The monsters part to let Zeus and The Duchess through, each on their own horses. Zee stumbles between them, linked by chains from his wrists to their horses. One wrong move and they would tear him limb from limb. The trident hums heavy on my back, a representation of the weight of responsibility I have.
“For the record, I don’t like this plan,” Jed mutters.
“Do you have a better one?” I ask.
He huffs. “No, but watching you enter enemy territory alone on a crusade feels terrifyingly familiar.”
Archan leans across and grips the back of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss that steals my breath. “Stay alive,” he orders.
I grip his hand. “I told you the time would come when I needed you to trust me.”
“Natia,” he warns.
“Whatever happens, do not follow me.” He frowns as I grit my teeth. “Promise me.”
He jerks his head back to look into my eyes. “What are you planning?”
“I forgive you,” I whisper. “I trust you did everything out of love. Even if you never told me.”
He opens his mouth. I put my fingers against his lips. “No, don’t say it now. That is too close to goodbye. I am yours and you are mine—and now I need you to trust me.”
I’m asking for a lot, I know this. My track record is self-sacrifice. This will be no different; but for it to work, he can’t know or interfere.
“This world you love will be in ashes if you die,” he says.
My lips quirk up. “Archan, you fought for this world long before I was in the picture. You love it as much as I.”
I drop my hand and turn in my saddle to sweep my eyes up and down our line. Nathan meets my eyes with a quick nod. I swallow the lump of anxiety clawing its way up my throat and stare Zeus dead in the eye.
“Alone,” Zeus booms.
“Do not follow me,” I command as I squeeze my legs and encourage Liberty to move forward. She sets a steady pace as I leave behind the safety of my protectors. My spine stiffens and I remind myself I have all the power and Zeus is about to deliver even more on a silver platter. “Unstoppable’’ by Sia booms across the battlefield. I smile at Lucifer’s thoughtfulness. Epic battles need epic songs. Zeus is dressed in the typical hard armor of his era. The Duchess, however, is wearing rainbow dungarees and a tie dye T-shirt. Crazy bitch.
Zeus smirks as I draw closer, his gaze landing on the trident strapped to my back. This is the only threat to him, but he’s depending on me being compliant because of the blood, and then Zee. Zee’s head hangs down, blood caking his naked chest.
“You promised he would be unharmed,” I grind out as I halt ten feet from them.
Zeus pulls the vial of my blood from his belt. “Time to end this,” he bellows and tips the vial into his throat.
I grimace. Old blood, gross. A golden glow radiates from him as it permeates his molecules and wraps our wills together.
“Dismount,” he instructs. I swing my leg over and drop to the floor with a huff. His grin widens as he sees my compliance. The Duchess arches a brow as I glance at Zee. His battered and bruised head lifts, a wild grin spreading across his face.
Zeus drops his chain. The length of metal clangs to the floor. The Duchess follows, releasing Zee from their hold. Zeus backs to the side to give me a direct path to Tartarus. “Now, Pandora, walk through the open doors of Tartarus.”
My legs move forward, past a smug Zeus who eyes my moves with glee as he darts his gaze to Archan and the gang.Trust me and do not follow,I will into the universe.
Fog bellows from beyond the doors, concealing the horrors of what lies beyond. I gather the threads of my immortality and pause a few feet from the entrance and spin to face a frowning Zeus.
“Dismount,” I repeat. His legs jerk as he follows my instructions, a look of disbelief on his idiot face. “Follow me,” I instruct, causing his feet to move towards me. Zee frowns and follows Zeus.
“Not you,” I bark. Zeus and Zee freeze. I glance at The Duchess.
She leans down and studies Zee. “Your blood affects him because you have reignited the spell which binds him to you. You aren’t strong enough to separate them out. Whatever instruction you give to Zeus, Zee will also follow.”
“Then hold him,” I bellow.
She shakes her head. “They must follow your will, Pandora, the spell weakens as Zeus burns through it.”
