Hades tuned in for a minute. He’s still talking? He groaned and tuned right back out.
“It’s weird, right?” Triton asked.
I blinked and nodded. “So weird.”
“Totally! Like, unicorn in space weird. He’s got to have one of those tumors in his head from screaming so much.”
“Wait!” I put up a hand as if that would stop the endless flow of prattle. “There are unicorns?”
Triton gave me a look generally reserved for small children and lunatics. “Um, no. It’s just a saying.”
My shoulders sagged in disappointment. “Oh.”
“So, what’s your realm like?”
I opened my mouth, but before I could answer, he bombarded me with questions about my realm, the people in it, celebrity gossip, and video games. The inquisition lasted for what felt like hours before the carriage came to an abrupt halt.
“Oh, we’re here!” Triton stepped out of the carriage and motioned for some green seaweedish looking people, very obviously female, but beyond that indistinguishable, to take the reins. I stepped out of the carriage, making sure my bubble stayed around me.
“Where’s here?”
“The sand bar. There’s an island above us, we just have to swim a little tiny bit. I’ll be right here with you.”
“We’re surfacing?” My thoughts shifted to Zeus. “I can’t be seen until I touch land.” If I were in my mom’s realm, I could teleport before Zeus could grab me. But if he saw me first...
“No one can find you here.” Triton touched my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. Now take a breath.”
I drew in a deep breath just before the bubble popped. Triton grabbed my arm, and kicking off the sandy bottom, we swam up to the surface. It wasn’t far. Once we surfaced, he led me toward a shoreline, and within seconds we could stand and walk.
When I looked up, I realized why Triton wasn’t worried about Zeus seeing me. There was no sky. Just more ocean. I could see dark forms swimming through the waves above us and took a shaking breath.
“This is the circle,” Triton announced. He took my hand and helped me to shore while I looked around in shock. I could swear I felt sun. It was blindingly bright outside, but it couldn’t be.
Just like the Underworld, Hades reminded me.
Right. Not real sun. And this... area... must be shielded. That explained the air, and the random land and trees, and... was that a bird I heard? The sand beneath my feet didn’t feel familiar at all. There was no resonance, no life in it that spoke to me. This was land, but it wasn’t my realm.
Don’t over think it, Hades warned. I don’t want to go down the coma road again. Look, we created your realm and the Underworld. Why not an entire realm beneath the ocean where your human scientists can never find it?
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to the horizon. A thin strip of land was just barely visible, almost too far away to see.
“An edge of the circle.” Triton steered my eyes to the end of each line of sight.
“Land surrounds all this water on every side.” He motioned to the ocean we’d just emerged from. “Any water inside this circle of land is safe. And the land is... mostly safe. But everything on the other side of the circle is visible to your people. Anything semi-sentient lives here, either on the land or in the water, or both. Everything else... ”
A thick line of rainforest-like trees lined the entire shore. I heard jungle noises and squinted to get a better look, but the tree line was too thick to see through. “How far from regular water are we?”
Triton bit his lip. “Pretty far. It’ll take a week or two to hike from this end to the other.”
A week. I fiddled with my necklace. That wasn’t so bad. “And then? How far from land that’s not part of your realm?”
Triton shrugged. “I’ve never been. But we can travel faster once we hit water.”
“And there are... things... in the other water.” Images of sharks and giant octopi filled my mind. I was terrified of the ocean.
“They won’t mess with you while I’m here.” Triton beamed. “I told you, I’ll protect you.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and tried to push aside my unease. “Let’s go.”
I started toward the tree line, and Triton grabbed my hand. “Not that way.” A flicker of fear flashed in his eyes.
“Why not?”
“That’s where the giants live.”
Chapter XXIX
Aphrodite
“I STILL CAN’T believe you tricked me.” Ares’ hands were clenched tight to the black leather steering wheel.
I looked at him over my sunglasses. “I can’t believe you were that easy to trick. Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Might as well,” he grumbled.
“Why does everyone think I’m easy?”
Ares considered for a moment, and my opinion of him rose. He wasn’t stammering excuses or flushing in shame or acting indignant. Gods, I decided, were much better at handling this question than humans.
At least the humans I’d asked.
“Wishful thinking?” He suggested with a shrug. “With the exception of that stunt in the hallway, I haven’t gotten any mixed signals. Probably has something to do with your charm.”
“I can control my charm.”
“I can too, but most people still find me irresistible. Just because you have it under control doesn’t mean people can’t sense you’re awesome.” He gave me a sideways grin. “Are you?”
“Awesome?”
“Easy. ’Cause when we get back from this...” He trailed off with a suggestive look.
I grinned and pushed my sunglasses over my eyes. “Guess you’ll just have to stick around and find out.”
Ares studied me before turning his attention to the road. “Why doesn’t anyone trust you?”
I gave a bitter laugh. “Because I’m working with Zeus.”
Ares turned his head so fast he nearly lost control of the car.
“Oh please, not willingly.” I examined my nails so I wouldn’t have to see his face when he put that little puzzle together.
