“Demetria,” he greeted. “What brings you here? For your sake, I hope it truly is as important as you insinuated.”
“It is, I assure you of that.” She waited until Maxim had left before moving closer and adding, “Something … something is wrong.”
“Wrong how?”
“My gift is failing me.” She twiddled her fingers. “Ifeelthat something is coming. I cannot tell if it is good or bad. I seenothing.”
He felt his eyes narrow. “Nothing at all?”
“No. That never happens when there is such urgency behind a feeling I have. A vision always accompanies it.” A shaky breath left her. “I consulted the bones. The reading confirmed that my gut is correct. But still, I see nothing. I believe I am being blocked.”
“By someone here?”
“I do not believe it is a person. More like a presence. A power. It is jamming the frequency of my gift. Purposely.”
He twisted his mouth. He hadn’t sensed any such presence. But then, if something was powerful enough to block an oracle, it was powerful enough to remain undetected. “When was the last time you had a vision of any sort?”
“Six days ago. It was nothing consequential.”
“And this feeling you got that something was coming … when did that hit you?”
“Yesterday morning. I didn’t report it to you straight away because I had hoped a vision would come to me if I waited. But it didn’t.” She sighed. “Being unable to see what lies ahead … it feels like I have been cut off from a part of myself. I worry that Nemesis has forsaken me.”
“I doubt it’s anything as dramatic as that. If it was, you would no longer have that mark on your face.”
“I tried reaching out to Her. She did not respond to my calls.”
Cain shrugged. “Deities tend to do as they please.” He pursed his lips. “We’ll keep an eye on the situation. It’s all we really can do.”
Swallowing, she nodded. “I will let you know if …” She trailed off at the sound of Maxim’s muted voice and the click-clacking of heels along the paving stones.
Cain barely resisted the urge to grind his teeth. He knew the rhythm of that walk. Knew exactly who was coming. And he wasn’t in the mood to deal with them.
Mere moments later, Ishtar sauntered into view, a furious Maxim close behind her.
She beamed at Cain. “Such a lovely afternoon, isn’t it?” She spared Demetria a disinterested glance.
Recognizing the female Ancient’s voice, the monster inside Cain opened one eye. At one time, it might have perked up in interest. Now, utterly indifferent to her presence, it allowed its eyelid to once more drift shut.
His cheeks red, Maxim looked at him. “I’m sorry, Sire, I explained that you had company but—”
“It is not you who needs to apologize,” Cain told him, a thread of menace in his voice.
Ishtar let out an airy chuckle. “I merely saw no reason why I couldn’t announce my own arrival. It seems silly when I’ve spent so much time here over the eras.”
No, she’d intruded because she’d wanted to know who his ‘company’ was and if said company was female. “You will apologize to Maxim.”
Ishtar stared at Cain for a long moment. “You are not serious.”
“Oh, I’m very serious. You don’t get to be dismissive toward my hirelings. You don’t get to make their jobs difficult. You will treat them with respect, or you will not come here at all. Now, apologize to Maxim.”
Twin flags of red stained her cheeks as her cornflower-blue eyes bore into Cain, hard as diamonds. There was the smallest hint of arousal in their depths. She hated when he made any demands of her, but a part of her got off on it. Which was an annoyance for him, since he didn’t wish to have such an effect on her.
“Do it now, or leave,” he said.
Ishtar gave the aide a sickly sweet mockery of a smile. “I am so very, very sorry, Maximus. Yes, yes, that isn’t actually your name, but it suits you so much better than Maxim. Or Maxie could work, if you’re open to that.”
As apologies went, that was probably the best Maxim would get, even if there wasn’t a droplet of sincerity in it.