Chapter 303 - A Beautiful Web

"I wish I could tell you your concerns are unjust, but the simple truth of the matter is your brother has finally gathered the power he needs to see you dethroned." Selene bit back the rest of her thoughts on the matter as she found herself yet again regretting making a deal with the god of gods in the first place. Her thoughts moved to her dear brother. {My poor Helios... You were set up and punished all because you were loved more... worshipped more...}

Zeus sent her a sharp glare. "What are you thinking? I know those tears in your eyes are not on my account."

She swallowed down her thoughts of her beloved brother and the many sorrows that accompanied them. She turned her attention to the setting sun over the horizon in the distance. "I was only thinking of how disappointed in me you must be..."

He rubbed his thick white beard thoughtfully before a wicked smile curved his lips. He closed the distance between them in four wide steps taking her face in his hands as he neared her. "Is that so? There are still some things you can do to mend the situation... Don't you think?"

She could feel the color drain from her face as his steely eyes burned into hers. "W... what would you have me do?"

***

"Alright, kids, have fun!" Peg said as he walked toward the glass double doors of the beautiful Ellyz cafe. A pink drink tray and a pink bag containing his and Andy's breakfast hung from the opposite arm as he waved goodbye.

Jaden shook her head in amazement. "I still can't believe he is THE Pegasus... or that Andy is actually short for Andromeda AND they're married... I'm not all that familiar with Greek mythology, but I don't believe I've ever heard of any such tales."

"No, there's really not a lot about any of Poseidon's kids. Even as well known as Ry is, there isn't much you can find out about him online..." Russ said thinking back to all the searches he'd done in the past. He shrugged. "I'm sure there's a reason... I just don't know what it is." He rubbed his chin as he stepped closer to her and glanced over her shoulder to the menu she held. "Decided on something yet?"

"Hum... I believe I have." She turned her attention to the barista. "I'll have the eggs benedict with salmon... and a water..." She turned her attention back to Russ.

He sent her a warm smile before turning to the barista. "I'll have the bacon omelette, hold the toast, the maple and fruit pancakes, an Americano... and a pink cappuccino for my lovely bride-to-be." He grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on the knuckles of her left hand drawing the barista's attention to the large engagement ring. His smile widened as a blush brightened her cheeks. He guided her to a wall of cushioned seats under a ceiling of hanging Wisteria. Once they'd sat down. "Peg helped me plan our trip last night. He said to be sure to showcase our upcoming nuptials that the locals eat that kind of thing up and even give out free treats or better seats sometimes."

"Oh... I see..." She said, a heavy blush still heating her cheeks and ears.

He scooted close to her as he set his phone on the table between them. He pulled up the map Peg had helped him pin. "Here are the places we'll be going. If you want to stop anywhere in between just say so. The only place that is time-specific will be dinner tonight, but that's not until seven. From here there's no more than a mile between any of the locations, so we should be able to walk it all easily." He was still clicking on images of the places he'd selected for them when their food was placed on the table. "Thank you. Oh man, this looks great. I'm beyond hungry!"

She giggled as he began to dig in. "I had suspected as much when you ordered so much."

He sent her a crooked smile around a large bite of pancakes. "What can I say, I'm used to American portions." He cut off another smaller chunk of the pancakes, stabbing some fruit with it. "Here, you have to try these."

Jaden could feel the heat return to her cheeks as she cautiously opened her mouth. Her eyes widened. "Oh wow, they are good!"

"For sure! Here try this next." He said as he brought a fork full of the bacon and eggs to her mouth.

She didn't resist the bite but turned away as another thought crossed her mind. "Do you always share your food?"

He tilted his head as he thought it over. "I guess I have... Growing up with all females, it was pretty standard practice... Hell, I still have to fight Shelly if I order a different dessert than she does."

Jaden's ears perked. "Shelly, your sister?" She lifted the egg and salmon topped bread and took a bite. "Oh... wow, this is incredible!" She couldn't meet his eyes as she asked. "Um... would you... like a bite?"

Russ's lips curved up in a playful smile. He caught her wrist gently and brought the food to his mouth. He mȯȧnėd in enjoyment as the gooey egg center filled his mouth, coating the smoked salmon. "Now I wish I'd gotten one of these, too!" He stroked her palm with his thumb as he took a second bite.

Her timid yet wide eyes met his. "Y... you can have it if you'd like..."

He chuckled. "Nah, you ordered it, you eat it... Though I'll not lie, the thoughts of ŀɨċkɨnġ your fingers afterward is tempting..." He sent her a wink before moving his attention back to his own plate. He lifted another fork-full of pancake. "You want more?"

"Oh... um... no..." Jaden forced her eyes back on her plate. {What is with the way he's acting today? Is he putting on a show for the staff?} "Um... Where is, um... Ry today?" She asked as she shifted the bread back and forth watching the yoke spread over the salmon.

"Oh, he said he had some things to take care of. Which in Ry language means borderline illegal and/or sėxuȧŀly devious." Catching himself, he quickly added. "Not that he's a bad guy! He just tends to... um... use extra means to get what he wants..."

She arched a confused brow. "What do you mean?"

An awkward smile curved his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. "Um, remember when I said he taught me illegal interrogation tactics last time we were here? Well, he flirted with the guy in charge of security down in the cells. I had to sit with them through dinner and... I'll just say A LOT more after..." He met her questioning gaze. "To say it was awkward would be an understatement for sure."

"Oh..." She muttered.