It felt like an eternity passed before he spoke again. “Well, that sucks.”
I laughed. “You’re telling me.”
He pulled the car to a stop. I glanced around. We were parked outside of a square brick building with faded posters of old video games hanging from the windows. “Here?” I waved my hand at the abandoned arcade. “Seriously?”
Ares shrugged. “You can still turn back.”
I got out of the car and walked up to the dingy windows. They were yellow with pollen, making it impossible to see inside.
Ares pounded on the door, frowning when the pollen rained down on his hand. “What season is it here?”
His question gave me pause as I wondered where he came from. That, and I found myself stumped, realizing how much time had passed. “Uh...” I did some quick mental math. “Winter? Yeah, it’s what? Mid-December?”
“So...” Ares shook the pollen off his hand. “Is it safe to assume this is old, or has Demeter just completely lost track of the seasons?”
I shrugged. “This is Georgia. It’s never safe to assume anything about the weather here.” I didn’t know if it was the concentration of nature deities in the area or just an unfortunate location, but just because it was nearly eighty degrees outside now didn’t mean it wouldn’t be snowing tomorrow.
Ares knocked again, lacing it with enough power to shake the building. “I know you’re in there!”
“Go away!” A gruff voice shouted back.
“Aw, hell.” Ares clenched his fist and flames sprang up from his flesh. He touched his hand to the glass, and it shattered.
“That’s—” I started.
�
��Awesome?” Ares interrupted, flashing me a grin.
“Not how glass reacts to fire.” I finished, staring at the pellets of glass covering the sidewalk.
Ares frowned at me and started to say something, but was cut off when a huge hulking shape burst from the arcade screaming obscenities and tackled him.
Ares lit up like a match, flames encasing his body like the top of a baked Alaska. The man punching the daylights out of Ares was undaunted by the fire.
“Knock it off!” I pulled at the big guy’s shoulder. Fire licked my arm and I yelped, surprised by the unexpected pain. The man, Hephaestus, I realized, spun around at my touch and raised his hand as if he were going to hit me, then froze.
I shifted uncomfortably under his intense stare.
“Yeah, she’s pretty. Now get off me.” Ares pushed at the bigger man until he relented. “You okay?”
He grabbed my hand, which was taking its sweet time healing. A pulse of power passed through me, speeding up the process, but I hardly noticed.
Hephaestus stood, towering above me, but that wasn’t what made me step back in fear.
Half of his face was an unrecognizable web of scar tissue. It looked melted. Skin hung in odd places. His empty eye socket drooped toward his nose. Like one of those Photoshop tricks where you click the mouse, and an image swirls into a grotesque parody of its former self.
“What happened to you?” I gasped. Gods could heal from anything, so what could possibly disfigure a deity? I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his face. It rippled, like a current of electricity was passing under his skin.
“I took my weapons back.”
I shuddered as images of the long metal stakes bombarded my mind. Once upon a time, he’d created a weapon that could kill gods with a scratch, but they’d all been melted down centuries ago.
“I’ve told you a hundred thousand times,” he continued, glowering at Ares, “I don’t make them anymore. Bringing her along to charm me into it is just low.”
“I didn’t—” Ares started.
“Hey!” Hephaestus called, but it was too late. I’d slipped into the arcade and was looking around wide-eyed.
The arcade was really nice inside. Sure there were posters of video games plastered all over the walls, but the place had a sleek, modern look that appealed to me. The furniture was beautiful. Everything was made of hand-worked metal. I paused at a large table. Metal, of course, but it was like nothing I’d ever seen before. A myriad of colors—bronze, gold, silver, and every metallic shade in between—wove together to create a spectacular pattern of leaves. I felt like I was touching fall. I’d half expected bunk beds and empty pizza boxes, but this...
Of course the furniture was nothing compared to the tech. One wall showed a picture of heavily-armored, computer-generated people fighting some big red fiery... something. But the picture was moving. I tilted my head, searching the seamless wall for a screen. Glancing up, I followed a pattern of lights to a projector attached to the ceiling. The espresso-colored sofa on a wrought-iron frame was littered with keyboards, mice, and random game controllers.
“Dude! Heals? Where are you?” A nasally voice demanding answers drifted from the wireless headset perched on the ottoman.
“Get out!” Hephaestus growled, grabbing me by the shoulder and turning me around. “I didn’t say you could come in here.”
“Your teammates are dying.” I pointed to the wall.
He cursed and snatched his keyboard off the couch, typing at a rapid pace. I watched him play for a minute.
“Course that’s nothing compared to the death and destruction we’re going to see if Zeus gets his way.” I crossed my arms and moved in front of the wall.
Hephaestus paused, a scowl further twisting his mutilated face
I dropped my hands to my sides. “We were hoping you could help us.”
Fire sparked in Hephaestus’ eye. “I don’t make weapons anymore!”
“We have weapons,” Ares interjected from the door.
I looked at him. “We do?”
Ares grinned. “You’ve got me, don’t you? Plus that chick everyone keeps jabbering on about. Demeter’s daughter, what’s-her-face.”
