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“You’re being ridiculous.”
For fuck’s sake, how many times had she heard that. Eret whips around to see Foolish leaning against the archway, his arms crossed.
“Oh, come on, not you, too,” they say, hands fisting at their sides. Outside, thunder rumbles. They roll their eyes. “Are you getting annoyed?” They gesture to the open wall, where the calm sea has started to grow agitated, where the wind blows in and makes their chiton ripple like a sail. “Are you going to make lightning strike, next? Maybe an earthquake? Go on, Earthshaker, let yourself be annoyed.”
“Eret, seriously.” He straightens up, taking a step into her temple. In the center, the brazier burns hot with offerings from the mortals below. “You’re going too far with this. The war isn’t going to go in your favor and you know it.”
“And whose decision is that? Yours? XD’s? I’m not his fucking lapdog anymore, Foolish.” How angry XD had been, how furiously he’d raged. Creature of my own mind, child of my logic, how dare you defy me? Eret had reminded him that she was not just his child, but her mother’s as well. He hadn’t taken that very kindly. “I can make my own decisions in this conflict. I’ve chosen my heroes. You can’t convince me otherwise.”
“For the god of wisdom, you’re not being very wise,” Foolish snaps. Eret laughs, shaking their head.
“Good thing I’m more than just the god of wisdom, then. I thought you were above such low blows.”
They turn away, striding to the window. The sea roils below, crashing against the rocks. It feels horrible. There’s a power coursing through them that they’d never felt before, a strength that XD had never allowed them to have. Who’s to say they couldn’t become king of the gods? XD had overthrown his father, and XD’s father had overthrown his before him. Hell, that had been the reason XD had swallowed their mother, because of a prophecy that they’d overthrow him after their birth. To be born from his head was to be beholden to him, to be obedient.
Fate had already claimed she’d overthrow him. It doesn’t hurt to fucking try.
“You don’t have to do this,” Foolish says, walking up behind them. His hand touches her shoulder – Eret whips around, eyes flashing, grabbing his wrist in an iron grip. “Eret, you don’t–”
“I do,” she hisses, “I have to. If he didn’t want me to, he’d have struck me down already.” Foolish’s gem-green eyes darken with realization. Satisfaction burns cold and wretched in her stomach.
“Eret…”
“I’ve always been my father’s child, Foolish.” Their nails dig into his wrist. “If he wants me to play the villain, I will.” Foolish’s other hand reaches up, cupping their cheek. They turn away, swallowing hard. “The gods aren’t immune to the sins of humans, no matter how many times they claim to be. Let me have my pride, if just for a moment.” They drop his wrist and look out the window again. A ship with her side’s colors rocks in the choppy waters. “I’ll let it go when the time is right.”
“Your ships won’t sink by my hand,” Foolish promises. Something clenches in Eret’s chest. She might appreciate it.
“I wish you’d join me,” she says softly, “We could be wrong together.” Foolish chuckles, low and rueful.
“You know I can’t. I’ve already pledged to XD.”
“I know.”
Outside, it starts to rain.
“In ten years’ time,” Eret croaks, “or however long it takes to end this war. Promise me we’ll still be friends.”
“Of course.” The wind tucks their hair behind their ear, where Foolish’s hand can’t reach. “I’ll be the first to welcome you back.”
“Thank you.”
She doesn’t know how long she watches that ship battle against the waves. Every so often, one of them prays to her, to ask her for guidance with the rigging, for wisdom in chaos. She provides as much advice as she can. Your ship will not sink, she promises them, You are under my eye.
When she turns around, Foolish is long, long gone.