Small lies

Chary couldn't help her confused, worried stare as she walked into the small kitchen of the townhouse. Her eyes didn't leave Jos's huddled form as she poured water into the back of the coffee pot. Finally unable to hold back any longer, she made an attempt at idle conversation. "Um… Did you finish up the case files?"

"Umhuh…" Jos answered as she lifted a file from the coffee table beside her, not taking her eyes off the journal she was reading.

Chary's surprised eyes moved from the folder to the stack of journals beside it. "And… um… have you read all those?"

"Umhuh…" Jos nodded, still not taking her focus off the book.

Chary's brows furrowed as she retrieved two coffee cups. "That's a lot of reading…" Her eyes moved to the faint light of the rising sun. "Would you be just getting up or… um…" She didn't finish her question as she neared Jos with the cups of coffee. The answer to that question was obvious the closer she got. "Um… Jos… dear, I don't mean to pry but… um… When was the last time you slept?"

Jos's brows furrowed as she pried her bloodshot eyes from the page. She rested the book in her lap as she rubbed her tired eyes. "Um… I'm not sure… What day is it?"

"D-day?" Chary sat the second cup of coffee on the table away from Jos. "Girl, you need to go get some sleep."

Jos shook her head as she leaned forward to retrieve the cup. "May I?"

Chary's eyes scanned the empty coffee mugs and the empty energy drinks littering the table. "I'm not sure if you should…" Her expression shifted from concern to sadness. "Jos, you can't keep torturing yourself. Please, get some proper rest."

Jos shook her head. "I can't…" She took a sip of the coffee before setting it on the table and lifting the journal back up.

Chary arched her brows. "If you need sleep aids, I have plenty."

Jos shook her head, setting the journal down once again. "It's not that…" Her eyes moved around the room. "I… I'm afraid I can't explain it, but my dreams right now… they are more torture than any amount of sleep loss would be."

Chary nodded, not quite understanding. "If you say so…" Her gaze moved back to the books. "Is there anything you've come across yet that's raised questions? If so, maybe it's something I can help you with…"

Jos thought over her words for a few seconds. "There is one thing… W-who is… was… Pellas?"

Chary frowned as she rounded the sofa and took a seat. "I'm really not sure how much I have a right to tell you. This is really a conversation you should have with Arei, not me…"

Jos retrieved the fresh mug and blew on the hot cup of coffee Chary had given her. "I understand… and I'm not asking about their connection… just… the basics…"

Chary blew out a defeated breath. "Very well. She was the oldest daughter of our brother Triton." She averted her gaze, focusing on her own cup. "I never met the girl, but I hear she was lovely… very likable, and a strong fighter. Triton trained her alongside some of the most powerful warriors, including Athena, from the time she was old enough to lift a sword. Arei and Ry were brought to Triton to train when they were five. She and Athena were both older but still, they spent many long hours with each other, both training and for fun…"

"And Arei fell in love with her before she died… in his arms…" Jos finished.

Chary shrugged not taking her focus off the steaming mug. "I suppose he thought he had… Truth be told he was so young when she was killed, I don't know how it could have been true love… Though either way, her death tormented him and Athena both for many years after."

Jos tilted her head in question, her brows furrowed. "What do you mean 'tormented' them both?"

Chary blew out a heavy sigh. "Athena and Arei both blamed themselves for her death to a certain extent… Athena blamed herself and her father, Zeus, more so, however… She and Arei made it a point to seek revenge on Zeus for his involvement in Pellas's death. They used all the training and skills they had to fight on opposing sides as Zeus's chosen peoples. Zeus would lash out and… well, things became very messy for the longest time as the war between the God of the heavens and the God of the sea raged. Many others were dragged in against their wishes, and many suffered… but no one suffered more than Triton. Zeus felt he was to blame for it all as he'd trained, then poisoned Zeus's daughter Athena against him." She let out another long sigh as she thought back to the horrible events. "It was in the discovery of Athena's love and devotion to Triton that Zeus was finally able to force her back to his side. We were all grateful for a time for this arrangement…" Her eyes grew distant.

Jos's brows knitted more as she waited for the rest of the story. "What arrangements?"

