by Haley Weir
“She could have killed me, but she didn’t.” Caleb steadied Balor on his feet and turned his attention to Zeus. “If Olivia doesn’t tell Zeus where the sword is hidden, can you free her from Olympus? Artemis thinks her father is afraid of something. He’s paranoid and lashing out at the other gods if they speak against the war.”
“The others don’t want war?” Balor scoffed. His head spun dangerously. “I hear them in my head, remember? This world means nothing to the gods.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “The point is that Zeus is afraid. If we find out what it is that has him spooked, maybe we can exploit it.”
“Olivia won’t risk her life to protect us,” Balor claimed. “If Zeus threatens humanity, she’ll give up the sword.” He straightened his jacket and wiped the sweat from his brow. “We need to find it on our own before she does.”
Rina limped over to Balor. Her arm reared back and she slapped him across the face. “How dare you? You don’t even know her. Olivia would never betray us! She’d die before putting us at risk, no matter what you choose to believe.”
Balor flexed his jaw. “She wasn’t thinking about any of us when she stole the sword in the first place. Be blind to Olivia’s flaws, but she isn’t who you think she is. For all we know, she summoned Zeus and got herself caught.”
When Rina attempted to strike him again, Balor caught her by the wrist. Caleb lifted his bow, aiming an arrow at Balor’s chest. “Unhand my mate or Hades will reap your soul sooner than you intended, brother,” the blond shifter said grimly.
Balor released Rina. “Olivia Knight is a demon.”
“Liar.”
He shook his head and glanced over at Hades. “It’s why he sensed when she left the mortal world. She’s a succubus. Even if she didn’t go with Zeus willingly, she’s probably seduced him for her own gain by now.”
Chapter Seven
Mount Olympus
Olivia bashed her fist into Zeus’s ribs as he attempted to wrestle her into the glowing cage that sat beside his throne. She kicked and punched the King of The Gods with all of her might, but he was too strong. Her back hit the ground. The air in her lungs escaped with a loud puff as she writhed on the floor. Zeus sneered down at Olivia. He lifted his foot to kick her, but she rolled out of the way. She climbed to her feet and ran for the door, but two figures appeared before her. The woman hit Olivia upside the head with a longbow, and her vision went dark for a moment. “Cheap shot,” Olivia complained as she touched her throbbing temple. “Who are you?”
“Artemis.”
She pulled up onto unstable legs and glanced at the man beside the goddess. “I take it he’s Apollo. Heard he’s a pain in the ass. Guess the apple didn’t fall far from that tree.” Olivia then gestured over her shoulder at Zeus. “Your father is a real piece of work, you know? Might want to trade him in for a newer model.”
"You...are a strange human."
"Not a human, apparently," she replied with a shrug. "Why don't you be a doll and step aside so I can find my way out of here?" Olivia caught sight of something from the corner of her eye. Prometheus. He walked among the gods, but none of them saw him. Giddeon had told her that Prometheus was an ally of Zeus and Atë. However, it looked as though Prometheus was searching for something and had no intention of showing himself to Zeus. Olivia turned her attention back to Artemis.
The goddess shoved past Olivia, triggering the same sort of reaction that Zeus had. Artemis glared daggers into Olivia and pulled up her sleeve. The place where they touched was nearly seared to the bone. "What sorcery is this?" Artemis shrieked. She blasted Olivia with a spell, only for the magic to fizz out before it reached her. The goddess screamed at the top of her lungs like a petulant child. Olivia looked down at herself, amazed by all that had occurred. She stepped away from Artemis. Zeus and Apollo shared a look that Olivia couldn't quite read. Though she was held captive, she was immune to their powers.
“Who are you?” Artemis asked.
“I don't know,” replied Olivia. She ran over to the pool of glittering waters and stared down at her reflection. The same hazel eyes stared back at her, but Olivia no longer recognized herself. Her unruly ginger curls fell in loose waves around her shoulders. Skin as pale as moonlight cast a glow upon the water. Zeus approached her with caution. He rested a hand upon her shoulder before brushing a tendril of hair behind her ear. “What am I?”
