Ch. 150: Ever The Lone Observer
I leaned back in my chair, surveying the scene unfolding before me. This alliance of mine— each member had a role, each meant something to me in one way or another, though they didn’t yet fully know what they meant to each other. In the quiet moments, watching them interact, I felt the faintest glimmer of something resembling nostalgia for a future we had yet to reach.
Across the room, Hermes approached Talos, his usual gleam of mischief in his eyes. “Hehe, hi, Miss Talos. I’m sorta a fan of yours though I did expect you to be a guy. What a bummer,” he said, extending a hand in exaggerated politeness.
Who knew Hermes would be a fan?
Talos raised a skeptical brow, her expression barely shifting behind her dark shades. Both hands remained gloved, her mechanical arm hidden from view. She gave him one dismissive look before responding in her cold, clipped tone, “No, you’re not. You’re lying to get my attention. Your voice falters too easily— one would think you’ve never told a genuine thing in your life. I don’t work well with fast talkers, Hermes.”
As expected, she didn’t indulge in the usual pleasantries. Talos had a way of delivering piercing blows with words alone, and watching her dismantle Hermes’s act was oddly satisfying. Hermes, caught off guard, laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Ouch. Right through the heart, Miss Talos.”
Nearby, Aphrodite was speaking to Hephaestus, her voice carrying a honeyed sweetness that few could resist. “Uncle, I never thought I’d see you here,” she cooed, her tone capable of melting the hardest of hearts.
Hephaestus chuckled, his laugh a rumbling echo. “Uncle? You’re the only one who’s ever called me that.” His response was gruff but tinged with an unexpected fondness, as though he didn’t quite mind the familiarity.
Meanwhile, Talos, ever the lone observer, edged her way from the gathering and approached where I sat. I raised my gaze, noting the faint scowl etched beneath her shaded eyes. She stood in front of me, arms folded, and her stance carried a barely concealed irritation.
“I take it you’re enjoying the alliance,” I said in a measured tone, casting a glance at the others, who were still caught up in their exchanges.
Her response came as a near-whisper, laced with something similar to bitterness. “Enjoying it? Hardly. If anything, it’s an irritation to be in the presence of such… frivolity. I only agreed to stay through introductions. After that, I’ll be gone, and I’ll gladly avoid seeing their faces again.”
I sighed, though her bluntness hardly surprised me. “You really don’t hold back when something displeases you, do you?”
Talos scoffed. “It’s called observation. Perhaps you should reprimand your assistant, by the way. Her envy is practically seething, and it doesn’t sit well with me. Another reason I despise gatherings— the moods are all over the place, too many stray emotions clouding the air. Totally ruins the working condition.”
There was a flicker of something in her expression, a depth to her dislike that I’d forgotten she possessed. Spending so much time around her, I’d grown accustomed to her introverted demeanor, but now I was reminded of just how sharp and detached she could be around others. She had little patience for those she deemed her intellectual inferiors, almost as if the very presence of such people grated against her core.
“Your apartment was burned down,” I noted, shifting the topic. “And the people there were turned into mindless slaves. Care to investigate that further, or have you already pieced it together?”
Talos turned her gaze away, her lips tightening. “Black amber. The low-potency kind, burns through the bloodstream, allows the body to surpass its normal limits by feeding on life force. It’s a simple chemical reaction. They’re overexerting their bodies until the poison ultimately consumes them.”
I nodded, impressed with her analysis. Talos had a tendency to dig straight to the root of things, dissecting problems with a forensic efficiency.
“Any idea why they were after people connected to you?” I asked.
She narrowed her eyes. “If I had to guess, it’s because I used to be a ghost detective— the biggest threat to their operations. They wanted to sever any potential connections I had, keep anyone I might rely on off the board.” She paused, looking at me with calculated suspicion. “Why the pop quiz? Is there a reason you need me here?”
I leaned back, considering her question. Truthfully, letting her work independently would be the efficient choice, but keeping her here served a broader purpose. Even as I watched her distance herself from the others, I knew her presence alone commanded attention and wariness in the room. It was an effect few could match.
“So, what will you do now?” I asked, my tone neutral, aware that her answer could reveal more about her intentions than any direct question could.
She didn’t respond immediately, letting the silence stretch between us, a silence that spoke of her reluctance to engage further. Finally, she gave a slight nod as if the conversation was over.
“Duty calls, folks!” Hermes interrupted, waving to the group as he zipped toward the exit. He flashed a quick, carefree smile. “Catch you all later.”
I watched him disappear in a blur, wondering what exactly his “duty” entailed in a time when phones and technology handled most messages. If anyone could find a reason to remain elusive, it was Hermes.
As Talos moved to leave, Hephaestus started to follow her, trailing in her wake with his heavy gait. “Hey!” Hecate called after them, her voice laced with irritation. “Aren’t you going to check in before leaving?”
Talos didn’t break her stride. “I don’t answer to you,” she replied coolly, her voice echoing through the room as she disappeared down the hall with Hephaestus.
A strange quiet settled after they left. I found myself in a room with Aphrodite and Hecate, the atmosphere tense, each of us lost in our thoughts. I sensed Hecate’s displeasure simmering beneath the surface, but she kept her expression carefully neutral, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
Moments later, the stillness was broken by the ring of the office phone. Aphrodite picked up, listened briefly, then turned to me, her face grim.
“Apollo is coming here,” she announced, her voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and intrigue.
I felt a smile pull at the corners of my mouth. “Good. Let him up then.”
For the first time since the gathering began, a spark of anticipation flickered within me. If there was ever a figure who could shake this alliance to its core, it was Apollo. And I was more than ready to see what chaos he might bring to the table.
If I revive a magic castle I will mass release 10 chapters
