Marked (27 page)

The smile in Hades’s voice put Casey on instant alert.

“If they’re killed a second time, they’re mine forever. To spend eternity suffering at my hand in Tartarus, whether they were truly evil or not.”

“You made her immortal.”

“I did. I’m a god who’s always looking for a deal. Balance in the universe. And her request? Centered on revenge? Oh, you can’t get better than that.”

Casey’s back tingled. “What did she offer you in exchange?”

“The soul of every Argolean she kills.” Casey’s blood went cold. “Every half-breed as well.”

Sickness swelled in Casey’s stomach. “Why are you showing me this?”

“Because I want you to see. And believe.” He leaned down to her ear. “What do you think she’s planning to do with that army, Acacia? It’s not just for looks.” When she didn’t answer, he moved closer, until she felt the long lines of his body against her back. Her stomach pitched. “They’re going to devour the half-breeds. Decimate the Argonauts. When those warriors aren’t guarding the portal anymore, Argoleans will seep into the human world and be destroyed in droves. And the daemons will spread like fire across Argolea.”

“Oh, God,” Casey whispered.

He chuckled in her ear, his hot and wanton breath sliding under her garments to send a shudder through her body. “Your human god can’t do anything for them. I think it’s time you see what it is she hates so much.”

He placed his large hands on her upper arms, and they flashed through fog again until she was once more standing on a rise, but this time the view beneath her was one out of a fantasy. A lush green valley, surrounded by woods and meadows and majestic snow-capped mountains. In the center sat a sparkling city made of what seemed to be all marble, with a centralized marketplace, bustling people and a castle that looked like it had been plunked there straight out of Cinderella’s fairy tale.

It was the same city she’d glimpsed from Theron’s house, only closer and more real.

“Oh…my.” Something warmed in the center of Casey’s chest. A feeling like she’d finally come home.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Hades said at her side. “Tiyrns. The city of white. Created for a hero, wouldn’t you say?” Casey could only nod. “Be a pity to see it and all of Argolea disappear.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your sister, Isadora, is the only heir. By Argolean law, no one but a member of the royal family may rule the land. Your father, the king, is dying from old age. And she’s as sick as you are. If she passes without producing an heir, the rule of Argolea will fall to the Council of Elders, who believe the Argonauts do nothing but instill fear. Imagine, Acacia, what will happen when your sister is gone.”

Dread welled in Casey’s chest, and suddenly she understood why Hades had taken her to the Underworld. “They’ll be wiped out by Atalanta’s army.”

“Yes.”

She looked back over the valley, and what was left of her heart broke.

“There’s only one way to prevent that from happening,” Hades said beside her.

“How?”

“Search your soul and you’ll find your answer.”

She did. And knew.

The only way was for her sister to live. As if she’d heard it a thousand times, the prophecy Hades had spoken of earlier ran through her mind.

And as it did, she thought of Theron and why he’d been sent to find her. All of his gruff actions suddenly made sense. Except…when she remembered the way he’d looked at her when she was beneath him only hours ago…Something didn’t add up.

He’d brought her here yesterday, and still he hadn’t turned her over. And when he’d come home last night he’d seemed angry, but not at her. He’d been angry with her father.

It hit her then.

He’d changed his mind. Even before they’d made love. Even knowing his actions were possibly going to destroy his world, he wasn’t willing to let her die to save her sister. His fiancée.

“Answer me one thing,” she said softly, staring at the castle, knowing Hades was reading her thoughts but needing to put this one question into words. “Am I his soul mate?”

“Yes.”

She drew in a breath.

“Nasty gift from my brother’s vindictive wife. Hera knew if Theron ever found you, he wouldn’t let you fulfill your destiny.”

Her destiny. Casey nearly laughed at the irony. Either way she looked at it, she was destined to die. And that truly sucked, especially when she realized she’d finally found the one place she belonged, and the one person she belonged to. But life for her had never been easy. It made sense that death wouldn’t be either.

The only question left was how it would happen. On her terms or not.

She slanted a sideways look at the god beside her. “Am I to be tortured in Tartarus as well?”

His smile was actually warm, so at odds with everything else she sensed about him. “No. You’ll sail to the Isles of the Blessed.”

She looked back at the castle. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“It’s not. It’s actually quite nice.”

“And if I go to her? My sister?”

“She will rule until her time is at an end.”

That didn’t sound so bad either.

“And what about Theron? What will happen to him?”

Hades shrugged. “The Argonaut’s fate is none of my concern.”

“Surely you know, though.”

