“Yes,” Seth admitted. “I wanted to ask Cer—the Oracle for aid. Supposedly, the divines whisper to her the future. Instead, she told me my father’s men were about to capture Aethra.”
“True enough.” Phaedrus nodded. “But the two of us had ithandled until you ran in and attacked them.”
Seth exhaled with frustration. “She lied to us. The Oracle told me she’d described Aethra to them—told them where she was. But when Cerys arrived? She acted like Aethra and I were nobodies. Mere bandits.”
Seraphim tilted her head. “Why?”
“I don’t know!”
“Reckless idiot,” Eleos spat. “If you had stayed your blade, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I wasn’t going to risk that vile man touching her,” Seth growled. “Commander Aeacus is a monster.”
“Oh, you know him, too? Sure would have been nice to know.”
“I didn’t hide myself because I wanted to deceive you.” Seth’s voice wavered. “Had everything gone to plan, none of it would have mattered!” His eyes flicked to me, and his voice fractured. “None of it should have mattered.”
A deeper meaning hid in his words, betrayed by his tone and gaze.Ishouldn’t have mattered to him.
Seraphim sighed, facing me. “I never would have let the nobles touch you. I recruited criminals for a reason—I always intended to sneak into the Acheron.”
“But,” Phaedrus articulated. “The king knows we’re here. His fancy knights came looking for us. And yet—” He gazed at me curiously. “The Oracle fed them the wrong description. That, or her visions are riddled with errors.”
Seth paced away from Eleos. “There won’t be any sneaking in. Not now that my father knows we’re here.”
“Why, though?” I asked. “Why would the king stop us?”
“Because Duath Nun guards the Acheron,” Seth answered. “Lest someone risk saving the world only to bring it ruin instead.” He swallowed. “The sacrifice of Elpis maidens stays the Empty’s spread, preserving us.”
“So they claim,” Seraphim added, voice dripping with venom.
Eleos interjected. “Then Duath Nun is our enemy,” he snarled, turning to Seth. “All of this is your fault. Because of you, Aethra wasn’t with us when they came looking for her. Because of you, we’re stuck in this cell.”
“I hid the truth for my sake,” Seth hissed. “Not to deceive you.”
“Foryoursake?”
“You havenoidea thehorrorsI’ve lived through. And you have no right to accuse me.” Seth paused. “As a murderer yourself.”
Eleos’ eyes flared, and he lunged toward Seth.
Percy hurried between Seth and Eleos, blocking the scholar’s path. “A problem for later! What is this Duat she mentioned?”
Darting away from Eleos, Seth called over his shoulder. “The Duat is a dungeon for our worst criminals. We’re in it right now.” He tilted his head toward the statue. “The trials are how they torture its prisoners to death.”
Seraphim looked down. “The Duathis do love their torture.” Eyes sharpening, she spoke with a commanding tone. “We’ll need to work together to escape this place alive. So put your grievances aside.Now. If you let your petty grudges get us killed, I’ll personally find you in the afterlife and make you wish you were still alive.”
Her ridiculous threat brought a thin smile to my face. Seraphim’s presence always set me at ease.
Wrists straining against her shackles, Seraphim marched toward Phaedrus. “Shall we have it out, brother?”
“I would be a fool not to aid you, sister,” Phaedrus said. “And I never resented you. We’re in this together. For now, at least.”
Eleos glanced at the pair. Pushing past Percy, he cornered Seth again. “You owe Aethra so much more than an apology. I don’t think you could manage afractionof it.”
Inhaling a deep breath, I limped toward him, pausing a few steps away. Seth struggled to meet my eye.
My cheeks burned, and I lowered my chin. I felt so stupid. The tiny piece of self-worth I’d found on the ship crumbled beneath my feet.
