“What if it doesn’t work? What if I leave you and don’t accomplish anything?”
“At least you will have done everything possible to try,” Steve replied.
Myrine’s stomach felt as though it would rise into her throat. How could she leave her husband alone, in a hospital thousands of miles from home, when Armageddon lurked right around the corner? No one should have to live their last moments that way. Especially not someone who was loved as deeply as he was.
But if she didn’t go, it would be Mirissa facing the end of the world without family present. Myrine had missed so much of her daughter’s young life. Piano recitals, graduation, first date, first heartbreak, and even her introduction to the world of Amazons. There were so many of Mirissa’s memories that Myrine wasn’t a part of, how could she allow yet another—perhaps the last—one to come to pass?
And asking every Amazon to leave their loved ones to help her may have been the most selfish thing Myrine had ever done. It wasn’t like they could help Mirissa close the box. Artemis had been very clear that they couldn’t. All they could hope to accomplish was to allow Myrine to support her daughter while she tried. If the box was closed, Myrine would be with her daughter—in spirit at least—as she died. If the box remained open, the consciousness of every Amazon who helped her would be stuck on Tritonia while their family and friends faced the horrors of Eris.
Perhaps the harshest reality for Myrine to face was if she did go to Tritonia with her tribe and they failed to even make contact with Mirissa, then she would have abandoned both her daughter and her husband—again—during the most difficult time in their lives.
Steve wiped a tear from Myrine’s cheek and gently cupped her face. “I love you, sweetheart. I always have, and I always will. You sacrificed so much to keep our daughter safe all those years ago. Now it’s my turn to sacrifice something. Lie down next to me and send your consciousness to Tritonia. Contact Mirissa, let her feel your love and support no matter what happens. Take care of our girl. I’ll hold you in my arms until the end, through whatever that goddess throws at us, knowing you guys are exactly where you need to be.”
Myrine’s heart swelled at her husband’s words. He’d said exactly what she needed to hear. She lay down beside him, resting her head carefully on his uninjured shoulder, and prepared to leave him.
“I will love you forever, Steve.”
And then she was gone.
Chapter 32
Tartarus felt a little less terrifying after witnessing Hades’s true personality, but Mirissa knew she needed to overcome that false sense of security. Hades may possess a softer side, but his hell realm most certainly did not.
After leaving their temporary prison cell, Mirissa led the way as best she could. The key provided her a general sense of what direction to go, but its messages to her subconscious meant she would feel the information more than learn it.
If only it could transmit Google map directions, she thought.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Greco asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Mirissa understood his trepidation. The tunnel they travelled had progressively gotten smaller and smaller, eventually forcing them to crouch low and walk in single file. Flip, being of much smaller stature, was the only one able to stand upright.
“As far as I can tell, yeah,” Mirissa answered. “At least there’s nothing growing on the walls this time.”
By the time they reached its end, the tunnel had shrunk in size by half again. An archway, no larger than a tall kitchen cupboard, served as its exit.
“Can you see what’s out there?” Flip asked.
“Looks like an empty room.” Mirissa tentatively reached her hand through the opening. The air felt cooler than what they’d been dealing with. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Mirissa sidestepped in a crouch across the opening. She was halfway through when giant claws swiped at her. Razor sharp and smelling of rotten flesh, they took a chunk of her left shoulder with them. She dove back to the safety of the tunnel, screaming obscenities.
“What the hell was that?” Greco demanded while checking her injury.
“Definitely not a house pet,” Mirissa spewed the words through her pain. She leaned back against the wall, knees pulled to her chest, while she tested her arm’s mobility. Not good. The animal, or whatever it was, had torn through her rotator cuff. “This is going to take a while to heal,” she said.
“Not if I can help it,” Flip said. “Move aside, Greco.”
Mirissa watched the two struggle to change positions in the small space. If her teeth hadn’t been clenched against the pain, she would have laughed.
When he reached her side, Flip placed his hand over her injury. Her sharp intake of breath at the contact quickly became a long sigh of relief as his touch healed the wound.
“Wow, Flip. You’re a handy guy to have around. Thank you,” Mirissa said.
Flip beamed with pride. “Any time.”
“We still need to get into that room. Do you have anything in your god-powered-arsenal for that?” Mirissa asked.
“I might.” The smile that emerged on Flip’s face reminded her of a child’s. He looked so excited to finally be asked to sit at the grown-up’s table. “Wait for my signal.”
Before she had the chance to ask him about his plan, he teleported away. Mirissa and Greco brought forth the blades from their rings while they waited for the signal.
A moment later, Flip wailed from somewhere on the other side of the archway. “Now would be a good time to come in! Please!”
Mirissa shot through the opening, followed immediately by Greco. She sized up their surroundings in a matter of seconds. The space, no larger than the conference room at the Omega Group’s headquarters, was home to an immense four-legged beast. The quills covering its back rose and fell like waves on water as it roared.
A spray of blood splattered across Mirissa’s face, but it didn’t come from the animal.
“What are you doing?” she screamed.
