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“Prue,” whispered a voice. It was distant, as if echoing across the waves.
“He calls to you,” Gaia said, withdrawing to look at the horizon once more.
Prue sniffed and wiped a stray tear from her cheek, following her mother’s gaze. A bright light glowed from afar, lightening the sky and reaching toward Prue. It grew closer and closer, practically blinding her.
“There isn’t much time now,” Gaia said. “Give me your hands, Prudence. This will only work if you accept it.”
“But I don’t accept it!” Prue cried. “Mama, you are giving up! I brought Mona back—surely, I can bring you back, too!”
“It doesn’t work like that, and we are out of time,” Gaia said, her voice more urgent. “Please, Prudence. It will all make sense soon. But you must trust me.”
The light burned in the sky, and Prue’s ears started ringing. Soon, she couldn’t see anything except the outline of her mother’s figure in front of her. Everything else was consumed by the glow.
“Prue!” a voice shouted.
It was Cyrus. She knew it was him. No one else had the power to bring her back. No one else called to her soul like he did.
Of course he found a way. Every part of her body yearned to be near him, to hold him, to convince herself he was all right after everything that had happened.
But Gaia…
“Prudence!” Gaia urged.
Panic flooded Prue’s mind at the prospect of leaving her mother—of never seeing her again. With a sob, she stretched out her hands, catching her mother’s fingers. Power slammed into her, burrowing deep into her mind, tearing through her like sharpened claws. She screamed as the light exploded around her. Her body jerked forward, carried away by the intensity of magic flowing around her.
The last she heard was her mother’s echoing promise: “I will always love you.”
MEMORIES
PANDORA
Pandora was lying on an altar made of marble, the icy surface chilling her bare skin as she was strapped to it. Her writhing and thrashing made no difference. Apollo’s magic held her in place, overpowering her.
“Be still,” Apollo ordered. “This will hurt far more if you resist.”
But Pandora didn’t care how much it hurt. He planned to erase her existence. What did it matter how much pain it caused?
If she merely gave in, it would mean admitting defeat. And she would never do that. She wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction.
“Janus,” Aidoneus said in warning. He stood a few paces away from the altar, his long, dark hair falling into his face. His arms were clasped behind his back, and from beneath his goatee, he was frowning.
“Don’t call me that,” Apollo snapped. “That name belongs to someone else. Someone weak. I am only Apollo now.”
“Very well then, Apollo. We must do this quickly.” Aidoneus’s brow creased as he looked at Pandora with a mixture of pity and regret.
“Patience, brother,” Apollo said, flexing his fingers and closing his eyes. “Spells like this take time.”
“I… will… slaughter… you… both,” Pandora growled, still raging against Apollo’s magic.
Apollo only smirked at her. “You’ll do nothing once we’re through with you.”
Pandora roared in rage, shoving more forcefully, throwing all of her energy against him.
Apollo grunted, his jaw taut as he fought to control her. “Aidoneus,” he warned.
Dark shadows swirled around Pandora, slithering like serpents. They tightened, coiling around her until she could no longer move. A silent scream tore at her throat, but she couldn’t even speak.
“I’m sorry,” Aidoneus whispered, and the grief in his eyes was so potent that she almost believed him. “But there is no other way. We must contain these dark forces somehow.”