"Yeah, before that he slept with this chic from the vampire cleanup crew for information... I'm not sure if he even has a moral compass anymore." Russ shook his head. "But he's dependable... and loyal..."

They fell into an awkward silence as they continued to eat. Russ stabbed a strawberry leftover from his pancakes and held it out to her. "Come on, I know you like them. I've seen you eat them pretty often during meals."

"Congratulations, this is for you on the house. It is our famous Rose cupcake." The barista said as she handed Jaden the cupcake and set the bill down on the table. "Here is your check when you're ready. Do take your time, however."

Jaden was so amazed by the beauty of the cupcake, she almost hated the idea of eating it. Russ's soft chuckle and the click of his phone as he took a picture brought her attention back to him. He turned the phone toward her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He nodded to it. "Go ahead, see if it tastes as good as it looks."

She smiled as she took a large bite of the beautifully decorated cupcake. Her smile widened as she nodded back at him, her mouth full of the light fluffy icing and cake.

Russ chuckled as he tilted his head and lifted his hand to her mouth. He wiped a clump of icing from the corner of her mouth with his thumb then brought it to his mouth and suċkėd the icing from it. "Um, definitely as tasty as I'd imagined..." His innuendo wasn't completely lost on her, instead, it only made the many feelings and emotions within her flutter about in even more confusion.

They walked the short mile to the National Gardens, stopping frequently to admire buildings and old structures as they went. "Stand over there." Russ said pointing to a lovely walkway with a plant and flower canopy overhead. He pulled out his phone and took several more pictures, before finally taking her hand and leading her toward a little bridge surrounded by ducks. "I'd love to redo the gardens of the palace and around town to look like it does here..." He said in idle conversation as they made their way through the park. "I wish I could remember what it looked like when my parents were alive... but I haven't found many pictures yet..."

"I'm sure there must be some in the palace somewhere." She watched as he bent for a better angle of the fountain they now stood in front of. "You seem to really have an eye for photography."

He nodded as he snapped another picture then showed her. "Yeah, I guess... Jos has always been big on art and ended up going to college then working in it later... We would go to museums and galleries all the time when I was younger. I guess the passion just rubbed off on me."

Jaden tilted her head but decided not to ask further questions about the mysterious silver-haired man. "So, where to now?" She asked as they neared the exit of the gardens.

He leaned toward her holding his phone out for her to see. "That would be Mount Lycabettus Hill. It's not even a mile away. Peg said the worst part about it was the climb up to the top, but that it was definitely worth it."

He'd been rambling on about some of the information he'd found out about the St. George church and the walls and ceilings of art inside it when he noticed she'd fallen a few steps behind him. He stopped and walked back down to where she was. "What's wrong?" He quickly examined her with his eyes, stopping on the bȧrėly visible red marks on the back of her heel. "The shoes... they're new, right?" He lowered to one knee for a better look. He frowned as he stood back up. "It's still only March and kinda chilly or I'd suggest going bȧrėfoot..." he scratched his head as he thought over options. "I guess there's no helping it then." He turned and bent slightly in front of her.

Jaden stared at his wide back. "I... I'm alright... I can bear with it the rest of the way to the top."

"Nonsense. Get on my back, I'll carry you the rest of the way up. I'm sure we can get some bandages at the restaurant once we're there."

She swallowed hard as she continued to stare at him.

He arched a brow at her from over his shoulder. "Either climb on my back or I'll be forced to carry you bridal style, and I'm sure that would be more awkward for both of us."

She cleared her throat as she neared him. "I... I'm not sure how you want me to do this... I'll be alright tho-"

"You have massive blisters on your heels, you'll not be alright." He straightened and took one of her hands, tugging her closer then guiding her behind him and placing her hand on his shoulder. Again, he squatted in front of her and hooked her behind both knees. "Hold on or you may fall." He instructed as he lifted her.

She couldn't help the cry of surprise when she was easily scooped up and carried onward. Her rigid body began to relax as her attention moved away from the closeness of his body and the magnetizing sent of his hair to the beautiful sights of the outstretched city below.

"It's awesome from up here, isn't it?" Russ commented looking out over the bustling city below.

"I wouldn't have imagined..." She muttered.

He set her down once they'd reached the top. He led her over to a bench. "Wait here and I'll find some bandaids and ointment. He hurried there and back as quickly as possible, falling to his knees at her feet as he returned. He carefully slid off her flats and began treating the wounds. "Do you think you'll be able to wear them now, or would you like to find something else? I think I saw flip flops in the gift shop."

She wiggled her foot around in the flats. "I... think they'll be alright. The bandaids added enough padding, I believe." She stood, brushing the wrinkles out of the knee-length skirt. "Thank you... I suppose that is another skill you've mastered after living with all females?" She murmured as she turned toward the view below.

He chuckled as he stepped beside her. "It is..." He caught her hand and turned her back to face him. Stepping closer to her and lowering his head to hers, he whispered. "Smile..." Her wide eyes moved up to him instead of the phone he was now holding up. Seeing her odd expression in the camera of the phone, he turned his attention to her. Their eyes locked as he snapped another picture.

She walked away in awkward embarrassment. "Do... do you really have to take so many pictures of me?"

A smile curved one side of his lips. "Those were the first I've taken of the both of us..." He took her hand as he caught up with her, tugging her to a stop. "One of these days, you may want to look back at this day... I know I will..."

She pretended to ignore his comment. "So... what else did you learn about this place when you were looking over it last night?"

"Come here and I'll show you.." He grinned down at her as he tugged her closer.