“I will,” he replied and tightened his hold as she began to struggle against him. “My decision hinges on whether I do this while you are alive or just before your body begins to rot.”
Something in Shadow’s void pushed him to get closer to them, noticing how Charisma stopped trying to get away from Zeus. She locked her eyes on him, her fists loosening as she gave in. He felt as though she had not yet accepted her death—and that encouraged his hope that she was going to fight for her life.
“Skiá, I require another favor of you. Find out who brought this mortal into this lethal plan and tell them I have taken her,” he commanded, and Charisma immediately turned her head as if searching for Shadow. “Should they beg for further details as I suspect they will, tell them just to observe our world,” he continued, only pausing briefly as he darted his gaze toward her bonding mark.“That will, indeed, reveal whether she’s alive or dead.”
Zeus vanished with Charisma with incredible speed, much like the instantaneous enlightenment provided by his thunderbolt as it lit up the depiction of the Underworld.
The divine realm had nearly been destroyed at one point, when heartbreak had occurred for the god who kept the balance of love and happiness in order.
If he were to notice her death, then we will all perish.
What have you done, basileús?
As the Underworld’s spectacle subsided after Zeus’s trickery, Shadow watched Artemis and Hades shed the stony facade they’d been trapped in. A sharp, echoing crack filled the air as the stone fell from their heads, then continued from their arms, and finished on shedding from their legs.
“I swear, I’ll tear my father apart with my bare hands!” Artemis let out a shout the moment her body settled back to its original state.
Hades cleared his throat as he brushed the stone debris off his costume. “Refrain from pursuing aspirations that are beyond reach.”
“I truly can’t grasp why you’re so concerned about him,” she added, her voice growing as she ran towards the errors. “Actually, don’t bother trying to explain that to me. Come and lend me a hand to get them to a safe location. We need to figure out how to revive them.”
This marks a positive update for the current day. Hopefully.
Chapter 27
Charisma
In a blink,Zeus pressed the large heel of his palm on my back, shoving me down to the ground. My knees hit the unforgiving floor, and my bloodied palms braced my body from collapsing face-flat on the concrete. I let out a grunt, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head and the narrowing edges of the world as I fought to keep my eyes open.
“From whom did you obtain the information regarding the relics?”
I gritted my teeth, not answering. If anything, it seemed to amuse Zeus.
“I have no objections if that’s the path you intend to take.”
As his foot pushed on my backbone, I tasted the dirt on the ground as my chin knocked against it. The grinding of my teeth echoed with a spine-chilling keen. I was sure some had chipped from the fall when my tongue curled around the incisors and tasted the metallic tang of my blood.
Once again, I locked the thoughts away. I’ll mourn them later. If therewasa later.
The bond was meant to protect me, but it now seemed to only give Zeus a chance to torment me without end.
He was going to tear me apart slowly. Taking his sweet time. Enjoying every scream and grunt.
I kept my breathing shallow, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of my pain. I would not panic, nor show him how easy it was to hurt a mortal—given my condition and the spinning in my head, two more hits could send me into a blackout.
“Who wishes for my demise?”
More blood coursed through my lips, landing with a splatter on the ground. I turned my head over my shoulder, eyebrows frowning as I urged him to come closer, letting out a whisper of indecipherable words.
His eyes squinted. “Speak clearly, mortal, and your suffering shall end.”
A huff almost released into the air. As if I’d be so stupid to believe him.
With a dramatic groan, I clutched my abdomen, shaking my head slowly and mouthed again.
“Are you under the impression that I am a fool?” Zeus laughed, eyes darkening as he inched closer, lowering down on his knees and lifting my chin with his fingers.
“No . . .” I murmured, grasping the dagger under my shirt, not moving my gaze from his. Before he could pull back, I drove the knife above his knee, feeling the resistance and then the slickness of blood as I dragged the blade out. Zeus’s lips twitched and hot fluid splashed on my face. “But I know you’re arrogant. Full of yourself.”
