Ryuu gritted his teeth. “I work for Callie, not you.”
I met his gaze levelly, biting back my instinctive response. “I get that, Ryuu. Truly. But up there,” I said, pointing at the ceiling in a figurative manner, “you’re just leverage. Even as badass as you are. Leverage to be used against Callie—which is why I took you off the board in the first place. To make her safer. And stronger. She trusts me. Get in line.”
Ryuu took several deep breaths, looking frustrated. Finally, he lowered his eyes in a bow. “You are correct, but I cannot think straight knowing she is in danger,” he admitted.
I nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Which is why you’re going to convince Carl and Kára to let you play. And then you’re going to go shopping,” I said, gesturing dramatically at the Armory. His eyes widened and he gasped, turning to look at me. “I don’t like liabilities. Become an asset. But first, prove your heart,” I said, tapping his chest with a finger. “Convince Kára or Carl.” He nodded eagerly, staring out at the various hallways with a hungry look. “And this is just a loan,” I told him, smiling.
I turned to Yahn. “You’ve already proven your heart and capabilities, Yahn. What I want you to think about is whether or not you’re willing to leave Carl as the only guard for Gunnar’s kids. This is not a guilt trip. You need to genuinely think on it. I trust your judgment.”
He nodded, glancing over at the sleeping Calvin and Makayla. “I think it would be best if I gather my research on Roofie Ruxpin. Find out what might have caused them to change so suddenly. I’ll see if I can find anything on Niflheim while I’m at it.”
I motioned to Pandora and Prometheus. “A few words in private before I leave,” I said.
“Wait. Isn’t Pandora going to be here to keep the Armory safe? It won’t just be Carl,” Yahn said, frowning.
Pandora smile sadly. “I will be…otherwise occupied.” Then she was walking towards the balcony with Prometheus.
I turned to Yahn and nodded solemnly. “I trust your judgment,” I said, gesturing at the Armory in general. “There is no good answer. Welcome to Team Temple.”
And I turned away, heading towards Prometheus and Pandora. I pulled the ancient box out of my satchel and tapped it with a fingernail as I met Pandora’s determined look. “It is time, Pandora. I’m sorry.”
She nodded stiffly. “So be it, my host. Luck,” she said with a faint smile.
I shook my head, gripping her chin gently. “No, Pandora. Not luck. Hope. Luck is fickle, but Hope will never let you down.”
I needed to hurry, because I was pretty sure I might already be late. There hadn’t been an exact time on my invitation to the End of the World Party.
62
I’d wrapped up a few last-minute errands. Having my magic allowed me to accomplish quite a bit in ten minutes, thanks to Gateways.
I hefted my satchel and then checked my neck. I wore two necklaces, now. My Horseman’s coin and my Sensate necklace. My Horsemen would remember the distinguishing factor of the Sensate so as to tell me apart from any potential doppelgänger—like Zeus.
It was also a reminder of Yahn’s efforts. A part of him was in this fight. I wouldn’t be here without his help. I’d considered bringing Carl’s cowboy hat for the same reason, but it looked to weigh fifty pounds and it wasn’t my color. I’d look like a cowboy FBI agent in this suit.
No one would take me seriously.
I glanced up at the night sky with a sigh, reaching into my satchel to check—for the hundredth time—that I still had Pandora’s Box on me. I felt like I had a neon sign over my head, telling everyone I held it. Kind of like when you took a significant amount of cash from the bank and suddenly felt like every single person who saw you was on the verge of mugging you, even though the cute old lady in the walker had no idea what day it was, let alone that you had a wad of cash in your pocket.
I drummed my finger on the box. “Let’s do this, Pandora.” I murmured, feeling a warm, reassuring touch on my finger. Then, I put my mean face on. “Do or die, Hope. Do or die.”
I flipped Hermes’ golden coin, and a Gateway whispered into existence before me, much different than my own. There was no ring of sparks, for one thing. Just a faint shimmer in the air like a heat haze off concrete. I also couldn’t see through it to the other side. I took a deep breath, hoping Hermes’ coin wouldn’t send me to the bottom of the ocean or some craziness. I wasn’t entirely sure where Hermes stood on the trust spectrum. He’d supposedly been guarding Buddy Hatchet while Kára and I were restrained by Ares and Apollo, but he sure hadn’t been much of an asset to his team.
