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“Dad,” Daisy says. “Dad.”
No reaction.
My heart beats harder like the damn thing’s worried I might die. I’m worried I mightlive.
“Dad,stop.” Both Persephone’s arms go around Daisy, and then Brigit’s stepping in to hold her, too. I can’t see Poseidon because Hades is too close. He tilts his head on a slight angle, his hands still at his sides, and I know that once he lifts them, it’s over.
Fifteen feet.
Ten.
Eight.
Six.
He’s only a foot or so out of arm’s reach when Poseidon tackles him.
Everybody’s shouting over each other, Daisy loudest of all. “Juststop.Stop. Can you hear me? Stop, Dad!”
Hades doesn’t fall. The full weight of his brother barely rocks him. He pulls against Poseidon like Poseidon is a testy breeze and not a grown man. One of Poseidon’s arms goes across Hades’s chest, a human seat belt, and then I can’t see either of them.
Because Zeus shoves himself in front of me.
This close, I can feel that however he calms a room, however he makes it feel better, it’s notlight. It only seems light to the people he’s affecting. It’s power like a lightning storm, coiled close to his skin.
“Hades.” He sounds like they’re at a party, having a friendly disagreement over sports or drinks or whatever the fuck else people argue about over cocktails. “I won’t let you kill my son.”
9
DAISY
This isn’t a party,this is hell breaking loose.
All I catch from Zeus ismy son,and Hercules puts a hand on his shoulder and tosses him out of the way. Well—triesto toss him. Zeus bolts forward instead. Takes a second in all the flying limbs to understand that’s because my dad got away from Poseidon and attacked.
It’s a real blunt-force situation, because Poseidon tries to break it up and blocks one punch from going straight into Zeus’s face. This gives Zeus enough time to grab my dad’s face and hold on tight.
Ares and Apollo sprint past and collide with Hercules, who’s winding up to come after my dad. It’s a crowd of tall people and muscle. Brigit calls over the fray. Ashley holds Castor and Pollux back from running into it just for kicks. A hand slips into mine.
It’s Artemis.
“This is a shitshow,” I tell her.
“I know.” Zeus says this at the top of his voice, but he’s not shouting, not exactly. It’s the way you’d talk to someone who’s having a breakdown, which…maybe my dad is. “I know. I know. Okay? I know. I get it. You can’t kill him.”
My dad doesn’t say anything. His free arm, the one Poseidon’s not holding, darts in. He takes Zeus’s wrist in his hand and squeezes so hard I’m surprised the bone doesn’t crack.
“He wouldn’t hurt her. I can’t let you hurt him. I’m not going to. He’s my son, and I trust—”
“I’m not your fuckingson,” Hercules spits. Ares and Apollo hold him back. “Let him do whatever he wants. I don’t give a fuck. You want to kill me? Try. Right now.Let him do it.”
Zeus closes his eyes.
It’s a flinch, like he’s heard this before, and then a heavy sensation comes down over us. Heavy. Invisible. Almost like syrup. It’s not happiness. It’s not peace. It’s like a blanket over my feelings. The terror doesn’t feel so close. The disappointment feels manageable. The guilt is still the worst.
Artemis sighs next to me and squeezes my hand.
My mom hugs me tighter. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” she murmurs. “He’s tired.”
