At the sound of her wretched father’s name, Trivia’s blood boiled, and her hands curled into fists. “Apollo,” she seethed. “I want to choke the life from that bastard and watch the light leave his eyes.”
“Don’t we all,” Midas said darkly.
“But we can’t,” Gaia said solemnly. “Apollo is dead.”
“What?” Midas and Trivia said together.
“How do you know?” Sol asked.
“When your soul is as tethered to someone as mine was to his, you can sense these things,” Gaia said, her tone filled with part sorrow, part disgust. “If I had to wager a guess, I would say one of the Titans he summoned killed him. Apollo was always one who preferred giving orders rather than following them, and I’ll bet the Titans didn’t like that.” She gave a cruel smile. “He got what was coming to him.”
“No, he didn’t,” Midas snarled. “Apollo deserved a slow and vicious death.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Gaia said. “But he’s gone, and that’s all that matters to me. My daughters are safe from his wrath for good.” Her eyes softened as she looked at Trivia.
A lump formed in Trivia’s throat, but she nodded. Once,her heart thirsted for revenge, and nothing was more important than making Apollo suffer.
But now, with Sol’s hands on her shoulders and her mother standing before her, she realized thereweremore important things than revenge. And they were right here in front of her.
Except… there were a few things missing.
“Prue and Mona,” Trivia said urgently. “Where are they?”
“The mortal realm,” Gaia said. “I need to go to them and do what I can to stop the Titans.”
Trivia exchanged a glance with Sol, and he nodded. “We’ll come with you,” Trivia said. “Just tell us how we can help.”
Gaia’s lips lifted with pride. “I figured you would want to, but I thought it best to give you a choice. Something you have not had much of in your life.”
Trivia’s heart constricted so much it was almost painful. Gods, it felt so unexpected, to be loved like this. She still felt undeserving—and perhaps that feeling would never leave—but it also filled her with a sense of purpose, a sense of fulfillment.
She wanted this feeling to last forever.
Trivia took Sol’s hand and laced her fingers in his. She looked at Midas, who was staring at his hands.
“Is it gone?” she asked him. “Your curse?”
“Yes.” He kept his gaze fixed on his fingers as he wiggled them. “I’ve touched all manner of things. Not a glimmer of gold.” He looked up at her, his eyes full of joy and wonder. “It’s… truly gone.”
“What will you do now?” she asked. “Will you fight with us? Or will you go on to live a free life?”
Midas’s face fell, his expression suddenly somber. His eyes turned distant as he considered her words.
She expected him to say farewell. He had sacrificed so much for freedom. It was what she would have done, once upon a time. Before Sol, before Pandora’s box… she would have taken that freedom in a heartbeat because she had fought so hard for it. If she didn’t take advantage of it, then everything she had sacrificed would have been for nothing.
But things were different now. She found something else to fight for. Something more important.
She just wasn’t sure if Midas felt the same way.
“I—I don’t know,” Midas admitted. “I’m a mortal now. I could die before I’ve even lived.”
Trivia nodded. She understood that fear, too.
How often had she longed for a second chance she did not deserve? And now that she had it, she was willing to risk it all for those she loved.
“Well, then we wish you well,” Trivia said.
Sol stepped forward and extended his hand to Midas. Something within Trivia’s chest lurched at the sight. She wanted to scream, to jerk Sol away from Midas.
