Shatter the Earth (Cassandra Palmer 10)

She’d therefore gone into hiding, her remaining power slowly draining away over the centuries until she was on the brink of starvation. In desperation, she’d joined the Pythian Court in disguise, since the power that Apollo had once given to his oracle was the only source of godly energy left on Earth. But that plan had its own pitfalls, including some demigod sons that Ares had left behind they’d who were watching the court, knowing that, sooner or later, she’d turn up.

I knew that much about her, because I’d seen some of it myself on a trip back in time, and because Pritkin had done some research to fill in the rest. But that was all I knew. Well, other than that she’d somehow hooked up with dad, who she met here at court after Agnes dragged him back from an illegal jaunt through time. And then, for some reason, that they’d decided to have me.

Or maybe she just got knocked up. Maybe I wanted it to be more complex than that, when in reality, I was just the product of a godly booty call. It would explain why she had been so cold when I finally met her.

“You know what it was like,” Rhea repeated, watching me. “You were left with that vampire; I was left with the covens. But my mother didn’t die, and eventually, she came back for me.”

“Doesn’t that show that she cared?” I asked. “She could have just left you there—”

“Could she? When the covens hate the Circle with a passion, and might have discovered who my father was at any time? You know they’d have used that information to hurt him—they did so, as soon as they found out!”

I nodded, because that had happened only recently. Fortunately, the scandal had been minimal since Agnes was dead by then and a new Pythia was on the throne. One who had as many ties to the vamps as to the Circle.

But it was probably a big reason for Jonas’s comment to Pritkin about being careful. Having me seen to be hanging out with a war mage, even dating one, was one thing. Having me seen to be getting too close to him, like able-to-be-influenced close, was another. They had to avoid it looking like Pritkin and I were Agnes and Jonas version 2.0. Which we weren’t!

Pritkin wasn’t the head of the Circle, and he didn’t try to tell me how to run my court.

But would people believe that?

“What are you thinking about?” Rhea asked, probably watching the different expressions flit across my face.

I didn’t know whether to answer her or not. It wasn’t in my best interest to tell her what it was like the be Pythia on a personal level, which was definitely not a selling point. But Hilde’s comment was still ringing in my ears, making me ashamed of myself. And the fact was that I had a perspective on her parents that no one else did.

“I don’t know much about my mother,” I said. “Whether she really loved my father, or whether he was just a means to an end, some useful idiot she picked up because she needed protection, or help with some scheme she was running. I may never know. But I know that your mother loved your father, and I know that she loved you.”

Rhea stared at me. “How do you know that?”

“Because I know what they risked to be together, how hard it was. And while Jonas might have gotten something else out of it, added influence or help for the Circle with their problems, your mother . . .”

“Yes?”

“She didn’t get anything. Except for companionship, of course. But it came at a price. It’s difficult enough to balance a career and a personal life as a woman anyway, but as a Pythia? With everyone watching you all the time and everyone thinking that they have a right to say how you live your life? Yeah, it’s fun.”

“I’m sorry,” Rhea said. “I know that you and Mage Pritkin . . . it must be difficult.”

“Not so much. Not so far. But it will be. They’ll make sure that it is.”

“They?”

“Everyone. The vampires aren’t going to like me being with a mage, especially a war mage. The only reason they’re not bitching about it already is

that there’s a war on and they need me, plus they have other priorities right now. And because most of them don’t know.

“The majority think I’m still with Mircea, and that he’s got me right where the Vampire Senate wants me—as their very own pet Pythia. They assume that any rumors they hear about Pritkin were planted by the senate to lessen concern in the Circle over my relationship with a master vamp. Meanwhile the mages think the same thing about Mircea: that he was trying to advance his status by claiming a closer relationship with his vampire’s little protégé than he actually had.”

“Where did they get that idea?” Rhea asked, looking surprised.

“Your father, for one. Jonas has been spreading that rumor from the beginning, although I didn’t know it for a while. And now that I’m dating a war mage . . . well, that’s what he wanted all along, you know? He even sent me one once—”

“Sent you what?”

“A war mage to date.”

“He did not!” Rhea looked shocked, and then pissed off on my behalf.

I nodded. “Handpicked and bearing flowers and candy. And under orders to be charming.”

“That’s horrible!”