Flip floundered at the far end of the room, cornered by the creature while its claws made minced-meat of him. Just as he healed one nearly fatal laceration, the next would be inflicted.
“My powers don’t work on him, so this is the only way I could—” Another blow cut Flip’s arm clean off. Although a new appendage quickly grew in its place, it became apparent that he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the assault for much longer.
Without a word, Mirissa and Greco charged forward, one on either side of the rabid animal. They thrust their blades deep into its torso, withdrew, and thrust again. The creature reeled up and lashed out at Greco with its tail, before swinging a massive set of claws at Mirissa. She teleported out of its path, but it found her as soon as she materialized.
The gash tore through her back and brought her to her knees. She looked up just in time to see the beast spread its jaws, saliva dripping from jagged teeth, and move in for the kill. She raised her blade in hopes of staving off the attack, but it never came.
The creature roared as Greco impaled it. Flip teleported to her side and healed her newest wound, then did the same for Greco who’d received his own lacerations in the fray.
One at a time, they pierced the animal with their blades, Flip healing their numerous injuries as quickly as he could. Mirissa lost count of how many wounds the beast sustained before it finally fell. It lay in a growing pool of blood, chest heaving with each labored breath, until exhaling for the final time.
“Are you guys okay?” Flip asked.
Mirissa bent over and rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. “Thanks to you, yes. Why didn’t your powers work?”
“They did work, just not on that thing. Maybe my powers aren’t strong enough. Or maybe Hades created his beasts to be immune to the gods. I really don’t know,” Flip said.
Greco wandered over to him with an outstretched hand. “You really stepped up, Flip. We couldn’t have done this with
out you. Thanks.”
When Flip clasped his hand, he shook it with enthusiasm and burst into an ear-to-ear smile. “You’re welcome. But, what exactly did I step up on?”
Shaking his head and wearing an amused grin, Greco pointed to another small gap in the rock wall behind the animal. “Is it safe to assume that’s where we need to go?”
On the opposite side of the room from the door they’d used for entry, lay the exit. It appeared the designers of Tartarus, whoever they might be, wanted to make traversing the realm as difficult as possible. Mirissa wondered how many other beast-filled rooms bisected the tunnel system. She held her key for a moment before nodding. “We’re close.”
Chapter 33
Myrine’s eyes glistened as she absorbed the scene on Tritonia. She’d expected to be greeted by Amazons. What she hadn’t expected was to be greeted by all of the Amazons. Her entire tribe had given up what could very well have been the last moments they would have with their loved ones and come to help her.
Myrine addressed the crowd. “I need you to understand that I’m not asking for your help as your Queen. You are under no obligation to be here, and I’ll understand if any of you choose to leave.”
A single tear trickled down Myrine’s cheek, as every last warrior stood her ground. “I don’t know what to say, except thank you.” Myrine choked out the words past the lump in her throat. “All right. Two of our own are on Mount Olympus right now, trying to put a stop to what’s happening in our world. We may not be able to help Mirissa and Greco physically, but perhaps we can bolster them in other ways.”
Gayle Costa strode forward and wrapped her arms around Myrine, before speaking to the group. “I’m Greco’s mother. Many of you don’t know me, mostly because I wasn’t worth knowing for a very long time. But I want to thank you for coming to help. You’ve sacrificed so much to be here. I promise, if we get out of this mess alive, I’ll spend the rest of my days earning this gift.”
“How do you want to proceed?” Asteria asked from the front row.
“I’m not entirely sure. We’ve never done anything like this before. I think our best bet is to focus our thoughts on Mirissa and hope our rings take us the rest of the way.”
As they all took seats on the grass, Asteria grabbed Myrine’s left hand, and Gayle grabbed her right. The gesture spread through the group until every Amazon was connected to another. Myrine had never felt so humbled in her life.
As they closed their eyes to begin the uncertain process of reaching across realms, it occurred to Myrine that someone was missing. “Have you seen my namesake?” she asked Asteria.
“No. No one has,” she answered.
Although their ancient queen’s absence was cause for concern, Myrine forced herself to put aside the worry. Mirissa and Greco were trying to save the entire world, and they deserved her undivided attention.
She joined the group in focusing on Mirissa and immediately felt the alliance bloom inside her. Her ring tingled as their essences intertwined, the energy flowing through their hands from one warrior to the next.
Mirissa. We’re here, sweetheart.
Myrine concentrated on the image of her daughter, willing herself to connect. At times she felt an odd chill, then droplets of sweat would form on her forehead from heat that didn’t exist on Tritonia. She hoped it was a sign of their connection, but couldn’t be sure.
A searing pain exploded in her left shoulder. Judging by the sharp intakes of breaths and groans emanating from the others, they’d felt it, too. Gritting her teeth, Myrine tried not to let the pain distract her but was losing that battle quickly. A moment later, her suffering ended.
Damn it. Myrine felt sure they’d been channeling Mirissa. There didn’t seem to be any other explanation for the group’s shared experience. When the pain disappeared, Myrine lost her confidence.
