Warriors || Leo Valdez [2]

17

Aphrodite knew how to do tea.

She led them to the central pavilion in the gardens-a white-pillared gazebo, where a table was set with silverware, china cups, and of course a steaming pot of tea, the fragrance shifting as easily as Aphrodite's appearance-sometimes cinnamon, or jasmine, or mint. There were plates of scones, cookies, and muffins, fresh butter and jam.

Aphrodite sat-or held court, rather-in a wicker peacock chair. She poured tea and served cakes without getting a speck on her clothes, her posture always perfect, her smile dazzling. And Alex had to make concious effort to stop staring. She reminded herself of the kiss between Leo and her and Aphrodite smiled as if she could read her mind.

"Oh, my sweet girls- and Violet" the goddess said. "I do love Charleston! The weddings I've attended in this gazebo-they bring tears to my eyes. And the elegant balls in the days of the Old South. Ah, they were lovely. Many of these mansions still have statues of me in their gardens, though they called me Venus."

"Which are you?" Annabeth asked. "Venus or Aphrodite?"

The goddess sipped her tea. Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Annabeth Chase, you've grown into quite a beautiful young lady. You really should do something with your hair, though. And, Hazel Levesque, your clothes-"

"My clothes?" Hazel looked down at her rumpled denim, not self-consciously, but baffled, as if she couldn't imagine what was wrong with them.

"Mother!" Piper said. "You're embarrassing me."

"Well, I don't see why," the goddess said. "Just because you don't appreciate my fashion tips, Piper, doesn't mean the others won't. I could do a quick makeover for Annabeth, Alexandra, Violet and Hazel, perhaps a suit or silk ball gowns like mine-"

"Mother!"

"Fine," Aphrodite sighed. "To answer your question, Annabeth, I am both Aphrodite and Venus. Unlike many of my fellow Olympians, I changed hardly at all from one age to the other. In fact, I like to think I haven't aged a bit!" Her fingers fluttered around her face appreciatively. "Love is love, after all, whether you're Greek or Roman. This civil war won't affect me as much as it will the others."

Hazel nibbled a sugar cookie. "We're not in a war yet, my lady."

"Oh, dear Hazel." Aphrodite folded her fan. "Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and war always go together. They are the peaks of human emotion! Evil and good, beauty and ugliness."

Hazel set down her sugar cookie. She had a few crumbs on her chin that made Aphrodite grimace.

"What do you mean," Hazel asked, "heartrending days?"

The goddess laughed as if Hazel were a cute puppy. "Well, Annabeth could give you some idea. I once promised to make her love life interesting. And didn't I?"

"Interesting," Annabeth said, "is a mild way of putting it."

"Well, I can't take credit for all your troubles," the goddess said. "But I do love twists and turns in a love story. Oh, all of you are such excellent stories-I mean, a first kiss when one is at death's doorstep and a second one on the deck of a flying warship?" Aphrodite looked at Alex who stared at her lap. The other three widened their eyes. 

"How are you doing Violet dear?" Aphrodite turned to Violet. 

"Fine, thanks for your help with the prophecy and all"

If Aphrodite ad stopped there, Violet would've been spared a lot of embarrassment, "Still after the pale, skinny one?"

"Nico, is cute just as he is" Violet gritted their teeth, then their eyes widened. "I didn't mean-It's not, Hazel I don't-"