I can’t quite process the swift change in reality, so I tuck that away, too. I smile at Charon. “Lucky me.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
Sandra chooses that moment to come back through the door, a stack of papers in her hands. I take my time reading them over, but they’re a relatively standard rental agreement…at least until I get to the last paragraph. I tap the pen against it. “What’s this?”
“A standard agreement in the lower city,” Charon says, his tone guarded.
I read it a second time. “It says that the entire agreement can be terminated by the leader of the lower city.”
“Yes.”
I raise my brows. “Shouldn’t I get a chance to meet this person before they kick me out of my apartment?”
“That’s not how it works.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Sign it or don’t, but every rental and buyer’s agreement in the lower city comes with that clause. He doesn’t abuse it, if that’s what you’re worried about, but it’s important for everyone’s safety that he gets veto rights.”
He.
More information to file away. Maybe the lower city isn’t as different from the upper city as it first seemed. Not even Zeus has this kind of power over the citizens that live on the other side of the river.
I cast another look around the apartment. Ultimately, I don’t have much choice. Beyond that, I like this place and Sandra seems like a lovely landlord. I sign with a flourish and pass the agreement back to her. “Thank you for the quick acceptance.”
“Yes, well, Charon brought you in. That’s better than most references you could come up with.” She shrugs and heads for the door. “If you want to walk down with me, I’ll give you the keys to the place and the mail.”
It takes no time at all. As I head back upstairs, my mind is spinning by this turn of events. I can’t help a goofy smile. I really pulled it off. Not only did I get away, but the situation is showing all signs of me landing on my feet.
I shut and lock the door behind me, pausing only to toss the keys into the cute little bowl shaped like a flower, on the table by the door. Really, Sandra should be charging more for this place, but what do I know about the lower city rental prices?
I’m so busy examining my new surroundings with delight that I don’t realize I’m not alone until a strong arm wraps around my waist and jerks me back against an equally strong body. I don’t get a chance to fight before a knife presses to the hollow of my throat.
“Don’t do anything foolish,” Medusa says softly in my ear.
CHAPTER 6
MEDUSA
I wasn’t in a good mood going into this night, but after the disastrous conversation with Athena and the subsequent pursuit of Calypso into the lower city, I’m absolutely finished with this bullshit. “Put your hands out in front of you.”
“How did you find me?”
“You took your phone with you.” It required another favor from Bellerophon, but they were only too happy to do a quick trace and pass along the information. A rookie mistake by Calypso, which makes me think she’s more rattled than she seems.
“I don’t have any drugs on me, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Calypso, damn her, sounds almost as unruffled to have my knife at her throat as she is to be back in my arms.
Wait, no. That’s the wrong line of thought to have. “Why did you take the money?”
“I earned it.”
Her words surprise me so much, I forget to keep hold of her. She pushes my arm away and steps out of my grasp. As she turns to face me, I’m once again struck by the sheer beauty of her. It’s downright wrong for her to be so gorgeous after the night she’s had, but she’s as perfect as ever.
I realize I’m still holding the knife aloft and let it drop to my side. “You stole it.”
“He gave me the debit card. Did he really expect me not to use it?” She shrugs a single shoulder. “Odysseus liked to brag that he’s the smartest person in any room he walks into. Surely he saw this coming.”
Her logic might be slightly flawed, but it’s the same flavor of what I thought privately during the call with Athena. “You had to know they wouldn’t let it go.”
“So they sent you. Again.” She tilts her head to the side, her long hair sliding over her shoulder. “Will you finish the job properly this time?”
That the question, isn’t it? I want to tell her that of course I’ll finish the job, but I’m having a hard time even gripping the knife let along wielding it. I…can’t do this. “You should leave,” I blurt.
Calypso’s brows wing up. “Excuse me?”