“I’ll keep trying,” I muttered, moving away from the front of his cell. “Have a nice night.”
His laugh pounded against my ears once more, sounding supremely amused. “A nice night in Hell. I’ve never been wished that before. Well, not with good intentions, that is.”
Grinning, I went back into my cell, sighing heavily. The slight happiness and accomplishment I felt from my training session quickly died off, though. This entire process was taking too long. While I was in here, training like a novice, Avalon was out in the world, alone and scared. Did the Titans have her? Did the Titan half of her know the human inside her still lived? What were they doing? Had the Olympians found them and tried to kill her again?
There were so many unanswered questions and so little time to find the answers I needed. If I couldn’t do what Hades wanted and strike him with my lightning powers, I would never leave this prison.
Avalon would be alone forever.
Aggravated, I sat down in the hot sand again, crossing my legs and placing my hands on my knees. All I could do now to help her was concentrate on getting my powers out into the open. The sooner I was able to master my concentration and instinct, the sooner she’d be back in my arms again.
“Cristos!” The guard’s voice called out to me, sounding somewhat annoyed. “Cristos!”
“I’m already in my cell,” I replied, frustrated at being interrupted. “You don’t have to worry about forcing me in here again.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do for fun around here, then?”
The second voice was familiar—so familiar I could have picked it out of a crowd of hundreds. Eyes popping open, I looked up at my visitor, the largest smile I’d worn since before I’d been exiled covering my face.
“Arsenio!”
“Hello, cousin,” he stated, nudging the guard in the back of the head with the arrow he had loaded into his bow and pulled back. “It’s good to see you.”
“What are you doing here?”
A million emotions washed through me at the sight of him. His long hair had been sheared off, leaving him almost bald, his face tired and worn. Whatever he’d been doing in the months since my exile, it had taken a toll on him. His clothes were ragged and covered in dirt, the dark green vest that stretched over his black t-shirt riddled with holes. His black jeans weren’t in much better condition. His eyes were the same, though, holding a look of intelligence and mirth.
“I fancied a visit,” he said shortly. “But the guard wouldn’t let me in. He needed a little extra convincing.”
“You’ll be punished for breaking in here,” the guard spat, yelping slightly as Arsenio poked him in the neck with the arrow tip once more. “Maybe they’ll even give you a cell, you wanted in so bad.”
“Why don’t you run along now, Guard,” Arsenio responded coldly, stepping to the side and lowering his bow. “You’ve served your purpose.”
“Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, traitor. You two will never be able to break out before I have reinforcements down here.”
“Who said anything about breaking out?” Arsenio stared at the man in surprise, holding his hands up, the bow in one and the arrow in the other. “I just came for a visit, honest.”
The guard didn’t seem to care. With a self-righteous snort, he took off in the direction of the entrance of Tartarus, muttering under his breath the entire time.
“Nice guy.” Arsenio smiled at me, shouldering his weapons and sitting in the sand in front of me. “Holy crap, how are you even sitting in that? It’s burning!” Jumping up, he brushed his pants off, checking to see if any more holes had been added to the fabric.
“It’s Tartarus, Arsenio. Everything is burning.” Staring at him, I felt a sudden lump form in my throat. “What are you doing here? Why are you breaking in to see me? The guard is right; they could lock you up for this.”
“I know.” Looking down at his hands, he fidgeted, as if second guessing his visit.
“Get out of here, then! Go, before the guards come. It’ll be the one man’s word against mine. I’ll tell them you were never here.”
“I’m not going,” he said forcefully, glancing up at me again. “I came for a reason, one you’re going to want to hear.”
“And what is that?” Slightly annoyed, I stared past him to see if there were any guards rushing in on us. The last thing I wanted was for him to end up here, a prisoner in exile like myself.
“I found her—Avalon.” Swallowing hard, he moved closer to me, dropping his voice. “The Titan who took over her body, anyway. It’s not good.”
It was as if ice had suddenly formed in my stomach. Of course Arsenio had been tracking her. She was his friend as much as she was the love of my life. He knew where I was, but he’d wanted to find her, too. He didn’t know that Avalon was still alive in there, though. Had he confronted her? Hurt her?
“What’s wrong?” Panicked, I stood and stared at him, wide eyed, wondering what horrors had befallen Avalon. “Is she hurt? Do the other Titans have her? Oh gods—is she trapped somewhere?”
“No, listen to me!” He stepped even closer to me, practically standing on top of me as he looked over his shoulder. Instantly, I realized he was worried about being overheard. But by who? The guards, or the Titans and beasts kept here?
“She’s raising an army, Cristos. She’s declaring war on Titans and Olympians alike—and people are joining her.”
Chapter Ten
Cristos
Staring at him blankly, the words didn’t seem to make any sense in my mind. There was no way my Avalon would cause such contention. She was a healer, not a warrior. I couldn’t even imagine her at the head of some force, doing the dirty work of war. Avalon was supposed to be hiding somewhere, alone and scared, waiting for me to come and rescue her from the monster who had taken her over.
“I know, it’s not what you expected,” Arsenio said quickly. “But it’s the truth. I’ve been following her for weeks. With everything I saw . . . she will destroy us all.”