I pushed the thought from my mind, waited a few moments in order to firmly establish that I was fashionably late, and then stepped through, ready for anything.
The first thing I noticed were the clouds. They were black and pregnant, both above and below the familiar pavilion. Flickers of distant red lightning occasionally illuminated them, followed by faraway thunder. Zeus hadn’t been kidding about the storm he’d predicted. I was cold, calm, and detached. I was ready to play, even though I knew the other players would have just as many—if not more—surprises to spring on me.
Probably on each other as well.
I’d appeared on the Temple Crest, just like Hermes had told me. It was still stained with Apollo and Ares’ golden ichor. I intended to spill more Olympian blood this night.
I was doubly glad to find that I didn’t instantly bump into Zeus or his henchmen.
I turned to see the rest of my Dread Four, wearing the same clothes from earlier, standing to my left. Their eyes instantly shot to the Sensate necklace I wore, and then they let out a collective sigh of relief, but masked their emotions quickly. I discreetly shook my head to remind them to keep up the ruse. Now was not the time to get too close to me. Nor was it time to tip their hand. This fight was going to be a long one.
I turned the opposite direction to find Zeus waiting. He had a jovial smile on his face. But those eyes…
They told a darker story. I could see them calculating the positions of the various pieces on the game board as he shook the dice cup, thinking. He didn’t look surprised to see me without my Titan Thorns, but he did look annoyed about it.
Probably because of the tattletale kneeling in front of him. Peter’s face was pale, and I could tell it was taking everything he had to remain conscious. Poor guy. I was disappointed to see his stumps had been cauterized. If I hadn’t warned them about my telltale Sensates, my Horsemen might have thought that was me kneeling before Zeus and that I’d lost my freaking hands. No wonder they’d looked so relieved to see me. Especially if Zeus had also chosen to wear my face for them. Even I would have been confused at that.
Zeus shifted his gaze towards my Horsemen and I saw a flicker of electricity in his eyes. The threat was obvious—play along or die.
I didn’t react to the threat. Instead, I shifted my attention back to Peter and smiled.
“Deja vu,” I mused. “So weird. Reminds me of the time you betrayed me to work for Alaric Slate.” I glanced up at Zeus, gauging his reaction. Because he’d chosen to disguise Carl as Alaric Slate. Had he done so to make Peter’s breakout more impactful, or had he been taunting me about his possible past involvement with Alaric? I’d probably find out tonight.
Zeus stared at me, smiling politely. “I am so glad that you made it, Temple. I just heard the most troubling news from your Horsemen. That this man,” he said, pointing at Peter, “abducted several of your friends.” So, we were playacting. I’d bite.
“He’s pretty much the worst,” I agreed. “I had to teach him to keep his hands to himself, which is ironic since that involved taking them away from him,” I chuckled harshly.
Zeus’ face remained perfect calm, but those eyes…
They were warning me to keep the theatrics going. I was fine with that. I was more relieved to learn that my Horsemen had successfully deceived him—that he didn’t know we’d already met up and that I’d come clean. Or so Z
eus wanted me to think. That was pretty much how this whole night was going to go, so I steeled my resolve and numbed my surprise factor with mental novocaine. Otherwise, I’d be too paranoid to move.
“I’m sure—as a gesture of goodwill—the Horsemen would appreciate you handing,” I paused to smile at Peter, emphasizing the word, “him over to their custody.” Peter narrowed his eyes at me, but he did not speak. Party pooper.
I noticed Aphrodite standing off to the side, looking remarkably nervous. I knew she’d been working with Ares and Apollo to get Pandora’s Box. But that could mean many things—good or bad—for Team Temple. She eyed my suit thoughtfully and I blinked, suddenly feeling like I was wearing a bear trap. Shit. What had that meant? Zeus followed my attention and clenched his jaw. “I too know something of betrayal, but I think we’ve come to an understanding,” he said.
She nodded stiffly at her father, refusing to meet my eyes. I could feel the plot thickening.
