by Leia Stone
My eyelids sprang open. I hadn’t realized I had closed them again.
“What's taking so long?” Cronus barked at Narida.
“It’s almost ready!” she shouted back. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Dark shadows danced along the walls, swirling above me on the ceiling.
Cronus seemed to see them too. He stood and thrust his hands out. “Come for her and I will blast you into oblivion.”
One of the shadows was stupider than the others, ignoring the warning, reaching for me. I could feel warmth from its skin. I wanted to touch it…
Cronus zapped a burst of blue light magic from his palms, hitting the shadow right in the face, driving it backward.
Narida’s face suddenly swam into view. “Death messengers. We don’t have much time.” She knelt before me and held a cup to my lips.
“Why… are you helping me?”
She chuckled without humor. “Besides Cronus killing me if I don’t? Us Instagram sisters need to stick together.”
#ThatWasAlmostSweet
Narida looked at my giant Titan. “Do you, of your own freewill, take the burden Maisey carries and offer to become a vessel for the sins?”
Cronus nodded without hesitation. “I do.”
#ThisSoundsLikeAWedding
Narida looked at me. “And do you, Maisey, freely give up this burden for Cronus to carry?”
The cup was poised at my lips, a cup full of blood no doubt.
I shook my head. “I—I won’t kill him.”
Cronus punched the floor and the tile cracked. “Maisey, god dammit! We don’t have time for this. If you die, you can never come back. Only Titans can be brought back. I’ll be fine. I will come back to you.”
Oh yeah … I’d temporarily forgotten that we’d been bringing Titans back from the underworld this whole time. But … why did Cronus’ face look weird, like he was hiding something? Was he the same as the rest of his family? We’d never actually brought him back. He had been imprisoned, not killed. Felt like I was missing something…
Forcing myself to half sit up, I ignored the pain racking my body. “If the last sin kills Cronus, Hyperion and I can just bring him back?”
I was talking to Narida, expecting she’d give me the entire truth.
She shot Cronus a small look before she answered. “Yep,” she said with an unreadable expression.
Something was going on; they were definitely hiding shit from me, but I was in no position to push at the moment. I was basically dying, so I’d just deal with whatever later.
We could bring Titans back. That was a fact.
I’d bring Cronus back once he took all the sins, then we’d be together forever.
Well, my forever, until I died. Hopefully as an old lady.
“I agree. I give my vessel or burden or whatever to him.”
Narida nodded. “Drink.” When the liquid touched my lips, I wanted to gag. It was fucking blood. Salty, coppery. Not mixed with juice or anything, just straight up vampire style. Forcing myself to swallow, she pulled the cup back and gave the rest to Cronus, who took it back in one swig.
My chest burned as the liquid rolled down my throat. Narida stood, hands out; a soft purple glow pulsed from her palms, “This vessel for one is now for two. Protect the human, whatever you must do.” There were some more words, not in English, and then with a pop light shot from her palms and slammed into Cronus’ gut. He grunted, falling forward.
My spine felt like it was ripped from my back. A mass of black insects, almost like flies, started to crawl out of the necklace, my hair, and my mouth. I screamed, horrified by this manifesting of the sins. Narida held out one hand, pouring blood onto it, and grasped my necklace. With a click, it disengaged.
No!
It felt wrong … giving this burden to someone else. But it was too late, she was already attaching the necklace to Cronus’ throat, the latch clasping around his neck. The bees crawled into the open locket, and as they settled inside the necklace changed, growing larger and looking more masculine, with a thick black rope cord.
#WTF
Had Narida done that or did the necklace have gender preferences?
I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from me, but … not fully. It was hard to explain but I still felt … off … like the sins were still with me. Pulling my hair forward, I looked down with relief to see it was all white again. The tips of my fingers, however, were still black.
Narida looked confused.
Cronus rose from the ground where he’d landed, darkness in his eyes. “Why are her fingers still black?”
Narida sighed. “I used the blood of every Titan and god to ever come into existence. That’s the most powerful spell I’ve ever done!”
“But?” Cronus pushed.
Narida chewed a fingernail. “But she’s the fucking original vessel, not you. So I think I took a couple from her and a few stayed behind.”
#Oops #SpellFail #WasntMeThisTime
Cronus growled. “But I’ll be able to take the rest?”
Narida nodded. “Yes because you are now a vessel too. You wear the conduit.”
Cronus looked like he wasn’t sure how to take this new revelation, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. “How do you feel?” he asked me.
I stood, my legs strong for the first time since I started absorbing sins. “I feel good. Like just Sickness and Strife are with me. Maybe Turmoil too, but not Jealousy or War. Those were … intense.”
Cronus nodded, rolling out his neck. “Yes. They are. You’re strong to be able to handle them at all. Don’t ever think differently.”
I seriously needed to be kissing him right now.
“So this will work, right?” Narida interrupted. “We’re all good? No need to take my head and threaten my first born?”
He gave her a long look. “Your debt has been paid. Don’t align with Zeus again or I’ll kill you.”
She gulped. “Understood.”
In a blink and puff of green smoke, she was gone. Her spell was very similar to how the gods zapped themselves about the universe. I mean, it made sense. She had figured out a way to live forever … instant travel was probably easier than that.
