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We didn’t know which way to turn. When they were surrounding us, performing the same movement, it was disorienting, and I didn’t know which of them was real.
Panic increased my heart rate. My increased heart rate pumped my blood harder, faster. My lungs screamed for more oxygen.
We ducked low to the ground, trying to avoid the glittery cloud. The dust spread rapidly, a fine powder shimmering in the morning light. We waved our hands like we could make it disperse, the way you would when it was smoky or to waft away a bad smell. Instead, it settled on our skin, burrowing, and absorbing through our pores.
My vision swam. The world shifted under me.
“Reagan,”Eres croaked weakly. She sounded so far away. It took everything I had just to muster the strength to whisper her name in my mind. Give her a small piece of comfort as we drifted into darkness.
“Eres ...”
“You fucked up ...”
Stupid unicorn.
What an asshole.
Chapter38
Caius
Tartarus was created to house monsters. Soon it became a Hell, of sorts—a place to banish criminals, murderers, and the worst of those on Earth. No matter how many times I had reiterated it’s not actually Hell, the truth was it was treated that way for a time.
When we arrived, it was bloodshed, terror, and chaos.
Pollux, Abyssian, and I were determined to change this realm. With Styx and Oberon at our side, we did. Too often they attributed that change to me, never taking credit for their part, but I knew they were integral to the creation of a better world.
Not all crimes are created equal, and not all crimes make someone a monster. Styx had certainly done her share of damage, and she was nothing of the sort. So were thousands of other people. They were allowed to live.
The rest were not so fortunate.
An entire island within Tartarus, devoid of life, was transformed into a rocky prison where the worst of the monsters were locked away. Their powers stripped, when possible. All cells warded with the strongest of magic—a massive gemstone mine, used to create the network of wards to guard the Titans.
They were kept there for almost five thousand years. No one had ever escaped.
Until today.
The wards were tripped, sending me and my men into a frantic search for who it could have been. We’d found nothing.
After I sealed the ward behind me, the ancient rock rumbled as it shifted into place, closing the prison for the Titan, Kronos. I’d rushed here first, believing Kronos had escaped, but he was still deep in his slumber—the only escape he’d ever have from this captivity.
Pollux rounded the corner, coming to a stop before me. His face was grim as he shook his head. “No other prison was disturbed.”
“Who all has reported in?”
“Legion, the guards on this shift, and me. Legion called in half the army to be on standby. The rest of them are searching the outer isle in case we missed something.”
“Where’s Abyssian?” I asked, rubbing my hand over the stone, and feeling the hum of the ward beneath it.
“Reagan charged him with taking care of Clara while she’s gone. He’s not to leave her side, apparently.” Pol crossed his arms, looking down at his feet in thought.
Legion appeared, directing two guards at his side as a group of soldiers followed him in formation.
“Anything?” I asked him as he approached.
“No one was found.”
We were missing something. Some small detail. Some clue. That’s what he didn’t say, but we were all thinking it. The guards around us looked between each other, eyes round and brows raised.
