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Chapter 34
Harmonia
It feels unbelievably strange being back in Nyx’s home. It’s the last place I was before we stepped into the Furies’ territory, when Alexi struck the deal and I left with them. The memory of being placed in a cell in the basement comes to mind, but the harshness has melted away and I would, without hesitation, go through it all again.
“H, sit down, you need to rest.” I glare at Alexi and his babying that hasn’t stopped since we left the alternative planes of Hell. It’s sweet, but irritating too. Talon has healed me now and I’m fine, but apparently his earlier attempts to heal me didn’t go so well, so Alexi is still edgy.
When Alexi doesn’t back down under my stare, I roll my eyes and drop down into the chair at the end of the table, Rhea already sitting in the one to my right with her Elite’s completing the row, while Malik somehow manages to push Alexi from the spot to my left.
My friend grins at them, clearly amused by their childish fighting over me, and I can’t say that I don’t like it.
“What is it with this fucking man?” Nyx’s anger vibrates around the room, drawing everyone’s attention toward the doorway as she glares at the cellphone in her hand. “I’ve tried to reach out to him in every way possible and I’m getting absolutely nothing in response,” she adds, striding into the room as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “Sometimes your father is a real dickhead, Adonis. Don’t you agree?” Adonis laughs, but before he can form a response, she waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t answer that. We all know that answer is yes.” Nyx drops the cell phone onto the table with a sigh as Adonis spins the magic coin in his hand.
“I don’t know what is going on with him, I can’t even use this to get myself close to him. Something has to have happened. We just need to give him a little time,” he explains, and I note the fondness now in his tone when he mentions Hades. It’s a far cry from the anger that once ran through his veins at the mention of the God of the Underworld.
“Time isn’t something we have all that much of.” My glance turns to Malik at the sound of his voice and his hands move to my arm, holding it up to remind everyone of the mark that remains there.
The move only seems to stoke fire into my heart. We have to do whatever is necessary here. I can’t spend the rest of my life with this on my arm, someone always out for my blood. We saw it with Malik, Talon, and Alexi. When the world was done with the old Furies, they were quick to replace them. Noose will be replaced in a similar way and the target will remain on my back.
I can’t live like that.
I want to be free and whole, without anything holding us back any longer. Fuck, I deserve it.
They’re right, we need to be doing something and it needs to happen quickly while the Redvellions are weakened. Catching them at this moment should make it easier to get to Styx.
“We should cover that up.” It takes me a second to realize Nyx’s words are aimed at me, everyone trailing her line of sight to my arm. I meet her stare and she simply nods. “If they’re going to know it’s there, then they’ll know it’s there, but I want it covered.”
Her words aren’t a question, and despite my usual uncertainty when it comes to this woman, I find myself nodding.
“I’ll do it,” Talon offers, stepping up to my side and offering out his hand to me. My palm touches his before I even realize I’ve moved, and I watch in awe as he turns my arm so the mark is glaring between us. With a sweep of his hand over my skin, the ink disappears, making my chest tighten as a bubble of hope swells inside my stomach. “It’s only temporary, but it will do for now,” he murmurs, before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss against my temple.
“Thank you,” I breathe back in response, my eyelashes fluttering closed for a second before I look up at him.
I can see the concern swirling in his eyes, the need to promise me everything is going to be okay, even when we don’t know that for certain. Especially with what happened earlier. I place my finger against his lips, stopping him from making promises he can’t keep, at the exact same time a flash shines out of the corner of my eye.
We all turn in surprise as a navy-blue portal opens before us, every muscle in my body stiffening with the intrusion as I rise to my feet along with everyone else. I almost roll my eyes in annoyance when Hades comes into view, but the look on his face tells me it’s as serious as Adonis hinted it might be.
Instinctively, I glance over my shoulder at my best friend's demon soulmate, the worry knitting his brows together as he takes a step closer to his father. Turning back to Hades, I watch as he looks around in confusion, which baffles me since I know he’s been here before.
“Of all the places I expected to find you, Alexi, Nyx’s home isn’t one of them,” he states as Alexi pushes a hand through his hair, a heavy sigh falling from his lips as he looks from me to Hades.
“It’s not exactly where I expected to find myself either. How did you know where we were?” Alexi inches closer, almost bringing himself in front of me to form a barrier while Talon and Malik stick to either side, blocking me in.
“I set the portal to find the three Furies who were looking for answers with regards to the mark on your soulmate.” Hades lifts his eyebrow in question, a pointed look on his face as he waves his hand at me, and I have to bite back the giggle ready to take over at his demeanor.
“Do you have anything to go on?” Malik asks, his hand finding mine without him taking his eyes off Hades.
Slowly, Hades looks around the room, taking his time to size each and every one of us up before he settles his gaze on my men once more.
“I’ve got it all, but we have to leave now. I must warn you, this isn’t going to be pretty.” A shiver runs down my spine at his words as he takes a step back toward the portal, looking directly at Adonis as he continues, “I hope you’re ready for battle.”
With that, he steps through the portal, leaving it open for the rest of us to follow. No one moves at first, everyone looking at each other with a hint of trepidation floating in the air around us before my eyes settle on my men.
Clenching my hand tightly around Malik, I look at each of their now-white eyes as their magic forces its way to the surface. I clear my throat, roll my shoulders back, and smile wide as I take a step toward the portal.
“Here goes nothing.”
I step through the blue portal with Alexi appearing right in front of me, Malik right beside me with his fingers laced with mine, while Talon steps through seconds after me. Hades is waiting to the left with an impatient look on his face as he taps his foot lightly, while Rhea and the Elites follow us through the portal with Nyx hot on their tails.
