My jaw dropped, and I was about to ask if Griff had told her when my gaze caught the gold object I’d left on the floor.“What’s that?” I asked.Aunt Sybil picked it up and placed it in my hand. “It looks like a needle case. Are you thinking of taking up sewing?”I pinched the bridge of my nose, remembering how Ophois had asked me to stick a golden needle into the goat-horned demon. If I had thrown it through the door, it might have transported him to Fenrir’s basement.Beki’s sharp bark reminded me of Captain Caria’s gun. If she had killed me, and my soul had floated over to the other side, then I could have look forward to an eternity of torture.I wrapped Aunt Sybil into a hug. “It’s great to see you, but could we catch up later?”“Sure.” She gave me a gentle squeeze before letting go and walking out of the door.Now that Shifter City was safe from Hades and I was alone, all that remained of the debacle was the upturned table and the broken plates and glasses across the marble floor
I rose from the seat and made sure that Calla was too busy with her champagne to notice me heading for the cartographer sitting at the table behind them. One of the fire pits flared, sending out flames that reached the restaurant’s concrete ceiling.The dark-haired woman raised her head from her drawing as I slid into the seat beside her.“Did you get enough information? Is there anything you need me to ask about the palace?”“The other two questioned her quite thoroughly, thank you.” She gestured at what appeared to be a mobile phone.It was transcribing every word from the women on the other table and creating images based on things that Calla said. I shook my head and marveled at the modern magical developments.“Did they say anything else about the elevator?” I asked.She glanced down at the screen and tapped a few commands. “There was a brief conversation earlier where they mentioned the number of people authorized to use it. His Majesty will have the master transcript if you wis
I recognized the location immediately. Hades stood at the foot of the stairs that led to his office’s mezzanine. Beside him floated the pane of glass that had trapped Ophois. He was still in his human form, and his handsome features twisted with rage.My jaw clenched, and I swallowed back an insult. It wasn’t like the bastard could hear me.“Fenrisúlfr,” Hades drawled. “I never thought you would recruit the Egyptians to carry out your futile quest. My demons have destroyed Demeter’s root tunnels, and the Opener of the Ways cannot escape my trap. You have run out of options.”“Shit,” Griff hissed.Bile rose to the back of my throat. I really hated this guy.Whoever was holding the camera zoomed in to get a close up of Ophois. The light had faded from his golden eyes, leaving them a dull amber. He strained against the glass, looking like he was trying to smash through it with his magic, but it remained firm.“If I don’t hear from you,” Hades' voice continued over the footage, “I will ha
Griff and I stepped back from Fenrir’s desk as the wolf god rose from his seat and rolled his shoulders. Moonlight streamed in from the huge bay window that made up that corner of the alpha’s study, coloring the ends of his blond curls silver.He turned his gaze to the other end of the room and said, “Tell Lydia I’ll be in Hell.”“The Sixth?” Philip asked from where he stood by the doorway.“That’s right.”The Neutral inclined his head before leaving the room.“Where’s Lydia tonight?” I asked.“Dealing with the latest disaster in the Shifter Trials.” Fenrir walked out from behind his desk without elaborating.Griff placed a hand on the small of my back, bringing me closer to his body. I couldn’t tell if the gesture was to comfort me or to warn me not to ask for more details. Either way, his silent show of support calmed my nerves.How bad could it be to blackmail an angel when I had a wolf god and the Norse god of Mischief providing backup?I cleared my throat. “Does your father live
“I’m not taking any chances after tonight’s security breach.”The door ahead of us flung open, and a seven-foot-tall demon charged out, holding a trident. His oxblood-red skin reminded me of the bastards who worked the pits. Behind him jogged a pair of similar-looking creatures who I was certain I had knocked unconscious with sleeping gas.“You,” snarled the one in front, although he was looking at Fenrir and not at me.“Take me to my sister,” Fenrir said.He bared his teeth and hissed, but he still managed to bow. His companions opened the door, which led to a chamber that looked like it belonged in a movie about Hell. It was dome-shaped with metal walls etched to form intricate archways. Giant skulls hung halfway to the ceiling, each spewing streams of lava over shackled prisoners.My breath caught. I had never visited a working throne room. The ones in museums didn’t count, and neither did any I’d seen on television. But this space was huge. It was probably the size of the alpha’s
Heat rose to my cheeks, and my skin itched at all the scrutiny. I tried to push the sensations to the back of my mind, but it was as futile as holding back the ocean. I rubbed the back of my neck and muttered, “He wanted me to be his mate.”Griff snarled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I gave him a pat on the thigh, hoping to convey that I hadn’t once been tempted.Beki rolled on her back and made several happy barks, feeling like she believed that we had reconciled. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that we still hadn’t had the conversation about what had gone wrong between us.“The cheeky bastard.” Sigyn clapped her hands over her mouth. “And he ran off with the waitress when you refused?”I shrugged. “He didn’t strike me as the type who was used to rejection.”Fenrir leaned against the door and folded his arms across his chest. “Now we’ve got to find a way to steal him back from Hades.”The beginnings of an idea took root in the back of my mind. I glanced at Loki, wonderi
The black figure inside the circle thrashed at its invisible barrier. Droplets fell off his form, creating tiny puddles that formed increasing peaks. He screamed, but the sound came out a low bellow that made the lining of my stomach tremble.“Stay back.” Griff pulled me a few steps further away from the ring of blood.He didn’t need to tell me twice. I cursed myself for not bringing a weapon to the Sixth Faction, although if I had shot that thing with the golden pistol, he might have ended up in Fenrir’s basement.The three gods stood around the circle, neither of them showing much reaction to the monster.Loki smirked, the apples of his cheeks rounding. He didn’t seem to be surprised that this wasn’t Azriel.“Who is this?” the monster bellowed, his deep voice now forming a sob. “What have you done to me?”I edged forward, my brow furrowing. Was the creature made of that goo, or had Loki slathered the angel with it as a prank? My lips tightened. This was no laughing matter.“You look
“Why not?” I asked. Griff hadn’t mentioned anything like this before.His eyes hardened. “I can’t stop thinking about what happened in the restaurant. How many brushes have you had with Hades now?”“What’s that got to do with anything?” I stepped back.He placed his hands on my shoulders and held me in place. “He’s determined to make you suffer.”Knots formed in my gut, twisting and tightening until I could barely stand. Griff was right, but who else was out there to carry out the heist? He gazed into my eyes with an intensity that made my heart flutter. Now wasn’t the time to bask in his concern.I lowered my lashes and murmured, “Going down there and rescuing all those souls is my atonement.”“For killing me?” he said.My throat tightened. “No matter how angry I was on that day, I should never have been so sadistic.”“Cathwulf,” he said, his voice a rasp.“There’s no excuse and no amount of saying that I’m sorry could take back what I did.”He fell silent for several moments, the we