Sterling hissed.
“I said I was sorry.” Apollo shrugged. “It’s kind of a reflex, you know? Vampire walks into my domicile, I blast it with sunlight.”
“I’m not an ‘it,’ you piece of – ”
I held my arm out against Sterling’s chest, pushing him back with all my might, which is harder than it sounds considering his brute vampire strength. He relented, though.
“How did you not burn the moment you walked into his domicile?” I said, trying to keep Sterling distracted. I had to acknowledge that fire magic wasn’t going to do much against a sun god, and even at his angriest, my favorite vampire would pretty much be useless in this particular fight.
“His domicile,” Sterling said, the fight in him wavering. “It’s in perpetual night.” His forehead furrowed. “Kind of the way that Artemis’s is set during the day.”
“And mine is by the beach,” Apollo said, gesturing at his clothes in explanation. “There are beautiful cabanas. We do seaside barbecues, night swimming. It’s all very Saint-Tropez.”
Sterling folded his arms and huffed. “Hardly.”
“Okay, that hurt,” Apollo said.
“But I deserved that. Please. Let bygones be bygones.”
I mirrored Sterling’s pose, folding my arms as well. “You hardly seem surprised that we know what the inside of your sister’s realm looks like. You know, it almost feels like you tracked us down deliberately.”
Apollo shrugged and held out his hands. “Well, you caught me. I didn’t realize Sterling here was tagging along, though, so I didn’t bother turning off the high beams.”
I shook my head. “What was the point of blaring all that sunlight at night, anyway?”
Apollo scratched his forearm, his lower lip turned up. “I thought it’d be more impressive.”
Sterling scoffed and stomped his foot.
“I don’t know how many more times I can say that I’m sorry. Listen. I’m only here to help.”
“I find it hard to take advice seriously from people who wear sandals,” Sterling growled. “Outdoors. At night.”
I clapped Sterling on the back. “Okay, buddy, that’s enough.”
“Oh, fine. I was only trying to help.” Apollo turned one shoulder, looking convincingly wounded as he headed back to his car. “I know when I’m not wanted.”
I sighed, hating to be stuck juggling two big old egos, but realizing that I genuinely wanted to hear Apollo out. “Come back. Sterling promises he’ll stop.”
Apollo batted his lashes hopefully.
“I said no such thing,” Sterling muttered.
“See?” I said. “All good. Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?”
“Right,” Apollo said, looking pleased to be of use. I was getting the impression that he didn’t get around much, that he was desperate for a chat. Was he just weird at night? Maybe his network was down after dark. What were they called again? The Conclave of the Sun. Right.
“So, I see a lot of things during the day,” Apollo said. “And sometimes, when it’s, you know, not-day. And I see that you’ve been having some troubles with this strange little magical dog you’ve picked up.”
“Can you tell us anything about it?” I said, suddenly hopeful.
Apollo shrugged. “Nada. It’s just not my area of expertise, you know? And I know that you tried to see my sister about it. Now, normally, I’d recommend you dig your nose into the arcane phonebook, poke around for an alternative solution, but she really is one of the best when it comes to identifying bizarro beasts. And she’s got a way with animals, too. Did you meet Priscilla?”
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Then you see my point,” Apollo said. “And this dirty business with the Midnight Convocation blocking contact, well, there’s really no way around it. Unless you somehow attract Artemis’s attention with an offering that’s big enough, and bold enough. Something more, shall we say, traditional, at least more than a bag of Snacky Yum-Yums.”
Somewhere behind me, Sterling growled.