Until another episode of agony gripped her, then another, and another. Pain exploded in one part of her body and then dissipated moments later before erupting somewhere else. The roller coaster of torture and relief dragged on until Myrine couldn’t take it anymore. Not the physical anguish, but the emotional. Is this what you’re going through right now, Mirissa?
Sighs of relief swept through the Amazons when the assault finally ended, though Myrine didn’t know whether to feel joy or sorrow. Had Mirissa and Greco won whatever horrific battle they’d been fighting, or had they lost?
I’m here, sweetheart. We all are. Whether or not it would make a difference, remained to be seen.
Chapter 34
Mirissa once again led the way, with Greco and Flip close on her heels, through the tunnels of Tartarus. Since leaving the beast’s cave, she’d stopped having to hold onto her key to determine which direction to travel. She simply knew. With each twist and turn, her certainty strengthened and her pace quickened.
I’m here, sweetheart. We all are.
“What did you say?” Mirissa asked her companions.
Greco glanced at Flip, then back to her. “We didn’t. Did you hear something?”
Mirissa paused, biting her lower lip. “I don’t know. For a second I thought … It was probably just my imagination.”
Shaking off the odd sensation, she resumed her pace. The tunnel system proved a maze of epic proportions, with openings sprouting in every direction. Each time they passed one, sounds of unseen horrors echoed down the passageway. Her imagination wove intricate scenes of torture around noises she’d previously considered benign—roaring fire, bubbling water, falling rocks, the scrape of sandpaper, and so many more. The accompanying screams and moans served only to heighten the imagery her mind created. She couldn’t even guess why the souls trapped there deserved such punishments.
Mirissa turned into a small alcove that held a single wooden door. The iron ring hanging in place of a handle, beckoned her to pull it open.
“The box is on the other side of that door. I can feel it,” she said. The search had ended, and her real journey was about to begin. Taking a deep breath, Mirissa reached for the ring, only to be stopped by Flip’s hand on her arm.
“Isn’t there something you need to do first?” His eyebrows rose as he jerked his head repeatedly in Greco’s direction. “Hmm?”
Mirissa swallowed hard. With all of the craziness they’d endured since travelling through the portal to Mount Olympus and then down to Tartarus, she’d forgotten to tell Greco the truth about her destiny. She gave a quick nod to Flip, who backed into the tunnel to give them privacy.
Mirissa grabbed Greco’s hands. “There’s something I need to tell you.” She stared into his eyes while trying to find the right words to lessen the blow, but there were none. “Um, I’m not going to make it out of this alive.”
“What? Don’t think like that, Mirissa. We’ve made it this far, there’s no reason to believe—”
“Yes, there is,” Mirissa cut him off. “Artemis told me that closing the box will kill me. That’s my destiny.”
Greco stepped back, releasing her grip and running his hands through his hair. “That’s what you’ve been hiding? Why would you keep that from me?”
Mirissa’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I didn’t know how to tell you, or anyone.”
Anger flared in Greco’s eyes. “You obviously told Flip, a complete stranger you had zero connection with.”
“No! I didn’t,” she retorted. “He found out when he translated the key. It didn’t say what you think it did. I asked him to lie so I could tell you when the right time came.”
“And you thought this was the right time,” he huffed. “What about when I begged you to confide in me? When we actually had time to figure out another way? Why wait until now?”
“Because there is no other way, Greco,” Mirissa said. “And I knew if I told you earlier, you’d have spent every minute arguing with me about it. Kind of like you’re doing right now.”
Greco opened his mouth as if to tear into her again but stopped himself. Instead, he wrapped her in his arms and squeezed.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “It’s just … we haven’t had our life together yet.”
Mirissa pulled back enough to see his beautiful face. A multitude of emotions played across his features, but all she could see was the future she would be missing. Their first real date, their first night together, their first, well, everything. She’d never been one to daydream about weddings or children or growing old with someone, but at that moment, all of those things filled her imagination. How could the loss of something she’d yet to have be so unbearable?
“I love you, Greco,” she said through the tears streaming down her face.
“I love you, too. I have from the moment I first met you,” he said, wiping her cheeks with his thumbs. “And that means I’ll fight to keep you with me. Just like you did in Savannah.”
“Okay,” Mirissa said. She knew he needed to believe there was a chance, so she let him. “Let’s go save the world.” She turned to open the door behind her, only to be whirled around by her arm, landing in Greco’s embrace.
The kiss he planted on her made all thoughts of doors and boxes and destinies flitter away. For one glorious moment, nothing mattered but the two of them.
“Are you guys ready?” Flip said from inches away.
Moment over.
“Yes, Flip. We’re ready,” she said. This time, when she turned to open the door, no romantic hero from a movie stopped her. She grabbed the ring and pulled. When the door opened enough for her to see the other side, she gasped.
Daedric stared back at her, standing in an exact replica of his game room on Ortega, with her dad and his Navy SEAL buddies tied up on the stage. She took a step forward into what felt like a memory, or a dream, of the day she’d almost gotten her father killed. The day she had gotten his friend and former team member killed. Lincoln died because of her.
Pandora (Book 3) (The Omega Group) Page 16