What I really wanted to know, though, was how the fuck she got all those Instagram followers. I hadn’t checked mine in days, and no doubt I was back to freaking ten thousand. Those disloyal bastards.
Cronus distracted me when he wrapped his strong arms around me, hauling me into his chest. When the necklace bumped against my skin, I shivered at a buzzing sensation across my body.
“Don’t ever fucking do that to me again, Maisey,” he rumbled, head buried in my neck. His energy felt different now … stronger, and that was saying something since standing near him always felt like I was pressed to a power plant with a live current running through the walls.
“Please don’t die,” I whispered back. “I know you’re hiding something from me about bringing you back, but I’m telling you now, if you end up in the underworld and I can’t get to you, the sins are going to be the least of the world’s worries.”
He chuckled, but it sounded strained, and I prayed that I was fucking wrong. He couldn’t be hiding something so important from me.
“There’s always a way, my love,” Cronus finally said, and I decided to trust he was right.
If there was a way, I would find it.
#IWillFindYou #TotallySaidInACreepyVoice
Chapter 11
“We should buy a place here,” Cronus said, his hand wrapped tightly around mine as we walked along the beach, the sun setting in the distance. Bali had really brought out the beautiful weather. We kept coming back here, unable to stay away from the moments of peace it provided us.
“How much dick gold do you think that place is?” I asked, pointing out a huge mansion right on the water. It was gorgeous, with giant palm trees and the pool out in front. “I mean, the size of your … bars, we’ll probably only need one.”
Cronus snorted out some laughter, his shoulders shaking.
I laughed as well, because for this one tiny moment in time we were happy. I’d almost died mere hours ago, but I was still here, taking in these moments like they might be my last.
Life held new joy for me. I had a new appreciation for every breath I took.
“I’ve never met anyone like you, Maisey Parker.” Cronus stroked my thumb as our fingers intertwined.
I grinned. “Guess what?”
He looked at me like I was the only woman in the world. If I could bottle that look, we’d be able to buy ranch shares with our couch change.
“What?”
My grin grew broader with my need to share my new revelations. “It’s been thirty-six hours and I didn’t die! Clotho’s little death prophecy or whatever is over.”
Cronus smirked. “Told you those old bitches don’t know what they’re talking about.”
I looked around, paranoid, as if they could be listening. “He’s kidding, oh wise and magnificent beings. Don’t kill us,” I told the empty beach.
Again he laughed, and I felt like we were in a little bubble of love and happiness that I never wanted to leave.
A pop had me jumping, a frustrated shriek rising in my throat.
“Twenty fucking minutes,” I snarled at Hyperion. “You assholes couldn’t give me twenty minutes to take a breather after almost dying.”
#LoveBubblePopped
There had been death swirling around me. Literal DEATH.
#LifeFlashedBeforeMyEyes
“Sorry, Mais. I wish I came bearing good news, but … I don’t.”
#ColorMeFuckingShocked
“What now,” I groaned.
Another pop and Rhea appeared, looking quite disheveled for the normally put-together Titaness.
“The sins aren’t waiting for their order to manifest,” Hyperion said in a rush of power. He was shedding it all over the place, the energy tingling across my skin.
Cronus was suddenly on high alert, releasing my hand to step closer to Hyperion. “How can that be? They have rules…”
Rhea snorted. “Apparently they’ve learned to break them. They’re smarter than last time, adapting at an unprecedented rate. They have seen that we can take them out one by one, so the last four are going to hit us together.”
At this point I’d caught up, and I sort of wished I hadn’t.
“The last four have all manifested?” I whispered. “What, like … into one huge sin?”
#PleaseSayNo
My mind was back on the tentacle mess that was War.
Hyperion shook his head. “Not yet. At the moment they’re still four separate entities, but they are amassing their power. They are going to join if it means beating us.”
“Who is left?” I asked.
I needed to know. I knew that the world ended in Fire and Death, but what were the other two? I wasn’t sure Cronus ever mentioned them.
Cronus’ voice was nothing but a rumble. I could see darkness seep around his necklace too, like the sins were responding.
“Fire, Famine, Frost and Death.”
#OhFuck
There was silence after this, and all I could think was that Death missed out on the F alliteration. Okay, I was also thinking about how fucked up this was, but the alliteration thing did cross my mind too.
“Famine makes sense,” I said, “but Frost? I mean, I kind of like frosty mornings.”
Maybe we could use frost to put out fire? See, I was smart.
Cronus shook his head. “Think of it more as an ice age, and then that will be followed by a fire that will cleanse the world of all.”
Okay. Not ideal.
“Then Death,” Hyperion finished darkly.
Okay, great.
Rhea examined her nails. “From what I can tell, they’re going to amass in one corner of the world, and then when they’ve razed it to the ground, through Famine, Frost, and Fire, then Death will step in for the final blow and take over everything.”
The Titans all nodded like that made sense, and I nodded because if I didn’t do something I was going to scream my freaking head off.
“How do we stop all four at once?” I whispered. “Cronus can’t be everywhere. So that means the rest of us have to contain them long enough for him to get around and absorb them.”