Zeus smiled. “I must applaud you on incapacitating this criminal,” Zeus said. “It bodes well on our future partnership. Loyalty is vital.”
I nodded. “Cool. Why isn’t he walking past me yet? The Horsemen are right there,” I reminded him, pointing at my crew behind me.
“Maybe he needs a hand,” Alucard drawled, lifting his sunglasses as if to get a closer look.
Zeus pursed his lips. “I have a few questions for him and then he is all yours. It seems my sons are missing, and I believe he might know where they are. Hermes is looking for them as we speak. Once he returns, the criminal is all yours.” Peter’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t make a sound. Maybe Zeus had magically gagged him.
I shook my head at Zeus’ words, grinning. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll be here any minute…”
Aphrodite looked up sharply and Zeus’ smile slipped for a second. I pressed my advance.
“I spoke with Hera, believe it or not. Boy, is she a talker,” I said, shaking my head and stepping away from the center of the pavilion. I didn’t want a Gateway to rip me in half. I continued walking until I could keep everyone in sight without giving myself whiplash. I set my hands on my hips, staring up at the stormy black sky, shaking my head at the distant flashes of red lightning, reminded of my time on the astral plane. “This is so beautiful. The red on black. I swear I’ve seen it before…”
I felt Zeus glaring daggers at me. “Oh?” he asked. “Did my wife—”
“How about we just cut the shit, Zeus,” I said, turning to face him. “You’re going to give me the girl back. Then we can discuss our partnership.” I spat as if the word tasted foul.
He stared at me. “Do you mean Alice?” he asked, frowning. “You brought her here yourself. To keep her safe,” he said in a faux puzzled tone. He turned to Aphrodite.
She waved a hand, and Alice was suddenly standing between her and Zeus. She wore a cute little yellow dress with her usual white tights and glossy black shoes. And…there wasn’t a scratch on her. Alice blinked, momentarily confused at her surroundings, and then she saw me. Her eyes lit up with excitement. “Nate! You’re back!” she squealed. “Look!” she giggled excitedly. “Freya helped me make a magic purse so I can be just like you!” she said. A bright blue shoulder purse suddenly appeared at her hip. She patted it lovingly.
I forced my knees not to buckle upon seeing her safe and in good spirits. I didn’t even care that she’d disrespected me by calling my satchel a purse. “It’s beautiful, Alice. I’m so glad you’re safe,” I said, gritting my teeth at my overwhelming sense of panic to have her so close yet so far from my arms where I could guarantee her safety. Zeus had found his secret weapon in Alice, but who was his target? Was it Hera, like his wife thought?
The Horsemen watched, their faces blank. Well, occasionally, Callie would glance over at Peter with a glare. Gunnar and Alucard followed suit, sporadically, taking their cues from her.
Zeus placed a hand on Alice’s shoulder in a gentle manner, but the threat was plain. Alice smiled up at him. “Safe?” she asked, turning to me with a faint frown. “Safe from whom?”
Thinking quickly on my feet, I pointed at Peter. “He was abducting people I care about—”
She clutched her dress and swiftly shuffled forward to kick Peter with the fury of an angry little girl, surprising the hell out of him as her pointy little shoes struck his kidney with princess power. He groaned, recoiling, but he didn’t budge from his spot. His mouth remained closed as well, basically confirming my suspicion. He was restrained somehow. Alice sniffed. “Bully.”
Zeus arched an amused eyebrow. “Good job, Alice. He is a terrible, terrible man,” he said, squeezing her shoulder and meeting my stare with a kind, grandfatherly smile. I narrowed my eyes, imagining a steamroller driving over him.
Alice frowned, reading my face. “Are you mad at me?” she asked in a soft, scared voice. I shook my head reassuringly, but she was staring at me with her chin cocked just so, and I knew she was using her budding Seer powers. She hadn’t bought my answer. She gasped abruptly. “Oh! Don’t be scared. I’ve kept your Catalyst book safe. It’s in my magic purse,” she said, sounding on the verge of tears as she reached inside to pull out a tattered book. My heart stopped. The Catalyst book.
Zeus calmly reached over her shoulder and plucked it from her grip with a hungry grin. “Finally,” he breathed, a look of rapture on his face as he smiled down at the book.
