Page 181 of Styx

he said quietly, his voice cold,

‘that Zeus would be any better?’

Metis’s Eyes Burned with Fire

‘Zeus was brought up by Goddesses.

By his mother, Rhea, as an infant,

the mountain nymph Adrastia as a child,

and now, it is I who brought him

into his godhood. We have trained him

well to be everything his father is not.’

Perses shook his head.

‘Power does not work this way, Metis.

Do you not understand what storm

you are about to unleash?’

I put my hand on my consort’s shoulder.

Upsetting her would make things worse.

Styx pleaded, her voice softer than

I had ever heard it. ‘My dear one.

The amount of times I have wanted

to give you the truth. All this time

I wanted to tell you. You must know,

no one here wanted to hurt you.

We have always loved you.

Have we ever given you a reason

to doubt our love?’

At these words, Metis was silent.

And then, her face growing weary,

she sighed deeply.

‘No. I have never had cause to doubt your love.

That is why this hurt. And Rhea was…’

She squared her shoulders and stood tall,