Megara had never been able to sit still, even when it would make her life easier. While Hercules had instructed Theseus to keep people away from her, she couldn't just sit and watch him confront the actors. She got up from the dining couch, even though it was a little difficult to shift her equilibrium like that.

Galatea supported her with hands on her shoulders, and Helen jumped in front of her as if afraid she could tip over.

"You're not dizzy again, right? Don't faint, please?" Helen grabbed a cloth and dipped it in the water for washing hands, then dabbed it on Megara's forehead.

"I'm not going to faint," Megara said, still not used to all the attention. "I can stand on my own; it's fine. I just got a little dizzy standing up because I'm not used to balancing like this yet. That's normal. You don't have to worry about me." In other words, please go away and leave me alone. But she wasn't supposed to use those words anymore. She would not drive away her friends with antisocial behaviors. Somehow, she had to get her instincts to flee under control.

"Let's not crowd her, ladies. Megara needs space to breathe." Theseus was close but not touching. Probably because, per Hercules's warning about people getting too close to Meg, he didn't want to be one of them. He smiled at her, but it was a gentle sort, not the broad, exaggerated sort she was getting from Helen and Galatea.

"You know she's carrying a demigod. It's got to be much harder for her," Galatea told Theseus right over Megara's head. "You have to be sensitive about this sort of thing."

Cassandra joined them. "I've foreseen that she survives, though," she said. "Don't worry so much. It makes her worry, too."

And now there were three people right up close and another watching from not too far away. Where was the nearest table she could crawl under? No, that wasn't how she would act as the wife of Hercules. It would upset him if she rejected all the people he'd curated as trustworthy friends for both of them. These were people who'd proven themselves as her friends. She had to remember they all wanted good things for her, or she'd go mad.

Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on the sight that had gotten her out of that seat in the first place.

That blonde who'd played Queen Harmonia was all over Hercules. He was trying to talk to her, but the flirtation was so obvious that she didn't have to understand the words to know what was being said. It made the curtain between her reality and her nightmares melt a fraction.

Except that in none of her dreams did Hercules so tactfully deflect and then disappear. He didn't even freeze and let that woman crawl all over him.

Her pulse evened out while Helen made nervous noises. "Are you gonna be okay?" she asked, putting a too-friendly hand on Megara's shoulder. "It's always so hard for me to watch Adonis with another woman."

Megara shivered Helen's hand away. "That's because Adonis is a pig with hands. You can't compare him to Hercules by any stretch of the imagination. We're not the same."

The actors got back to work dismantling the stage, and that horrid woman locked eyes with Megara. What did she want? Now, she was walking toward them.

Finally, Megara was grateful for the small crowd that had formed around her. Where was her brother?

"You are the famed Megara of Thebes, princess, and bride of formally the most eligible bachelor in Greece. I bet you're proud of yourself." Why was it talking?

"Your performance tonight was a pleasant diversion," Megara replied. "Traditionally, entertainers only approach royalty when they are invited. Do you think you might grow a few manners and get out of my face?"

Helen gasped. "You sound like Adonis!" she whispered.

Megara smacked her. "Sorry. Don't say that again, and I won't slap you again." She strode past Helen and did her best to look threatening. "I know who you are. I know what you did. The notion you have the right to approach me regardless of rank is offensive. The last woman I saw that close to my husband got her head bitten off. If you are ever in his presence again, you'd better remember that."

"It's almost like you don't trust him," the woman replied. "I suppose it's natural. Most women worry during their first pregnancy. You never know if you'll survive, and neither does he. It's natural that a man would start looking. Not to mention, kings have always had the most latitude to flirt and take mistresses, but Hercules is like a king for all of Greece. Heroes always have short bursts of popularity where they can do no wrong, but Hercules will stay that way forever. You'll have to watch your back with him for the rest of your life."

"It's best if you don't address her," Galatea told Megara. "Theseus, can you please get rid of that woman?"

