Hyperion spread his arms. “You are our guests here, little goddess. Not our prisoners.”
Prue lifted her chin. “So we can come and go as we please?”
Hyperion’s mouth curled into a smirk. “Of course. Although, only Titan magic can pierce through the shields surrounding the cottage. So, I’m afraid you’ll be roaming in circles for quite a while.”
The Titans laughed again, and Prue swallowed around a lump of anxiety in her throat.
Trapped.They were trapped here.
“That doesn’t answer either of my questions,” Prue said.
Hyperion moved closer until he towered over her. She resisted the urge to cringe away from him, knowing he was trying to intimidate her.
She refused to cower.
“You are here to bring about our freedom,” Hyperion said in a low voice. “You are our bargaining chips. But restassured we are not monsters. Your accommodations will be the best we can afford. You will not be chained or tied up during your stay.”
Prue’s eyes narrowed. “So we are just supposed to believe you won’t hurt us?”
“We won’t hurt you… unless we have to,” said a purple-skinned Titan Prue recognized from the battle in the Undead Wilds. He had two ram horns and claws as long as Prue’s forearm.
His statement was not reassuring in the slightest.
“We’re bargaining chips for my husband, aren’t we?” Prue asked. “What do you want from him? The throne to the Underworld?”
Hyperion tilted his head, assessing her. “Do you know where we came from, little goddess?”
Prue said nothing. In truth, she didn’t know much about the history of the Titans.
“Elysium,” Mona said softly. “You were the first rulers of Elysium.”
Hyperion smiled, but there was no affection in the expression. “Yes. Until we were cut down by Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. They feared our power and thought we might use it to enslave the gods and goddesses.”
“We killed our father, Uranus,” said the purple-skinned Titan. “But the others managed to cage us in Tartarus. We have been there ever since.”
“And now,” Hyperion finished. “We have no home. We are free from Tartarus, and we willnotgo back. But Elysium is no longer ours to claim. Neither is the Underworld.” He leaned closer, his black eyes boring into Prue’s. “Where doyou suggest we go? Do you think we should stay confined to this hellhole?” He spread his arms, gesturing to the cottage. “Do you think it’s fair for us to be caged merely because we possess power that exceeds that of the gods and goddesses?”
“That’s not true,” Mona said, her voice gaining strength. “You weren’t thrown in Tartarus because of your power. You were imprisoned because you rebelled against the gods.” She stood straighter, her eyes blazing with defiance. “Don’t try to feed us lies, Hyperion. It won’t work.”
Hyperion went perfectly still. Then, his eyes narrowed into slits. “You are smarter than I gave you credit for. And bolder. That will not serve you well here, little goddess. Watch yourself, or your sharp tongue might have to be cut out.”
Prue felt Mona’s arm shake alongside hers, but her sister held Hyperion’s gaze, her nostrils flaring.
She was strong, and Prue admired her for that. Mona might be afraid, but she was still strong.
“Atlas, show them to their room,” Hyperion said, his eyes still fixed on Mona.
The purple-skinned Titan drew closer, then spread one long, meaty arm toward the staircase. “After you, tiny goddesses.” He chuckled, and a few other Titans joined in.
Prue shot him a glare before leading Mona up the staircase. The wooden boards creaked with every step.
This whole place seemed moments away from collapsing. And Prue felt like she was ready to collapse right along with it.
COMPANION
TRIVIA
The empty voidconsumed Trivia’s entire being, night and day. She knew nothing but darkness. She felt nothing but despair.
