Page 43 of Queen of Tempests and Sin

Then Hades spoke, his tone laced with suspicion. ‘One thing.’

We both turned to him.

‘If Ixion didn’t know Drakos had brought Guinn to his Greek stronghold’—he widened his arms, gesturing to our location—‘how did they find out so quickly?’

Both Si and I stiffened. ‘Maybe… they’re just checking all of his properties,’ I said, though even I didn’t believe it. Something dark gnawed at the pit of my stomach.

A leak? A spy? Or something worse?

Ixion was a snake in the dark—and Si was right; to protect Guinn, I’d stay by his side, even if it meant being close to this arrogant, gorgeous god. Because, despite his possessiveness and repeated attempts at dominating me… I trusted this god. I trusted Poseidon.

‘They are back. Come,’ Hades said coolly as he strode out, leaving Drakos’s body behind.

The front doors burst open, and Ajax appeared, scowling, with Guinn limping in behind him. A thousand champagne bubbles of joy exploded in my bloodstream.

‘Guinn!’ Sobs of relief wracked my body, and I ran to her, enveloping her in a fierce hug as she snivelled against my chest. ‘Baby…’ I hiccupped. ‘You’re safe now.’ I held her at arm’s length and looked at her tear-stained cheeks. She had a few cuts and bruises, a swollen, bruised eye, and what appeared to be a sore leg. ‘Are you okay?’

She nodded, blinking back more tears. ‘I kicked one of them in the balls, and he slapped me. I think I twisted my knee when I fell. I broke another one’s nose, and he punched me.’ She grimaced as she gently touched her swollen eye. ‘Ouch.’

‘There were four of them,’ Ajax said to Poseidon. ‘All dead before we could question them, Majesty,’

Guinn’s gaze lifted and landed on the gods behind me. Her one good eye went wide.

‘Hades,’ I said as the god of the Underworld nodded curtly. ‘Poseidon’—a grin split his face as he regarded Guinn—‘This is my sister, Guinn.’

‘Holy fuck,’ Guinn breathed.

‘What did I tell you about swearing, Guinevere?’ I snapped.

‘You swear all the time!’

‘I’m the adult. Do as I say, not as I do.’

‘Hardly fair,’ she muttered.

I caught Si still grinning like the smug bastard he was, while Hades had returned to his default: unbothered and borderline bored.

‘Let’s go. I’ll run you a nice bath. Come on.’ I tugged Guinn’s hand, and she limped after me towards her bedroom.

I filled the tub with steaming water and aromatherapy bath salts while she undressed. As she lowered herself in with a soft moan, she closed her one functioning eye, and I knelt beside her and stroked her hair.

‘So which one are you sleeping with?’ she murmured without opening her eye. I almost choked on my spit.

‘Neither…’ I gasp-laughed.

She cracked one eye open, brow arched. ‘It’s Poseidon, isn’t it? He’s hot as hell. And the way he was looking at you… total heart-eyes.’

‘I’m not sleeping with him⁠—’

‘Not yet,’ she cut me off. ‘Cordie, the chemistry between you two is raging. But seriously, he’s a god. How the fuck did you get tangled up with the actual pantheon?’

‘Next time you swear, I’ll give you a matching black eye.’ She rolled her eye so hard I’m pretty sure she saw her brain. ‘No swearing, missy.’ I glared at her, and she closed her eye again. ‘Anyway… It’s a long story.’

‘So tell me. All of it.’ She turned her face towards me, all teasing gone. ‘I know you’re the Black Dahlia, Cordie.’ My breath froze as I stared at her. ‘I’m practically a dark web ninja,’ she added with a shrug. ‘It wasn’t hard to connect your "trips" with the Dahlia’s hits.’ I groaned and massaged my eyes as she turned away again.

‘Where is Papa, anyways?’ My hands fell from my face as my heart sank to my boots.

‘Let me start from the beginning,’ I said in a hoarse voice as her head snapped around, her face paling.