Releasing the Gods

by Leia Stone

  On the other side were two somewhat familiar gods. One a woman, standing well over six feet, with heavily muscled arms and upper body. Her hair was the color of fire and her eyes glowed with burnt embers. She’d been hitting CrossFit a little too hard. Not that I didn’t admire women who could build muscle like that. If only she wasn’t hell-bent on killing me with it.

  “Step across and you will fall into the abyss,” Cronus said, staring them both down. “Your power has nothing on mine right now, and I will bring Hyperion into this battle.”

  The other sin was a small man, no taller than five foot; he looked frail in comparison to the woman. But something told me he was the scariest, the one we needed to keep an eye on.

  She stepped forward, toes right on the edge of the cliff. “You can bring all of them back,” she murmured, and I felt the heat of her words. Literal heat. It started to melt the ice, causing some of the ceiling ice to shatter down. “It won’t be enough to defeat us. We are stronger this time. We have been waiting for a thousand years, and now … now we will do what we should have so long ago.”

  “We will end the plague that is humanity.” This was from the male. The small, unassuming dude, and unlike the woman, his words were laced in a cold so intense that it hurt my skin. Then they turned and walked away.

  “Which sins were they?” I asked as Cronus set me down, tucking me into his body beside Hound.

  Cronus cleared his throat. “Eight and nine. Fire and Death.”

  Jesus.

  “At full power, they have no equal,” he added. “At full power, the world will burn, and every living thing will die.”

  “We have to stop them,” I gasped out, my right hand releasing Cronus to grab at the necklace. No matter that we’d learned the box was fated to open after a thousand years, I still felt guilt. Immense guilt.

  “It’s my responsibility to get these assholes back in their cage,” I murmured. “Maybe, until we figure out this box thing, we can put them into the necklace. There’s a reason it attached to me. A reason I was the one called to it. I think it’s time we start trapping them again.”

  Cronus made a noise from the back of his throat, and it wasn’t a happy sound. I wasn’t sure which part upset him, but something I said bothered him.

  “Hyperion and Selene were the ones to devise the box initially to trap them,” Cronus said. “Hyperion will know the best way to trap them. We don’t have much time though—Rhea is losing strength. I can feel her from here. We must hurry.”

  Feel her from here? Jealously flared within me.

  #No #ThatsFucked #MaybeWeCanTrapHerToo #IKnowAGreatPrison

  Thankfully he didn’t pick up on my jealous, bitchy thoughts, and instead continued on, with less speed this time, until eventually we reached a fork in the cave system. Hound didn’t even hesitate, turning right, and when we ended up at a dead end I wondered if the sins had left so easily for another reason. Maybe we couldn’t get to Hyperion’s remains. Maybe it was too hard.

  Cronus and the Hound stared at the wall for many long moments, and I stared too, pretending to be focused like they were. At some point, I napped for a bit.

  Cronus jolted me awake when he jerked his arm back and slammed his fist into the ice in front of us. The wall—and the entire fucking cave—shuddered, and he didn’t stop there. He pulled his arm back again and again, punching in slightly different spots every time.

  “It’s a puzzle,” he said, answering my unspoken curiosity. “They’ve got the remains locked behind this ice wall of energy. The only way through is to hit it in the exact pattern.” Slam, slam, slam. It continued on. “Took me a while to figure it out, but now I have to move fast or the entire cave will collapse on us.”

  Great.

  #JustFuckingGreat

  Chapter 17

  After his maniac cave punching, Cronus managed to solve the puzzle—a puzzle I still didn’t even remotely see or figure out—and release the Hyperion piece.

  “Ew, is that … hair?”

  Cronus was holding a huge glob of blond hair. It looked like it was stained red on the ends, like it had been ripped clear out of his head.

  He just nodded. “Maisey, Hyperion is powerful. Second to me he is the most powerful Titan. Resurrecting him will take a lot of my strength.”

  I nodded, “You said that last time, but I was the one to pass out.”

  Cronus shook his head. “I’m serious. Just … prepare for anything.”

