“Shit,” Hecate cursed under her breath as she recognized the rolling current of Nyx’s power threatening to choke Asphodel once more.
“Is it Nyx?” Hermes looked around in the dark.
“Yes. She’s angry.” Hecate shot Hermes a warning look. “Nightfall has come early in the mortal realm. That doesn’t happen often, and it only happens when she’s furious. It’s best that you leave the Underworld… Now.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice. Remember what Zeus—”
Hermes was nearly knocked out by a blast of wind. There was an outpouring of darkness that extinguished even the lights of Hermes’s and Hecate’s power, leaving them both briefly choking on air in the courtyard. It only lasted for a moment until it passed.
“Was that also Nyx?” Hermes gasped, his eyes wide.
“No…” Hecate shook her head as her lips settled into a grim line. “Thatwas Erebus.”
4
100 Years Ealier
“Do not start with me, Helios.” Nyx stared the titan down then eyed the horizon. “You know as well as I do that there is abalanceto this.”
“You’re the one who’s picking a fight!” Helios shrugged, refusing to move. The sun was still out, and it should have set hours ago. The titan oversaw bringing it across the sky in his chariot each day but had grown tired of the confines of his role. Everyone knew that it was a pointless stand, and yet, he was determined to throw a fit.
“What are you trying to get out of this? More glory? It’s always glory with men, isn’t it? I’ve never understood that.” Nyx shook her head. Her power began to unfurl around her, smoke and shadow dissipating. “This was futile, Helios. Now I’m going to be cranky.”
The titan shrugged, the sun’s rays intensifying behind him as waves of light and dark power rippled over the sky.
“Let’s just say that I want to make sure you aren’t getting rusty.” Helios cracked a wicked grin, infuriating Nyx. Every few years, he threw a tantrum to get a good brawl out of it. Nothing made her angrier. It always messed up the mortal world for days.
Helios and Nyx crashed against one another in the heavens, flashes of lightning and columns of darkness pouring out of the sky. The mortal world ricocheted between night and day, being plunged into chaos. The tides changed erratically, and strange winds whipped over the land; people and animals alike began running for shelter as the earth itself seemed to spin. For a brief moment, it felt like the sun was being blown out like a candle. Yet, however quickly it had started, the battle was short-lived.
Nyx grew tired of Helios’s games, and with one great shriek, she evaporated into blackness and swallowed the sun whole. She could suppress Helios’s strength, but it took all her effort—until a cool, stoic presence moved through the eternal night. Helios screamed in outrage and tried to find his way through the black sky while the earth went silent. The weight inside of Nyx began to ease until it stopped entirely. Nyx’s power amplified, and the sun nearly vanquished inside of her. Erebus.She should have known that he wouldn’t miss a chance to piss off Helios.
“Sorry I’m late.”His words rang through Nyx’s mind.
“I didn’t even miss you.”Her response was playful in its tone.
“Didn’t evenneedme, did you?”
“I had it handled.”
“You did. Nice to have a little bit of help though, isn’t it?”Nyx could almost feel Erebus smiling at her. Yes, she would have been able to handle Helios by herself. Yes, it was infinitely easier to handle Helios with Erebus’s perpetual darkness marrying her power. It was like he was the finishing notes; he turned her raw, primordial night into a song.
“Let’s finish this up and go home, Nýchta.”
Nyx nodded, knowing only Erebus could see her in the onyx absence of light. Helios was still having a tantrum across the sky. With one nod, Nyx dissolved into dark masses of power and sent the sun flying over the horizon. Helios let out a frustrated cry as Erebus and Nyx listened for the sound of his chariot taking off after it.
“It will take him until dawn to find it.” Nyx watched after Helios’s retreating form, a bored expression on her face. Erebus knew better. She wasn’t bored; she was tired. These skirmishes with gods and titans had taken an upswing. There was no being as powerful as her, but it was a burden keeping all the immortals in line when they rose.
“Perfect timing. Let’s go home.” Erebus sent her a soft smile that was equal parts devilish and endearing. It was a look that he had perfected. Nyx knew there was one thing on his mind, which wasexactlywhat she needed. Nyx sent a current of power out over the mortal realm, securing nightfall and following Erebus back to Tartarus.
He was waiting for her in his mortal form when her feet touched the ground. Erebus walked over to Nyx and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his body and capturing her mouth in a wicked kiss. Nyx let out a soft murmur of surprise and immediately leaned into him, her hands going up to tangle in his hair. It was a patient embrace, one that was slow and coaxing as he eased her mouth open for him. Erebus always kissed her like he had all the time in the world.
“I love you like this,” she admitted softly, pulling back to catch her breath. Erebus’s arm was tight on her waist as he began rubbing small circles on her back. Her eyes started to roll back into her head at the soft caresses.
“I know. You know why that is?”
Nyx shook her head, and Erebus chuckled. It was a dark sound that made her stomach flip. He continued, pressing himself closer to her so she could feel how ready he was.
“It’s because I’m stronger than you like this, isn’t it?” Erebus’s voice took on a deep, controlling tone that made her weak in the knees. She dropped her hands around his neck and pressed up against Erebus, muffling her response, as her hips rose desperately to meet him.
