"I thought you would never arrive," the king said with a laugh as he greeted me and Semiramis. His smile was as hypocritical as his words.
Ignoring his insincere pleasantries, I walked directly toward a table. Semiramis, with a nervous nod and an awkward smile, followed closely behind me. Reaching for a glass of wine, I took a small sip and let the rich flavor linger on my tongue.
"Not bad at all," I remarked, more to myself than anyone else.
"Lord Commander, shouldn't we at least show some respect to the king of Colchis?" Semiramis asked, her voice edged with concern.
"This trash doesn't deserve any respect. I wish I could just kill him and take his daughter away," I muttered, the words barely audible. But that would only further antagonize the gods of Olympus. Aphrodite had warned me that I was already under their scrutiny; it was wise to play it safe for now.