“You are a threat.”
Olivia knew she had to do something drastic to keep herself safe. She leaped towards Apollo and snatched the dagger from his belt. Her hand trembled as she slid the blade across her palm. Beads of scarlet liquid rolled onto the floor. “I swear my soul to Balor Blackheart, Sage of The Gods and Soothsayer of The Olympians.” Zeus knocked the dagger out of her hand, but it was too late. A strange flutter of magic rushed through her body. Olivia smiled. With her devotion, Balor was one step closer to ascending. “Balor!”
Apollo struck fast.
Dark spots danced in her vision as Olivia fell to the ground. She heard muffled voices shouting until the shadows pulled her deeper into darkness. The rustling of chains and the stench of blood awakened her sometime later. Each breath was tinged with the taste of iron. Olivia tried to make out the shapes that writhed in the corners of the unlit. Large black wings scraped across the ground, rustling like leaves blown in the Autumn wind. A handsome face appeared out of the darkness. Olivia recognized him as Diana's friend from the great Marsh in the Underworld. “Styx?”
“You shouldn't be here,” he rasped. Another shadow moved in the dungeon. Styx dragged himself up the wall to assist the other male. He grabbed onto his arm and propped him up. “Adonis and I have been trying to escape for...I don’t know how long. How did they capture you, Olivia? Humans don’t belong in Olympus.”
“Seems I’m not as human as I thought.”
Styx limped closer to her once Adonis was upright. “The sword?”
“Safe,” she sighed. “Zeus captured me. He knows I was the last person alive to see the sword, but I haven’t given him anything. Each time he tries to touch me, it burns him. Artemis too. Their magic doesn’t work against me, either. I think it has something to do with me being a succubus.”
“No succubus has such power.”
“Who does?”
“A Titan,” Styx answered warily. “Only Titans have the ability to physically harm an Olympian. If you’re a Titan, then you can’t be a succubus, Olivia.”
“But I have seductive powers that I can’t explain!”
“Titans are primordial beings that were created long before the gods.” Styx lifted his hand in front of her face. One of his eyes shifted and became as reflective as a mirror. “You do not belong to the celestial bloodline. If you are a Titan, you are one forgotten long ago. In fact, you may even predate Gaea.” The wonder and excitement in Styx’s voice made Olivia nervous. She looked down at the collar around his neck.
“I can’t be a Titan. There has to be another explanation.”
“I’m sorry, Olivia, but there isn’t one.”
“So, it didn’t work when I promised my soul to Balor?” Olivia couldn’t believe her poor luck. Her eyes strained to see Styx and Adonis where he leaned against the wall. “I had hoped it would help him find me. If it didn't work, then I guess we’re on our own.”
~*~
Mount Olympus
He heard her call in the back of his mind like a siren’s song, but the voice was far too clear to have come from a demon like a succubus. Balor had only ever heard the voices of the gods so sharply that it cut through the chaos that battled for dominance in his mind. Olivia needed him. He was determined to find her, but the wards protecting Olympus were strong. Zeus had increased security after the heist Diana and Seth pulled off when they robbed the armory. Guards patrolled the gold-lined paths between the temples. Archers kept watch in towers placed in the south and north corners of the heavenly fields.
A fine mist crept along the ground, wrapping around Balor’s ank
les as he stalked towards Zeus’s temple. Hades moved brazenly along the path until he stood at the heart of Olympus. Balor hadn’t seen the Conclave of The Gods since he was a young boy. Even as a child, he had the ability to travel to the most sacred grounds. “I can sense Olivia. She’s somewhere in Zeus’s temple. Her presence is strong here.”
“It could be a trap,” Hades warned.
"Then what do you suggest I do? I can't just sit here and wait for something to happen."
"I'll distract them while you take Olivia and go."
Balor grabbed Hades by the arm when he tried to walk away. "Diana needs you. Hasn't she gone long enough without a father in her life?"
"It is because of my daughter that I offered to be the distraction. Zeus cannot kill me. There is a power inside of my vessel that not even you could ever see."
