Page 82 of This Divine Revelry

‘You’re upset – that’s understandable.’

‘I was an inconvenience, is that it? And instead of leaving me on one of the inhabited islands or perhaps even discussing it with me, you abandoned me there.’

He nods, like he had expected such a rebuff. ‘I don’t expect you to agree with my reasoning. You are brilliant, Ariadne, and I appreciate everything you did to assist in my victory –’

I scoff but he continues. ‘And I do truly believe you would make a wonderful queen. But kings rule because they are not so easily led by their hearts and their emotions. I had to act in the best interests of my people and your father made it quite clear that marrying you would not secure an alliance. But I’d given you my word. Leaving you on that island was the only solution I could come to.’

‘Olympus above, tell me you didn’t leave me there because you were too stupid to do anything else.’

‘I was wrong. My hubris is not so large that I can ignore the gods placing you once more in my path. Perhaps it is with you by my side that I will truly achieve glory –’

The time comes to switch partners but he holds on to my hand – though I’m in no hurry to turn away either, too busy sputtering: ‘You think the gods brought me here to help you?’

‘We worked well together. And there are still people in that labyrinth who need us. You can open it.’

The labyrinth … the labyrinth. An exchange of prisoners.

‘Daedalus,’ I say as realization dawns. The man whose inventions built my father an empire.

That’s what Theseus wants – a contingency so that if my father doesn’t agree to hand over Daedalus as part of Phaedra’s dowry, I might break him out regardless.

Theseus nods. ‘He’s ours, you know. Lived in Athens his whole life until he fled a murder charge. Your father gave him refuge because a brain like that is an asset. And, of course, because what’s one murderer to another? Come now, you can’t want a man like that to stay within your father’s reach. I’ve hurt you, I know. But can’t you see this is the greater good I thought I was working for. It’s this – us. We were brilliant together,’ he breathes, disguising our closeness with the dance. ‘We could be again. I know you, Ariadne. You can’t be content to be the wife of a flippant, partying god. You care about people. You should be married to a hero. Help me save Daedalus and his son and help me save a dozen people afterwards – I could truly change the world with you by my side.’

I swallow, trying to pretend like I can’t hear ringing laughter surrounding me, or the chatter of female voices or a world changed right at this very moment. As though I’m considering it, I say: ‘I’m already married.’

‘You made a clever bargain when I left you with none. But you swore yourself to me first. We were married in all the ways that counted. We could be again.’

The beat shudders, and finally we twist to new partners.

His words echo long after the last string is plucked.

When nearly everyone is lost in the throes of the music, I grab Dionysus’s hand and draw him into a quiet corner.

‘Theseus wants Daedalus. His inventions could make Athens the most powerful city in the world,’ I say. ‘So Theseus tried to seduce me into opening the labyrinth for him.’

A wicked smile unfurls on Dionysus’s face. ‘Ariadne, are you trying to make me jealous?’

‘Yes, is it working?’ I deadpan.

‘Oh, trust me –’ his eyes wander across me – the suns on my cheeks, crown on my head and my presumably flushed, somewhat bedraggled appearance after all that twirling on the dance floor – ‘all of this is working.’

‘If you’re not going to be threatened by his advances, can you at least defend my honour?’

‘Well, if you didn’t defend your honour yourself, I assume you’re trying to manipulate his newfound affection.’

I shrug, but it’s too forced. Truthfully, I’m a little fearful of how he might react to this suggestion. And I’m not sure what it is I’m hoping for. ‘Theseus having a mistress might not prevent my father from agreeing to a marriage with Phaedra. But if he finds out there’s still something going on between the two of us –’

‘No,’ Dionysus says quickly.

‘But my father would never allow a further blow to his ego. It wouldn’t have to be public. If they caught us privately, he’d cover it up and banish Theseus from Crete. He’d expect you to discipline me so I doubt he’d come for me directly and … What?’

Dionysus is looking at me, astounded. ‘How can you possibly think about doing … anything with Theseus after what he did to you – after you were just told he was probably planning on killing you?’

I square my shoulders, swallowing my sudden doubt. ‘I’m practical.’

I am not, of course, practical. I could scarcely stomach dancing with him, his hands on my waist, his palm to mine. Could I really kiss him again? Close my eyes and pretend it doesn’t make me feel like my skin is peeling away, like my insides aren’t lurching back even if I can’t? Even if we did not take it very far, far enough to be caught beyond reproach is still … Gods, I felt sick just having his hand against mine.

‘I’m practical,’ Dionysus says. ‘If you think this is the best move then I’ll disguise myself as you and I’ll kiss Theseus.’