“This is why this is so hard for me to tell you because no one is going to like what I have to say,” Adrian whispers.
“We aren’t shooting the messenger, remember? Adrian already volunteered to stay behind to help us.” I glance at everyone in the room. “He’s telling us for the good of everyone what he’s seen. He can’t control it or the outcomes.”
“But we have to split up?” Kira asks. “We’re stronger together.”
“We do,” Adrian confirms. “It cuts our chance of failure by more than half.”
“Who?” Raven asks.
She steps up next to me, her arms crossed over her chest. She will lose her shit if Adrian says she has to stay behind. We are ride or die and she won’t like having me gone on a mission without her. I glance at Jayden but he’s staring a holethrough the side of Adrian’s face, waiting for what we all fear is inevitable.
We have to split our group and none of us knows how we’re going to save the world if we’re torn apart.
“I’ll stay.” Thad steps forward. “I’m one of the strongest because of who my father is. I can help hold the lines if we need to.”
“Are you sure, Thad?” I ask my friend. “We may need the strongest with us. Ares and Athena students can hold the lines.”
“No,” Thad says. “We need at least one leader from the big three here. Right, Adrian?”
“He’s right.” Adrian nods. “You stay behind in every timeline that we win. You’re needed here.”
“Good. I’m always happy to go where I’m most needed.” Thad steps back.
“Is that it?” I ask but my hopes are quickly dashed when Adrian shakes his head.
“Dax has to stay,” Adrian says.
“What?” Dax roars and lunges for Adrian.
As all hell breaks loose, I can’t help but wonder if we’re about to kill each other before the queen even gets a shot at us.
3
“Dax, stop,” Kira screams and grabs his arm.
Dax yanks his arm from her grasp, and she crashes into a nearby cot with a groan. Draven lunges forward, magic in his palms, ready to defend Kira.
“Draven, no. Go check on Kira. She could be hurt,” I shout and glance at Jayden.
His shadows swirl as he nods back and his golden chains snake around Dax, pinning his arms to his sides. Dax thrashes and bellows his rage at Adrian.
“You can’t be serious. Kira has to go. She’s the daughter of Hephaestus. I have to protect her.” He slumps in the chains.
“I’m sorry,” Adrian says. “I wish we all didn’t have to split up but it’s the only way.”
“What if Ben goes instead?” Draven asks.
Kira smacks him in the back of the head, clearly fine. “Ben isn’t going. He has few skills outside the forge. He would be dead weight.”
“If Ben goes, everyone dies. If Dax goes, everyone dies.” Adrian’s eyes are glassy as he stares at the wall. “I don’t like it either, but this is the only way.”
“No, I refuse to believe it’s the only way,” Dax says. “I’m a son of Ares. I have helped in the past. I should be there.”
“Dax,” I say softly. “You and Raven are the strongest of the Ares descendants. One of you should stay behind to lead.”
“Why can’t Raven and Greyson stay behind?” He slumps against the wall, the fight draining from him.
I glance at Jayden and the chains disappear. But Raven is in motion before I can stop her, slamming into Dax with a snarl.