A bored look crossed his face. “If you go to Isadora? Nothing. Things will be for him as they were before. If you decide to go back to the half-breed colony…” He lifted one shoulder, dropped it. “He may be punished for not following orders and bringing you back.”

She narrowed her eyes on him. “May be?”

His mischievous smile returned. “I’m not an oracle, Acacia.”

“You’re a god, though.”

“Yes, but even the greatest of gods cannot tell the future. Free will and all that crap, you know.”

Free will.

Casey looked out over the valley. Closed her eyes and tuned in to her senses. When not even a tingle ran over her back, she had her answer.

She opened her eyes and looked up at Hades. “Take me home.”

He felt like he’d taken forty thousand volts to the chest. Which he probably had.

Gritting his teeth, Theron scrambled to all fours and tried to push himself upright. The room spun. His head lolled on his shoulders. On a groan, he dropped down to the ground again and took several deep breaths before pushing up once more.

Stars fired off in his line of vision, but he kept going.

A roar tore out of him as he finally sat up and collapsed back against the wall. He was sweating already. Shaky. That fucking god…

Boots clomped outside on his deck seconds before he heard voices. Voices he recognized.

“In here!” he managed in a raspy voice.

The door to his bedroom flew open. Through hazy vision he saw Gryphon, Cerek and Phineus file into the room.

“Holy hell,” Cerek said, coming around to help Theron to his feet. “What happened to you?”

Phineus took his other arm. “This is a sight I never thought I’d see.” He sniffed. Leaned closer to look at Theron’s hair. “Gods, have you been burned?”

Theron found his footing and eased free of the guardians’ grips. Of all the Argonauts, Phineus would be the one to recognize singed flesh, since he had that whole fire-breathing-dragon thing down pat. “Something like that. Who’s manning the portal?”

“Titus,” Cerek told him.

Good. Theron had to get word to his kin not to let Acacia leave. “I need your help. She’s missing.”

“We know,” Gryphon said from across the room. Blond hair fell across his forehead, and a day’s worth of stubble covered his jaw. “Demetrius and Zander are already looking for her. The king’s having a conniption. And considering what Zander said you did yesterday, you’re lucky the king hasn’t strung you up by your balls. This doesn’t look good, man.”

“How could you know that?” Theron asked. “She only left here mere minutes ago.”

“Isadora was here?” Phineus asked at Theron’s side.

“Isadora?” Theron glanced from Phineus to each of the other guardians in the room. “Not Isadora. Why would she—?”

And then it hit him. “Oh,
skata
. He took them both.”

The dizziness returned to Theron’s head. He reached a hand out to the wall to steady himself. Shrugged from Cerek’s grip when the Argonaut tried to help him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the guardians’ confused expressions as they looked at each other and then back at him.

“Who took what where?” Gryphon asked.

Silence.

“The woman,” Cerek finally said in a knowing voice. “The human woman he had here yesterday. Son of a bitch.”

“Wait.” Phineus held up a hand. “What woman?”

Theron braced his forearm against the wall. “Hades was here.”

“Holy fucking A,” Cerek muttered.

“Here? In the flesh?” Gryphon asked. “I thought the gods were banned from Argolea.”

“Hades isn’t an Olympian,” Cerek said. “Only the twelve Olympian gods are banned from our realm. Son of a bitch.”

Theron ignored them and turned a slow circle. “I have to figure out where he would have taken them. Not to the Underworld. It would have to be here—”

“Theron,” Cerek warned.

“—not to the castle or the temple. Both are too busy. Somewhere private. Somewhere sacred. Somewhere…Why can’t I think?” He pressed his fingers to his forehead, then without warning slammed both arms against the wall. Wood and plaster splintered into a thousand pieces to rain down on the floor as he roared out his frustration.

The room went silent. None of the guardians dared speak, because they each knew he was strong enough to rip their arms and legs off if he wanted to. And in his current mood, that wasn’t entirely unlikely.

And that’s when it hit him.

His head came up sharply, covered in a layer of fine white powder from the stone he’d disintegrated.
“Skata.”

“Theron, wait!” Cerek called as Theron raced for the door.

Pain forgotten, Theron paused long enough to slam his feet into a pair of boots in the hall. Not waiting for the others, he yelled, “Get Callia and bring her to the Stone Circle. Do it now!”

And then he ran.

“Where are we going?” Isadora asked Persephone through the fog.

“You’ll see.” The goddess squeezed Isadora’s hand. “We’re nearly there.”

It’d been a long night. A night Isadora did not want to remember. Every time she thought about what she’d seen…

Her stomach revolted again, and she felt the bile sliding up her throat.

