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My father clasps my shoulder, pride beaming in his eyes as he looks back at me. Murmurs sound around the courtyard as they stare up at us, a mix of wonder, appreciation, and confusion, echoing around the square.
“We have two essential players—”
“You have three,” Kallen corrects from behind us. We turn to face him, allowing him to step forward. “I was impartial before, but after today, I’m willing to help.”
“Why are you changing your tone now?” Maximus asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as he manoeuvers me away from Kallen. I can tell that he’s trying his best not to tuck me behind his back and protect me from any threat.
“It’s one thing to stand on the other side of that gate, trusting what my father says as the truth. He would tell me it was only a matter of time before you came after us, until you tried to take our new home from us too, that if Osias had his way, we would be sent to a land far more desolate than the infernal realm, and rot our days away there for the rest of eternity,” Kallen says, looking around the courtyard. “Now I see how much he had me wrapped around his finger. I see all of you going about your day, and how much fear and chaos he causes for those who are innocent.”
The crowd murmurs down below, unable to hear what Kallen is saying from so far away.
“I’ll help you fight against him, because this isn’t right,” Kallen declares, his dark-blue eyes steely with determination. “I can see why you were always working against us in the shadows, brother. And you too, Mother. I see why he never trusted either of you completely. He knew that you saw through him, while I was blinded by his lies.”
“So many are,” Titus agrees, giving his brother a nod of understanding. “He knows how to warp the mind like an expert.”
“We should continue this discussion in private,” my father says, gesturing to the interior of the summit. “Because this changes everything.”
Chapter Nine
Adrian
“Let’sgettothemeeting room to discuss this further,” Osias says before turning back to the crowd. “Ajax, I need you to get to the signal room. We need a message broadcasted to all demigods and gods who aren’t already in Ethereal or at the academy, and instruct them to come home.”
“Of course, leader,” Ajax inclines and stands. Ajax has never been one to respect authority, so seeing him so ready and willing to follow Osias’ orders now, really puts things into perspective. We’ve been dealing with attack after attack, so it’s been hard to differentiate what constitutes a real emergency. I guess this takes the cake.
Ajax rushes past us and into the summit, wasting no time. Crazy how a few hours can change everything.
“Lysander will start directing everyone,” Mateo says, looking down at the crowd where his general is already organizing the demigods and gods around the courtyard. “I already instructed them to have anyone well-versed in the ancient magic to strengthen the shields around the city and figure out where the powers came from. He had to have been somewhere close, yet none of the protections alerted us.”
“I know,” Osias says, glancing around the courtyard, his gaze vigilant as though he doesn’t want to risk leaving.
“Lysander will let me know if anything else happens,” Mateo reminds him, clapping him on the back ... did I miss something?
I clasp Olivia’s hand and lead the way into the summit, wanting to see her face when she enters. It was amazing to see her reactions when we went around the city, the wonder as she cataloged every street corner. It was almost like how she looked at the academy when she first saw it.
We step through the open bronze doors and into the main hallway. Sure enough, Olivia is already gazing up at the marble walls and bronze ceiling, admiring the giant skylights lining the hall.
“It’s incredible,” she murmurs as we pass by the open amphitheater, pausing so she can get a good look as the others pass by us. The large room is big enough to house all the gods, yet, with magic, it can either shrink or expand to house anyone who is in attendance. The large stage is marble, with burgundy upholstery seats facing it. A large golden podium glitters in the orb at the center of the stage.
“The main part of the school was made in honor of the summit,” I say, leading her further down the hall past the large marble fountain. We follow the others slowly, to let her get a good look at the rooms along the way until we reach the meeting room.
“This is where the majors have their meetings,” I whisper in her ear, loving the appreciative smile that spreads across her lips.
The oval table stands in the center of the room, but no one takes seats.
“I know where Romulus is hiding, and I’m willing to tell you where that is,” Kallen says as the doors close.
Kyros places a silencing spell on the room, giving Kallen an incredulous look.
“Are you prepared for the consequences?” Osias asks, scanning Kallen with an assessing gaze. “If we don’t succeed, you won’t be able to go back to your father. He’ll kill you for giving him up.”
“And if I don’t, hundreds will die,” Kallen says. He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. “I don’t want him dead, maybe we can trap—”
“There won’t be a choice,” Mateo says. “You have to be prepared for the worst, otherwise I don’t think we should take this information seriously.”
“The one for the many,” Kallen sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Like I said, Romulus convinced me that you were the aggressors, that you would never let us live without ruling over us in the end. Now I see just how many lies he told.”
I watch Titus, noticing the way he observes his brother carefully, like he isn’t sure yet if he should believe him. Hell, do I actually trust Titus now?
