Fate tipped her head back, the pipe falling from her lips. Her voice deepened, reverberating through the room. “At this century’s turn! All of Sparta applauds. The federation falls to the exposer of gods.”
Hades’s fog receded.
“The prophecy is fulfilled!” someone screamed, and once again, all hell broke loose.
In the yelling chaos, cracks echoing as people leapt away, Lena’s pastel eyes met mine.
“Thank you,” I shouted.
She smiled, disappearing into the stampede of fleeing bodies.
Sparta had reason to panic.
Just like Rome, the House of Zeus had fallen.
Persephone beamed across the room at me with pride, and next to her, Aphrodite tipped her head to me as she clapped.
My chest prickled.
Acrackin my peripheral vision brought me back to reality—Patro and Achilles had just leapt away.
Crap.
I jumped off the speaker, Nyx slithered up my arm, and I dropped my rod to the floor as I pushed through the crowd.
“Alexis!” Kharon shouted. People cried out as he violently shoved them aside, trying to reach me.
“Kharon! Augustus!” I fought to get to them.
More screams echoed.
Finally—the three of us collided.
“We need to get to the villa right now. It’s urgent—Helen’s room!” I said in a rush.
Augustus nodded and grabbed both of us.
The world once again disappeared.
“Ceres,” I screamed with warning as we landed amongst pink lace. “Patro knows about you!”
But the adjoining door was ajar, and voices were shouting in the other room.
We were too late.
47
THE IMPERSONATOR IS REVEALED
ALEXIS
Smoke swirled in sinister tendrils.
Starlight shone through the long windows, framing the towering mountain ranges that hugged the Lake Como banks.
Time slowed as I ran into the adjoining bedroom.
I skidded to a stop, books flying at my feet. Kharon and Augustus bumped against my arms as all three of us took in the scene.
