AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thanatos stared at me impassively, arms crossed over his chest, before turning his dispassionate gaze on Riot, silver flashes still illuminating the ground.
“How the mighty have fallen, Keres. You didn’t cry this much when I took your voice.”
I’d happily give up all of my senses if it meant I could take back the past twenty-four hours.
“But I haven’t come for him,” Thanatos continued, tipping his chin at Riot. “I’ve come for you.”
My head snapped up, fear making it impossible to breathe. Me? It was my time? No, that couldn’t be. I still had so much to do. And Grace, Grace needed me. Even if she could never forgive me, even if she never looked me in the eye again, I could still help her, be there for her. I’d spend the rest of my life doing whatever it was she asked me to do, anything to make her happy, even just a little.
Thanatos’ gaze was unwavering, his expression totally unreadable. “I hate you, you know. Why the Fates decidedyouwere worthy of the Prophêtis, I’ll never know, but here we are. Come along, Keres. You have work to do.”
Chapter 30
Iwatchedtheotherside of the pit as discreetly as I could, waiting obsessively for Wild and Riot to return. I should have never left them, no matter what they said. I’d been there, I could have stopped it. Now that I was out, the idea of going back into the ruins, back to where Bullet…
Nausea churned in my gut despite my empty stomach.
Vasileios and his band of followers were singing loudly, drinking and celebrating next to the pit. When Dare had explained what it was, where it likely led, they’d taken it as a sign to ramp up their excitement. After all, this was what we’d been waiting for, wasn’t it? This was the path to Tartarus we needed, the way in. The wayout.
Thanks were given to the gods before every drink was poured, and I joined in each dedication with the water I’d been sipping on. I should be pleased.
Be grateful,I commanded myself.This is what we worked for. This is what our sacrifices were for. The least you can do is be grateful.
“They’re back,” Dare said shakily.
My head shot up, and I watched in alarm as Ovie and Fox returned alone, expressions grim.
“Dare,” I whispered, my hand trembling as I reached for his forearm.
“Don’t panic,” he replied, without a shred of confidence in his voice. “There could be a totally fine, not-terrifying reason. Don’t panic.”
“Too late,” I rasped, spotting the beige wool sweater in Ovie’s hand. The one Riot had been wearing when we’d left Eirene’s house.
Ovie approached with his eyes downcast, unfolding the torn sweater and holding it up for me.
Showing me the bloodstains.
I was going to be sick.
“I’m so sorry,” Fox whispered. “This is all we could find. They’re both gone.”
“How can they begone?” Dare asked before I could voice that exact same question. “There’s another gate. Maybe they got confused and went out that way.”
Fox hesitated. “There was a lot of blood outside the agathos temple. Too much for someone to just walk away…”
“No.” I shook my head. “No, neither of them wouldreallyhurt each other.”
I glanced up at Dare, finding him pressing his lips together like he was trying not to say something.
Perhaps to remind me before I’d met either of them, Wildhadbeaten up Riot. But that was a long time ago, before they really knew each other. Wild wouldn’t do that now.
I tightened my grip on Dare’s arm, dragging him away from the now subdued group so I could talk to him in relative privacy.
“Dare, what if they fell in the pit?” I whispered urgently. “What if that’s why Milos dragged us back here?”
He glanced uneasily back at the chasm, wanting to object, but not quite able to, knowing I might be right. The pit was for me, it was my path. I had to follow it eventually, and if Riot and Wild had ended up falling into it, then I had even more reason to leave.
“I have to go,” I told Dare, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. “The prophecy was for me. I was the one told to rescue the treasure held in the deep.”
