“Anyway, the demon pigeons are sentient because father intended for it to be so when he made them. So the idea would be the same with this. I pour my intentions into the radio I make and power it with magic.” Kira nods.
“If you could do that, it would be super helpful,” I say.
“Of course. I’ll get started now and we should have it up and running by tomorrow.” Kira nods and races off.
“Damn it, I had plans for her tonight,” Dax grumbles.
“Sorry, but saving the world takes precedence over your needs.” Raven smirks.
“I know that. It’s just becoming an inconvenience,” Dax snaps.
“It’s becoming an inconvenience for you?” I scoff. “You helped us save the world one damn time and it’s an inconvenience for you?”
I take a step forward and Dax’s eyes widen comically but arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me into a solid chest.
“Love, ignore the idiot who put his foot in his mouth,” Jayden whispers in my ear.
A loud crack fills the air, drawing my attention from Jayden back to Dax who’s rubbing the back of his head. “Shit, Draven. What the fuck, man?”
“You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. You don’t appreciate the sacrifices they have made and continue to make for us, that’s up to you, but keep your idiotic mouth shut about it.”
My jaw practically drops to the floor. That was probably the smartest thing to ever come out of Draven’s mouth and it was in my defense. Did we divert from the path in the woods and end up in an alternate universe?
“Wait, what? I respect their sacrifices. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Dax shoots out of his seat. “Shit, I didn’t even think about it and how it sounded before I blurted it out like an idiot. I deserved that smack and more.”
“It’s fine.” I wave Dax off.
“It’s not fine. You go through enough without worrying about jackasses blurting things out without thinking.” Dax hangs his head. “I‘ll try not to let it happen again, but Raven calls me her favorite idiot so there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again.”
“That’s fair,” I say. “Draven, what do you know about the location of your father’s temple?”
“Not much. I’ve been trying to look into it in the library but Arcadia, while it was said to be in southern Greece, was also the kind of mythological place where mortals weren’t welcomed.” Draven shrugs.
“It gives us something to go on. A general direction.” I sigh.
Well, let’s take a look at the map,” Dax suggests.
“Okay.” I sit up straighter in the chair and lean over the table.
“This is the area where Arcadia was rumored to be.” Draven points to the bottom of the map of Ancient Greece.
“It looks like it’s in the southeast?” I squint at the map. “So like Florida?”
“That would probably be the perfect spot, actually,” Draven says. “I found some old stories about Arcadia and on the outside it’s like a paradise, but it quickly turns into uninhabitable swampland. That could easily be the location or another place that’s similar.”
“We have a direction at least but still don’t know what we’re going up against or what’s happening in the rest of the world.” I rub at my temples.
“You’re exhausted, love. We should get some rest and plan more of this in the morning.” Jayden squeezes my shoulders.
“Maybe you’re right.” I yawn. “It’s been a long-ass day and I anticipate the next several will be the same.”
“We should all rest while we can.” Raven leans against Greyson’s side.
“You’re coming with us when we go searching, right?” I ask Draven. “We need someone from Hermes’ bloodline to get into the temple.”
“Of course we’re coming.” Dax stands. “We need to end this and quickly. You guys shouldn’t have this hanging over your heads all the time and it’s not solely up to you to fight this.”
“Five minutes ago this was a big inconvenience to you and now you’re all in?” Raven scoffs.
“I didn’t even think first, Raven, but of course I’m all in. We need to get that item back before Beth does something self-sacrificing, like turn herself over to that bitch.” Dax shakes his head.
“That’s not gonna happen. She’s not doing that,” Jayden says firmly.
I glance away because I can’t promise that I won’t do it if there’s no other option. They have to know that I’m not stupid enough to agree without getting some assurances for my friends and the humans. I’m not going to sacrifice myself for nothing just to clench her victory.
“Let’s go. You’re right. I need rest,” I mumble, tugging on Jayden’s hand.
When Jayden doesn’t move, I throw my hands up in the air. If he wants a promise, that’s not going to happen because I don’t make promises that I don’t keep. I don’t know what the future holds, but if there’s no other choice, I will die for him. I will die for all of them.