"What's that?" he asked.
"A father's love." Hades pulled away from Balor and used his bident to summon the other Olympians to their thrones. Balor observed from afar as Zeus looked upon Hades with the sort of hatred and respect that Balor had seen exchanged between his brothers. Artemis stood beside Apollo with Atë in hand. To his surprise, Zeus remained calm as Hades approached him. Balor held his breath.
"It has been eighty years since you summoned us," Zeus said impassively. "Five hundred more since we answered your call. These are truly desperate times, brother."
Hades’ gaze scanned the faces of the other gods that occupied the thrones. “Indeed, they are. For the rumors of war have reached the underworld, and yet none of you have come forward. I had hoped you all learned your lesson when Samael and his sons nearly ended your reign when Thanatos chose them as his champions.”
“Filthy mongrels,” Hermes sneered.
Balor bit his tongue to keep quiet. The trickster god had never been the same since Balor stole his beloved sandals. Hades shook his head at his fellow gods. Each and every one of them knew that the God of Death was the rightful ruler of Olympus. Had Hades not chosen to step down, Zeus would never have been in power. For it had been Hades that defeated Cronus, despite what the humans claimed. Balor slipped further out of sight and stepped inside of Zeus’s temple. White stone floors and pillars of gold accentuated the walls that appeared to be rolling storm clouds. Balor stepped lightly, moving quickly through the temple until he came upon a door of solid gold. He sensed Olivia just on the other side.
His hand pushed against the door, and it opened with a faint squeak. Stairs twirled down into the pit of the mountain. Balor was careful not to let his aura trigger any wards as he stepped into darkness. Torches snapped to life with ethereal fire that cast a blue glow upon the walls. The stench of vomit and urine stung his eyes. Balor covered his mouth and nose before he crept deeper into the seemingly endless pit. His boots crunched upon piles of ancient bones. Some were human...others...well, Balor had no interest in finding out.
“Olivia?” he whispered.
Chains rattled, and a pale hand shot out towards his face. Balor jumped back before he saw that it was her. Dark smudges of dried blood marred her beautiful features. Shackles secured her arms and legs to a wall crawling with insects. She trembled before him. Sadness and relief warred in her eyes. “You heard me…” Olivia said quietly, voice cracking with emotion.
“I came as soon as you called my name.”
She jerked away from him. “Who are you?”
“I’m Balor,” he insisted. When he reached out to touch her, she pressed herself against the wall. “Please, Olivia. I’m here to take you home. We don’t have much time. I don’t know how long Hades can keep them busy.”
“Two years…”
“It’s been less than a day.”
Olivia shook her head. “Two years since I called your name.”
Balor crowded her space so she couldn’t move away from him. He tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers. Visions flashed in his mind…
She screamed until her throat was raw.
Claws scraped along her arms.
Olivia was forced to swallow the mouthfuls of blood that pooled between her lips. She coughed and sputtered, heaving with each slide of the blade across her abdomen. Adonis writhed on the floor as lightning coursed through his body—and still she reached for him. Styx bellowed with rage. Black feathers fell to the ground. Golden spikes pinned him to the ceiling by his shoulders as Apollo laughed with manic joy at the sight of their pain.
“He isn’t coming for you,” Zeus shouted. “Tell me where the sword is!”
“Balor…” The sound was faint, barely a whisper amongst the agonizing screams that filled the dungeon. Olivia scraped her nails along the wall until her fingers bent back in unnatural angles. Harpies tore away at her flesh and bones, digging their hooked talons into her body until she lost consciousness...
Chapter Eight
Mount Olympus
The taste of Balor was like gas to a flame. Olivia slammed against the wall. Magic erupted within her, shattering the shackles that held her captive for far too long. Her weary bones collapsed and she fell to the blood-soaked floor. The muscles in her arms protested as she crawled towards Adonis. Olivia lifted his head up from the pile of bones beneath him. She brushed the strands of blond hair from his face before gently waking him from his slumber. He came awake fighting, but Olivia held him still. “Adonis,” she rasped. Her throat burned something fierce. “Come on. It’s Olivia…”
His brilliant gaze snapped open. “Liv.”
