Pandora (Book 3) (The Omega Group) (18 page)

Myrine’s eyes glistened as she absorbed the scene on
Tritonia. She’d expected to be greeted by Amazons. What she hadn’t expected was
to be greeted by
all
of the Amazons.
Her entire tribe had given up what could very well have been the last moments
they would have with their loved ones and come to help her.

Myrine addressed the crowd. “I need you to understand that
I’m not asking for your help as your Queen. You are under no obligation to be
here, and I’ll understand if any of you choose to leave.”

A single tear trickled down Myrine’s cheek, as every last
warrior stood her ground. “I don’t know what to say, except thank you.” Myrine
choked out the words past the lump in her throat. “All right. Two of our own are
on Mount Olympus right now, trying to put a stop to what’s happening in our
world. We may not be able to help Mirissa and Greco physically, but perhaps we
can bolster them in other ways.”

Gayle Costa strode forward and wrapped her arms around
Myrine, before speaking to the group. “I’m Greco’s mother. Many of you don’t
know me, mostly because I wasn’t worth knowing for a very long time. But I want
to thank you for coming to help. You’ve sacrificed so much to be here. I
promise, if we get out of this mess alive, I’ll spend the rest of my days earning
this gift.”

“How do you want to proceed?” Asteria asked from the front
row.

“I’m not entirely sure. We’ve never done anything like this
before. I think our best bet is to focus our thoughts on Mirissa and hope our
rings take us the rest of the way.”

As they all took seats on the grass, Asteria grabbed Myrine’s
left hand, and Gayle grabbed her right. The gesture spread through the group
until every Amazon was connected to another. Myrine had never felt so humbled
in her life.

As they closed their eyes to begin the uncertain process of
reaching across realms, it occurred to Myrine that someone was missing. “Have
you seen my namesake?” she asked Asteria.

“No. No one has,” she answered.

Although their ancient queen’s absence was cause for
concern, Myrine forced herself to put aside the worry. Mirissa and Greco were
trying to save the entire world, and they deserved her undivided attention.

She joined the group in focusing on Mirissa and immediately
felt the alliance bloom inside her. Her ring tingled as their essences
intertwined, the energy flowing through their hands from one warrior to the
next.

Mirissa. We’re here,
sweetheart.

Myrine concentrated on the image of her daughter, willing
herself to connect.
 
At times she felt an
odd chill, then droplets of sweat would form on her forehead from heat that
didn’t exist on Tritonia. She hoped it was a sign of their connection, but
couldn’t be sure.

A searing pain exploded in her left shoulder. Judging by the
sharp intakes of breaths and groans emanating from the others, they’d felt it,
too. Gritting her teeth, Myrine tried not to let the pain distract her but was
losing that battle quickly. A moment later, her suffering ended.

Damn it.
Myrine
felt sure they’d been channeling Mirissa. There didn’t seem to be any other
explanation for the group’s shared experience. When the pain disappeared,
Myrine lost her confidence.

Until another episode of agony gripped her, then another,
and another. Pain exploded in one part of her body and then dissipated moments
later before erupting somewhere else. The roller coaster of torture and relief
dragged on until Myrine couldn’t take it anymore. Not the physical anguish, but
the emotional.
Is this what you’re going
through right now, Mirissa?

Sighs of relief swept through the Amazons when the assault
finally ended, though Myrine didn’t know whether to feel joy or sorrow. Had
Mirissa and Greco won whatever horrific battle they’d been fighting, or had
they lost?

I’m here, sweetheart. We
all are.
Whether or not it would make a difference, remained to be seen.

Mirissa once again led the way, with Greco and Flip close on
her heels, through the tunnels of Tartarus. Since leaving the beast’s cave,
she’d stopped having to hold onto her key to determine which direction to
travel. She simply knew. With each twist and turn, her certainty strengthened
and her pace quickened.

I’m here, sweetheart.
We all are.

