Read Online House of Thebes (The Bloodstone Saga) by Courtney Cole - Free Book Online
Authors: Courtney Cole
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home of the gods to the mortal world. She knew that.
“My darling, think long and hard on this decision. It is ever so important. Do not rush into it.”
I shook my head. “I won’t. But I love him, mother.”
“I know,” she replied. “I’m the goddess of love, remember? I can sense it from a mile away. You love him. Now, you will simply have to decide if that is enough.”
I sank into a nearby seat and numbly stared at the birds flying in the trees outside of my windows. They were so happy and content. I had the random thought that I wished I was one of them. Their lives were so simple.
“Sweetling,” my mother sighed as she knelt in front of me and pushed a stray tendril of hair from my eyes. “This will be simple, as well. And really, first things first. You must speak with your father and see if he will grant his permission. Do not worry yourself until you know that there is something to worry about.”
I nodded. My mother spoke the truth. I should find out this small detail before I got ahead of myself. But she was wrong on one aspect. Of course I would worry about my father’s decision. I loved him, but Ares was known to be a touch difficult when he wanted to be. Sighing, I rose from my chair and turned to face another dragon.
My father.
Chapter Nine
I heard him long before I saw him as I approached the dining hall.
Ares was laughing boisterously with someone. Hermes, maybe? It sounded like Hermes’ voice. The hall was filled with chattering and laughter, so most of the Olympians must be in attendance for breakfast. I swallowed. Ugh. I’d have an audience.
As I reached up to grasp the ornate door handles, a large hand reached from behind to open the door for me.
Turning, I found Cadmus.
From the dampness of his hair, I could see that he was freshly bathed. I longed to lean in and inhale his clean, woodsy scent, but I restrained myself. Instead, I gazed at him for a moment, appreciating his masculine appeal. Looking at him, however, made me want to touch him. So, I pulled my eyes to his, which were twinkling in amusement.
“See something you like?” he asked with a grin.
I shook my head. I couldn’t deny it. He had caught me checking him out fair and square. My cheeks were on fire as I tried to casually continue our conversation. Cadmus had laughter in his eyes. He knew exactly how embarrassed I was and it amused him. I had to admit, it was a little amusing. Here I was…a goddess on Mount Olympus and a mortal man had completely taken over my senses. I deserved to be the object of his humor. I smiled pleasantly.
“Are you coming to speak to my father?”
He eyed me. “Yes. I was trying to beat you here, so that I could speak for myself. I should have known that would be a futile effort. You did say that you were impatient.”
I was indignant. “That’s not true,” I told him, the red flush back in my cheeks. “It’s not a futile effort. You’re a grown man. You can speak for yourself.”
“Well, I know that,” he told laughingly. “But do you?”
He had me again. I had definitely been on my way to speak to my father and it hadn’t occurred to me that Cadmus might want to do it himself. I fidgeted with my ankle for a moment and Cadmus laughed.
“I have your number, don’t I?” he asked me with a grin. “You know, before I met you, I always pictured the goddess of peace to be…well, peaceful. You have a more colorful personality than I would have guessed.”
“I am peaceful,” I told him. “Most of the time.”
He laughed and I realized that I could listen to that sound all day long. But we had things to do and dragons to speak to.
“Are you ready to talk to my father?” I asked. “I mean, are you still planning to speak to him?”
“About your hand in marriage?” Cadmus asked, surprised. “Of course. I fully intend for you to be
“My darling, think long and hard on this decision. It is ever so important. Do not rush into it.”
I shook my head. “I won’t. But I love him, mother.”
“I know,” she replied. “I’m the goddess of love, remember? I can sense it from a mile away. You love him. Now, you will simply have to decide if that is enough.”
I sank into a nearby seat and numbly stared at the birds flying in the trees outside of my windows. They were so happy and content. I had the random thought that I wished I was one of them. Their lives were so simple.
“Sweetling,” my mother sighed as she knelt in front of me and pushed a stray tendril of hair from my eyes. “This will be simple, as well. And really, first things first. You must speak with your father and see if he will grant his permission. Do not worry yourself until you know that there is something to worry about.”
I nodded. My mother spoke the truth. I should find out this small detail before I got ahead of myself. But she was wrong on one aspect. Of course I would worry about my father’s decision. I loved him, but Ares was known to be a touch difficult when he wanted to be. Sighing, I rose from my chair and turned to face another dragon.
My father.
Chapter Nine
I heard him long before I saw him as I approached the dining hall.
Ares was laughing boisterously with someone. Hermes, maybe? It sounded like Hermes’ voice. The hall was filled with chattering and laughter, so most of the Olympians must be in attendance for breakfast. I swallowed. Ugh. I’d have an audience.
As I reached up to grasp the ornate door handles, a large hand reached from behind to open the door for me.
Turning, I found Cadmus.
From the dampness of his hair, I could see that he was freshly bathed. I longed to lean in and inhale his clean, woodsy scent, but I restrained myself. Instead, I gazed at him for a moment, appreciating his masculine appeal. Looking at him, however, made me want to touch him. So, I pulled my eyes to his, which were twinkling in amusement.
“See something you like?” he asked with a grin.
I shook my head. I couldn’t deny it. He had caught me checking him out fair and square. My cheeks were on fire as I tried to casually continue our conversation. Cadmus had laughter in his eyes. He knew exactly how embarrassed I was and it amused him. I had to admit, it was a little amusing. Here I was…a goddess on Mount Olympus and a mortal man had completely taken over my senses. I deserved to be the object of his humor. I smiled pleasantly.
“Are you coming to speak to my father?”
He eyed me. “Yes. I was trying to beat you here, so that I could speak for myself. I should have known that would be a futile effort. You did say that you were impatient.”
I was indignant. “That’s not true,” I told him, the red flush back in my cheeks. “It’s not a futile effort. You’re a grown man. You can speak for yourself.”
“Well, I know that,” he told laughingly. “But do you?”
He had me again. I had definitely been on my way to speak to my father and it hadn’t occurred to me that Cadmus might want to do it himself. I fidgeted with my ankle for a moment and Cadmus laughed.
“I have your number, don’t I?” he asked me with a grin. “You know, before I met you, I always pictured the goddess of peace to be…well, peaceful. You have a more colorful personality than I would have guessed.”
“I am peaceful,” I told him. “Most of the time.”
He laughed and I realized that I could listen to that sound all day long. But we had things to do and dragons to speak to.
“Are you ready to talk to my father?” I asked. “I mean, are you still planning to speak to him?”
“About your hand in marriage?” Cadmus asked, surprised. “Of course. I fully intend for you to be
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