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The rage leaves me like a lake bursting a dam. The bare bed in its wake is a sheet of mortified ice.
“Hecate.”
A tight nod from Z. “And with your suspicions about what she’s planning, what do you think she’ll do with the information?”
“Oh, my God,” Kara chokes out.
My father’s face is back to a forbidding scowl. “If we’re not careful, that’s exactly what she’ll become to you,” he states. “All the stories relay that I elevated her because of my gratitude and awe. But the real reason? I knew I had to secure her loyalty, and nothing short of a grand gesture would do.”
My own teeth clash with each other until my jaw aches. “And now that she’s not happy with that…”
“She’s committed to a cause that’ll avenge her disappointment. And she’s ready to do whatever it takes for success.” His head ducks toward Kara. “Including measures to get to that magical little hybrid you’re carrying.”
“Who isn’t popping out right this second,” I say. “So we have time.”
Z scoffs so hard, it’s nearly a laugh. “We have nothing.”
Kara stiffens. “What do you…”
“If that witch shows up, even in fiveminutes, she won’t think twice about cutting that child from your womb where you stand. Then she’ll leave you to bleed out on this beach while she spells the fetus into a fully formed adult, ready to do whatever she asks of it.”
As quickly as she’s tensed, Kara sags into me. “No!” she sobs.
The fear digs into me differently. All too quickly, it morphs into wrath like I’ve never known.
“That’s not possible,” I spew. “The baby wouldn’t live through it. She can’t demand devotion from athing.”
Zeus’s new chuff is a gallon of alkaline blasting my gut’s pond of acid. “Says the demigod about the goddess who rules the zombies?”
“No!” But Kara’s outcry is the dagger that cuts me all the way open.
“If zombification isn’t a solution, she also has Persephone at her fingertips,” Z continues. “In this kind of situation, the goddess of rebirth is handy in the back pocket.”
For the first time, Kara jerks away from me. She’s not repelled; I already see that across her face. She’scompelled. Bursting with emotions that feel impossible to process.
I should know. Every one of them pummels me too.
“What do we do?” she pleads. “Maximus? What are we going to do?”
I brace one of her shoulders with patent command. “If she gets anywhere near you, I’ll tear her apart with my bare hands.”
“Which she’ll already be anticipating, meaning she’ll kill you first,” my father states.
I wheel on him, calling on nearly every muscle in my being to help with my civility. “So your better plan would be what?”
“The only option you have available,” he counters. “Both of you will leave this realm now, with me. You can live under my protection in Olympus.”
Before I’m able to knot it back, a boom of a laugh escapes. “Oh, sure. Under your protection. In the realm that Hecate likely knows how to access from every direction. And even if those access points are sealed, I’m not sure your actual queen enjoyed it when Mom and I were there thefirsttime.”
“Hera will understand, considering these circumstances.” His continuing cool, while not up to his usual urbanity, is starting to nettle. He’s talking about our lives here. Ourchild. “She hates the idea of bowing to Hecate more than I do. And, as I’ve just told you—”
“Got it already,” I retort. “It’s our only option.”
“Not your only one.”
The assertion has all three of us jerking around, nerves pricked by its source. But not in the way I’ve been terrified about. The voice doesn’t come close to a mesh of Zen mother and smooth jazz disc jockey. It’s not even female. Hecate doesn’t yet know we’re onto her grand plan, so she’d have no reason to drain her energy by shapeshifting. Or so I hope.
For a handful of moments, that assurance is joined by confusion.If not Hecate, then who’s here?