"I have something to say, actually." Megara smiled at the blonde woman who'd haunted her nightmares as she stole what she thought was the only happiness she'd ever have. "Why are you so intent on trying to take my husband? Is it because of him or because I have him? You have the man I pinned all my hopes on, and now you've seen that I'm happy, and you're trying to tarnish that. It's almost as if you know what you're doing, and this is a grand scheme of yours. Why can't you ever be happy with the man you stole? What is it that you want, and must you take it from me, or can it be anyone?"

Something shifted behind the woman's eyes, but her mask was so firmly in place that Megara couldn't get a read on it. "It's natural to be defensive. Theron and I have had a good run. But you know him. He's always looking for the next best thing. It's a good instinct. It keeps him sharp. That's why he always knows when it's time to trade up. I'd like to try that, too. We understand each other. Anything I can get, we'll share, and whatever he can get is mine, too. You never quite figured out that dynamic. It's why you weren't suited to him."

"Honest people don't ordinarily work well with the duplicitous," Theseus observed. "Megara, I don't think this situation is going to improve. We should try to expel her from our company." Theseus stood shoulder to shoulder with Megara as if they were hoplites in formation.

Behind the actress, a small cluster of politicians was inching closer, with the crown of King Megarion among them. She didn't realize she was in the center of a pincer maneuver, not yet.

"Someone who was confident wouldn't be so worried about a little healthy competition," Deianeira said. "You'd better hope you stay pretty after this baby. Hercules can have the best of everything, and that could mean lots of things to him. So you know… I just hope it's you."

"Excuse me." King Megarion stood behind Deianeira with the politest of smiles, hands folded. "Could I trouble you to leave my city and never return? Deianeira, was it?"

Only now did the actress disengage from Megara and whirl on Megarion. "What?"

"I said: leave my city and never return. In other words, you're banished. You and that creep who broke my sister's heart. You knew you were messing with a princess. Did you think her brother wouldn't notice? Also, I've been speaking with my advisors, and several items of interest have gone missing over the course of the night. We have searched everyone who is still in the palace, but I notice that a certain former classmate of mine is missing. Why might that be? Is it because he's nervous about seeing his ex-girlfriend again after selling her out to the Underworld? Or is there some other reason?"

"You can't prove anything!" Deineira screamed.

"Do you mean about Theron and my sister or about the theft that took place tonight?" Megarion asked.

"You're just trying to pick on poor people because all of your other guests are rich!"

"Ah, so now we see she simply doesn't understand how to address royalty in any capacity," Theseus said.

"Just do the honorable thing and accept your sentence," Megarion said. "I didn't expect my first act as king to be expelling someone who hurt my sister, but I'm proud the stars aligned to bring us here. I would've done it sooner if I'd known you were even thinking of being here."

"We negotiated a price with the former king. It was all legal. We took what he promised us."

"I will need to see that written agreement. You did attend school with me, so I assume you can read. There should be a written record. I will create an itemized list of what's been stolen, and then–"

Everyone's attention was diverted from the conversation then as golden light filled the only nearby space large enough to accommodate Hercules. He carried a bag over his shoulder that made Deianeira shriek when she saw it.

"Nice to see you again, too," Hercules said, setting the bag down before Megarion. "I hope you were already planning to banish Theron. I could've saved you the trouble, but I just couldn't shake my hero training. Sadly, he will live another day." He smiled at Megarion, but his smile for Megara made his aura flare with delight. "Meg! I'm so happy to see you!" he reached a hand out for her.

Megara did her best not to tremble on the way to him. She took his hand and let him draw her closer. She felt much like a wilting plant finally moved into the sun. Her head rested against his side, and she sighed, soaking in the essence of him. "What did he tell you?"

"All sorts of lies, but I'm glad I heard them. He's not so scary anymore."

"It's wrong to expel us from the city over a misunderstanding," Deianeira was saying. "And anyway, we can't leave yet!" she pointed backstage. "What of the rest of the troupe? How will they perform without us?"

"That's not my concern," Megarion said.

A few other members of the theater troupe approached, concern writ large over their faces.

Megara braced herself for the onslaught of complaints and grievances, but Hercules wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze that effectively dissolved everything else in the world.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered. "Let your brother deal with this… I've got promises to keep."