“I know,” said Lagos. “But the people loved her. And it’s been several days since the Titans took her. They… don’t know what else to do.”
Cyrus closed his eyes and ran a hand down his face. He was so tired. So godsdamned tired.
And all his efforts were just not enough.
When you are ready to negotiate for her freedom, you know how to reach us.
“Have you spoken to the people?” Theo asked Lagos.
“Yes. Many times. But it is hard to appease them when they saw firsthand how terrifying the Titans were.”
Cyrus was only half-listening, his eyes still closed as he recalled the way that Titan had taunted him, as if he’dknownhow difficult it would be for Cyrus to find them.
“It didn’t help that Apollo chose the Undead Wilds for the challenge,” said Maleck. “That place is horrifying enough, even without those beastly Titans.”
Cyrus’s eyes snapped open with sudden awareness.
The Undead Wilds.
A chill skittered down Cyrus’s spine as he thought of the ghostly wayward spirits of the Undead Wilds who had pledged their loyalty to him just after Prue and Mona had been taken.
For a moment, his mind returned to that scene. Right after the Titans’ portal had vanished, the spirits had appeared. They had knelt before him as a sign of respect; a sign that he had become a king who was worthy of their loyalty.
“I swear a solemn vow to you that if you help me rescue Prue and Mona, I will see to it that you are finally freed,” Cyrus had told them. “That your souls will find rest at last.”
The souls had been silent for a moment as they considered his offer. Then, with one collective voice, they replied, “We accept.”
But Cyrus’s relief from their acceptance was short-lived.
“Do you know how to find Prue and Mona?” Cyrus had asked. “Where do we start?”
One of the souls had chuckled lightly. “It is not that simple, my king. First, we need payment from you.”
Cyrus’s eyes narrowed. “Payment? We already struck a bargain.”
“Yes, and now we require a show of good faith. Give us a drop of your immortality to feed our starving souls. And we will tell you what we know.”
Unease swirled in Cyrus’s chest. A drop of his immortality?
His skin prickled, warning him of approaching danger.
“You pledged your loyalty to me,” Cyrus argued. “Does that mean nothing? Will you not serve your king?”
The spirits’ voices had raged, echoing loudly around him. “We are betraying our kind by revealing the mystic secrets of the past. Doesthatmean nothing to you? Will you not prove to us that your bargain was in earnest, and give us but a taste of freedom?”
Cyrus had gone perfectly still at that, his pulse thundering in his ears as he connected the pieces.
A drop of immortality.
A taste of freedom.
Gods above. The cost of freeing the Wild Spirits… was his own immortality. His verylife.
They asked for one drop now, but they would keep asking for more until his immortal soul was gone.
He didn’t even know if hewasstill immortal. The price might kill him instantly, and he would never see Prue again.
And who would rule his people? Who would care for the kingdom? If he died, no one could rescue Prue, and the realm would have no leader. No one to protect them. No one to oversee the rivers of souls or the magic of the land.