“Avalon wouldn’t do something like that.” Stubbornly, I shook my head, closing my eyes, as if that would stop his accusations.
“It’s not Avalon, Cristos.” He put a hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. “It’s the Titan. Avalon isn’t there anymore.” There was pity in his tone, but hurt as well. He missed her, I suddenly realized. Hate also laced his words; he meant to take the Titan out, to put Avalon’s body to rest. If I had as little knowledge as he did, I would have been in the same place.
“You’re wrong,” I informed him, shrugging his touch away. “Avalon is still in there. She never died; her spirit is nowhere to be found. Hades himself came and told me she wasn’t here.”
“Hades? He came here?” That surprised him more than I thought it would. Stepping away, he seemed to look around the jail with more caution, as if suddenly realizing the Lord of the Dead could punish him for breaking into Tartarus.
“He comes every day,” I replied calmly. “I wouldn’t be worried, though. He’s already been here today.” For some reason, I didn’t add my feelings that Hades probably wouldn’t care if Arsenio was here or not.
“And he says Avalon isn’t here?” Arsenio seemed doubtful, like he was worried I was holding onto false hope.
“You could ask yourself. He’d probably have someone take you on a tour, if you insisted. But, yes, he claims Avalon isn’t here.”
“And you believe him?”
Staring evenly, I pressed my mouth into a thin line, crossing my arms. “I do. He and I have made a deal—one that wouldn’t work if Avalon were truly gone.”
“You made a deal with Hades.” He seemed torn between being impressed and horrified. “I never would have thought you’d do such a thing.”
“And why is that?” I pressed. “He’s an Olympian and my uncle. He understands my situation better than anyone else could.”
“Because of the mortal girl he loved.” The realization seemed to light in his mind, causing understanding t
o flood through him. “What have you promised, then?”
“Anything he wants in exchange for my freedom.”
Raising an eyebrow, he half smiled. “Sounds like a crazy deal, brother.”
Let no Olympian call you brother.
Arsenio couldn’t have known how that endearment would have affected me. I’d wondered where the two of us stood, with my banishment and his continued status on Olympus. To hear he still regarded me as family was a relief I hadn’t expected. Truthfully, I hadn’t ever expected him to turn on me, but his ties to the gods were strong. He would follow their orders when asked.
But he was also here, telling me he had been tracking the woman I loved, for me. That was worth more than any orders he could have been given.
“If Avalon is still inside that thing, even better,” Arsenio said, bringing my attention back to the present. “You need to get out of here and talk to her—It. Whatever we’re going to use as a name, I think using Avalon feels wrong.”
“Wait, you want me to go and talk to the Titan? Why? What good could that possibly bring about?” Surprised, I sat back down, feeling overwhelmed. I’d never planned on talking with the Titan. If I could kill the monster, Avalon would be able to control her body again. We would never have to worry about the beast taking over again.
“She remembers Avalon’s life,” Arsenio replied, laughing slightly. “I’ve heard her say your name. I think the Titan may share Avalon’s feelings for you.”
“What?” This was another possibility I hadn’t considered. Titans were, of course, capable of feeling, but love? In my experience, all they felt was varying degrees of lust, whether it be for power or companionship. If Arsenio was right about the Titan loving me as Avalon did, what did that mean for my plans? Would the beast willingly come to me and surrender herself? Or would she want to keep Avalon locked away to further her own agenda?
It was too much for me to think on at the moment. Putting the romantic thoughts out of my mind for the moment, I focused on what Arsenio was saying now.
“I heard her ordering some of her followers not to harm you if they came across you. She obviously holds you in some kind of regard. I don’t know if it’s because she wants to kill you herself or if she has other plans, though.”
His expression was grim, but there was hope in his eyes. Whatever he’d seen, he honestly thought I could stop it. It was also clear that he intended to stop it with me.
Frustrated, I thought over my options. If I stayed here, I would have Hades’ assistance if I needed it. Breaking out, however, was also tempting. The chance to go to Avalon now and have her in my arms again was almost too much for me to handle. Sighing, I shook my head, trying to clear my own desires from my mind. Everything was so misconstrued, though, it was impossible to keep them at bay.
“I can’t break out and go talk to her, Arsenio. What would that look like to everyone else?” Silently, I thought of the feelings I’d been battling on my own. Inadequateness, anger, betrayal. I’d given my everything to my family and their cause. In return, they had turned on me when I needed them most. If I were ever going to gain their trust back, there was no way I could do what Arsenio wanted.
But what about Avalon? I did intend to find the Titan on my own, but only after I was released by Hades. I wouldn’t be a fugitive, then. Everything would be different if I was out as a free man. I could save Avalon and prove to everyone that she was safe to be around. Zeus would understand, once the Titan was gone. I’d be welcomed back with open arms. Even Arsenio would see the logic in that.
“I know what it would look like,” he replied softly. “I just thought you didn’t care what everyone thought of you. You never did before. Whatever had to be done, you did it, no questions asked.”
“It was different then,” I argued. “I didn’t need to prove myself to anyone.”
