Bedeviled (15 page)

Chapter Twenty

R
yker watched the emotions flickering across Kyana's face. The very air of Olympus seemed to absorb her outrage, and he was pretty sure she didn't realize what she was doing. The sky darkened. The air became thick. The wind shifted from a gentle breeze to a gust that whipped her black and amber curls about her face.

“Ky, you need to calm down before Olympus sees its first lightning storm in centuries.”

She blinked.

He pointed skyward where a jet black cloud had gathered directly over their heads. “Your temper. You're doing this.”

Lightning danced in her eyes then flashed overhead.

“Let me explain.”

“Explain?” She crossed her arms and glared. “By all means, please explain how abandoning me and Haven in order to get some twisted revenge on your father should make me calm down.”

Ryker glanced around, wishing for a secluded place for them to talk. He could feel Ares watching them. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of his father. While this wasn't about revenge as Kyana thought, he'd be lying if he said that Ares's outrage wasn't an added benefit.

But mostly, this had been about
not
having to become Ares, as well as his fierce belief that Zeus needed a replacement pronto. Very few people, even a Chosen, had the ability to contain the power of Zeus. But Ryker was already a demigod. He
could
hold those powers and learn to wield them effectively.

That it was making Ares so mad only made his decision that much more satisfying.

Moving them around the temple to the elaborate labyrinths on the north side, Ryker maneuvered easily through the maze. When they reached the center, he motioned for Kyana to sit, and waited while she contemplated whether she would. He knew his relationship with Ares was driving her nuts, but he wasn't any more ready to explain that catastrophe to her than she was willing to talk about her human life with him. Hell, he didn't even like to think about most of it himself, let alone share the details.

Finally, she placed herself beside him, but the anger in her eyes didn't calm.

“The day of your trial,” he started. “When you needed to go to Haven's quarters, I wanted to give you what I thought—what
we all
thought—was your final request. There was only one way I could make that happen for you.”

“The deal you made with Ares.”

Ryker nodded.

She'd been so devastated that day, knowing she was facing the possibility of death for turning Haven. He'd only wanted to give her peace of mind before her hearing. He'd known that she could never go to trial with enough fight left in her to win unless she knew first that Haven was going to be okay. He would have agreed to anything to grant Kyana that wish. And he had.

“Ares does nothing for free, not even for his son, so I vowed to pay whatever price he demanded to let you go to Haven before your trial.”

He knew there was only one thing that Ares wanted and that was for Ryker to acknowledge him as his father before the Ancients. It was a wish Ryker had sworn never to grant. But for Ky, he'd agreed. However, Ares had thrown him a curveball.

“Ares demanded that I become a Chosen.”

“Yeah, I gathered that already. What I don't get is how you went from being the next God of War to being the next freakin' God of Gods.”

“The price for granting your wish was for me to become
a
Chosen. I knew what he really wanted, but wasn't fool enough to point out that he'd provided me with a loophole. So when I learned of Poseidon's and Zeus's need for hosts, I offered my services.”

“But why the hell did you pick Zeus?”

“Your friend beat me out on the duty I wanted.”

She flinched, but the tension around her mouth eased. The wind calmed and the clouds lightened. “Oh.”

He knew she understood. Her loyalty to the Order was secondary only to her loyalty to Haven and Geoffrey.

“If you'd asked, Silas would've gladly given it to you, Surfer Boy. You might be the only soul in existence who loves his waters as much as Poseidon does.”

“Yeah, but that would've left us with another dilemma. Silas isn't strong enough to hold Zeus's power.” Ryker knelt in front of her and rested his hands on her knees. “Ky, I had to honor my word to Ares, and Zeus needs a Chosen
now
. This was the only way.”

“I can understand why you'd jump at any chance to get one up on Ares, but would it have really made a difference if you'd given me a couple of days?”

He shrugged. “Zeus's power could fade tonight or it could linger for another year. There's no way to tell. I'm the only one strong enough who could step up right away.”

“But what about us?” She looked away. “Our mission, I mean.”

A tiny part of him had accepted Zeus's request
because
of her. He was becoming too used to being by her side, to being there in case she needed him.
Hoping
she might need him. Distance would help them both put things in perspective, and he could still assist her with finding Haven, even if he wasn't working directly with her.

“You don't need anyone else, Ky.”

That was half of the problem. She didn't need him and likely never would.

He wanted her to need him, to understand that he didn't look at her and see Dark Breed. He saw a woman who cared so much for her friends that she continually risked her life for them. Saw a woman who could kick ass like a man and kiss like pure woman. Saw a woman he wanted to take care of and have it reciprocated.

