hades and that’s about it. The countryside could theoretically say it had Demeter, but that’s a bit of a stretch considering how she operated. It needs to be equal.” She holds up three fingers. “A trio of representatives from each location, voted on by their respective communities. Nine people who then come together for the good of Olympus as a whole. They can make policies and laws, but only as a collective. No single person can do anything without a majority vote.”
I can see Circe looking for ways to pick it apart, so I shift, drawing her attention. “You tried it your way. It didn’t work. Now it’s our turn.”
She nibbles her bottom lip. “Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, and Hades sat by and allowed Zeus to run rampant in Olympus. They might not be as directly responsible for what happened to me—to his other wives—as Peitho was, but they’re still responsible.”
“Circe.” I wait for her to look at me to continue. “Why stop there? Hecate didn’t save you from Zeus. Surely that makes her as responsible as they were.”
She flinches. “That’s not the same. There were—”
“She could have broken in, killed him, and taken you back.” During one night of heavy drinking, a very long time ago, Hecate had lowered her barriers enough to speak through her guilt about all the ways she could have theoretically saved Circe.
Circe shakes her head slowly. “It wouldn’t have worked. Even if she was successful, the Thirteen would have hunted us down and made examples of us. They couldn’t allow something like that to happen to the most powerful among them without recourse. We would have died then and there, likely in some public and horrifyingly painful manner.”
That’s what I told Hecate in that conversation. I hold her gaze. “Exactly.”
She sighs. “I see your point, no matter how little I like it. Fine, let’s play this out. Even if the rest of the city supported this idealized version of government, the Thirteen can’t stay. It will be too tempting to step back into their previous roles.”
“I know,” Hecate says softly. “That’s what I’ve been working on for months. Your invasion made it hard to get through to them.”
“My invasion set the stage to force their backs to the walls and ensure you have even the slimmest chance of being successful.” Circe shakes her head. “They’re all huddled safely in the lower city. They have no reason to agree to what you’re proposing.”
I hate that she’s right. Even if the barrier comes down, without Circe’s forces in the mix, there’s no way the people of Olympus can stand against the lower city—let alone conquer it and drag the Thirteen and legacy families out into the street.