“Who are you proving yourself to now? Zeus? He hasn’t even said your name since that day. No one talks about it. You’re rotting in Tartarus and everyone on Olympus can’t even be bothered to mention what happened, or how it could have been prevented.” He was getting angry, his face turning pink with the effort of trying to say the right words.
“Zeus was wrong to do this to you, Cristos. I know I’m not the only one who thinks so. He killed a mortal—or at least, that’s what everyone thinks he did—because he didn’t take the time to listen to those who knew the situation. He acted hastily and everyone has paid for it. People are questioning if he’s the man who should be leading us right now. This war has lasted for over twenty years and still he hasn’t been able to claim a victory for us.
“Now there’s a new threat. The Titan he released is hell bent on killing every person who defies her, and to be honest, I think she could do it. I had to watch as she tore a town apart. Do you have any idea what that was like for me? A couple of Titans had attacked her and every living thing that was closer than I was, died. There probably wasn’t even a beetle left alive. I’m lucky I got out of the way in time.”
A shadow of the memory crossed over his face and I was instantly aware of another emotion I hadn’t noticed when he first arrived. He was afraid of her. Arsenio had set out to kill the monster and instead he discovered he was terrified of her. Whatever he had seen, it was making him not want to face her alone. He wasn’t here because he wanted my help; he needed it. According to his opinion, there was no one else who could get through to the monster he’d studied.
That realization was disturbing in its own right.
“I need to prove something to myself,” I said quietly. “Once I’ve done that, we can go, together. I’ll try and talk to her, if you think that’s what will help. I’ll even fight her if that’s what it comes to. But until then, I remain here. I have to fulfill my promise to Hades first, and then he may even help us with the Titan as well.”
“I don’t understand why you’re placing your binding to Hades over Avalon. Cristos, the world will burn if she’s not taken care of—literally.” Arsenio rarely pleaded with me, but he was doing it now, the fear very present in his expression. “The sooner we can get out there, the more of a chance we have to try and save lots of people.”
“Trust me,” I replied calmly. “Finishing my deal with Hades will be best for everyone. He’s helping me unlock my lightning powers, Arsenio. I can’t leave until I have them under control.”
Surprise flitted across his features before a calm expression washed over him. “Of course. I didn’t realize you weren’t able to use them now.”
I could read him like an open book. It was immediately clear that he thought I’d have the lightning powers of my father to take into battle. He wasn’t willing to go up against the Titan without them.
My concern for what was going on mounted even higher.
“I’m working on it,” I said, somewhat harshly. “When we leave, I’ll have them in full control.”
“Well, that’s refreshing to hear.” Hades’ voice drawled, his form appearing behind Arsenio out of a cloud of smoke.
Yelping in surprise, Arsenio jumped back, cocking his bow and arrow so quickly I almost didn’t even see him do it.
“Put that away, water boy,” Hades said easily, flicking the end of the arrow tip away. “I’m not here to hurt you. In fact, I’m here to do quite the opposite.”
“You’re here to . . . make me feel good?” Arsenio asked, confused, the sudden arrival having apparently thrown him for a loop.
“Good gods, no! Don’t ever say that again.” Hades shuddered, rolling his shoulders back and popping his neck, as if traveling by smoke had made him uncomfortable. “And here I thought you were the smart son of Poseidon. I suppose anyone with Sy for a father is lacking in the brains department, though. Not your fault.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, cutting off Arsenio’s reply. “I thought we were done for the day.”
“There’s a guard crying about being held up by a demi-god and forced to bring him into Tartarus. Of course I came down to see what
’s going on. I haven’t heard a story like that in, what, a couple thousand years?” He raised an eyebrow, as if daring me to question his decisions again.
Hades was putting on a show for Arsenio, and I knew it. He was acting the same as the day he’d first come and talked with me. Everything about him exuded confidence and indifference, as if he had all the time in the world to talk about senseless things.
Arsenio didn’t seem to realize that it was all a charade. There were a hundred different emotions warring on his face, none of which seemed to push forward and take over. He appeared slightly scared, while angry, but also cautious. His mouth kept gaping like a fish out of water, though, as if he were seeing a god for the first time.
“Arsenio, is it?” Hades asked casually.
“Yes, sir,” Arsenio finally managed to say.
“Glad to have you. I imagine you’ve come to break Cristos out, then.” He waited patiently, his hands folded together as if he were about to offer a prayer, the fire in his eyes shining dangerously.
Swallowing hard, Arsenio stared at him, seeming to weigh his options. “Yes, sir.”
“And I assume he told you that we have a deal, like a good little god, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Stop calling me sir,” Hades finally said, snapping.
“Good little god?” I asked incredulously. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Brontes’ deep gravely laugh reached me, his tone vibrating in my chest even with the stone walls between us.
Hades smiled ruefully at that, breaking the mask. While the action made me relax some, Arsenio seemed to stiffen, as if he didn’t know what to do.
“I see you’ve been working with Brontes,” Hades said, turning to me. “That’s good. I wasn’t able to convince him to help earlier.”
“That’s because he thinks you’re an idiot,” I replied smoothly, smiling.
“You’re both idiots,” Brontes answered.
Exoria (The God Chronicles #5) Page 7