“Haven's cloaked and I can't see through her spells until I'm firmly entrenched in Artemis's powers,” Kyana said, jolting Ryker's stare to her mouth. He liked the way she suckled her bottom lip when she was worried and the way her eyes were flashing as she recounted all her problems to him now. “I don't know if I can find her before she can complete her mission to raise Cronos. Or if I can do all this before I lose my Vamp/Lychen abilities.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Or if I can bring her in before there's no part of Haven worth saving.”

“Yes, you can.” He sat beside her, but she moved away to pace in front of him.

“Really?” She stopped pacing to stare at him. “I know almost nothing about Artemis's powers or how to use them in a fight. Haven knows how to fight. She's damned good. I told you yesterday that she might be more prepared for our confrontation than I am, and that was when I wasn't flying solo.”

She sighed. “Listen to me. A week ago, I was ready to fight for the right to fly solo. I feel weak. Inept. I feel . . . broken. I'm not sure I like what I'm becoming, Ryker.”

He swallowed. He sure as hell did. He was falling hard for this softer side of Kyana and it made him uneasy as hell.

He watched her walk away, her shoulders not as high as they usually were. He supposed it was difficult to keep them raised when the weight of the world was constantly pulling them down. He didn't know what else he could say or do to fix things. He'd thought this through. Or so he'd believed.

He hadn't considered what this would do to Ky. He'd been entrusted with protecting her, and he'd walked away from that duty at the first opportunity to get out of his agreement with Ares. So what if his motives had truly been good? What did doing your duty serve when it meant letting down those you were closest to?

She'd have to go it alone. And not just in figuring out what Haven might do next, but in stopping Cronos and protecting the Eyes of Power. In short, she was now alone in her duty to save them all.

Ky was strong and smart. She could handle anything Haven threw at her if she believed in herself and her newfound abilities. Kyana, the Goddess of the Hunt, was unstoppable. However, the odds for Kyana, the Half-Breed tracer . . . weren't nearly as good.

Chapter Twenty-One

A
s Kyana stalked around the back of Nettles's townhouse Below, her gaze swept the dark, quiet streets. There was no one around that she could detect with her nose or eyes, but that didn't mean she wasn't being watched. By Haven? Possibly. The heat on the back of her neck made her shift uneasily where she stood, trying to peer into Nettles's kitchen window. All she could see through the lacy curtains was the dim red light of a coffeepot.

The itchy sensation of being observed nearly had her coming out of her skin. She wasn't worried about a fight. She could handle herself. But it was hard to keep track of all four sides of a building solo. She didn't want to be taken by surprise, and she certainly didn't want Haven to catch her scent before Kyana could catch hers.

She wished she had Geoffrey or Ryker . . . or even Silas.

Silas
. Damn. She'd forgotten to deliver his message to his sweet bimbo. Whatever. Helping appease his little girl toy wasn't exactly high on Kyana's priority list. She would deliver the message . . . when she got around to it.

She reached up and dug her fingers between a row of bricks and crawled halfway up the two-story home, peered into an empty bedroom window, then swung her body around to the alley-side of the townhouse. She passed two more windows—a bathroom and another bedroom. Both were empty. If Nettles was here, she was downstairs in the front of the place, the only section Kyana hadn't scoped.

She didn't want to bust out a window around back until she knew for sure whether Haven was inside. She dropped to the ground and inhaled deeply, but there was no scent of Haven. She could smell Nettles, but this was her home. The scent didn't necessarily mean she was still here.

Everything about this place felt off today. There was usually a line of people waiting for readings a mile long around Nettles's home. There were also usually Witchy guards who protected the small Seer. Where was everyone?

Kyana jogged down the alley and stopped at the front stoop where a chalkboard sign had been erected on her little porch, explaining the absence of customers.

CLOSED TILL SATURDAY

Frustrated that she'd hit a dead end already, Kyana thrust her boot against the door and smiled with satisfaction as the wood splintered and cracked down the middle. She tore the slabs apart and stepped inside Nettles's sitting room. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe the Seer had boot-scoot boogied out of town.

Starting with the basement and then working her way upstairs, there wasn't a single sign that anything was amiss. She worked her way back down to stand in the small parlor Nettles used for her readings. The table was empty. No mirror or candles or burners.

Her heart sank. Where was she? Surely Haven hadn't already gotten her hands on her? No. Nettles had placed a sign out front, which meant she likely had something to do or somewhere to go.

