Love's Forge by Marie Medina Read Free Book Online

by that? He might never find out now. He wondered where she was. Was she locked up the way he was? What had Hephaestus said to her? Was she frightened? Worried about him?
    He remembered their frenzied coupling in her garden. He knew it had to be a spell because he’d never felt that kind of pleasure or lust before. That was all it had been. Pure lust. Even if Hephaestus refused to believe him, he knew their mother would. Ares knew his mother favored him over Hephaestus. The two men had never discussed it, and Ares didn’t intend to pursue the topic now. However, it gave him confidence and hope. His mother would believe him, and she would not stop until she uncovered the truth. Whoever had done this had to have nerves of iron. Angering Hera could be worse than angering Zeus because when she felt she was justified in her actions, she completely disregarded what most would call her responsibility as queen to be fair and just. And his sister Eris? She would be furious. She’d be a force to reckon with if someone more powerful didn’t restrain her. Did she know yet? How would she react? He hoped she would have faith in him and see that someone else’s treachery was to blame. He believed both women knew him well enough to be on his side from the start.
    Ares thought of Alala again. What if she heard what had happened? With no one to explain, would she have faith in him and believe someone had done this to him? He couldn’t imagine her doubting him, but it still pained him to think of her feeling betrayed. She’d spent so long loving him from a distance and watching him go back and forth with Aphrodite. It chilled his heart to think she might believe him so cruel and unfeeling. Despair spread over him as he imagined her crying, thinking he didn’t love her. Even if she still had faith in him, she would be in pain. She would be scared and worried.
    He closed his eyes. He wanted to hold her more than he’d ever wanted anything.
    * * * *
    Zeus raised his eyebrows as his wife approached the flat, smooth side of the mountain. Was this really where Hephaestus lived now? Zeus knew he lived underground, but his front door being on the side of a mountain seemed too fanciful for someone as serious as Hephaestus. Of course, he’d already surprised Zeus once today.
    Hera put her hand to the wall, but nothing happened. She withdrew her hand and looked around, and then she touched the same spot again. After ten seconds, she punched the wall.
    “Are you sure this is the right place?” Zeus asked.
    “We’re locked out. He granted me entry long ago, but he seems to have revoked that.”
    Zeus examined the stone wall for himself. “You’ve entered before without his permission?”
    “Yes.” She touched a discoloration on the stone. “He’s locked us out completely.”
    Zeus looked closer and saw that the darker spot vaguely resembled a keyhole on an old fashioned lock. “I never thought much about how hard it would be to fight Hephaestus. Something forged by him could keep any of us out, bind any of us forever.”
    Hera stared down at the ground. “Why would he lock me out?”
    Zeus had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. “Well, aren’t you incredibly angry right now? Wouldn’t you be likely to try to free Ares?”
    “I wouldn’t hurt Hephaestus.”
    “I don’t think he’s afraid of that. He has a plan, and he wants the chance to carry it out.”
    “Ares is your son too! Don’t you care?”
    “Yes, he is, and Hephaestus might do a lot of things, but he’s not going to kill Ares, is he?”
    “He can have Aphrodite. I don’t care! I want my son free!”
    Zeus looked around, half hoping someone would materialize and explain the big picture to them, but of course no one did. The three people who could explain all of this to them were on the other side of a wall they couldn’t penetrate. The solution wasn’t going to magically present itself.
    “You don’t mean that. Can’t you admit it bothered you when Alala