“Do not even think about getting sick again, little queen.” Persephone’s hand tightened around hers. And her sadistic laugh was the only thing that kept Isadora from losing what little dinner she’d eaten. “When this is over, you’ll thank me. It’s long past time you tapped into your hedonistic god side.”

Isadora closed her eyes tightly.
Don’t think about that. Or her. Or him. Or what they did. Don’t think about anything except you and Acacia and the fact…you saved her.

“And here we are,” Persephone said.

The fog cleared, and cold air shivered over Isadora’s shoulders. In front of her she saw majestic green olive trees and a purple mountain rising from the ground. She knew she was in Argolea, she just wasn’t sure where. She turned. And spotted the stone table in the center of the circle.

“What is this?” Her eyes flicked over the large, flat rock surrounded by the charred remains of kindling and fuel where Argolean bodies were burned in the funeral rite that freed their souls to the Isles of the Blessed. “Why are we here?”

Persephone, a good foot taller and a thousand times more regal, smiled down at her. “Because this is where it will happen.”

Isadora’s chest grew cold as ice as reality hit her from all sides. “No.” She shook her head. “You can’t. He
promised
!”

Persephone grabbed her by the wrist before she took two steps back. The goddess was pure steel and stronger than any Argonaut. She dragged Isadora, kicking and screaming, across the hard dirt as if she were nothing more than a feather. “Yes, Princess. We can.” She lifted Isadora and placed her on the stone surface, like a parent lifting a mere child. “My husband’s prophecy is more important than your wants or desires.”

Isadora found her arms pinned to her side. “He lied to me,” she growled.

Persephone only smiled. “Not exactly. He merely…omitted.”

“I’ll see you rot in hell for going back on your promise.” She spat in the goddess’s face.

Persephone’s wicked grin faded. Slowly, she released one of Isadora’s arms to wipe her eye, and Isadora tensed,
waiting for the punishment she knew was coming. You didn’t lash out at a god and live to tell about it.

But instead of the backhand into oblivion she expected, Persephone blinked. And when her eyes resettled on Isadora, they held a note of admiration. “Very good, Princess. There may be hope for you yet. Hades will be pleased to know you have a spine underneath that pasty white skin of yours.”

“Go to hell,” Isadora muttered.

Persephone’s grin widened. “I will. I like it there, you know. If it weren’t for my mother calling me back every few months, I’d happily stay there forever.” Her head came up sharply. “Ah, finally. They’re here.”

As Persephone eased to the side and turned to look behind her, Isadora got her first glimpse at what was coming toward them.

Hades she recognized, that sadistic son of a bitch, but it was the dark-haired woman walking at his side who held Isadora’s full attention.

Acacia. Her half sister.

A strange buzzing lit off in the center of Isadora’s chest, an electrical shock that vibrated every cell in her body and hummed in her ears. She recognized it because it was the same shock she’d felt in that human skin club the first night she’d seen Acacia. Only now it was growing, the humming vibrations intensifying with each step her sister took toward her.

“Stop!” Isadora yelled.

Acacia’s feet paused. Her violet eyes—oh, gods, those eyes that were just like their father’s—never strayed from Isadora’s face. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’ve come to help you.”

Panic welled in Isadora’s chest, but because Persephone still had a death grip on her arm, she couldn’t move. “No, it’s not okay. Don’t come closer. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Yes, I do,” Acacia said. “I know exactly what I’m doing.
I’m going to save you and our people.” She started walking again, and that buzz grew so loud, Isadora could barely hear. “It’s what I want.”

“Acacia! No!” From out of nowhere Theron charged the meadow, but before he reached the edge, Hades lifted his hand, flicked his wrist and formed a shield around the entire Stone Circle. Theron hit the invisible barrier with a crack, bounced off and fell back. But an instant later he was on his feet, pounding on the force field and screaming in a muffled voice. Behind him, others came running.

“Damn Argonauts,” Hades muttered under his breath. “Always with the heroics.”

Acacia stopped two feet from Isadora, and the buzzing vibrations were so intense now, Isadora couldn’t move even when Persephone finally released her grip and eased out of the way. All she could do was stare.

Acacia looked once longingly at Theron, then turned to face her sister. One single tear slid down her cheek. “My name’s Casey.”

“Don’t do this,” Isadora whispered.

“I have to.” She reached out and gripped both of Isadora’s hands, and a popping sound lit off in Isadora’s head, followed by an electrical current that rushed through her limbs. In a vortex, she and Casey were lifted off the ground and spun at light speed until a blinding radiance shone from every cell in her body. She jerked and seized, and then the world went black and the only sound was a fading buzz ringing somewhere in the darkness.