Laughter and chatter filled the hall, music swelling from the band. The ballroom was crawling with gods, demigods, and mortal lovers alike.

With tense shoulders, you nurse your wine and hide in the shadows, hoping to escape soon. You were used to the bonfire scenes, the parties in the woods, surrounded by your own kind. But, now the call of the wild was far from your grasp, and you were left alone to face this night.

If you focused, you could feel the dull hum of the flowers and vines that Aphrodite’s attendants had set up hours before, but you held yourself back from seeking them out. Hiding and talking to plants might not be the best look.

Your lord, Pan, had brought you alongside himself to this event, claiming pleasant company was a necessity for his survival. But, he’d subsequently abandoned you a bit ago, off to go discuss whatever with whoever.

Sighing into your glass, you risk a glance around the room, only to catch the eye of someone across the way.

Apollo’s golden eyes track your movements with curiosity, gaze bright and burning on your skin. His lips quirk up in a devilishly handsome grin, too wide to be polite like most of the deities you’d met thus far.

Your throat tightens painfully at the sudden attention, and you curse yourself for not just picking the plants to talk to. But, you can’t look away, not as he quirks an eyebrow at you. His eyes speak to you— how had you not met?