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“Sol is your apprentice?” she asked hesitantly.
Apollo’s expression brightened. “Yes indeed. He hails from the same sun magic as me and would make an excellent god of the sun when it is time for me to step down.”
Pandora’s eyes narrowed. “You intend to step down from the throne?”
“From the throne? Gods, no!” Apollo barked out a laugh. “No, no, I intend to rule for a long while. But with my responsibilities to the crown, my duties to the sun have been neglected, and Sol will do a fine job replacing me in that respect.”
Pandora’s mind worked furiously to keep up with what he was implying. If he was stepping down as god of the sun, then that could only mean he had bigger plans in mind. Expansion perhaps? Did he intend to rebuild the Underworld as part of his own domain? Or was there something else at play that Pandora wasn’t seeing?
“No, this will be an excellent task for Sol,” Apollo went on, stroking his chin in contemplation. “I have been meaning to elevate his rank, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to prove himself.” He gave a sure nod. “It’s settled, then. You and Sol will be the new defenders of Elysium! Doesn’t that sound grand?” He beamed as if he’d just bestowed Pandora with a marvelous gift.
Working alongside her childhood nemesis? The god who had tormented her relentlessly the last time she was here? This seemed more like a scene from one of her nightmares. But she forced herself to curtsy and say, “Yes, my lord. Grand indeed.”
STRANGER
MONA
Mona awoke to the sound of rushing water, and for a moment, she thought she’d returned to Cocytus, where a dark and handsome prince of Hell awaited her.
Her eyes flew open, a smile already on her face. With a jolt, she realized she was not in the Underworld but on a beach in a foreign place. Her head was half buried in the sand, her black hair drenched in salty ocean water. Sand coated her arms and legs, and her dress was a sopping wet mess around her body.
Peeling back the hair out of her face, Mona rose on shaky legs and staggered forward, trying to get her bearings. What had happened? The last she remembered, she and Romanos had dived through the portal to Elysium because the magic of Pandora was about to devour them.
Mona had been intent on saving Evander. Trivia had abducted him, bringing him through the portal. With Typhon, his demonic alter ego, this was essentially a death sentence. Typhon couldn’t survive in any realm but the Underworld.
Urgency quickened her pulse, and she whirled around, looking for Romanos. But she was utterly and completely alone on the beach.
“Romanos?” she called. Worry wriggled through her stomach. Where had he gone? They had jumped through together. Romanos claimed to be cursed, unable to travel through different realms. What if he were dying somewhere? He would need Mona’s help.
“Romanos!” Her voice echoed in the vast space. What was this place? Was this Elysium?
Squinting against the burning sun, Mona surveyed her surroundings. Trees lined the shore, behind which rested dozens and dozens of white buildings that gleamed in the sunlight. A great hill rose up on the left side of the beach, upon which a magnificent pearly castle rested. Golden statues glinted, reflecting the sun, and waves crashed against the cliff side underneath.
Mona’s breath caught in her throat. This was definitely Elysium.
Either Romanos had arrived in a different location, or he had entered another realm.
Low voices echoed nearby. Mona’s heart slammed against her rib cage as she gathered her skirts and bolted for the trees, not wanting to be spotted. She doubted anyone would take kindly to her presence. She was a stranger, and she had come from the Underworld, which had been consumed by Pandora’s magic. From what Evander had told her, the gods of Elysium weren’t too fond of the Underworld.
Leaves crunched as Mona used the shade of the trees for cover, hiding behind a wide trunk as the voices drew nearer. The sound of the waves made it difficult to understand them, but as they grew closer, Mona made out the word portal.
She froze, listening hard. Soon, the voices were so close that if she emerged from her hiding spot, she would most certainly be seen.
“I felt the magic of this portal,” insisted a female voice. “I’m certain of it.”
“Well, clearly you’re mistaken. There’s no one here.” The second was a male voice, and he sounded irritated.
“Perhaps they ran off. We may have just missed them.”
“I’ve heard rumors that Hecate from the Underworld is here. I’m sure it’s just her presence you felt.”
Mona inhaled sharply. Hecate. That was another name for Trivia, the goddess of pathways in the Underworld.
Trivia was here. And the people knew it.
So where was Evander?
“She arrived on the other side of the realm,” the woman said impatiently. “From what I heard, the guards already escorted her to the castle.”
