Everett moved forward and offered to heal him, his hands glowing green as he pressed them to Aidan’s ribs and sewed him back together. When he was done Royce came forward and offered Aidan his button-up, leaving him in a white t-shirt. As Aidan finished up he looked around and found everyone was staring at him expectantly. They thought this was his plan, they assumed that he was going to lead them back to Olympus and set everything right.
I took a deep breath as I felt Savannah pull me forward toward Aidan. We stopped beside him and he suddenly directed everyone’s attention to me.
“Alright, Valentina’s got a plan.”
“Thanks for the introduction.” I said drily making Aidan laugh softly.
“Wooo Valentina!” Someone cheered and clapped, every eye of our kind turning to look at Jed who was smirking and obviously somewhat drunk. He would, of course, find a club amongst all this chaos.
“Thanks Jed...” I cleared my throat and tugged on the edge of my jacket’s sleeve, gathering my courage. “Alright, so the problem is that we can’t go back to Olympus without the key. So to bring the key to us we have to trick the Titans into coming to us, bringing it with them. We’re going to descend into the Underworld and trap the Titans there.” All at once everyone started talking disapproving of the plan immensely.
“Wait, wait - WAIT.” I held out my hands and they quieted for a moment, “as the Princess of the Underworld I have the ability to let you in and let you go when it’s time to go back to Olympus. I think, if we can all go down there it will trick the Titans into thinking we’re up to something. Then we might be able to get them to come down into the Underworld where I can trap them. We might even be able to lock them in Tartarus again and fix the balance.”
“And what if they don’t come?” Someone asked loudly.
“Why wouldn’t they? They sent you all down to Earth with the intention of seeing you all killed slowly either by disbelief or by the various monsters that will come for us. Even now we’re in danger.” I cast my eyes to the sky for a moment before looking away, “I know the Underworld isn’t exactly ideal but it will be a haven for those of you who want to help with the plan.”
“And I support this plan.” Aidan said clearly, nodding at everyone in a way that left no room for discussion.
“So how do we get into the Underworld then?” Someone asked loudly. I bit my lip; this was the part I was hoping for Griffin. Hades must surely have a better idea than me, knowing more of the lesser known entrances to the Underworld.
It was a lame answer but it was the only one I had, “I’m still working on that part.”
“Great, so while we’re waiting for her next genius idea we all might be killed.”
“We’re not going to be killed.” Aidan said firmly, turning to address me individually. “Do you think that map of yours might be able to show us an entrance?”
I thought about it for a second before nodding, “I don’t see why not. Maybe if I asked to see someone I know is in the Underworld it will show me how to get to them?”
“It’s worth a shot. We just need to move everyone to-“ A massive rumble echoed through the sky, reminiscent of Aidan’s thunder but even he turned to look up at the sky in wonder.
“What’s that?” Someone shouted and Aidan held up a hand, although this didn’t help to keep everyone calm.
Another rumble shook the ground and a massive cloud of smoke filled the sky in the distance.
“What the hell!” We all stared in horror as a bleak, dark cloud rose into the sky as if it was enveloping the universe itself.
“It’s London, something has happened to London.” To make matters worse the black shape sunk low in the sky, covering up the sun’s rays and turning everything around us into darkness.
“What is going on?”
“It’s the Titans.” I said looking up at Aidan, “this is their judgment day. They’re going to punish the humans because Zeus favoured them.”
“What about us? What’s going to happen?!”
“Everyone, we need to calm down. We have to get to the Underworld. Without our powers on Earth there is very little we can do right now.”
“But our powers still work!”
“Not for long, and they are not as strong as they would be in Olympus. Valentina start checking that map.”
I struggled to pull it out of my pockets, crouching down to flatten it out, “Erinyes, Erinyes, Erinyes...” I muttered over and over again, concentrating on the old women, thinking long and hard about getting to them. Slowly a vision of them unfurled itself on the paper, standing as I had found them and watching something in their cauldron. One of them smiled crookedly, her old rotten teeth glaring at me. I shuddered, feeling as if they could see me.
“How do I come back?” I whispered desperately to them, another rumble shaking the ground harder as the cloud got closer to us. I closed the image, staring at where the dot had formed. The Antarctic. That did not help. How was that supposed to help?
Groaning in frustration I looked up at Aidan and shook my head, disappointment drew itself on his features before he regain his composure and looked around at his council.
“Alright, we need to find an entrance to the Underworld. We’re in a place of power so there has to be an entrance somewhere here, even if it’s to Tartarus or Elysium, some entrance that will get us towards Hades’ kingdom. Everyone stay calm and spread out.”
On command everyone did as they were told, moving through the throngs of tourists to start looking for anything that could be an entrance into our world.
I checked each face as they turned to leave, frowning more and more as the crowd thinned and eventually disappeared. I turned to look at Savannah and sighed softly.
“Griffin’s not here.”
“Maybe something happened.”