Clever bastards teaming up.
“We’re going to need help.” Those five words sounded like the last thing he wanted to say.
“Greek gods?” Hyperion asked, already clueing into whatever Cronus meant.
“Yep,” Cronus sighed. His energy rose in the air, and I had to grit my teeth. Fucker was packing more than his anaconda and dick gold.
Okeanos, Crius, Koios all appeared in the next instant, like he’d put out a long distance call to them. It took longer for the Greek gods to make their way to us, but eventually we stood in a circle that included the Titans and Apollo, Athena, Ares, and Thanatos.
“Who the fuck do you think you are calling us like we’re your dogs?” Ares snarled at Cronus. “I should kill you right here and now for that insult.”
Cronus slammed his hand against the male’s bare chest, sending him flying halfway across the beach. Ares caught himself before he crashed into the sand, and was back in our faces in seconds.
“Shut the fuck up,” Cronus snarled. “Not even with an entire army last time could you pathetic excuses for gods kill me. Your threats mean nothing. I’ve imprisoned your king, so now you listen to me.”
If Ares’ face got any redder he’d look like a tomato, but he managed not to say anything. If looks could kill though…
“Why are we here?” Athena asked, sounding very businesslike. She seemed to have learned from our little Grand Canyon run-in.
Hyperion stepped forward, drawing their attention. Hands went to swords and weapons, but the Titan didn’t care. “The final four sins are manifesting at the same time. This has never happened before and it’s going to make it next to impossible for us to stop them before they destroy the world. We’re talking billions of deaths. All the energy required to keep you powered up will be gone. No more worship. No more sacrifices. No more gods.”
Their collective faces paled.
“Kinda dried up in the last few centuries anyway,” Thanatos grumbled, arms crossed over his muscled chest, “but we get your point.”
#PoorThanatos
No love for the god of death.
“We must work together,” Cronus said, sounding like that was the last thing he wanted. “I’m the one now who will contain the sins, but I can’t be in four places at once. You will have to find the sins, lock them down so they can’t use their power to connect and merge with each other, and then bring them to the same place so I can absorb them all at once. This all needs to happen simultaneously.”
“You must take them in order,” Okeanos said, water lapping at his feet. He was bringing the ocean way up on the sand, calling it to him. “So Famine, Frost, Fire … Death last. He must be last no matter what.”
Cronus nodded, not looking surprised by this.
The four Greek gods exchanged a glance, before Apollo cleared his throat. “We’ll help if you release Zeus,” he said. “That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
Cronus shook his head, but Hyperion got in first. “Fine, it’s a deal.”
Cronus didn’t like that—blue energy rose from his body.
Lowering my hand on his shoulder, I rubbed his skin gently. “We have no choice,” I whispered to him. “Worry about Zeus later.”
Some of the ice in his eyes melted, bringing back their warm color. With a resigned rumble, he nodded, and didn’t fight Hyperion on that decision.
“I don’t like the thought of splitting up,” Rhea piped up suddenly, worrying at her lower lip.
I looked at her. “We just gotta deal. If it has to happen simultaneously, splitting up is the only thing that makes sense. Cronus’ plan works.”
#SackUpBitc
h #OrIsItFlapUp
She glared at me but said nothing in return.
“Okay, so what are the finer details of the plan?” Thanatos asked, eyes lit up with dark anticipation. God of death was feeling this way too hard. Dude was probably hoping for lots of death and destruction.
Before anyone could answer, an explosion from behind us sent everyone sprawling to the ground. And by everyone, I meant only me, because the others were fucking gods and Titans. Cronus caught me just before I hit, hauling me back to my feet.
Turning to where it had come from, I blinked at the former mansion we’d been admiring, that was now nothing more than a ball of fire.
“What. In. The fuck. Just. Happened?” I gaped.
“It’s starting,” Cronus murmured. “It’s going to be chaos all over the world. We have to find the sins right now.”
“Can you feel them?” Athena asked, sword in hand as she fell into a battle stance.
Cronus closed his eyes, one hand on the necklace.
I had never been able to sense them, but I also wasn’t an all-powerful Titan.
“Two of them are in China, one is Russia, and one is in Europe. They’re targeting densely populated countries to start with.”
Whoa. Fucking Yoda. Cronus had powers to detect them now. Maybe he should have had the necklace all along.
Ares put out his hand. “You swear on your word that Zeus will be let free the moment we get the sins captured?”
Cronus’ jaw ticked and Hyperion nudged him gently. “You have my word,” Cronus growled.
They shook hands, a magical flare of blue light in the Titan’s palm. By the mischievous look in his eye, he’d agreed to set Zeus free but not to refrain from killing him right after.
#IKnewMyMan
“China, Russia, and Europe. Let's split into teams, then when we have the sins locked down, we can all meet at…” He rattled off some coordinates that apparently made sense to everyone but me. I was more of a “go left or right at the fork in the road” sort of chick.
“We cannot screw around,” Cronus snapped out. “If they amass enough power to form one entity, we’ll be more than a little fucked.”
No one disagreed. It was a large group of grim-faced entities standing around me.