A shuffling sound coming from the front porch pulled Kyana from her thoughts. Pivoting, she pressed her back to the wall and vanished into the shadows, ready, waiting.

Peering around the corner, she watched as a tiny face appeared in the gaping hole in the front door. Kyana exhaled and stepped into the hall. The face jerked back and let out a tiny squeak of alarm.

“It's all right, Nettles,” Kyana said. “It's just me. Kyana.”

The hobbit-looking woman plopped her hands on her hips and glared at her through the hole before stepping inside the house. “What took you so long?”

“What?”

“I've been hiding out at my neighbor's watching for you. I was beginning to think your friend would find me before you did.”

“You knew— Never mind. Of course you did.” Kyana sighed, grateful to see she didn't appear to be any worse for wear.

“Did you do this to my door?”

“Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.”

Nettles shook her head. “Don't fret. I appreciate your concern. That
is
why you're here, isn't it? Finally realize she would come for me?”

Kyana nodded. “I take it you haven't seen her, then?”

“Not yet, but I will soon if you don't get me somewhere safe.”

“What exactly have you seen?”

Nettles pinched her small mouth together in a thoughtful pucker. “She wants the location of the other Eyes of Power and she thinks I can show them to her, which I can. Can't say you arrived a minute too soon.”

Kyana raised a brow and pulled her away from the broken door. “You know where they all are?”

Nodding, Nettles plopped onto a bench in the entryway and shivered. “Zeus still has his.”

That much, she knew.

“Of course, Haven already has the trident, so the only ones to be concerned about are the ring and the amulet. Both of which are in the possession of the new Hades. That handsome Irish Vampyre friend of yours.”

“Geoffrey has his amulet. But I don't think you're right about the ring. Ryker had the ring.”

And no way in hell would he have given it to Geoffrey. They didn't like each other much at all. Why trust someone you dislike with something so powerful?

Nettles shrugged. “I've seen them both in the Underworld. That is all I know.”

Kyana hadn't seen that one coming. It was further proof that Ryker cared more about duty than personal feelings, because he really didn't care for Geoffrey at all. Giving him that ring meant, despite his dislike of the new Hades, he trusted him.

“We'd best be leaving now before Haven gets her chance to snatch me up. She's going to find a way to make me tell her even if it's against my will. Mark my words.”

The little woman's face was pale, but she lifted her chin defiantly. Nettles might look like a mouse, but she roared like a lion. The smooth baritone barking from her lips always managed to surprise Kyana. She always expected the woman to squeak.

Nettles stood and sauntered up the stairs. Kyana followed, wrinkling her nose as they stepped into a doily heaven of a bedroom. Haven would have loved it. Or maybe Haven's grandmother would have. It was all too musty and fussy for Kyana, though. Quilts, lace, and the smell of old lady and mints hung in the air like potpourri. Nettles stooped and grabbed at something under the bed.

Kyana leaned in the doorway and watched. “Peek into your crystal ball and tell me where Haven's at now. Maybe I can stop her from coming after you altogether.”

Nettles paused in her task of pulling several satchels from beneath the bed to glare up at her. “I'm not all knowing, but I imagine she's about five steps ahead of
you
, so why not predict where you'll be in thirty minutes and I'm sure you'll find her.”

This snarky, sarcastic Nettles was about two seconds away from a smack down. Did the little woman even realize she was talking to a new goddess?

Of course she did. She was a bloody Seer.

Nettles tossed two of the bags at her and pulled the third over her own head and one shoulder.

The fear in her eyes reached a soft spot in Kyana's heart. She hadn't actually been aware she
had
any soft spots left. It was rather like finding a bruise on a shiny apple—her first instinct was to carve it out with her dagger before it spoiled the whole fruit.

“I'll get you to a well-guarded place to hide until I either locate Haven or she decides to find her answers elsewhere.”

Nettles shook her head, her large eyes filling with tears. “Your friend isn't going to give up.”

“I won't let her touch you,” she heard herself say, and realized she meant it. She didn't know Nettles well, but the few times she'd come to the Seer for help, she had given it. It was time to return the favor.

Nettles wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled with quivering lips. “Thank you.”

The simple acknowledgment of trust was a kick to the gut. There was no way in hell she would let anything happen to Nettles now. It would be worse than kicking a puppy.

“Where will you take me?” Nettles asked as they stepped outside. She cast a long, sorrowful glance at her broken door and let out a heavy sigh.

