Lords of the Seventh Swarm

Chapter 19

When Zeus woke, Hera had already left the room. Her side of their huge bed was empty. Zeus sprawled on his back, naked, luxuriating in the extra space. Hera is a clinging vine, he thought. She clung to him in her sleep, chasing him across the sheets all night in an effort to cuddle. She clung to him around other women. It annoyed him when she stepped between him and Maggie, just when Maggie felt ready to succumb to his persuasions.

Zeus did not eat when he rose. His stomach seldom woke before midday. He got up, decided to stroll around the palace naked. He’d enjoyed the sensation of the morning air on his skin yesterday, had reveled in his newfound freedom. Today he would celebrate Felph’s absence by going out naked for the whole day, if the mood took him.

He went first to the garden where he’d rendezvoused with Maggie. If the wench had enjoyed his presence last night, he hoped she would come this morning. Besides, she’d left her shoes by the fountain. Perhaps she’d return for them. She might even use them as an excuse in her own mind to justify a walk in the garden, hoping for his return.

Zeus reached the north halls, found the sun high. He usually woke near dawn, but it must be nearly nine o’clock. No wonder Hera had slunk off before he awoke.

Zeus whistled as he made his way between the rose hedges, hoping it might attract Maggie, if she couldn’t see him.

When he reached the peacock fountain, resplendent in the morning sun, he found Herm sitting on the stone bench, tinkering with a gun, cleaning it.

Herm looked up at him, saw he was naked. “My, you look elegant this morning.”

“I just couldn’t find a thing to wear,” Zeus laughed, walking up to the fountain. The nereid viviform swam about, just under the clear waters, rolling to her back, then to her stomach. Her generous breasts were so inviting, Zeus found it bothersome. Unfortunately, her maker had not given her all the female parts Zeus would have wished.

Zeus looked in the grass for Maggie’s shoes. They were gone, along with the dishes from last night.

“Too bad you slept late,” Herm said. “The object of your desires came by earlier and retrieved her footwear. You must have made a great impression on her. I suspect that if she saw you now,” Herm looked pointedly at Zeus’s crotch and his green eyes flashed, “she wouldn’t be merely impressed, she’d be astonished.”

“Ah, I’ve nothing she hasn’t seen,” Zeus chuckled.

“Really?” Herm said, raising a brow: “I thought Hera caught you last night before you began waving it around.”

“Nice timing, that,” Zeus said, unable to hide his annoyance. “Did you spy for her? Did you fly about, keeping watch?”

Herm grinned. “And interfere in your affairs? No.”

Zeus eyed Herm, growing angry with the winged man. Herm affected his slightly superior smile, and his lidded eyes concealed more than they revealed. Certainly Herm hid something.

“I think you’re lying,” Zeus said. “You’re plotting against me. I could kill you for that.” Zeus raised his right hand threateningly, palm out. He stood but ten feet from Herm, a bit far to throw an electric shock, took a step closer.

Herm stiffened in fear, watched the hand. He held his gun loosely, dared not move.

“I’m sorry you think so ill of me,” Herm said, “me, your oldest and dearest ally. Why would you believe I’m against you?”

“I can tell, you’re hiding something!”

“Dear brother,” Herm whispered, his voice smooth and oily, “what has got into you? You threaten me? How many times have I acted as your messenger when you wanted to make a tryst? How many times have I lied to Hera on your behalf? Do you believe I’d side with her now?”

Zeus held his arm steady, studying Herm’s eyes, waiting for him to say more.

“If you want to know,” Herm said at last, “I spent the evening abed, recuperating from this rather severe wound gotten, I might add, in your service.” He held up his arm, displaying the bandage, reminding Zeus of the skog he’d killed, part of which Zeus had fed to Maggie last night on his amorous escapade.

“You’re still hiding something.” Zeus could seldom read Herm’s face, yet the winged man frequently held secrets.

“A surprise,” Herm said. “I haven’t told you everything about this morning: I got up early, to hunt skogs,” he held up his pistol, “and I spotted Maggie here in the fountain, as naked as you are now! She said she’d come to retrieve her shoes, but I think she came for more.”

Zeus wanted to leap for joy, but still didn’t trust Herm. “You’re just saying that.”

Herm grinned at his expression. “I assure you, it’s true.”

“Odd,” Zeus considered. “She seemed tame last night.”

“Perhaps she needed to warm to the idea,” Herm said. “But she’s interested in you, now. She asked me to bear a message.”

“Which is?”

“She says she has work to do today, preparing for Felph’s return. But she wants to meet you tonight, here. She said she will be naked, and wants to see you similarly attired!”

“Hah!” Zeus laughed, unsure whether to believe such good fortune. It seemed too much, yet Herm had borne similar messages for Zeus to women here on Ruin. Never had he lied before. He would not do so now. “Hah! A wild one, eh?”

“It seems so. Will you do it?” Herm smiled.

“Meet her here, naked? I … I don’t know. Have you told anyone else-Hera?”

Herm shook his head. “Only you. Maggie left not half an hour before you got here. She asked me to stay.”

“So no one else knows of this?”

“No one,” Herm said.

Zeus decided to trust the winged man. “Tell no one. In fact: tell Hera you spoke to me and you discovered I have a tryst with Maggie tonight-in her rooms. That should drive her mad, trying to discover how to interrupt us in the lady’s private chamber.”

Herm smiled wickedly at the ruse. “Very good, my brother.”