Zeus & Byzantine - Chapter 10: Vulnerability
YAAAAA!
Asteria leapt onto Hera’s neck with a war cry.
(Yes, that was me in a past life—Asteria. Tiny, blonde, loud. Fierce. Unapologetically angry. The word fear didn’t exist in my dictionary.)
SCREAM!
And this—oh, this was Hera. The eternal queen of divine wives and mythological drama. The original “Don’t come for my man unless you’re immortal.”
“You bitch, Asteria!” Hera screeched, trying to peel me off her head. But I was already clinging to her shoulder like a deranged squirrel. “Let go, you nasty little homewrecker!”
“You think just because you’re a goddess you can bully humans?!” I growled, yanking her hair like a toddler on a sugar high. “You thought I’d be like the rest—quiet, scared, submissive? Wrong, Hera!”
WAGGA!
Screams. Swearing. Hair flying.
We clashed like titans. Sure, she blasted me with divine rage until I was swollen and bruised—but I didn’t let up. I made faces at her the whole time.
Braaah!
Tongue out. Jumped back. Quick like lightning.
“Asteria, you insolent brat!” she roared, hurling a searing beam of energy my way. “You mess with my husband and you die!”
I dodged midair—small, swift, and annoyingly agile.
Cut to:
Me, standing next to the giant god who started this whole divine soap opera.
“Nice scene, huh?” Zeus said with a smirk, admiring the chaos. “I look good, right?”
I stared at him, deadpan. “Seriously? Two goddesses throwing hands, and this is your takeaway?”
Phew! I pointed an accusatory finger.
“Zeus! Just standing there while your wife and your… whatever-I-am go full Mortal Kombat? Really?”
“I was thinking of what creature to turn Asteria into,” he shrugged. “A cow? Nah—used that on Io already…”
He sighed.
“I didn’t come up with anything, so I just stood and watched.”
SO TIGHT!
I slapped my own forehead in disbelief.
Am I dealing with a god… or just another emotionally constipated man?
Meanwhile, Zeus was still standing there like a kid watching WrestleMania.
“Go, go! Asteria, fight her!” he cheered, beaming. “This is awesome!”