AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m a god.”
Bertha heaved a sigh. “Again with the god thing?”
Hades tilted his chin, looking every inch a deity. “It means that I can claim any territory I want. For now, this garden is mine.”
“Um. I wouldn’t mention that to Styx. He’s already cranky.”
“I’m not here to make Styx happy.” Hades glanced back at Bertha, his expression impossible to read. “I’m here to makeyouhappy.”
“Oh.”
For once in Bertha’s life she was speechless. A god was there to make her happy? That seemed…unlikely. So was this a trap?
Before she could demand an explanation, Styx stopped directly in front of Hades.
“We have something you need to see,” the Anasso said, his tone respectful, but determined.
Hades folded his arms over his chest, fire swirling around his feet. “Doubtful.”
The silver-haired vampire took a cautious step backward, but Styx ignored the less than subtle warning. In fact, he held out a long stick, as if expecting Hades to take it.
“This is a spear that belonged to the minotaurs. It’s etched with what we believe are prophecies.”
Hades narrowed his eyes at the male’s arrogance, but he didn’t char him into a briquette. Progress.
“Why show it to me? The minotaurs aren’t my disciples. I have no authority over their divinations.”
“We need your interpretation,” Styx said.
Hades glanced toward the staff. “Asking a favor from a god is a risky business.”
“Not a favor,” Styx hastily corrected. Had he made a deal with a god before? If he had, it obviously hadn’t turned out well. “Just a…sharing of information.”
Hades made a sound of disgust. “You believe I can be manipulated with clever words?”
“Styx, maybe we should reconsider this,” the silver-haired vampire hissed.
Styx pretended not to hear his companion, his gaze never wavering from Hades. “I suspect that the etchings might explain why the minotaurs kidnapped Levet.”
Bertha’s mild amusement was instantly replaced with a fierce flare of hope. “Hades.”
The god glanced in her direction, his expression exasperated. He didn’t want to give the vampire what he desired. Bertha was guessing that Hades didn’t offer his service to anyone without demanding compensation. Probably in the form of a soul. But he knew how desperately she wanted to track down her relative.
Grinding his teeth together, Hades held out his hand. “Give it to me.”
Styx cautiously placed the spear on Hades’s palm. The god spun toward Bertha, holding the weapon so she could see the pictures that had been carved into the wood. She leaned forward, her gaze skimming over the various symbols. From what she could see they devoted most of their prophecies to battling an unseen darkness that was consuming their homeland. It wasn’t until she reached the top of the staff that she noticed the carving of a tiny gargoyle.
“Levet.” She turned her attention to Hades, who was running his fingers over the shaft, as if absorbing the essence of the weapon. Or perhaps the essence of the minotaur who had carved the symbols. “What does it mean?” she demanded.
“The minotaurs believe this gargoyle is going to save them,” he murmured, speaking out loud so the vampires could hear his words.
“Save them from what?” Styx demanded.
Hades touched a deep hole that had been drilled into the wood. “Extinction.”
“Levet?” Bertha was more resigned than shocked. She loved her relative, but he was a disaster magnet. If there was going to be an end-of-the-world event, her nephew was somehow going to be involved. “How?”
“It doesn’t reveal how he manages to accomplish the feat, but this proves they have elevated him to god status.”
