I was truly done with deception.
After my shower, I put on the pants Lucian gave me, a pink top, and my favorite boots.
Amavi wasn’t around, nor was Cas, so I had to assume they were together somewhere. Part of me regretted I couldn’t wait for them. Have breakfast, stroke my hound’s big furry head. But it was for the best today. Anything could have changed my resolve.
I decided to leave a note.
Take care of her. I’ll be back soon.
There. There was nothing else to say.
The last thing I did before leaving my empty house was recover the bow I kept under my bed, liking it close.
The moon was still visible in the distance, though the sky exploded with reddish hues over the mountain. In all likelihood, the Gold Bank was closed up in the vale. I made my way to the Hall of Truce, and rode down to the underside, which was almost deserted this early in the morning.
Still, the tram was running, so I rode it to the spot between the Gate of Wealth and Death, alone in the entire cab.
I hopped off in front of the Gold Bank. Cas had said the immortal bank was always open to people with accounts as ancient and full as ours. I guessed I had to put it to the test.
I walked up the seven steps leading to the door, and lifted my hand to knock. Before my fist could hit the burnished wood, the heavy doors swung on their axis.
“Welcome, Ms. Silver.” The beautiful blue-skinned, slender wraith who’d showed us to the head of the bank’s office a week ago bowed politely. “May I offer you refreshment while I notify Sir Dayn of your arrival?”
And to think I used to equate the bank with long lines and usurious mortgage rates.
“No need to disturb him today, Helena,” I said, remembering her name. “I just need to visit my most recently opened safe, and if you’ll permit it, use your portal.”
She smiled. “Certainly, miss. This way, if you please.”
I followed her to the room, still bare except for the box where I’d left the ornate silver, white, and gold quiver.
I threw it across my shoulder, surprised at how light I suddenly felt.
“The portal, now, miss?” Helena offered.
I nodded tightly.
We returned to the ground floor, and she opened a room close to the office we’d used last time, where there was nothing but a tall mirror.
“You may step through, thinking about your destination as clearly as possible. If you’re not confident, saying it out loud may help.”
I was confident, and had a clear goal in mind, but I wasn’t an expert in travelling by portal, and I’d never been to my destination so I made myself say it just in case. “Ares’s palace, Olympus.”
I let in everything I knew about Cas, his leathery scent, his presence, the depth of his voice when he chuckled, the feel of his hands on my skin, as every particle I was composed of exploded, before reconstituting themselves at my destination.
I grunted, nausea permeating my insides—but at least I didn’t actually throw up.
I stood in the grandest room I’d ever seen, with walls so tall I likely could pile up three Eiffel Towers one on top of the other. Everything was bright white, gold, or blood red.
To my relief, the house was quiet, though no speck of dust or rust showed any sign of disuse.
I walked to the window and gasped as I took in the golden, mauve dawn rising over the city of the gods. The very air was so sweet, it seemed to nourish my very soul at each breath. I could be distracted by just inhaling here.
I made myself focus. Ancient palaces, more luxurious than any pantheon, shimmered and glowed, each grander than thenext, and above it all, one platform atop the highest hill was crowned by white columns. At their feet, I could see twelve seats, each pulsing with power.
I didn’t concern myself with any of them, my eyes focusing on the twin flames in pits on either side of the seats of the dodecatheon, one blue, the other, gold.
The hearth of the gods, holding the eternal flame Prometheus stole eons past.