  Nerves tightened in my gut. “Okay, like … could you get seriously hurt?”

  Cronus had already started his little magic session, Hound at his feet, me at his side, and arcs of blue magic lighting up the cave walls.

  “Not permanently,” he finally told me.

  Great. Hyperion had better be strong, because no way could I drag Cronus’ big ass out of here if he passed out. Especially over that chasm he’d crossed.

  He held out his hand. “Lend me your power.”

  I clasped mine with his and a surge of power rushed through me like a lightning bolt. This was nothing like Rhea or the other Titans. This was … big. I didn’t feel as weak as I had last time though, and I wondered if maybe almost dying—or that magically blessed water—had changed me, kickstarted my powers.

  Cronus grit his teeth, sweat beading on his brow while I fought to stay upright. The hair in his hand started to grow. It took shape into a nasty little ball of muscle and bone.

  The snowy walls started to melt as Cronus’ magic lit the entire space a bright and fierce blue.

  “Hyperion!” Cronus yelled. “Return Earth-side. You are needed.”

  The ball stopped growing and I frowned. Something was wrong.

  “What’s happening?” I squeezed Cronus hand, pumping more of whatever power I had into him.

  “Someone is trying to keep him in the underworld. They’re pulling against us,” Cronus said incredulously.

  “Fuck that. He’s ours!” I shouted and pushed out everything I had within me. Somehow, through no effort on my behalf, I was starting to figure out this “part-time-god” thing. I could feel my energy, I could play with the power. I could give as much of it to Cronus as possible to get Hyperion here.

  The room spun as dizziness took me and Cronus grunted, trying to funnel all that magic into the hairball. Then, right before my fucking eyes, a god was born. The little gross ball went from hair, blood, and bone, to a half-naked god in seconds. I was just checking out his eight-pack when I remembered he was my fucking grandpa. #EyesUp #JustGross

  The moment he manifested onto the snowy cave floor, Cronus made a final grunt and slumped forward.

  Unconscious.

  “Cronus!”

  Hyperion snapped to his feet, getting into a fighting stance, and spun around the cave.

  Upon seeing me, he nodded. The dark anger faded from his face, a face that was more beautiful than any being had the right to be. He had long blond hair, large gray eyes, and the sort of pretty features that should have looked feminine, but he was so totally male that you’d never mistake him for being anything other. #Ew #DontCheckOutGrandpa

  “You must be Maisey. Thanatos told me everything.” His eyes drifted down to the Titan at my feet. “Did Cronus pass out?” He sounded curious and amused, and in no way as worried as he should be.

  I nodded. “Is he okay?”

  Hyperion crouched down and placed two fingers on Cronus’ forehead. “He’s fine. Got a Sharpie? We can draw a dick on his face while he’s out.”

  I burst out laughing, not expecting that.

  “I heard that, you fucker,” Cronus groaned from the ground.

  “Brother! You must have been hallucinating.” Hyperion opened his arms wide and Cronus stood to embrace him.

  Hyperion looked at me. “Did he tell you I was his favorite? I am.”

  Cronus rolled his eyes. “Most of the time you are. What took you so long? The sins are out.”

  “Well...” Hyperion rolled out his shoulders. “My psychotic little nep
hew Zeus tried to keep me in the underworld. Said you needed to clean up your own mistakes.”

  “That little punk!” Cronus growled. “I’m going to kill him, once and for all.”

  “Yes. Good idea. After we save the world. Where should we start?” Hyperion kept giving me side glances but clearly the matter at hand was more important than chatting with me. I was okay with that. Cronus blinked out of existence mid-conversation for a second and then he was back with clothes for Grandpa.

  #ThankGod #INeedTherapyAfterThis

  “Rhea. She needs help first,” Cronus told him as he dressed.

  Hyperion nodded and then turned to me. “You look just like your mother, by the way.” He stared at my white hair and my gut rolled. The mother who raised me had brown hair, and even though we looked nothing alike, I’d always thought she was so beautiful and perfect. “She wanted me to tell you that she believes in you and she’s proud of you, and don’t sleep with Cronus, he’s a giant douchebag.” He held up two hands in a defensive gesture. “Her words.”

