As I carried a goblet toward Kronos, my gut felt tight, like a bowstring pulled taut. I scanned the massive hall, noting the grand assembly of Titans sprawled across couches, laughing and lounging with goblets that were long past refilling. The sheer scale of Mount Othrys's throne room still took my breath away—the marble walls and towering columns stretched so high that the torches above looked like tiny stars. At the far end of the hall, Kronos sat on his throne , his sharp, piercing gaze fixed on me as I approached.
Kronos was magnificent, a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying. His face, worn by countless millennia, still held a striking beauty, though it was harsh, like a cliff that had weathered countless storms. Those golden eyes of his held a fierce, contained light, sweeping over his domain with a mixture of disdain and satisfaction. He wore dark, gleaming robes that seemed to absorb the surrounding light, adding to his aura of invincibility.
He raised a hand, quieting the music and beckoning me forward. His voice was deep and commanding, though I could hear the slight slur of intoxication. "Entertain us, young Ganymede. Show us why my sister insisted on bringing you here."
I forced a smile, keeping my voice steady and respectful. "As you command, great Kronos."
I took a deep breath and glanced around the massive throne room, where dozens of Titans lounged on opulent cushions and marble thrones. The air was thick with the scents of wine and roasted meats, and their booming laughter echoed through the hall. I had them exactly where I wanted them, and as I stepped into the center of the room, I raised my arms to call for silence.
"Alright, alright!" I called out, grinning wide as my voice carried out through the room. "My name is Ganymede, and I'll be your entertainment tonight!"
There was a smattering of cheers, laughter, and a few skeptical grunts from some of the older Titans, who squinted at me over their goblets. I glanced around, letting the silence stretch, as I met their gazes one by one.
"So… Titan gatherings, huh? Like family reunions, only with less awkward small talk and more colossal egos! Seriously, though—no one throws a party quite like the Titans. I mean, take Kronos over there!" I gestured up at him on his throne, flashing a grin.
"Kronos, you're a legend. You've taken two of the dullest things imaginable—time and farming—and turned them into your personal horror show. You're like, 'Why just grow crops when I can grow anxiety about deadlines?' And let's not forget your eating habits. I mean, who knew the ultimate farm-to-table guy would be eating his own family?"
The room erupted into laughter, and Kronos raised his goblet, a grudging smirk on his face. "What can I say?" he rumbled. "It's a lifestyle."
"Yeah, a lifestyle for a legend!" I shot back, the energy in the room rising as the Titans cheered.
"So, let's talk about some of our favorite Titans here." I leaned on one leg, tapping my chin as if deep in thought. "Where do we begin…? Oh, I know! Hyperion!" I pointed to the massive Titan of Light lounging in the back, glowing faintly as he drained a goblet twice the size of his head.
"Look at you, Hyperion, shining so bright that you make the torches look like fireflies. I'm pretty sure we all get our tans just from sitting next to you! By the way, you don't need to be glowing like that all the time—some of us are just trying to keep our retinas intact."
The room burst into laughter, with Hyperion letting out a booming chuckle, clearly enjoying the attention.
"Then there's Prometheus, the Titan of Forethought!" I gestured toward the Titan, who had an intense, faraway look in his eyes as if pondering his next big idea. "Let me tell you, I asked Prometheus how he'd spend his night, and he said, 'I'm planning to create something revolutionary, something that's going to change existence as we know it!'" I paused dramatically. "And what did he do? He went out and started playing with clay." I shrugged, feigning a disappointed sigh. "Seriously, clay? I thought he was going to invent something… anything really. Like a 'wheel' or a 'fire' or a hobby, at least!"
Laughter erupted, and Prometheus shook his head, laughing despite himself.
