Medusa's Desire (The Fate of Eros #1) (The Fate of Eros Series) by E.B. Black Read Free Book Online Page A

bit into her. She wished her hair didn't hate her so much. Her skin throbbed and stung because of it. She supposed she should be thankful that the venom couldn't kill her, but a part of her wished to die.
    A castle covered in fog, floating on an island in the air, came into view. Beacons of light burst from it in various angles. Medusa was forced to close her eyes for a moment because it was so pretty it stung her irises. Leaves made of gold decorated every inch of the white marble it had been built with and when the golden double doors opened, Medusa gasped at what she saw.
    A round table sat in the center of the room, covered in food. Pastries the color of flowers dripped sweet jam like honey. Fresh fish, cooked until the outside was crisp like Medusa had once loved to eat-teased her. Overflowing fountains filled golden goblets with pink juice. Every color of cloth hung from the walls. The floor itself sparkled with gems, making the room look like a giant rainbow. Fairies with iridescent wings and pointy features flew around like bees, arranging everything.
    Hermes plopped them down in a pile between two rows of thrones. The monsters stood out like a black eye near all this beauty.
    The thrones had been specially decorated to match the god that inhabited them. Medusa spotted Poseidon's, carved out of an aquamarine gemstone, so it looked like it had been left there by the ocean. Seashells rested on it and sand filled the base. Medusa clenched her teeth and tightened her fists as she stared.
    Zeus sat at his throne. He held a cup of nectar that he chugged in his right hand. The juice dribbled down his white beard. He was slurring the words to random songs. Even drunk, his voice sounded more beautiful than the birds that used to sing outside Medusa's window every morning.
    Athena walked in and Hermes flittered around the two of them. None of them looked at Medusa or her family. She felt like a fly listening in, latched to the wall.
    "They are too dangerous to keep on Earth." Athena didn't point at Medusa or her family, but it was obvious who she was referring to. "Who's going to argue with someone who can turn anyone into stone just by gazing into their eyes? They'll grow power hungry and destroy everything."
    Zeus nodded. "That's why I called this meeting. We need to decide what should be done with them. The others will arrive shortly. Hermes has already sent word."
    Athena paced, her body as stiff as a soldier's. The owl's feathers were ruffled.
    Hermes hovered in the air before them. "I've received messages that neither Poseidon nor Hades is showing up."
    Medusa didn't know whether she was relieved not to be forced to face her rapist or angry that she wouldn't get her revenge yet.
    Zeus and Athena didn't look surprised. The three great gods rarely participated in each other's concerns, even when they were the cause of it, like Poseidon was here. They all viewed themselves as the supreme god and were generally treated as such in their respective realms. In the ocean, Poseidon was not merely
a
god
, he was
the
god
of the sea. Very few fish or mermaids cared who Zeus was-some never heard of him. And it was the same with Hades and the realm of the dead. As most souls forgot their life on earth, they also forgot Zeus.
    "Poseidon gave me a message for you, Athena," Hermes said.
    Athena crossed her arms. "And?"
    Hermes cleared his throat. "He says that he thought it was you from behind. After all, your hair does shine as golden as hers did in the proper light."
    Athena's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I acted rashly then?" She grabbed Hermes by the collar and shook him. "Is this whole thing supposed to be some big misunderstanding?"
    Hermes' curls bobbed. He covered his face with his arms. They were smaller than Athena's. "Of course not. Medusa bragged that she was more beautiful than you. She obviously planned this whole thing just to hurt you. He would have never slept with her otherwise. That's all he's trying to