"Who are you?" Cassandra sobbed.

Her anguished cry broke through Apollo's murderous rage. He didn't release the other god, but he turned to look her way. Though he had the chance to attempt freedom, the other god didn't take it. He wiped away the ichor from around his mouth and smiled.

"You're about one of the thickest mortals I've ever met," he said.

Apollo shook the other god so hard his head bounced off the wall. "Insult her again, and I'll carve your heart from your chest."

The other god smirked. "Go ahead. Then have fun explaining to Father why my death transpired. I'm sure he'll take it well."

Cassandra's mind cycled through what she knew of Apollo's godly brothers. She vetoed many of the lesser gods. Only an Olympian could have withstood Apollo's attack.

That left just four candidates: Ares, Dionysus, Hephaestus, and Herms.

Though gods could look however they wanted, Cassandra nixed Hephaestus. He didn't leave Olympus much, and she didn't think he'd mess with Apollo.

Cassandra also didn't believe Ares would waste his time with a mortal who'd never challenged his prowess.

Dionysus and Hermes would put a lot of effort into tricking someone like her, however. For most of the time Cassandra had known the fake herdsman, she'd teetered on the edge of insanity. Could the god be —

Cassandra recalled the staff she'd once seen in the fake herdsman's hut. She focused on the design she'd been too distracted then to understand. Two intertwined snakes topped by a knob. Smalls wings protruded from the knob.

She heard a cow groan, and it all clicked together.

The mystery god had been right.

Cassandra was one of the most foolish mortals in existence. He'd never hidden his identity. She'd lacked the intelligence to put the pieces together.

"Hermes," she croaked.

The other god laughed. "Nice to meet you, Princess."

"Why would you deceive me?"

Apollo turned toward her but didn't look at her as he said, "He intended to bed you. To hurt me." He tightened his hold on Hermes' neck. "And you got Aphrodite's bastard involved."

Hermes nodded, then frowned. "He used his most potent spell, but..." His gaze narrowed. "You've done something to her. I should have had her before now, yet she's bucked me at every turn. What did you do, Brother?"

Apollo didn't answer.

Hermes' suspicion melted away, and he shrugged. "No matter. It wasn't all for naught."

He leered over Apollo's shoulder at Cassandra.

She cowered close to the table.

Hermes cackled. "I got to see you naked. You have great tits, Princess."

Apollo growled and slammed his free fist into Hermes' chest.

Instead of retaliating, Hermes burst into laughter. With every blow Apollo landed on his brother's body, Hermes laughed louder and harder. Pure delight radiated from the messenger god's battered face as he took the thrashing.

Why didn't he leave?

Apollo couldn't catch him if he ran.

Was the satisfaction of Apollo's fury worth getting beaten to death?

Cassandra wanted to go home, but her legs wouldn't obey her commands to move. She sat beside the table and bawled; her heart shattered.

All Cassandra had felt for the fake herdsman had been a constructed plan forced on to her by the roguish god of love, Eros. She'd been an unwilling pawn in a game to harm Apollo.

For kicks, the gods had wasted weeks of her life.

The gods' wanton lack of care for her wellbeing shouldn't have surprised her, but it did.

How could they toy with her like this?

Why would they do to her what they'd despise someone else doing to them?

Through her tears, Cassandra watched a white glow engulf Hermes. He hooted worse than ever and raised his legs. Hermes kicked Apollo in the lower abdomen just as the glow reached an unbearable brilliance.

The sun god cursed his brother as he stumbled back.

Hermes smiled at Cassandra. "Goodbye, Princess."

Apollo blocked Cassandra's view of Hermes, and the messenger god took true form without her bursting into ash. When the light from Hermes' transformation had faded, Apollo pulled away from Cassandra and eyed her.

The blank expression he wore chilled Cassandra to the bone. He no longer seemed her beloved friend, but a god incapable of understanding human emotion.

Terrified, but unable to consider the risks of her actions, Cassandra reached for Apollo's hand. "I'm sorry, my Lord."

The sun god jerked back. "You still want him, don't you?"

Apollo's question struck her harder than a physical blow ever could. She wanted to deny his accusation, but they both knew it'd be a lie. Their strength had weakened, but none of her lustful inclinations toward Hermes had fled. It'd be some time before Eros' spell faded—if it ever did.

Cassandra had yet to consider she may always yearn for a god who sickened and infuriated her. That if Hermes ever appeared before her, she'd have to fight to keep from throwing herself into his embrace.

She swallowed until her throat no longer felt full of pebbles. "That isn't fair. You know what's been done to me."

Apollo didn't appear to have heard her. His eyes looked through her. A muscle in his cheek twitched.

"Did you like his touch?"

"Stop."

"How fast did your heart pound for him?"

Cassandra's tears had lessened since Hermes' departure, though Apollo's cruel questions forced them to fall again. Her hands covered her face, and she screamed through her fingers, "Please, stop."

The next moment, Apollo had her in his arms. He wrenched her hands down. "What parts of your body did he claim?"

Before she made a sound anywhere near a response, Apollo's lips met hers.

All her terror and heartache disappeared in the gentle rightness of Apollo's kiss. His mouth didn't devour hers as Hermes' had. He didn't seek to confuse her senses or undermine her resolve.

The sun god's kiss filled her with bliss she'd never felt, and now that she'd experienced it, she'd crave it all her life. But the craving didn't concern her. Without it, Cassandra wouldn't go mad. She'd only exist half alive.

Self-disgust crashed over Cassandra.

How could she have allowed herself to be used by Hermes? Why had she run from Apollo?

All this time she'd been a pathetic mess when she could have avoided it if she'd let herself fall for Apollo.

Cassandra tangled her fingers in Apollo's ichor-covered chiton, desperate for more of him. Her yearning for the sun god shadowed Eros' spell. The passion was as intense and demanding but offered tenderness only genuine love could.

Apollo moaned and broke their kiss. He leaned back and regarded Cassandra. Tears had gathered in the corner of his eyes.

Cassandra's self-loathing soared to new heights. She'd caused her greatest friend and first love to cry.

She brushed away his tears. "I'm so sorry."

The sun god let her complete her task.

When Cassandra finished, she returned her hand to Apollo's chest. She waited, and her heart thundered. Cassandra hoped the longer he remained silent, the higher her chances he'd forgive her.

From his staggered look, she knew he'd experienced what she had when they'd kiss. He loved Cassandra as much as she did him.

Then his surprise vanished, replaced by a sinister scowl.

Cassandra's blood ran cold. She struggled, but Cassandra couldn't break the sun god's hold.

He laughed; the sound more insane than any noise Hermes had made.

Apollo bent close to her ear, much as Hermes had before Apollo's arrival. "I don't believe you."

He straightened, and before Cassandra uttered a word, he spat into her mouth.

Cassandra recoiled.

As she did, the sun god released her.

For the second time that day, she tumbled to the ground, this time on her backside instead of her knees.

His spit had landed on her tongue, and it burned. The pain crawled down her throat; stopped the scream that had built up.

She tried to expel Apollo's spit, but she couldn't open her jaw. Horror squeezed her insides.

What had he done to her?

Apollo towered over Cassandra as she withered in anguish. He smirked. "For the rest of your days, no matter your sincerity, when it matters, no one will believe you."

He turned and walked out the door. Apollo spared her no last glance or parting words.

Cassandra clawed at him. If only she could speak, she could convince him of her love.

He ached for her to, she'd seen it in his eyes. He needed her to prove he wasn't right, that his jealous ideas weren't real.

Yet she couldn't find her voice.

Cassandra gave up and curled into a ball.

She couldn't break Apollo's spell.

She'd lost him.