I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Hephaestus. “We don’t need your weapons. We need you and every god left. Zeus is powerful, and if we’re going to have any hope of winning...” I grabbed his hand, giving him a desperate look. If we didn’t defeat Zeus, I was done for. “Please. Help us.”
He started to object, but I squeezed his hand and looked him straight in the eyes... erm, eye, making sure not to flinch.
“Please.” I didn’t dare use charm. I didn’t want him to come looking for me later thinking he’d been coerced into helping.
Hephaestus looked at my hand for a moment, and his gaze softened. Then he looked into my eyes, really looked into them, with an expression I’d only ever seen on Hades’ face. Like he could see through me. But unlike Hades, he seemed to like what he saw. After considering for a long moment, he nodded, putting his other hand on top of mine. “Okay.”
He didn’t let go of my hand until Ares cleared his throat. “Right,” Hephaestus muttered, shoving past Ares and walking to the car. “I’m driving.”
What was it with gods and their inability to let anyone else drive?
Ares shot me a questioning look. “Did you charm him?”
I tossed my hair back. “Not in the way you’re thinking.” I didn’t have to use charm to wrap a man, god or no, around my finger. He was mine, hook, line, and sinker.
Chapter XXX
Persephone
I CRASHED THROUGH the trees, Triton right on my heels.
“Run! Run! Run!” Triton urged.
I was a good runner. I’d spent most of the last year running, so I’d had plenty of practice. But no matter how fast I was, I couldn’t outrun giants. “You said the giants were the other way!” I gasped.
“I got mixed up, okay? Sorry!”
So much for having a useful tour guide. A tree splintered behind me. I ducked as the bark flew at me like shrapnel. Triton cried out and I spun. My eyes widened when I saw a piece of bark as thick as my wrist protruding from his side.
I stared at Triton for a moment, shocked into stillness. Running was out.
Triton looked from the wood, to me, and back again, eyes wide. I didn’t know what to do. His knees gave out beneath him, and he sank to the ground, looking more surprised than hurt, but I knew firsthand the benefits of adrenaline. He’d feel it soon enough. The giant thundered closer, the ground shaking beneath me, and I did what I’d always done in a crisis. Shoved aside the terror and acted on instinct.
Throwing up a shield, I channeled more and more power into it until I thought I would burst from the effort. When the mud-streaked giant hit the wall of energy, I twisted it, pulling the shield around him like a net. I’d seen Hades do this to pin down a Reaper who dared attack me.
It was harder than it looked.
The giant howled with rage. Seconds ticked by where I could do nothing but stare at the grotesque beast. His skin stretched over his colossal frame, pulled so tight it looked as thin and see-through as tissue paper. With every breath the giant took, I worried his skin would split open. I felt sick looking at him.
“What did you just do?” Triton stared at the frozen giant in wonder.
Sweat poured down my face as the giant struggled against the shield. Surely there was an easier way to do this, but my knowledge was limited. Wrenching the shield in half, I brought the giant down to his knees. He still towered above me like a tree, but I could look up and meet his eyes.
“Stop struggling.” I poured every bit of my charm into that order. Fury and terror added weight to my voice, forging it into a force so strong the giant might have listened without the charm.
<
br /> But I wasn’t going to take that chance.
The giant stopped.
“Persephone,” Triton whimpered.
Right. I shook myself free of the horror and disgust and addressed the giant with a firm voice. “I’m going to release the shield. Do not move.”
With baited breath, I dropped the shield. The thunder of splitting trees and stomping feet vibrated through the forest as the rest of the giants approached. “Tell them you don’t know where we are. Protect us.”
The giant nodded. I pulled Triton behind the giant’s right foot and cast another shield, blocking us from sight and sound.
“Okay.” I knelt beside Triton and touched the tree branch. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead.
“It hurts,” he whimpered.
The giants gathered around us, eclipsing the sun. They spoke in a guttural language, shaking the earth with their gesturing. Please let me be able to fix this. I took a deep breath and yanked the bark free from Triton’s flesh, flinching when he yelled and writhed, his fingers digging violent gouges into the ground. He hit the edge of the shield with a thud. I gritted my teeth against the strain of keeping the giant charmed and the shield in place.
My hands were slick with blood, sweat, and desperation. Triton stopped struggling, eyes going glassy.
“No, you don’t.” I pulled more power through me, and Triton’s flesh knit together beneath my hand. My vision blurred.
When the giants thundered out of the clearing, the charmed one stayed behind. Dropping the shield, I told him, “Go, and forget your part in this.” The ground shook as he walked away. I counted to a hundred before dropping the charm.
“Thanks!” Triton stared at me wide-eyed. “You’re... How did you do all that at once?”
I shook my head, too relieved to care how I’d pulled that off, and struggled to my feet, clutching my necklace like a lifeline. “Let’s find somewhere safe for the night, ’kay?”
“Safe, huh?” Triton offered me his hand. “How do you feel about safe-ish?”
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