AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The world quieted as something covered them, protecting them.
Run, the serpent said as it wrapped itself around him and Persephone. They come.
The gate of Tartarus had been opened.
Crius stood back up from where he had just used Persephone’s blood to create the symbols
on the exposed gate of Tartarus.
No, this can’t be happening.
“You can either get her help or stop Crius, but you cannot do both,” a nearby voice called out, muffled by the serpent.
Devon could see his mother’s milky eyes staring at him through the light of his serpent companion.
“Take her to your forest, my child,” she ordered before she turned to face Crius.
“Mother…” he breathed as he held Persephone tighter to his chest, his face streaked with blood and tears.
She looked back over her shoulder at her son, a warm smile crossing her face. One that brought back a memory that wasn’t his own.
Her having just given birth. Her face lit with so much love as she looked down at her baby boy.
At Devon.
The memory slipped away as his mother moved into the line of sight between Crius and Devon.
“Go!” she yelled at him as Crius raised the blade to cut down his mother.
She told you to go, as have I. Do not remain here to die, the serpent growled into his mind.
Before he could respond, or do anything, he watched Crius thrust the sword through his mother’s stomach. She’d sacrificed herself to buy him time enough to escape.
Devon felt something break inside his mind, like the chains that had trapped some part of him shattered as power flared to life.
As everything around them went white with an explosive power.
His mother had used her last breath, the last of herself to amplify his powers. One last time.
Devon used the surge to take Persephone to the safety of his forest.
***
He heard the crackle of dry leaves as his knees hit the forest floor.
“Thanatos! Hecate!” he screamed, his voice piercing the quiet of the night. “Help me! Fates, please!”
He looked back down at Persephone. Her eyes closed. Her chest still.
“Persephone, no! Please, please hold on,” he pleaded, his voice breaking as his sobs grew louder and more desperate.
Someone dropped to their knees beside them, attempting to take Persephone. Devon let out an inhuman growl before pulling her closer. Looking up, his vision too blurry to really see through the tears, he finally saw an injured Thanatos, and a terrified Hecate.
“I need you to let me help, Devon.” Thanatos stated, Devon finally realizing he was still clutching her against his chest, refusing to let her go.
He placed her on the ground but kept a hold of her hand. Thanatos placed his own near her wound before letting out a loud curse.
“Hydra poison,” was all Thanatos said as he grabbed Persephone and jumped all of them to the castle.
