“Be right back.” Cronus zapped away and returned in a flash carrying a huge king bed mattress. He laid it on the ground and then zapped away again. This time when he came back, he held a pop-up two-room tent. A smile pulled at my lips. He was always so thoughtful.
Walking the bed and tent off into the woods a bit, he set it all up for me and dressed the bed in a down comforter.
“Your humble abode, my lady.” He opened the tent flap and gestured for me to walk in.
I was exhausted. Who knew what time or day it was when you were off-world. All I knew was Momma needed a nap.
“I love you,” I told him as I slipped under the covers and he handed me a pair of earplugs.
“And I you. I’ll be right outside, and I’m stationing a Titan at the door at all times.”
I nodded and he kissed my cheek before leaving the tent. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the ultrasound picture. “You’ve got a good daddy, baby girl. We just need to get through the next twenty-four hours and then we can all live happily ever after.” I stroked the little profile view of her face.
She kicked my belly and I fell asleep with a smile.
Chapter 10
Iactually slept the entire night, waking briefly when Cronus crawled into bed beside me, covered in dirt. It must have been in the early morning, because he woke me with breakfast not long after.
When it was time to start the tournament, nerves clawed at my gut. Narida, who had disappeared briefly, returned just in time for the first round. I watched as she strode across to Cronus, handing him a small box. Cronus lifted the lid briefly, and I could have sworn a beam of sunlight emerged before he slammed it closed again. I hadn’t been able to see it that clearly, but that was most definitely the “all powerful” ring.
“Thank you,” he told her. The box disappeared into his “pocket” again and I sent out a silent prayer that when the time came, that power wouldn’t kill him.
Cronus crossed back to me then, leaving Hyperion to keep the Titans organized.
“Was that the artifact thingy? The ring?”
#TechnicalTerm
I felt a bit like Frodo Baggins talking about the one ring to rule them all.#NerdFacts #LOTR4Life
He nodded. “I’m still not sure it’s the real deal. I searched for a long time to find it, but eventually figured it was myth. Narida must have been sitting on it as an insurance policy for years, just hoping she’d figure out how to use it.”
Yeah, and if Cronus hadn’t died and found his friend in the underworld, who somehow had heard about it as well—was there a Crone Network?—we would never have known.
“What if the power is too much for you?” I asked, my worry back again. Or more accurately, had not gone anywhere and I couldn’t contain it a second longer. “I mean, providing it’s the real deal.”
Cronus hesitated, and I liked that he didn’t lie to me with false confidence. “Narida didn’t die when she touched it, so I’ll be able to give it a shot without the ultimate sacrifice.” His arms went around me. “I won’t leave you and our daughter. Not without a massive fight.”
“I’d find you again,” I promised him. I would always find him.
I gasped when he kissed me, not expecting that firm press of his lips as he lifted me higher for better access. It was a little rough and desperate, and a whole lot of amazing.
“Zeus will be here any minute,” he murmured. “Remember, if things go south, find Thanatos.”
I nodded, a touch dazed from him. “Kick that bastard’s ass.”
Cronus looked at me with a steel stare. “He doesn’t stand a chance. He made a big mistake by adding you to the stakes. He has no idea the lengths I would go to keep you safe.”
#UhSwoon #AllTheDamnSwooning
With that declaration, gods started popping in all over the place, until there were twelve. Even that little traitor Hepatitis was there. Confident bastard had no idea what amount of hurt was coming his way after his betrayal.
Narida gestured to the huge expanse of cleared forest. “There are three rounds to this tournament. Hand-to-hand combat, demon slaying, and a little game I like to call Capture the Jewel. Team with the most points wins.”
Zeus stood tall, the necklace at his throat, and I could tell from here it was stuffed with sins. Black veins swirled across his chest from the pendant. Behind him sat the ginormous trunk that held the remaining sins, and I could see what Hyperion had been talking about.
It was leaking.
