“Can you bring his remains up so that we can resurrect him?” I said in a rush. “He's back in the first level of the underworld, but Zeus is there too. We have to hurry.”
At least I’d hoped he’d gotten to the first level.
Okeanos didn't say another word, he just turned to the water he commanded and did whatever hocus pocus to make it obey. It split apart, the sand moving as the remains rose to the surface. They were starting to decay, and I choked down my bile.
“How long have I been gone?”
“Four months,” Phoebe said, stepping forward from where she'd been perched against a nearby pole.
I gasped, shaking my head. “That explains the baby belly,” I muttered, staring down at the obvious bump.
Cronus was fully visible now, what was left of him anyway, so I focused on that and not on the fact that four months had passed me by in a blink of an eye. I suppose it wasn't so bad to miss some months of pregnancy. Baby would be here so much faster, and I skipped right over the morning sickness that everyone had in the movies.
#OkayYeahNotReady #AtAll
“You should step back, Mais,” Hyperion said, moving forward with Theia so they were right beside the body.#NotACorpse #HesJustSleeping #WithRottenEyeballsAndGreenSkin
“What if you need my help?” I said, not moving.
He shook his head. “With all of us here, we should be able to bring him back.”
“Cronus is so strong though,” Phoebe cut in. “The chances are that we will need that boost Maisey seems to be able to provide to you all.”
“She's pregnant,” Hyperion said, more bite in his words.
Everyone stared at my stomach and the baby kicked, like it enjoyed being center stage.
Iapetos played peacemaker: “Let's just see how we go.” I hadn't known them all long enough to truly see the multi-faceted parts to their personalities, but some of them were clearer than others.
All the Titans gathered closer, their hands out over the top of their leader, brother, and friend. Their faces were drawn, eyes closed as they brought forth power, letting it trickle from their fingertips. The water started to heat and swirl around us like we were in a huge hot tub, and I felt more kicks from my baby Titan. She wanted to join in with the family adventure.
I was in so much trouble with this one.
Hyperion said the few words to bring Cronus back, some of it in English, others not, but the reverence in his tone was clear. He had a great respect for his old friend and it made my heart hurt, in a good way. I figured all the tears could be attributed to baby hormones. I'd be blaming that for everything. Eating all day, crying at any given moment, screaming when mildly inconvenienced. Pregnancy, as excuses went, was solid.
The Titans stood in a circle around Cronus’ remains as he floated in the water. More power rose between them, and my hair started to dance about like it had a few occasions before. It was unnerving when it acted like it had a mind of its own, but I didn't move back. I wanted to see Cronus in the flesh, not muted out like he'd appeared to me in the underworld.
My desperation grew with the power.
“Something is stopping him,” Hyperion bit out, his face red, cheeks puffed out as he seemed to be fighting against whatever had a hold of Cronus.
“Zeus?” Okeanos asked, eyeing me like I'd have the answers.
“Yes, it could be,” Hyperion answered anyway, and I tried not to panic.
No fucking way was I letting Zeus keep me from my baby daddy.
My body shot forward then, outside of my control. I waded deeper into the water and dropped my hands onto the two closest Titans, Hyperion and Phoebe. Energy funneled through me, stirring deep from … my womb, I was going to guess. It was stronger than anything I'd ever felt, even when I’d housed the sins. The tingly magic coursed through my veins, building and building until I cried out as it left my body, burning along my skin.
“You're not strong enough for that power,” Hyperion warned me, eyes wide.
I grunted. “Try telling that to my baby Titan. She thinks Mommy is super strong.” This was said through gritted teeth as power rattled my brain, dizziness washing over me.
This wasn’t some Selene moon magic; it was ancient and as potent as the energy that created the Titans. Or so I was guessing based on all the power I’d felt to date.
There was concern on the faces I could see around me and I wondered if they were all thinking the same thing as me. Was I even strong enough to keep this baby inside of me and growing when it had this much power?
Guess time would tell. For now, I just had to survive today.