  My eyes widened. “So … Selene is my actual mother? My biological mother?” My eyes were burning, and I couldn’t say anything more over the lump in my throat.

  Hyperion nodded. “Yes. In a manner of speaking. I’ll explain more later.”

  #Cryptic #OkayIllPlayThisGame

  “How does she know about Cronus?” I segued into something he’d hopefully answer, now that I’d gotten my emotions under control. “Is she watching me?”

  I swallowed hard, totally freaked out that my dead god mom was watching me fantasize about Cronus.

  Hyperion chuckled. “No, but Thanatos has told the entire underworld that you two are an item.”

  Cronus growled, “Great. Let’s go.”

  Somehow I wasn’t upset by that. In fact, I was sending Thanatos a gift when I got a chance. I wondered who delivered to the underworld.

  “I’m ready,” I said, just as an explosion rang out along the side of the cave, shaking us almost off our feet. It was followed by another and another.

  “They’ve found us again,” Cronus rumbled, before he snatched up my hand. “Follow me.” That was clearly meant for Hound and Hyperion, because I was taken along by his energy, and when we landed in that decaying fucking forest again, I tripped and would have fallen if Cronus hadn’t kept me upright.

  “Thank you,” I murmured, lifting my head to see him. I blinked at how pallid he was, face almost gray. “Are you feeling okay?”

  He nodded, lips thinning as his expression turned fierce. “I’m fine. Just took a lot of energy to fight against Zeus and resurrect—”

  “Me,” Hyperion said, bursting into existence, Hound right beside him. “I’m heavier than I look.”

  I took in his heavily-muscled, six-and-a-half feet worth of god. “You look like you weigh a ton,” I said with a snort.

  He leaned in closer and whispered. “I do.”

  Jesus. This was about as far from how I expected my grandfather would be.

  “Can you focus and be serious for a fucking second,” Cronus snapped, standing straight despite his clear exhaustion. “We have one shot right now to save Rhea and trap Sickness away, but we have to work together.”

  He strode off, walking like someone very pissed off, and with a shrug I followed. Mostly because I didn’t have a choice. For better or for worse, Cronus and I were tied together, bonded, and unlike marriage, there was no divorce allowed.

  He soon disappeared into the dense trees, our bond pulling me after him along the path. “Always was a moody bastard,” Hyperion said, close behind me.

  That might be true. Okay, it was definitely true, but he had good reason to be. “He’s got a lot on his mind. And unlike the rest of you enjoying the underworld and all of its orgy pleasures, Cronus was locked in a fucking prison for a thousand years. Wouldn’t you be a little pissed?”

  I hadn’t truly stopped to think how lonely that existence would have been. The endless years. No one but Hound and the few whispers he heard from his prison. My heart ached then, and I acknowledged that the few times he’d joked with me and laughed, used sarcasm like an expert … that was a big deal. I hadn’t seen him really do that with anyone else, and…

  I was an idiot.

  My feet flew across the ground and I left Hyperion behind, bursting into the small clearing where Rhea lay, Panacea and Cronus at her side. I shook my head at the fact that we’d been at least twenty feet apart then. Our bond was growing thinner, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  Cronus’ head jerked up as I sprinted toward him, his eyes sliding across me and then over my head as he searched for the danger. He was already moving when I threw myself into his arms.

  “What?” he demanded. “What happened, Maisey?”

  Tucking my head in against his chest, I just shook my head. “Sorry,” I murmured. “Nothing happened, I just … thank you ... for everything. I realize now how hard it must have been to just integrate into this life right after being locked away for so long.”

  His body stilled under me, but his arms tightened as he held me close, both of us just breathing in the other.

  “Excuse me,” Rhea snapped from the ground, not sounding at all like she was ill. “Can you two screw on your own time. Right now I need Sickness locked away so I don’t fucking implode.”

  Cronus lowered me to the ground, and I managed to compose myself, schooling my face into indifference. “So, how do we do this?” I asked, sounding almost normal.

