“Are there other places like this and John Winthrop, where gods live?” she asked Olivia in a whisper over the meal.
“Oh, yes. A few. Mostly they’re small prestigious liberal arts schools where one department or another isn’t quite what it seems to be. I’ve heard interesting rumors about why a few of the Catholic schools do so well in football,” she whispered back.
Theo found her gaze traveling again to Thoth and Ganesha as she ate. After dinner she and Grant walked—Theo several inches above the ground—outside to sit on a low hillock and watch the sun set into the dark surrounding hills. “I wonder,” she said softly.
“What do you wonder?” Grant asked, sliding closer to her and putting his arm over her shoulder.
“If my cat Dido could handle a little ambrosia in her tuna and liver.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Seeing the animal-headed gods just made me wonder.”
Grant was silent for a few moments, then said, “I keep forgetting that we’ve changed places. Now you’re the goddess and I’m the human.”
“I don’t think you can call me a goddess. I can barely manage my own powers, as June Cadwallader so kindly pointed out.” She pointed at a pinecone lying in the grass. To her surprise, it floated up and landed in her hand. “What do you know? It usually takes three or four tries, or else it flies up and bops me on the forehead.”
“I think you’ll find that you’ll do better here. Less stress, for one thing.”
“That’s true.” She set the pinecone spinning on the end of one finger, then winced and batted it away. “Ow. Splinter. I’ve got a lot more to learn than just the mechanics of magic.”
“Then I take it you want to stay immortal?”
“Do you want me to?” She shifted and wrapped her arms around him. “Will you take ambrosia and become immortal again, or do you want me to cast it away and be mortal with you?”
He closed his eyes. “I can’t ask you to do that. Casting aside my immortality was a horrible process—I’m not sure I could endure watching you suffer the way I did. But I’m afraid to be a god again. How do I know I’ll be able to remember how to love you properly?”
Theo laughed and pulled him down into the soft grass with her, weaving a curtain of light from the setting sun to draw around them. He was right: using her power here was easier. She bent to kiss him and rejoiced at how his hands traveled hungrily over her as their lips met. “I wouldn’t worry about that, my love,” she whispered, breaking the kiss for a moment. “So long as we’re together, I won’t let you forget.”
And they lived happily ever after.
Ever after.
Acknowledgments
Writing a romance about Latin and Greek and a classics department at a university is something I was probably predestined to do after studying Latin for eight years in high school and college. By Jove was enormous fun to write (yes, really!) and I’m incredibly grateful to my agent, Emily Sylvan Kim, and to editor extraordinaire Liz Pelletier for seeing the fun and taking a chance on an unusual story. Anassa kata (that’s an ancient Greek cheer used at my college) to both of you, and to all the crew at Entangled Publishing!
Anassa kata as well to all my teachers of Latin over those eight years of study, but most of all to Mr. Guy: thank you, Magister, for the priceless gift of language you gave me.
Huge thanks and anassa kata to my friend Nancy Evans, scholar and gentlewoman, who helped me with the bits of classical Greek scattered through the book.
And my love and thanks to Hal Lorin, who told me to read Roberto Calasso’s The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony. I owe you a grappa, my friend.
About the Author
Marissa Doyle graduated from Bryn Mawr College and went on to graduate school intending to be an archaeologist, but somehow got distracted. Eventually she figured out what she was really supposed to be doing and started writing. She’s channeled her inner history geekiness into a successful young adult historical fantasy series, and is now also happily writing contemporary romantic fantasy. She lives in her native Massachusetts with her family, including a pair of bossy but adorable pet rabbits, and loves quilting, sailing, gardening, and collecting antiques. Oh, and coffee. Visit her online at www.marissadoyle.com
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