Friendly Enemies

"Sign it."

I slammed the glowing golden parchment scroll onto the floor.

My stepmother Helena and Chloe both froze.

"What is this?"

Chloe took a wary half-step back, her delicate mortal face full of suspicion.

"The divine marriage contract of Olympus."

I leaned back in my chair and fixed her with a cold stare.

"Don't you dream of marrying Apollo?"

"Sign your name in blood next to mine. When the sun rises tomorrow, the bride the Sun Temple takes as its rightful wife will be you, Chloe."

Helena let out a shriek and lunged toward the table, her eyes locked on the scroll radiating divine power.

"Have you lost your mind? You'd hand a divine title like this, a gift from the heavens, to my daughter?"

She turned her head and looked me up and down with suspicion.

"Selene, what scheme are you cooking up now?"

"You know full well His Highness Apollo won't even go back to his own temple because he's too busy looking after Chloe. And now you're putting on this generous act. Are you planning to go running to the gods and report us?"

I looked at this paranoid mother and daughter and felt a wave of nausea.

"I'm not that petty."

With a flick of my fingertips, I released the Wisdom Seal on the scroll.

"My contract is already unsealed."

"The opportunity is yours. Sign it or don't. Your choice."

Chloe's breathing instantly grew rapid.

She bit down hard on her lower lip, her eyes betraying undisguised greed and fervor.

"Mother, this is real... I can feel the aura of the Sun Temple on it."

She reached out a trembling hand toward the scroll, then yanked it back.

"But if Apollo finds out..."

"He won't."

I cut through her theatrical hesitation.

"The divine marriage contract will only be revealed to all the gods when the sun rises tomorrow and the first ray of light touches the scroll."

"Apollo won't even be able to sense that the name on the contract has changed."

Chloe's eyes lit up completely. Without an ounce of hesitation left, she bit down on her index finger and scrawled her name in blood.

The scroll flickered once, then went completely still, as if nothing had happened.

"I signed it!"

Chloe clutched the scroll to her chest, tilted her head up to look at me, and finally let the triumphant glee spread across her face.

"Selene, don't come crying to me later!"

"Why would I?"

I looked at that smug, gloating face and felt nothing.

"He's just a man I don't want."

"If you like picking through my trash, who am I to stop you?"

Chloe's smile froze on her face, a flash of stung venom crossing her eyes.

"Keep telling yourself that!"

"You're just jealous that Apollo loves me!"

"I'm Apollo's wife now."

"As long as you're still in this temple, I will never let you anywhere near him!"

I found it laughable.

Even after getting everything she wanted, she still saw me as a threat.

"Then hold on tight to your man."

I found it laughable.

I was waiting for the Underworld's black bridal carriage to come for me, and she thought I was fighting her over some worthless man.

"Then hold on tight to your man."

I didn't bother with her anymore and turned toward the vanity to pick out accessories for tomorrow's wedding.

"After tomorrow, I hope you'll still be smiling this wide."