“I hope not.” I didn’t want to assume the worse, especially when my “worse” was Griffin betraying all of us and lying to me instead of possibly being dead up in Olympus.
“C’mon. Let’s look.”
Savannah walked away, Aidan coming to meet her not long after as I continued to stand in the same spot feeling somewhat hopeless. I knew I couldn’t give up yet but what was I supposed to say when my plan failed?
I quickly looked down at the map and thought about Griffin, if he were alive he would show up. I smoothed the paper out with my hands and pictured him in my head. When I opened my eyes again the screen had opened up but it was nothing more than an inky black circle. If Griffin was there I couldn’t tell, I could only hope the black circle didn’t mean he was dead.
Another rumble shook the ground under my feet and I looked up to see the grey cloud was even closer now, closing in on us by the second. My heart was jumping in my chest as I looked around at the other Gods. If they were panicking it wasn’t showing, everyone was so focused on finding the entrance to Hades that their impending doom didn’t even register.
They continued to search diligently and I watched the cloud roll in. The rumbling was harder now, shaking the ground like an earthquake was happening. I bent down and grabbed the map, tucking it away just as the cloud closed in on us.
I heard someone scream as a loud crack echoed through the ancient rocks and someone else shouted. Chaos descended then. Tourists began running in all directions, throwing their bodies into each other as the weaker mortals ended up on the ground, sprawled out. I felt dizzy watching all the action, my ears ringing with echoes of their screams. The voices were crowding the space, enclosing tightly around me and I realised this was the end. This was what the Titans had wanted all along. They brought us together at our weakest point and now they were going to kill us in this smog.
“Valentina! Over here.” Aidan shouted, pulling me from my nightmare. He was waving frantically through the darkness, barely more than a shadow anymore. I ran to his side, looking down at the destruction the cloud had caused.
“What-“ I didn’t know whether to ask what happened or what that was. Where we had come th
rough from the Amazon there was a massive hole in the middle of where Stonehenge had once stood. It was all gone, every stone crumbled and fallen through the deep crack the cloud had created as it carried on its path of destruction.
Sensing my impending question Aidan cut me off, “I don’t know but do you think-?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. It was worth a try, besides if that cloud was any indication of what was going to happen to Earth, sticking around any longer would be dangerous for us. We also couldn’t help the mortals if we just accepted the Titans’ new reign.
“Help me down.” I held out my hand to Aidan and together we lowered my body into the pit. I grabbed onto the rocks, their sharp edges biting my skin as a reminder of my looming mortality. I let my legs slip into the darkness first, glancing upwards at Aidan who looked nervous.
“I’ll call back to you if it’s the right place. If it isn’t you’re going to need to figure out a way to pull me back out. “
“What you mean you can’t float out?” He smirked at me but there was no joking in his eyes. “Be careful Val.” I nodded my head and gripped the edge carefully before launching myself down into the pit. I could feel the rocks tearing at my clothes as I slipped down, the darkness swallowing me. But now I was no stranger to it. I welcomed its embrace understanding that the darkness, like Persephone, was as much apart of me as I was it. This was the price of being the Princess of the Underworld.
I landed with a thud and I rose back to my feet.
Taking a deep breath I held out my hand, “light.” Just like in my domain the candles appeared, hanging around me to show me the tunnel I had fallen into. I ventured forward, listening for any sign that I was in the right place. The only thing I heard though was the crunch of each step I took, turning and grinding the rocks and pebbles under foot.
The candles hung in the air behind me, watching me walk away from them and into the dark abyss. I thought idly how I wished Cerberus was here to help me but then I reminded myself I was strong, and brave, and I could handle this on my own.
“You made it.” His voice cut through the darkness like a warm knife in butter and I stopped, my heart pounding in my chest. “I was worried you wouldn’t or that something might've happen to you.”
“Griffin!” I couldn’t see him but I could feel him and that was enough as I launched myself forward, throwing my arms around his neck and clinging to him tightly. He smelt like booze and cigarettes... and home.
“I thought... I wasn’t... I-“ Words failed me as his arms went around me and he hugged me tightly.
“It’s okay, you’re safe now. They won’t find you here, not yet.”
“I have to get the others then.” He nodded, letting me go carefully before reaching out and taking my hand in his. It was cold but it was comforting as he held onto me tightly, guiding me back to the hole I had slid through.
“You’re not hurt right?” He could barely see me in the dim candlelight but I could see his eyes searching for any indication of pain.
I shook my head, “fine. Better now that we’re back in immortal territory.” He nodded his head and nodded to the hole I’d used as an entrance.
Leaning against the rock with my free hand I tilted my head back to look up into it and shouted, “Welcome to my kingdom, all are gladly received.”
To Be Continued...
Before You Leave the Underworld…
• Thank you so much for taking the time to read Gods Save the Queen. I love feedback and any reviews posted to goodreads.com, amazon.com or any other site where Gods Save the Princess is sold are greatly appreciated. Reviews and word of mouth are the most important things to helping an indie writer establish a name and a career for themselves.