"Of course, we've got Atlas," I said, nodding toward the hulking Titan of Strength, who crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at me. "Atlas, the brawler, the bruiser, the guy who thinks a 'gentle pat on the back' is only acceptable if it results in someone's back cracking." I lowered my voice as if confiding a secret, "He's so strong, rumor has it he's been banned from all of the Titan wrestling matches because last time he… well, let's just say we're still trying to find Hyperion's missing tooth." Atlas snorted, shaking his head with a smirk as the crowd roared in laughter.
"Then we've got the four Titans holding up the sky—give it up for the East, South, North, and West!" I pointed to each direction. "Seriously, these guys are the real MVPs. I mean, without them, we'd all be, what? Flat as a pancake? They're the original pillars of support around here!" I held up my arms and pretended to shake under the imaginary weight. "And let me tell you, this isn't an easy job! You've got to keep the heavens nice and steady, make sure no stars slip through, and—oh, don't even get me started on what happens if one of you gets a cramp mid-shift!"
The crowd was in stitches, and the four directional Titans exchanged looks, chuckling.
I turned my attention to the bearded figure with a crown of seashells, Oceanus, the Titan of the Ocean. "And there's Oceanus, the calm in the storm. Well, usually. I hear he likes to stir things up every now and then, just to keep everyone guessing." I leaned in and whispered loudly, "Between you and me, I heard he once got drunk and tried to turn the Aegean Sea upside down. Poor dolphins didn't know which way was up for a week!"
Oceanus slapped his knee, his booming laughter nearly shaking the room.
"And then we have Themis, the Titaness of Law, Order, and Justice." I nodded toward her, where she sat, serene and composed, overseeing the chaos around her with a slight smile. "Themis—you ever notice she's got that expression that just says, 'Try me'? Like, I have a feeling if someone so much as sneezes the wrong way, she's already got a ten-point list on how to restore order."
Themis chuckled, her calm exterior breaking as she shook her head in amusement. "Someone has to keep you lot in line."
"Exactly!" I raised my goblet toward her, grinning. "And I think I speak for everyone when I say we'd all be lost without you. And by 'lost,' I mean… maybe in a pile of rubble somewhere."
Finally, I looked up at Kronos himself, who was watching me intently, amusement in his golden eyes. I took a steadying breath—time for the grand finale.
"And now, my dear Titans, let's wrap this up with a shoutout to four of the finest among you. I've saved the best for last, of course—so let's dive in."
I turned to Mnemosyne. "First up, Mnemosyne—the Titan of memory! The original walking encyclopedia. Mnemosyne, you must be the life of the party… as long as the party is a trivia night. Seriously, though, how do you keep up with everyone's embarrassing secrets? Do you have a filing system, or is it all up here?" I tapped my head, grinning as the room laughed. "I mean, who needs gossip when we've got Mnemosyne, the ultimate archive?"
Next, I gestured to Crius. "And Crius, the Titan of constellations! The guy who thought, 'You know what would make this sky better? A connect-the-dots game that lasts forever.' Seriously, Crius, your legacy is looking up—literally. Though I have to ask: what's with some of these constellations? A crab? A scorpion? Were you running out of ideas, or did you just really hate the zodiac?"
Then, I looked toward Tethys. "Ah, Tethys, the mother of rivers, streams, and all things wet and wild! You've got quite the family tree—or should I say, river system? I can't imagine the chaos of family reunions for you. Do you just flood a valley and hope for the best?" The Titans roared with laughter as Tethys gave a knowing smile.
Finally, I turned to Eos. "And last but definitely not least, Eos—the Titan of the dawn! The one who wakes up the whole world every morning. Eos, you're like the universe's alarm clock, but instead of a snooze button, we just get blinding sunlight. Honestly, I don't know how you do it. If it were me, mornings would never exist. But hey, thanks for making every sunrise Instagram-worthy."
As I finished, the hall erupted in laughter and applause, some of the Titans raising their goblets in salute. I kept my gaze steady, making sure to weave Divine Order into every smile and every glance, using its subtle glow to lace the air and every goblet with a command: relax, laugh, indulge. I wanted them to be intoxicated, it is said that gods can't get intoxicated so they always drink as much as they want, but I think it is time that they feel what it is like.
