“It takes immense concentration to do this,” Echidna argued. “We cannot maintain this for long.”
“I don’t need you to. We only need the element of surprise. If you are free to come with me to the Realm of Gaia, I need you to help us against the Titans. Just for a moment. For long enough for my brother to overpower them. Please.”
Echidna was shaking her head. “You ask too much of us, death god.” Behind her, the spirits began to fade.
Evander stood up quickly. “Wait!”
Echidna watched him, eyebrows raised.
“What if I swore to try to free those who were unfairly punished by the gods? To continue Clotho’s work?”
“You would offer such a thing to us monsters?”
“You aren’t monsters,” Evander said softly. “I knew Typhon for a long time. He was vicious and demonic. But he was not a monster. He saved me many times. He saved the woman I love. I would doanythingfor him. And if there are others out there who were dealt unjust fates, then I want to free them as well.”
Echidna tilted her head thoughtfully. “This would require you to travel to the mortal realm.”
“I understand.”
Echidna glanced over her shoulder at the few souls who lingered. They exchanged whispers with one another. Evander strained to listen, but he couldn’t make out any words.
At long last, she turned to face him once more, her chin lifting. “Very well, death god. If you also agree to swear in blood, then we will do the same.” She lifted the dagger, then dragged it across her other hand. Pearly droplets fell to the ground, sizzling when they met the earth.
It wasn’t real blood—Evander knew this. But it was still her essence. Her soul. She was offering it freely to him.
Evander stood, then offered his own hand. With one sharp movement, Echidna sliced into his palm. His own silver blood oozed and dribbled to the ground.
“You first, death god,” Echidna said, her eyes flashing with a warning. The threat on her face was evident: if he refused to speak first, the deal was off.
Evander swallowed hard, hoping he was making the right choice. “I, Evander, death god of the Underworld, swear by my blood and soul to exert every effort to free Typhon and his family, provided it does not endanger my own life. I also swear that, if the Wild Spirits are freed and they fulfill their end of the bargain, I will dedicate the rest of my life to freeing those who have been unfairly punished by the gods.”
Echidna nodded stiffly to demonstrate her approval. Then, she said, “I, Echidna, Wild Spirit and mate of Typhon, swear by the essence of my soul that neither I, nor my kin,shall harm or kill Evander the death god. I swear that, if we are freed, we shall do battle against the Titans in the mortal realm. And, once our bargain is fulfilled, we vow never to harm Evander or his kin.”
Evander’s eyes widened at her last sentence. He hadn’t demanded this, but it was generous of her to include it. It hadn’t occurred to him that, once the spirits were free, they could easily swarm Evander and Cyrus and destroy them.
Echidna offered a faint smile. She was acting in good faith.
And he appreciated her efforts.
“The bargain is struck,” he murmured.
“The bargain is struck,” she echoed.
Heat exploded in his palm, scorching his skin and burning through his flesh. He hissed, cradling his hand as the agony sliced into him, coursing through his veins. Echidna groaned as well, no doubt experiencing a similar pain.
Evander crashed to his knees, the white-hot fire sizzling along his flesh and bones, melting him, devouring him from the inside out. Gods, it was unbearable. He was going to die…
Just as suddenly as it appeared, the pain vanished. He was gasping on all fours as he struggled to inhale and exhale. Sweat poured down his face. He could still feel an echo of the pain lingering along his skin. When he held up his hand, the cut from their bargain was gone.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, finding Echidna watching him expectantly. “Are you ready, death god?”
Evander nodded, then closed his eyes. He called uponthat fleeting presence of Typhon’s ghost. In an instant, he felt his wings form behind him. His fingernails elongated into talons. The weight of his horns settled on his head.
Echidna’s eyes grew wide with wonder as she drew closer. “Magnificent,” she whispered, reaching a hand to touch him.
This time, Evander did not shrink away. He held still as Echidna ran her finger along the edge of his wing. He shuddered, and a rumbling sound vibrated through him.
Mine,Typhon murmured.