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• Interested in more books in the GRACE OF GODS series?
• The Grace of Gods novels: #1: Ode to the Queen, #2: Gods Save the Princess
• While each novel focuses on one relationship & God, each book in the series builds on the previous one, making them best read in order.
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Not ready to leave the Underworld? Turn the page for a preview of what’s next for the Olympians…
Tyranny of a Prince (Grace of Gods Book 3)
Coming soon in 2015…
Chapter One
I’ve always known the devil with great intimacy. I just never imagined I was him. I thought perhaps my lot in life was cursed; that I was bound to a fate that saw everything I ever loved turn to misery. It just turns out: I am misery himself. I am pain. I am unhappiness. I am he who has been, and has yet to be, forgotten.
I am Death.
Death is the disease from which mortals shrink away from. It is the plague over which no human has immunity. No amount of begging may save your soul because from the moment you were born, your soul was mine. You felt my cold fingers reaching for it the moment you left the warm womb. And I have been chasing you ever since.
My own death caught up with me on the corner of Adler and Mulberry streets. This was the place the devil found me, in an old haunt of his; curled and cold in the grasp of the plague I could no longer run from. He embraced me like a brother and took me home; it was time.
That’s how I found myself here: in the bowels of Mount Olympus.
Reflectively bringing the glass back up to my lips I enjoyed the burn as the whiskey curled down my throat in swirls. It was lukewarm due only to a lack of interest in finding ice cubes. It didn’t make a difference though, warm or cold, it was the end effect I sought. Rehabilitation had done nothing to curb the cravings. They still came, usually stronger than the last, and always right after he did something unsavoury.
I’d been sat at the edge of the bar in Styx contemplating my weakness for some time now. Wishing to go back and be stronger, if not for me than for her. He’d made a good argument for our actions, promising me it was for the best. But I still couldn’t get the sensation of shivers from my spine when her shrill voice cried out my name in anguish.
Once more I’d been the reaper of torment. Only this time the victim was someone I truly did care about.
I knew I shouldn’t refer to Hades as “him”, “he” or “it” any longer. There was no fooling myself: we were the same. His thoughts were mine as my actions were his. I allowed him to lock her in that apartment as much as he had allowed me to do it. It was in her best interests, she needed to see and she needed to unite. I needed my wife. His wife. Our wife.
I took another sip of the warm whiskey and shook my head. I could only hope that one day she would forgive me; we only wanted a second chance at happiness. Even a God of Death deserved that.
Throwing the rest of the alcohol back in one deep gulp I pushed myself away from the bar and stood up slowly on unsteady legs. I had a private training with Atlas to practice controlling my powers. In the group sessions no one was interested in partnering with me, despite even numbers might I add, so I rarely ever got the chance to properly explore my abilities.
He would chastise me for my afternoon indulgence and remind me, yet again, that alcohol not only inhibited Hades but my powers too. I found this statement incorrect. My powers worked just fine when I didn’t have Hades’ sleazy voice in my ear reminding me what I was doing wrong and how he could do better. In fact, I found I did much better magically without my Godly counterpart there to ‘help’. In actual fact, Hades’ brand of helping was more of a hindrance than some selfless mission to see me succeed.
“Griffin, glad you could make it.” There was an unmistakable tone of contempt in his voice as I walked into the training room. Whether it was for me, my God or for the fact I was helpless l
ike a newborn baby when it came to this power thing, I didn’t know.
I didn’t bother answering him; nothing I wanted to say was particularly nice. Atlas interpreted this and carried on, “alright, from where we left off.”
I circled around him slowly, my legs as woozy as my head, pausing finally to ground myself across from the Titan. I held my hands out concentrating on that coolness that curled through me and slowly channeled it toward Atlas. A gust of black smoke was expelled from my fingers, wrapping through the air toward him. Like a snake it began to coil itself at his ankles first, carefully making its way up his body and finally held tight around his neck. If there was a body beyond the darkness it was shrouded completely and only given away by the mass the smoke had taken on.
“Good, good.” Came a soft, choked reply. But I didn’t want to stop. The coolness began to tingle at my toes, encouraging me to push more and exercise more of my power. This was the point Atlas had warned me about again and again. He worried that the alcohol would dull my sensibility and I would allow the coolness to submerge me completely.
For a moment I considered it as it climbed through my bones, up my ankles and into my knees. I felt steadier than I had ever before. I felt powerful and indestructible. I was a God. I commanded more respect than this Titan had dared ever show me...
Curling my fingers into fists I dropped my hands to my side and held my eyes shut for a moment. Beyond the temporary darkness I could hear the muffled protests of the Titan. Looking up quickly I waved my hand and the smoke dispersed, freeing Atlas from his chains.
“Well done.” His voice was shaken. I felt myself smirk: good, he should fear me. “How was it this time?”
“How was what?” I ran a hand through my hair, musing it into knots and contemplating my sudden longing for a cigarette.
Gods Save the Princess (Grace of Gods Book 2) Page 23