“What did you say?” Mirissa asked her companions.

Greco glanced at Flip, then back to her. “We didn’t. Did you
hear something?”

Mirissa paused, biting her lower lip. “I don’t know. For a
second I thought … It was probably just my imagination.”

Shaking off the odd sensation, she resumed her pace. The
tunnel system proved a maze of epic proportions, with openings sprouting in
every direction. Each time they passed one, sounds of unseen horrors echoed
down the passageway. Her imagination wove intricate scenes of torture around noises
she’d previously considered benign—roaring fire, bubbling water, falling rocks,
the scrape of sandpaper, and so many more. The accompanying screams and moans
served only to heighten the imagery her mind created. She couldn’t even guess
why the souls trapped there deserved such punishments.

Mirissa turned into a small alcove that held a single wooden
door. The iron ring hanging in place of a handle, beckoned her to pull it open.

“The box is on the other side of that door. I can feel it,”
she said. The search had ended, and her real journey was about to begin. Taking
a deep breath, Mirissa reached for the ring, only to be stopped by Flip’s hand
on her arm.

“Isn’t there something you need to do first?” His eyebrows
rose as he jerked his head repeatedly in Greco’s direction. “Hmm?”

Mirissa swallowed hard. With all of the craziness they’d
endured since travelling through the portal to Mount Olympus and then down to
Tartarus, she’d forgotten to tell Greco the truth about her destiny. She gave a
quick nod to Flip, who backed into the tunnel to give them privacy.

Mirissa grabbed Greco’s hands. “There’s something I need to
tell you.” She stared into his eyes while trying to find the right words to lessen
the blow, but there were none. “Um, I’m not going to make it out of this
alive.”

“What? Don’t think like that, Mirissa. We’ve made it this
far, there’s no reason to believe—”

“Yes, there is,” Mirissa cut him off. “Artemis told me that
closing the box will kill me. That’s my destiny.”

Greco stepped back, releasing her grip and running his hands
through his hair. “That’s what you’ve been hiding? Why would you keep that from
me?”

Mirissa’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I didn’t know how to
tell you, or anyone.”

Anger flared in Greco’s eyes. “You obviously told Flip, a
complete stranger you had zero connection with.”

“No! I didn’t,” she retorted. “He found out when he
translated the key. It didn’t say what you think it did. I asked him to lie so
I could tell you when the right time came.”

“And you thought this was the right time,” he huffed. “What
about when I begged you to confide in me? When we actually had time to figure
out another way?
 
Why wait until now?”

“Because there is no other way, Greco,” Mirissa said. “And I
knew if I told you earlier, you’d have spent every minute arguing with me about
it. Kind of like you’re doing right now.”

Greco opened his mouth as if to tear into her again but
stopped himself. Instead, he wrapped her in his arms and squeezed. “I’m sorry,”
he whispered. “It’s just … we haven’t had our life together yet.”

Mirissa pulled back enough to see his beautiful face. A
multitude of emotions played across his features, but all she could see was the
future she would be missing. Their first real date, their first night together,
their first, well, everything. She’d never been one to daydream about weddings
or children or growing old with someone, but at that moment, all of those
things filled her imagination. How could the loss of something she’d yet to
have be so unbearable?

“I love you, Greco,” she said through the tears streaming
down her face.

“I love you, too. I have from the moment I first met you,”
he said, wiping her cheeks with his thumbs. “And that means I’ll fight to keep
you with me. Just like you did in Savannah.”

“Okay,” Mirissa said. She knew he needed to believe there
was a chance, so she let him. “Let’s go save the world.” She turned to open the
door behind her, only to be whirled around by her arm, landing in Greco’s
embrace.

The kiss he planted on her made all thoughts of doors and
boxes and destinies flitter away. For one glorious moment, nothing mattered but
the two of them.

“Are you guys ready?” Flip said from inches away.

Moment over.

