The Party

The morning dawned crisp, the sky painted in clean shades of blue streaked with soft white clouds. A mild breeze moved through the expansive garden of Ares’s estate, rustling the leaves and carrying with it the scent of freshly cut grass. Today, the place was transformed.

Streamers of bright colors, red, gold, and blue fluttered overhead, strung from one tree to another. A giant inflatable castle stood proudly at the far end of the garden, already squeaking under the weight of ...