Hell the jab at Kronos would have gotten me found out and murdered. And yet there Kronos sat, drinking, eating and having quite the merry time. And I accedently mentioned a damn app that doesn't even exist and none of them even noticed, or maybe they just assumed it meant something else.
As soon as I gotten here I had set two new orders that affected the entire throneroom. Mother and Metis were told to not enter the room this day.
Divine Order, from this moment on all food consumed within this Throneroom shall weaken the body. All drinks shall become a draught of intoxication that weakens the mind. Breathing the air shall cloud ones very judgment and understanding.
Across the hall, I could see Kronos watching me with an approving glint in his eye, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips. I held my breath, keeping my face blank, projecting nothing more than the humble cupbearer they believed I was.
Kronos raised his empty goblet with a roar. "Enough! Another drink fit for the King of Titans!"
I bowed, calm on the outside, though my heart was thundering as I turned to the tables lined with heavy jugs of wine. Keeping my face blank, I filled the goblet with the exact proportions we'd practiced—copper sulfate, poppy juice, syrup of manna, and crushed mustard seeds. Nightshade, I thought with satisfaction. A fitting name for the betrayal I was about to serve.
My hand glowed golden as Divine Order took effect, I pressed it into the drink as the wine glowed softly as I started embedding a command. Just as I lifted the goblet, though, I felt the air shift behind me, and a chill crept up my spine. I turned slowly to see Phoebe, the Titaness of intellect and prophecy, watching me with a raised eyebrow. She was tall and regal, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes gleaming with a knowing look.
"What exactly are you doing, nephew?" she asked, her voice smooth and calm, but the weight of her words settled like stones in my chest.
My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to meet her gaze, giving her an easy grin. "Just preparing a drink for King Kronos, Lady Phoebe. He does expect only the finest."
She didn't buy it, and I could tell by the smirk playing on her lips. "Save it. I know who you are, and I know why you're here."
There was no use denying it, so I held her gaze, my voice low and steady. "Then what do you want?"
She leaned in, her smirk widening. "Several Titans despise Kronos as much as you do. We want him removed from power, and I foresee that one day, you'll grow to be far more powerful than he could have ever imagined. We would rather stand with you."
I stared at her, weighing my options. "You don't seem to be affected like the others?"
She chuckled, clearly amused by my question. "I actually am affected, so are my friends. Though as the Titan of Wisdom and Prophecy I have a greater control of my mind. Once I realized what you have done I had my friends leave."
She nodded subtly, and I noticed a small group of Titans slipping away from the hall, unnoticed by the others. I kept my face composed, gave a short nod, and lowered my voice. "Take them to Mount Ida. Tell Adrastea I sent you. But if you or any of them betray me, you'll be dead before you even blink."
Phoebe's smirk only grew, and she inclined her head. "Understood.... uhm, what is your real name?"
"Zeus"
"Alright, thank you. Lord Zeus." And with that, she vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone with the goblet still clutched in my hand.
I took a slow, steadying breath. No more distractions.
With the goblet in hand, I made my way back to Kronos, fixing my gaze straight ahead, my expression neutral. I spotted the small group of Titans slipping from the throne room, their departure a quiet shadow in the raucous festivities. As the doors shut behind them, I straightened and let my mask of calm settle once more over my face.
Kronos's gaze met mine as I approached, he was clearly being affected. "There you are," he drawled, stretching out a hand. "I was beginning to think you'd kept the best drink for yourself."
I dropped to one knee before him, holding out the goblet with a respectful bow. "Apologies, my king. I prepared a drink to honor you—a blend that will make you wiser and stronger than ever, worthy of the King of Titans."
Kronos's smile widened slightly as he took the goblet, his eyes gleaming as he raised it to his lips. He watched me, golden eyes steady over the rim of the cup, and I held his gaze, letting the faintest hint of a smile touch my lips.