"Everyone has secrets."
"Dreams are the subconscious' way of telling people what they truly want."
*******
Artemis Mallory had lived fourteen of her eighteen years in the dark as to why her mother left her with her adoptive family and pack. She ha...
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After Orion and I had talked, we walked back to where everyone was. Lae was sitting chatting to Ruby and Binna. Everyone was eating burgers and fries, except Lae who was just eating Ruby's fries.
"Artemis," Binna said brightly as she spotted us before anyone else. I smiled slightly as I saw her interacting with the two other girls.
"Hey guys," Orion said, going to sit down next to Apollo, his eyes shifting to Lae's as he did so. "Bit early for burgers, isn't it?"
"We were starving," Lewis protested around a mouthful of burger.
"Clearly," I said, an eyebrow raised as I surveyed all the fast food. I felt bad for the humans on shift at this hour. As I surveyed the group, I noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Ryder?"
"He went inside to get more food, because clearly there isn't enough," Apollo replied dryly, munching on some fries. I didn't know whether a burger at three am was exactly what I fancied. But I was hungry.
But first.
"Lae," She turned to look at me. "Can I talk to you...alone." Apollo looked at me, suspicion written all over his face.
"Sure..." she said questioningly. She hopped off the table and followed me away from the group. Once we reached a distance where I felt like I wouldn't be overheard, I stopped.
"I'm not a fan of the cloak of dagger, Artemis," Lae said with a hand on her hip. I didn't like asking Lae for favours, especially when it came to the God she served. Lae was loyal to a fault, but her God was, well he was the God of the Underworld. He and the other Gods of the Underworld had a different moral compass. Lae was my best option for completing this part of the favour, the other knaves I knew weren't as friendly as Lae. "I'm guessing this isn't about Orion?"
"No it's not," I said seriously. "Look, Hades asked me to give you a message to give to Anubis." Lae's mouth dropped open.
"What the fuck, Artemis?" She hissed, mindful of the sharp ears a few feet away, which I was grateful for. Apollo would absolutely annihilate me if he heard about this and I didn't know Ryder enough to know what he would do. But it wouldn't be pretty. "You know what would happen if I showed him a message from Hades? And that it was from you?! He's not exactly your biggest fan."
"I know," I rubbed my forehead. "I know this puts you in a bad position."
"Bad position?! Bad position?!" Lae said her voice rising, causing a few wandering eyes to shift in our direction. "You know how much shit I'm already going to be in for interacting with you. I can't do this." Her breathing quickened as she gestured with her hands. "I want to help you, but this is one thing I can't do. I can't risk his anger."
"Fuck, okay, I get it. Okay? I get it." I repeated. "We'll find another way."
"I know I sound selfish, but he's not a fan of Hades or you. I need to be on his good side if I want to convince him to accept Orion." My face softened. I was such an idiot.
