Eventually, all that was left was Death, pushing against Cronus’ clenched fist.
Hyperion, who was still standing beside me, leaned closer. “I won’t let anything happen to him.”
Our eyes met, and I read the truth in his. If shit went south with Death, he would probably throw himself into the volcano to save Cronus, ensuring our daughter didn’t grow up without her daddy.
“She needs her grandpa too,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. “We both do.”
His smile was gentle as he kissed my cheek before he moved away. Theia also got a kiss, hers on the lips, and then he stood before Cronus. “Let’s do this, brother.”
Cronus looked at me, the first real look since he’d put the ring on.I love you,I mouthed at him, hoping there was enough of my Titan left in all the power to understand.
He pressed a hand to his chest, and that was all I needed.
With Hyperion at his side, they faced the final mass of darkness. Raising his fist, Cronus jerked Death from the trunk, and the entity formed before them. Using the power of the ring to hold it in place, Cronus built a ball of light between his palms, adding to it with bolts of lightning falling from the sky.
“Death,” Cronus growled.
The sky went instantly black and I stumbled back a step. Hyperion immediately clapped his hands and the light ball he’d been building expanded to encompass him and Cronus, creating a dome shield and trapping Death inside. Cronus snapped and his lightning shot out within the dome through his ring and started cutting Death in half.
Holy mother … this was crazy.
Death pulled his head back and roared, black bees flying from his mouth and forming a funnel within the dome. The leaves on the bushes and trees around us rustled as Theia stepped up to my side. “I think I should get you down the mountain. Just in case.”
I shook my head. “No. My place is always with him.”
She hugged an arm around me but didn’t argue. We were both in the same position, watching the Titan we loved in danger, so she understood better than anyone. Black bees flew around in chaos as Cronus continued to slowly sever through the essence of Death.
Hyperion was focused on the dome, teeth grit together as he kept Death and its creatures from escaping. Slowly, the bees faltered, flying in jagged patterns and falling to the ground. Cronus pushed the lightning down further, cutting through Death’s midsection, and that was when all hell broke loose.
“Maisey, look out!” Theia knocked me backward just as a tree fell over and crushed the place I’d just been standing. Luckily, I landed on my back, Theia half cushioning the blow.
“The lava!” one of the Titans yelled, and I barely had time to right myself before the lava started to bubble and boil over the mountain.
Death would not go down peacefully.
He was making that abundantly clear.
As the Titans stared at the lava, I shouted to Rhea. “Use your ice magic and cool it!”
She shook herself, as if waking up from a dream, before doing exactly as I’d suggested. Ice and frosty air slowed the movement of red lava flow that threatened to roll right into Cronus and Hyperion. Where her energy hit, it blackened at the edges, cooling and creating thick lava rock.
I peered at Cronus and Hyperion again and was pleased to see that he almost had Death cut completely in half.
“Another tree!” Okeanos shouted, and I felt baby girl kick.
Spinning around, I sidestepped the falling tree this time. “Mommy is fine,” I said in a rush. “Do NOT take Mommy off-world!” I used my “you are grounded voice” and she obeyed.
As more of the land started to crumble around us, all I could see was Cronus and Hyperion, locked in their battle with Death. My Titan looked like he was faltering, his energy duller than before.
In that moment, I knew what I needed to do.
“Maisey, get your dumb ass away from him!” Rhea shouted as I walked right up to the glowing dome Hyperion had created.
Cronus took a quick glance over his shoulder at me and I saw the flash of fear in his eyes. Before he could stop me, I pressed my hands through the shield and placed my hands on his back.
“Let’s give Daddy a boost, baby,” I said, and heat burst from beneath my palms.
Six bolts of lightning flared inside the dome, cutting Death into four pieces. The bees all dropped dead to the ground next to the four hunks of black inky mass that looked a lot like Playdough on the ground.
