By the time Kael got to the private dining hall, he came to two conclusions.
First, Orion Aetos was never going to forgive him for the morning’s incident.
Second, the rest of the Olympian Heirs found it absolutely hilarious and weren’t about to let him forget it.
The private dining hall for the Olympian Heirs was as ridiculous as he expected. They were the defenders of the nation. They were the next in line to be the kings or queens of their respective countries. They were also the strongest warriors by far.
Kael was shocked to see the room. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
In the middle of the room was a big, polished obsidian table with gold plates and silverware that sparkled under the warm torchlight. The tall marble columns were draped with huge flags, each bearing the symbol of an Olympian god. Old runes were carved into the walls, shimmering softly and giving the room a ghostly glow.
A huge, enchanted dome shifted between various skies. At this moment, it looked like the sun rising over Mount Olympus, golden light streaming through soft clouds.
Beautiful. And way too extra.
Kael hopped into a seat, grabbed a few stacks of pancakes, and took the biggest bite humanly possible.
He had never had pancakes before. He was enjoying them so much that he completely forgot he was in the room with other people. He was so focused on the pancakes that he didn’t notice the silence—until a voice cut through it.
"So, Kael," Damon Reyes, heir of Ares, smirked from across the table. "How was your sleepover?"
Kael sighed dramatically, shoving another pancake into his mouth. "I would say ’cozy’ if Orion didn’t throw me off the bed like a sack of potatoes."
Elias Vex, heir of Poseidon, chuckled over her tea. "Tragic. Simply tragic."
"I, for one, think we should hold a moment of silence for Kael’s suffering," Lucas Marlowe, heir of Demeter, added, barely holding back his grin.
Selene Ithaca, heir of Athena, smirked. "Nah. I wanna hear more about this alleged cuddling."
At the end of the table, Aria Solis, heir of Artemis, calmly bit into her fruit, but Kael didn’t miss the slight shake of her shoulders. She was definitely holding back laughter.
"You all act like you weren’t ready to storm the room like a war was happening," she said flatly.
"To be fair," Jasper Reed, heir of Dionysus, said, tilting his head, "we thought Orion was dying. Turns out he was just dying of second-hand embarrassment."
Kael grinned. "Best wake-up call ever."
Lila Sterling, heir of Aphrodite, laughed behind her hand. "You know, I should feel bad for Orion, but this is too entertaining."
"He’s fine," Kael waved her off. "Survived worse than sharing a bed with me. Probably."
Damon leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "So, Kael. What’s your deal? How did you even end up in his bed?"
Kael swallowed his pancakes, took a deep breath, and raised a single finger.
"Well. Let me tell you about my magical journey to the Underworld."
He placed his fork down dramatically and cracked his knuckles.
"So, there I was, completely minding my own business, when BAM—I wake up in the Underworld."
Elias tilted his head. "...Wait, what?"
Kael nodded. "Yeah. Turns out, I’m the heir to the Underworld. Son of Hades. Next in line to rule. No big deal."
Lucas let out a low whistle. "Well. That escalated quickly."
"Yeah, tell me about it. Anyway, my long-lost mother, Persephone—"
Selene choked on her drink. "Wait. Persephone is your mother?!"
Kael grinned. "Right? Crazy. But she’s great. Top-tier mom. Very warm. Soft lap."
Aria squinted at him. "You’re skipping so many important details."
He waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, so long story short—Hades is missing, the Underworld is a mess, spirits are causing chaos, so I had to step up."
Damon raised an eyebrow. "And they listened to you? Just like that?"
Kael smirked. "Oh, not at first. I had to threaten eternal suffering and flex my new prince-of-darkness energy. It was quite the performance, really. Very dramatic. Had to make an impression."
Elias leaned back, rubbing his temples. "I feel like we need to circle back to the part where you said you’re the heir of the Underworld."
"Right, so anyway, after all that, I was exhausted, and I asked my mother to let me sleep in her lap before sending me back."
Jasper blinked. "You... slept in your mother’s lap?"
"Listen, it was a very emotional moment, okay? Let me have this."
Lucas snorted. "And how exactly did that lead to you waking up in Orion’s bed?"
Kael opened his mouth, then hesitated.
"You know, I’m still trying to figure that part out."
Damon nearly choked from laughter.
Selene covered her face with both hands, shaking.
Lila? Gone. Fell straight off her chair.
Jasper wiped a tear from his eye. "This is the greatest breakfast I’ve ever had."
Orion Aetos, heir of Zeus, finally entered the room, looking as done with life as ever.
He moved with such authority that everyone instinctively paid attention—his golden eyes scanning the room, his posture perfect, his expression somewhere between murderous and resigned.
Kael had never realized just how respected he was.
The whole room fell silent.
A neatly folded uniform.
He walked straight up to Kael, dropped the fabric onto the table, and crossed his arms.
"You’re late for class," he said flatly.
Kael blinked at the uniform. Then at him.
"Oh? You didn’t pick out my outfit yourself? I’m touched."
Orion sighed through his nose, already done with him.
Kael was surprised to see the uniform. It was fancy, too fancy. It was nice—a deep navy blue jacket with gold embroidery, a high collar, and silver buttons. The academy’s crest was stitched into the chest—an eagle, a laurel wreath, and a sword crossed behind it. The trousers matched, crisp and fitted.
Kael grabbed another pancake, watching him go.
Damon nudged his side. "You sure you wanna push his buttons?"
"Oh, I’m just getting started," Kael said, taking a bite.
Because if he was stuck at this academy... he was going to have some fun.