Page 39 of Queen of Tempests and Sin

Right. Gods’ semantics… My bad.

Without missing a beat, he turned to Si. ‘So,’ he said, holding his brother’s gaze with a look sharp enough to flay flesh. ‘You decided to keep the assassin instead of killing her.’

This god absolutely gave me the heebie-jeebies; he was definitely on team End-Cordelia.

‘Yes,’ Si drawled, completely unfazed. ‘She belongs to me, now. I’ve claimed her.’

All three gods stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

My entire body locked up as anger slammed into me, a wrecking ball of fury and disbelief. I struggled from Si’s grasp and slipped under his arm, planting myself in front of him with fists on my hips.

‘Excuse me? Claimed me?’ My voice rang through the room, hot and sharp. ‘This girl’—I pointed to myself—'does not get owned. Or possessed. Or claimed, you… You absolute dick.’

Si’s eyes churned with grey clouds, but a grin split his handsome face. ‘I told you, Little Red. You belong to me. Given time, you’ll realise it. Until then, I’ll wait.’

The other three gods watched us with unconcealed amusement—as if they were watching prime-time drama. Someone needed to hand them a bowl of popcorn.

I glared at Si, my fists still planted on my hips, the dick-faced fucker. I wanted to kick him in that huge dong. I did not belong to him. I did not want to be with him. He was delicious, and the attraction was potent… but he was the epitome of a very bad idea, and the walking embodiment of heartbreak. He’d crush my poor heart like a meat mallet does a steak.

My lips pressed closed, then opened back up, probably making me look like a goldfish.

‘You’re… you’re delusional,’ I finally snapped. ‘I’m leaving.’ I spun to go, but he moved like a godsdamned phantom. One second, he was sitting at the table, the next, my nose was bouncing off his chest. Ouch.

I punched him in the stomach, almost breaking my fist, so instead, I whipped out my blade and pressed it to his throat. ‘Back. Off,’ I hissed.

‘Assassin.’ Hades’ voice cracked with thunder. Cold and commanding. ‘Sit. Down. Now.’

I froze. Lowered the knife. Si smiled smugly as I showed him my teeth in a silent snarl, but not wanting to piss off the king of the Underworld, I stomped back to the table and dropped into my chair with all the grace of a furious porcupine. Si followed, sliding into the seat beside me. I crossed my arms across my chest and death-glared him.

‘Poseidon, brother, please tell me what the fuck is going on,’ Hades groaned as he closed his eyes.

Si gave me a go-ahead gesture as he grabbed the bottle of whisky, filling everyone’s empty glasses. I started from when I was hired via Drakos, mentioning the threat against my sister, and every lie, betrayal, and fuck-up in between. I told them everything. My voice only cracked once.

By the time I finished, one bottle of whisky was empty, and so was I.

CHAPTER 15

POSEIDON

Cordelia could shake me up like a can of soda, but instead of wanting to obliterate her, I wanted to fuck her with the hunger of a man possessed.

A warm sensation rattled in my chest as I thought of her. When she’d crossed her arms across those suckable tits, her usually porcelain cheeks stained red, her look was enough to wither flowers. Gods, she was magnificent.

She wasn’t just a distraction. She was an obsession. My ultimate obsession.

Cordelia was itching to fetch Guinn, but Hades had insisted we wait. Erebus and Ajax had gone ahead to scout Drakos’s stronghold. Until they returned, we stayed grounded.

The plan was simple: Hades and I would flash in, grab Guinn, and get out. But Cordelia’s nerves were fraying fast. Guilt, anxiety, fear—they all simmered beneath her sharp exterior. She blamed herself for the danger Guinn might be in, but I’d reassured her: if Ixion was involved, they likely didn’t know Drakos’s Greek location. For now, Guinn was safe.

Cordelia, though? She wasn’t.

Ixion didn’t leave loose ends, and Cordelia was a damn bright one. They’d come for her, and they’d try to erase her.

The thought made something snap inside me. Rage twisted in my gut like a serpent, hot and violent.

If they laid even a finger on her... I’d burn the fucking world down. Come hell or high fury—I would protect her.

Once Erebus and Ajax returned, they’d take the helicopters to the location—eyes in the sky. Perseus and Thanatos had already left by jeep. Between air and road, the perimeter around Drakos’s stronghold would be locked down.