“I don't know yet.” She couldn't take Nettles Beyond now that the portals had been rebuilt to forbid anyone without god or Oracle blood to enter. And everyone in Kyana's circle was there, on Olympus, unable to babysit a Seer while Kyana hunted.

“You must find a place for me before we run into Haven. I do not fight, Kyana. I will be of no assistance.”

“I don't need assistance,” Kyana mumbled. “I need you to paste yourself to my ass and not stray so much as a foot away from me. Got it?”

Nettles said nothing as Kyana led her down the empty street and past a row of houses where two women were hanging laundry and laughing. They seemed oddly out of place, so normal amid the chaos that had happened today, as did the Dark Breeds that worked for the Order who spilled out of the butcher shops and herbalist stalls on the next street down.

Why weren't any of them as tense as she was? Had the potential danger facing them all not been relayed to all Order members?

Or were they just so naïve as to believe the gods would save them all? Would take care of everything, the way a child believes its father can scare off the monsters in their closets?

Fools.

She turned slightly to make sure Nettles was still close behind, and when she couldn't find the old woman, she dropped the bags to the ground and broke into a sprint. She found Nettles one corner back—on her knees, her hands over her head, her body rocking in a manic fashion.

“Nettles!”

She tried to lift the Seer to her feet, but it was as though she had been cemented into the sidewalk. With a violent crack, Nettles's head jerked skyward, her wide eyes unblinking, her face the color of dingy snow. As Kyana tugged harder, Nettles's lips moved a mile a minute.

“Nettles! Answer me! What's going on?”

“She comes.” Nettles's eyes calmed and focused on her just before she collapsed into a fetal position atop Kyana's boots.

She knelt and scooped Nettles into her arms, carefully placing the woman onto her feet and holding tight to her waist until she was sure the Seer could stand on her own. “Now?”

Nettles shook her head, her body swaying as she clung to her. “Soon. She's going to cut out my eyes if I don't read for her. Going to use them to cast a spell so she can see for herself where Cronos's ring is.”

She didn't know which sentiment screamed louder in her head.
Ew
or
ow
. “Can she do that?”

The Seer struggled to swallow. The tears welling up in her fear-glazed eyes gave Kyana her answer.

“Okay. All right.” She was beginning to panic herself. It took her several deep breaths to rein in her emotion and calm her speeding pulse. “Wait. Where did this vision take place? We'll make sure you don't go there.”

Nettles shook her head. “I must. I've seen it. If I return home, you'll catch her.”

Before or after she cut out Nettles's eyeballs?

“It happens at your house? You saw all that? Just now?”

“I did.” She licked her lips. “She won't give up on her quest to find me, and I am the only Seer near Florida. She'll come for me. You must let her.”

“What?”

No way would Kyana willingly put the Seer in the direct path of danger. Because of Nettles, she had discovered who'd been killing the Chosen after the breakout and had been able to catch the bastard. Nettles had clued them all in on where the key to Tartarus had been hidden, and had given her the means to save Haven before their traitor could slit her throat.

Of course, Kyana had been too late, and Haven's blood had been too tainted for purging, but that was no fault of Nettles's.

“I'm not using you as bait.”

“You will because I ask it of you.”

“I don't know if you know this about me, Nettles, but I don't do things
because someone asks it of me
.”

“You will. Because I bestowed such a courtesy upon you when you were begging for my help using the Charm of Nine Gods. When you so badly wanted to save the very friend you hunt now. I went against my better judgment to do as you asked, and you're too honorable not to return the favor.”

Kyana raked her hand over her face in exasperation. She should have known Nettles would bring that up. Her experience with the Charm of Nine Gods and the astral projection it had induced wasn't her fondest memory. But using it had led her to where Haven had been held prisoner. Where she would have died. And Kyana would never have been able to use the charm at all if Nettles hadn't invoked it for her.

“Look, even if I was okay with what you're suggesting, it's not so easy. If I place you back in your home and wait for Haven there, she'll never come. She'll catch whiff of my scent a mile away and stay clear.”

“Then turn the tables, Kyana.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“She's been virtually untraceable for you and you suspect you know why. Use her own methods to trap her.”

She wasn't even going to ask how Nettles knew any of that. It didn't matter. Nettles was one smart, crumbly cookie.

“A Cloaking Charm,” Kyana said, smiling.

She damned near ruffled the old woman's hair. She'd been so concerned about finding a way to see through Haven's charm, that she hadn't considered the possibility of using it against Haven as a means of catching her.

Nettles nodded. “You have other Witch friends who can produce one for you?”

Kyana started to shake her head, then froze. “Actually, maybe I do.”