Kyra

Chapter Twelve

He's going to kill me.

Kyra couldn't bring herself to care. She'd take any punishment he felt like giving. He couldn't stop her from doing this. No one could.

She'd love to see a list of all the things she'd done wrong tonight. Really, it had just been a game of waiting. A month had gone by since Ares' punishment. By now, he must've thought she'd lost interest. The gap in the library had been filled with another book, the space in his gallery covered by something irrelevant. Kyra went about her training as normal, behaving herself for the most part but pushing her luck to keep up appearances.

The God watched her. No one's denying that fact. But it wasn't like he was waiting for her to strike now. That pained edge to it was gone. He genuinely thought Kyra would give up that easily.

He's got another thing coming for him.

Her first hiccup of the night was, notably, disobeying Ares. By this point, that was a given. Her second was breaking into the armoury of the mature Amazons. If Kyra was about to walk into danger, then she'd do it with a little bit of brain about her. She helped herself to their armour, donning herself up.

Her first realisation? It's too heavy. There's too much. So impractical.

If the day ever came where she called the shots, at least half of this thing would go.

Her next rule broken? Sneaking into the God's room as he sleeps.

That was, of course, skipping a few others.

The Amazon armoury—surprise, surprise—had been pardoned of its portal jumpers. She'd thought about breaking into the one in the castle but had ultimately decided against it. Someone's guarding it. Henry, the escort from the first time she'd met Ares, had spent too much time in those halls. So really that only left one other option.

The God's bedroom it is.

Waking him up was simply not allowed. Dressed like this, covered from head to toe in metal and armour, there'd be no getting herself out of trouble if caught.

She slipped into his room, surprised to find it unlocked. She held her breath, fearful he'd be awake. Except his room was dark and silent. She slipped in, tiptoeing to his bedside.

She'd spent a long time thinking about where he might keep a portal jumper.

His bedside had to be the place. What if he was attacked in the night and needed to make a quick escape? If he kept one in here, it had to be nearby.

Trying her hardest not to make any noise and rattle her armour, she squatted down beside his bed, right next to his face. Fast asleep. She felt the soft touches of his breaths hitting her skin. Gently does it. She slipped the door open just the slightest bit, grimacing at the creak.

Freeze.

Nothing. She was fine.

Just a little bit more.

"Kyra."

Shit, shit, shit!

Maybe he was dreaming of her. Maybe he hadn't said her name at all.

And God—her hand had just touched the portal jumper.

"What are you doing?" He mumbled.

Damage control.

This could still work. The God was drowsy, barely awake. She could still save this.

With the portal jumper in one hand, she reached out with the other, softly brushing stray hairs from his forehead.