“Yeah.” Tears fell from her eyes and dripped onto his mangled arm. “He’s here. Balor came for us.” She tried to stand, but her legs were too weak to support her weight. Balor rushed over and lifted Adonis from the floor. “We have to get Styx down.”
Olivia ignored the pain in her body as she ran to the ropes that hoisted Styx up to the ceiling. He hung in the air like a macabre painting. She clenched her jaw and slowly lowered him from the spikes. Blood-curdling groans echoed through the dungeon, and Olivia wanted to see Zeus’s head on a pike. Her arms tingled with pins and needles as she struggled to steady Styx before he touched the ground. He tossed the long tresses of dark hair out of his face. “Thank you, Sunshine,” Styx grumbled. “Let’s get out of here before I lose my lunch again.”
“You would have had to have been fed lunch to lose it.”
Balor appeared by her side. He took Styx from her grasp and gestured to the portal that rippled in the corner of the dungeon. “Move. The wards have been triggered by our magic. Guards will be on us any second now.”
Olivia nodded even as doubt began to fester in her heart.
She hobbled over to the portal, but Apollo tore her away from Balor by her hair. There was no fight left in her body. Apollo was careful not to touch her skin as he dragged her up the stairs. Balor tossed Styx through the portal behind Adonis and chased after her. The door slammed before he could stop Apollo. Locks banged and clanged inside the door, trapping Balor in the dungeon as a fresh wave of wards sealed around the frame.
“Olivia! I’ll get you out of here, I promise!”
Apollo threw her onto Zeus’s bed.
Hera burst into the room. “Release her. Now.” Zeus’s wife stood toe to toe with Apollo without fear. “Release both of them.”
“What? They—”
“Are protected under the treaty,” Hera interrupted. “While I turn a blind eye to many of your father’s errors, I will not bend on the laws that allow us to rule. Send them back to the mortal world or else you will join the Titans in Tartarus.”
“You will not be able to protect these bears forever.”
“No, I will not. But until that day comes, I am enslaved by oath to ensure that their bloodline does by our doing. Do you understand, Apollo?”
Apollo turned his furious gaze from Hera to Olivia. “Yes.”
With a snap of the Olympian’s fingers, she was catapulted through a vortex of bright light and stars that twinkled like diamonds. Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for her nightmare to
end. She curled into a ball, weeping until the roaring in her ears stopped suddenly. Her body quivered on the floor of the entrance hall where Zeus had taken her from the cabin. The fire still blazed in the hearth, filling the den with the scent of burning oak. Olivia rolled onto her back and tried to find the strength within her body to move. An eerie silence fell over the cabin as she waited for the screaming to start all over again. Zeus and Apollo toyed with her mind until Olivia questioned what was real and what was a dream.
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream," she said, quoting Edgar Allen Poe. Sweat, blood, and other bodily fluids made her skin stick to the wood floor. Olivia grimaced as she sat up. Nausea tickled the back of her throat, and pain stole her breath away. Every muscle in her body tensed. "You can do it…"
In one clumsy leap, Olivia forced herself to her feet. She turned her back on the door even as someone knocked loudly. All she wanted was the pain to go away. Olivia shuffled towards the stairs and crawled up one at a time. Her knees ached, and the smell of her dress alone nearly made her faint, but she pushed on with nothing more than sheer determination. She let out a broken celebratory shout as she reached the top of the stairs. The front door opened. Balor knelt in front of Goofer Dust all over the floor. He looked up at her with a faint smile. "Smart. I only wish it would have worked against Olympians."
"Trial and error. I'll be more prepared next time."
"Next time?"
"Zeus said I was a threat," she replied. "He won't stop until I'm out of the way for good. The only reason I'm alive right now is because of Hera."
Balor closed the door behind him and met her at the top of the stairs. He lifted Olivia into his arms, carrying her to the master suite. "We'll worry about that when the time comes. I need to ask you a few questions."
"Like what?"
"Did you tell Zeus about our allies in this war?"