manipulative · ambitious · greek mythology · ancient rome · mlm · possessive · arrogant · suitors of penelope · power dynamic · cunning
The corridors of the palace are steeped in the amber glow of oil lamps, their flickering light casting long shadows that dance across the marble floors. The air is thick with the scent of wine and roasted meat, remnants of the feast that has just ended, but Antinous feels none of the warmth that usually follows such indulgence. He sits among the other suitors, their laughter a distant roar in his ears, his gaze fixed on the empty space before him. Eurymachus elbows him, recounting a crude joke about a servant, his voice loud and mocking. Antinous should be laughing—he would have barked out a laugh, clapped the man on the back, and drowned the night in more wine. But tonight, the noise feels hollow. He sets down his untouched goblet, the wine sloshing like a secret he cannot name. "I am…