Chary's gaze was fixed on some distant memory and a muscle in her jaw twitched. "Athena agreed that she would return to Zeus's side and the strife would end if Triton and his remaining children were left alone, I would be released, and no more of Poseidon's children would be targeted. Arei was forced into battles fighting for Zeus for three hundred years to make amends for his part in their rebellion." She shook her head. "But the agreed-upon terms were done only in part by Zeus with many loopholes and the peace wouldn't last. Athena and Hera organized a Coop against Zeus to dethrone him and begged for Poseidon's help… They were all punished, and all remaining agreements were off. On top of that, Zeus has been extra paranoid ever since that, convinced his brother and the other gods would team up against him once again. So he's made it a point not to allow any one god or goddess to acquire too much power…" She sent Jos a sad smile. "You, my dear, are seen as nothing more than a tool of power to Zeus…"

Jos nodded. "I have come to realize as much…" She met Chary's tender gaze. "How do you think the new negotiations with Zeus will go?"

Chary let out a puff of air. "With Uncle Hades on the side of fair-barter, I'd say much better, much quicker. Uncle does not covet anything except what is already his and very rarely leaves his own domain, but he is an extremely powerful man… possibly more so than both his brothers… And I'm sure they are aware of this."

Jos hesitated momentarily before finally asking the question that had been plaguing her mind from the very first time she'd met the sea god. "Be honest, what you say will not leave this room, do you think your father plans to use me against Zeus? I've wondered this many times now… in the past and in recent months…"

Chary shrugged, honest indecision weighing heavily in her words. "I have no idea. There is a very large possibility he could have ulterior motives for keeping you close… then again, he could truly be looking out for what is best for Arei… Father has felt a lot of guilt where Arei and Ry are involved for hundreds of years now. He and Ry have all but worked out their issues, but Arei refuses to forgive father." She shrugged again. "I shall never know father's true motives for any of his actions, however…" She watched as Jos processed this information. After several long minutes, she finally let out one final sigh. "So, are you ready for today's mission or would you like to rest for a while first? We still have a few hours before the appointed time. I can set everything up myself."

Jos shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I want to help as much as possible."

Chary nodded. "Suit yourself."

***

Jos wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve as she retrieved her cell phone from her back pocket and glanced down at the caller display. A happy smile curved her tired features as she answered. "Shelly! How are you? How are the babies and little Cam?"

Shelly giggled from across the line. "Cam is doing great! He's not only sitting up on his own, but he's starting to crawl as well!" The proud momma vibe radiated through the phone line as she spoke. "And the twins are becoming so big I can barely walk! I can only imagine what it would be like to carry them in wolf form!" She rubbed her large, swollen belly. "I'll send you some pictures later."

"That's great to hear, Shell! And I'll be looking forward to the pictures."

The cheerfulness left Shelly's voice. "By the way, Poseidon said you'd left the palace and are working with Chary and Scylla… what's that about?"

Jos cleared her throat as she looked around the newly staged rooms of the house her and Chary had been working on all day. "About the work… I uh… needed a break from things… and they needed help… so… here I am…"

"Really?" Shelly said, skepticism in her voice. "Are you sure there's nothing else? You know you can talk to me any time you need to… about anything…"

Jos sighed as she ran her free hand over her tight ponytail. "Yeah… I know… but I promise, I'm fine."

"You know that's exactly what someone who isn't fine would say…" Shelly's frown reflected in her tone. "What's really going on, Jos. Are you really helping them with work?"

"Yeah, of course, I am. Why would I lie to you? How about I send you some pictures of the house we're showing today."

"You're showing a house? As in real estate?" Shelly asked, disbelief heavy in her voice.

"Yep, sure am. They thought my skills would really come in handy here." Jos said cryptically.

Shelly hesitated for a few seconds before finally responding. "Alright… but I expect to see those pictures…"

Jos chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll send them as soon as we hang up." She glanced at the display on the phone. "Well, I should be getting off here now. Scylla will be showing up with the client any time now. Love ya… talk to you later, and I also look forward to pics, girl!"

"Alright, love you too. Good luck with the sale."

Jos frowned at the phone as the call ended.

Chary poked her head around the corner of the room she'd been working in. "So, are you wanting those pictures before or after the 'client' arrives?"

Jos frowned as she rolled her eyes and walked over to Chary. She stood beside her and lifted the phone. "Just smile already…"

Chary chuckled as she lifted her pant-coated brush and winked at the camera. She then guided Jos into the kitchen and took the phone. "Alright, pose and I'll take the pictures." After a few minutes and several pictures later, she handed the phone back to Jos. "These should work. I gotta go get cleaned up." She glanced out the window. "You should probably go get ready as well. Like you said earlier, our 'client' should be here any minute…" She stuck her tongue out and sent Jos a wink before turning from the room. "The bags are in the spare bathroom." She shouted over her shoulder.