Apollo dropped the lyre he was playing as she manifested before his chaise inside his private temple. “Has the equator frozen over?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m here to issue you a challenge.”

He scoffed. “I’m tired of these challenges from you and your boy-toy. Not to mention, I already have a fight tomorrow.”

Shrugging with a nonchalance she didn’t feel, Bathymaas arched a brow. “I’m impressed. I had no idea that you craved humiliation so much.”

“How do you mean?”

“We both know you can’t beat Aricles. He’s the best fighter who ever picked up a hoplon and sword. And as of tomorrow, everyone else will know it, too. I merely came to try and save some of your dignity. But since you’re so desperate for public degradation, who am I to deprive you?” She started to leave, but he stopped her.

“What did you have in mind?”

“A contest between gods. You and I. That way, if you lose, no one will mock you for it.”

“And if I win?”

As if that could ever happen. But she needed to give him some kind of hope, otherwise he’d never agree to this. “What do you want, Apollo?”

“You to stand down and allow my mother to be the supreme goddess of justice.”

She was aghast at his request. “Truly? That’s what you want?”

He nodded.

Leto would never be a decent goddess of justice. The bitch had no understanding of it. But that didn’t matter. Apollo would never defeat her.

“Fine then … I challenge you to a contest of bowmanship. We are both gods of archery. Grab your bow and meet me outside my temple.”

“Now?” he asked in shock.

She glanced about his empty temple. “You have something better to do?”

He narrowed his gaze on her. “I want witnesses to this.”

Gaping, Bathymaas was astonished by his request. “What? You think I would cheat you?”

“Who knows what you might do? You have emotions now. I wouldn’t put anything above you.”

She lifted her chin as anger ripped through her. “Never have I been more offended, but since I know you’re far more likely to cheat than I am, I, too, will bring a witness. I’ll see you there in an hour.”

He inclined his head to her. “One hour.”

*   *   *

“Are you sure about this, daughter?”

Bathymaas reached up to touch her father’s cheek. “I am. I can’t take a chance on Apollo harming my husband. Ari is everything to me.”

Set held the bow he’d given to her when she was a child. Only Bathymaas could draw the string to it, and she never missed whatever she was aiming for. With the exception of Ari and her father, it was the one thing she treasured most in the universe.

The air behind her stirred.