  I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t look that way again. I’d had my emotional outburst and now I was ready to do my job.

  Hyperion must have stepped into the clearing, because Rhea let out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank the Titans, you’re here.”

  Hyperion knelt at her side. “Rhea, darling, of course I am. You didn’t think you’d get to have this much fun without me, did you?”

  Rhea snorted, before groaning and clutching her chest. “My power is fading,” she whispered. “Sickness is fighting the hold I have on him. We need to lock him away right now.”

  I gripped the necklace, unsurprised by the zap of power from it. It was our time to shine.

  “Just tell me what I have to do,” I said, standing taller.

  Rhea basically spat in my direction. “What can a human do? You’re less than useless to me.”

  I wanted to kick her. Like … how bad a person would it make me to kick a dying Titan? #NotAskingForAFriend

  “Maisey has the necklace,” Cronus said. “She is tied to the sins in some way. She is singularly the most important one here in this fight.”

  Rhea rolled her eyes and ignored him.

  “She’s tied through her mother,” Hyperion said. “Selene.”

  The echoing silence in the forest was loud.

  “How?” I finally asked. “And can you explain how a goddess who has been dead for a thousand years is my mother?”

  Hyperion, ignoring me, met Cronus’ gaze. “You haven’t told her about the sacrifice?”

  Cronus’ chest rumbled. “No. And you won’t either. Maisey has a savior complex. She doesn’t need any more ideas. There’s a better way.”

  The thought of him keeping something from me did not sit well, and I glared my glariest “fuck you” look right at the big ass.

  “Tell. Me. Now!” I managed to get out through gritted teeth. “I’m not a child.”

  Everyone in the clearing laughed. Well, except Cronus, but he did smile, and that was basically a laugh for him.

  “In human terms, maybe,” Panacea said, finally speaking up after spending most of her time doing the crystal thing over Rhea. “But compared to us, you’re nothing more than an infant.”

  I crossed my arms. “Well, this infant would like her information now, and if you lie to me, I will change my allegiance to the sins and let the fucking world burn.” #Dramatic #IllShowYouDramatic

  Hyperion was at my side in seconds, reaching for my hand. A ripple of something passed betwee
n us, our energy recognizing each other. “In the last battle, the Titans contained the sins, but we were losing our hold on them as each released. Your mother drew on the power of the moon, which was bright in the sky above, and formed a prison for them. But in doing so, she had to sacrifice her power…”

  “This weakened her, and of course Zeus took advantage, killing her soon after,” Cronus added. “And all of her sacrifice wasn’t enough. The prison only lasted a thousand years. We need a better solution this time.”

  My free hand wrapped around the necklace again. “That’s why I feel a connection to this,” I whispered. “It’s built from my Selene energy.” #AllegedMother

  “It’s also why the prison called so loudly to you,” Hyperion added.

  He knew? Of course, Selene was in the underworld with him. She must have told him.

  My eyes found Cronus’. His gaze was heavy on me. “You think I’ll have to sacrifice myself the same way Selene did?”

  His expression didn’t change. “Not happening. Not while I draw breath. As I said, it didn’t work last time either and we won’t try it this time.”

  Rhea coughed. “I can see you’re all greatly concerned, but can we have this chat another time? Sickness is almost released from my hold, and I’m almost dead.”

  She was awfully bossy for an almost dead person, but I understood.

  “So my necklace will hold them for now?” I asked.

  Hyperion nodded. “Oh yes. It’s powerful enough to hold most of them, but not for long. It’s a temporary solution. As more of them are trapped, the stronger the power inside the necklace will be. Think of it as a temporary prison until we can find a more permanent one.”

  For now, it was all we had. It hadn’t escaped my notice that Hyperion still hadn’t answered my question about how Selene was my mother, but I guess it really wasn’t important in the great scheme of things. Not now. We had a ton of other things to worry about first. So I didn’t push it.

  Best to just focus on one thing at a time.

  Sickness was going back in the prison. Today.

  Chapter 18