“Hey!” she snapped, kicking him in the ankles. “Give it back, you big bully! That’s mine!”
He cursed in surprise. “Move even a finger from that spot, or utter another syllable, and I will end your miserable existence, you wretched creature,” he snarled, his eyes suddenly crackling with electricity. Alice froze. “You can’t count the number of times I almost threw you off the cliff to cease your endless babbling,” he muttered. “This makes it all worth it,” he said, smiling at the deadly book.
Alice hung her head, her shoulders shrinking. Then they began to tremble.
She sniffled…
And that tiny little sound from my tiny little girl almost kicked off the Apocalypse. I almost blew my plan to hell right then when I saw him hurt my little girl’s feelings.
This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but with a sniffle.
Zeus met my eyes, brandishing the book with a grin, completely aloof to the result of his harsh words. “This will be of great help in the upcoming war. Knowing how the Catalyst ticks.”
He would use it against me somehow, was what he meant.
“The book you found in Fae,” he mused. “The book that got her parents killed. The book about the Omegabet and the Catalyst.”
I stared at him, wondering exactly what the book was. How dangerous it was. The thing was, no one truly knew. No one alive, anyway. Because the only way to pass it on was for the previous owner to die—
My eyes danced sharply to Alice, who was perfectly hale. I glanced back at the book, licking my lips uneasily. I sensed magical cahoots, all of a sudden.
“One step closer and I’ll burn it to ashes,” Zeus warned, eyeing me and my Horsemen. “You need it just as much as me, Temple. That much I know. Right, Alice?” she nodded stiffly, still sniffling. I held my hand out to stall my Horsemen.
Gunnar growled loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’m here for my kids. That scumbag will pay for what he’s done,” he snarled, glaring at Peter. The others echoed their agreement.
Something was wrong here. Alice should have died—or been on the way to it—once handing the book over to Zeus.
“Let’s make a deal, old man.” I lifted Pandora’s Box from my satchel and there was a collective intake of breath from all sides.
Zeus frowned suspiciously, and then licked his lips, no longer trying to hide his interest—his ravenous thirst for power. “She’s inside?” I nodded. “I will not be handing over my leverage, Temple,” he said, dryly, lifting the Catalyst book. “With this, I can make you do what I want.”
I shook my head. “Keep the bo
ok. Give me Alice.”
Zeus grunted. “Why? A vile slip of a girl for Pandora and her Armory? That’s foolish.”
I shrugged. “Think about it, Zeus. All the scary stories you’ve heard about me…the stories that keep you awake at night. I did all of those things without the Armory.” I gave him a cool smile. “I don’t need the trinkets within to be the Catalyst.”
He considered this for a moment. “One condition,” he said, crouching down and beckoning Alice close. She shied away from him, careful not to move her feet due to his threat.
“Touch her and the Omega War starts now,” I warned him.
He scoffed. “I need a quick favor, is all. I will not touch her. Consider it rent for her visit. I had to send Hermes to buy crayons just to get her to shut up for more than five minutes.”
I hesitated. “Alice?” I asked.
She nodded nervously, putting on a brave face. She flashed me a shaking thumbs up.
He was close enough to kill her already. I had no leverage. “Fine,” I growled.
“Come here, child,” Zeus said, smiling like a snake. I slipped my hand into my satchel, ready for anything. Alice approached, her little shoes tapping on the marble stone and her dress bouncing with each hesitant step. Zeus bent down and murmured into Alice’s ear.
I held my breath. Alice slowly turned to look at Aphrodite. Then she glanced at me. I gave her a reassuring nod. Alice turned to Zeus. “I can see that your daughter is loyal,” she said.
I frowned, momentarily confused. Zeus let out a breath of relief and it hit me.
According to his wife, Zeus had never visited the Sisters of Fate. In their absence, he’d needed someone else to verify who he could and couldn’t trust. And Alice had taken my nod in an entirely different way. He hadn’t just wanted the Catalyst book. Damn.
She was his lie detector. His traitor detector, put more accurately. Seers could do that.
Carnage: Nate Temple Series Book 14 Page 40