“Yes, Flip. We’re ready,” she said. This time, when she
turned to open the door, no romantic hero from a movie stopped her. She grabbed
the ring and pulled. When the door opened enough for her to see the other side,
she gasped.

Daedric stared back at her, standing in an exact replica of
his game room on Ortega, with her dad and his Navy SEAL buddies tied up on the
stage. She took a step forward into what felt like a memory, or a dream, of the
day she’d almost gotten her father killed. The day she
had
gotten his friend and former team member killed. Lincoln died
because of her.

“What the …?”

The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind her, with Greco
and Flip still on the other side. She was alone.

********

Greco tugged at the ring, using his foot as leverage against
the wall, but the door didn’t budge. He pounded on the wood but accomplished
nothing other than bruising his fists and perhaps breaking a knuckle or two.

“Flip, get us in that room. Now!” Greco yelled, while still
trying to force open the door. When he got no response, he turned to find the
god staring, slack-jawed, into space.

“What the hell is wrong with you? She’s on her own in
there.” Greco grabbed his shoulders and shook.

“They’re all in there. All of them,” Flip muttered. “I saw
them. They’re waiting for me, and they brought the … the … the horse.” His
already pale skin turned a shade whiter as he fell against the wall.

“What are you talking about?” Greco’s frustration reached the
point of anger. “Who’s waiting for you?”

“The higher gods. They’re behind that door.” Flip looked as
though he might vomit.

Greco reached out to get a hold of the god before he went
catatonic. “No, it’s not them. I saw inside, too. It was the warehouse my
mother used to go to when she got drunk. Even the smell was the same.” His gag
reflex engaged at his childhood memory.

Flip blinked his eyes several times before snapping out of
his state of fear. “You didn’t see the gods. Or the horse?”

“No. You didn’t see the warehouse?” Greco asked.

Flip shook his head. “I think I know what’s really behind
that door. Our own personal hells. Our greatest fears. Our worst nightmares.”

No. He needed to be in there with her. “Oh, God. Mirissa
isn’t ready for that. You’ve got to teleport us inside. Now.”

Flip nodded, but nothing happened.

“What are you waiting for?” Greco was nearing hysteria.
Mirissa needed him, and he stood impotent a few short feet away.

“It’s not working. Why isn’t it working?” Flips eyes widened
with fear.

It took only a moment for understanding to dawn on Greco.

“Because Mirissa’s greatest fear is being too weak to
succeed by herself. Her worst nightmare is to go into battle alone.”

Eris strode into the great hall with Daedric in tow. As
usual, Zeus had his posterior firmly planted on his throne, a scowl etched
across his face. Most of the seats in the room were vacant, leaving only the
true sycophants still fawning over their king. The one god she hadn’t expected
to see, stood in the center of them all.

“Hecate,” Eris called out. “What an unexpected surprise. I
take it you’re searching for me. Well, it’s your lucky day.” She took a deep
and very dramatic bow. “Here I am, at your service.”

Zeus rose slowly from his throne, his staff extended before
him. “You have a lot of nerve coming here. And bringing a half-breed to my
hall, no less.”

One side of Eris’s mouth curled up in a smirk. “Oh, Zeus.
Still as shortsighted as ever. You continue to disappoint me. I thought, after
five thousand years, you would have managed to become slightly more
intelligent. I see I was mistaken.” Eris endeavored to commit the look on
Zeus’s face to memory. His perfect features contorted into a mask of fury,
creating an image she would treasure for eternity.

The other occupants of the room appeared equally horrified
at her outburst, although not for the same reason as their leader. No, they
were simply terrified of being caught in the midst of the inevitable deadly
confrontation.

“Boo!” Eris screeched, then threw her head back in laughter
as every onlooker jolted in their seats. Many teleported out immediately, while
the rest appeared torn between their loyalty to Zeus, and their desire to live.

“Enough!” Zeus bellowed, as a bolt of lightning shot from
the ornate crystal attached to the end of his golden staff.

Eris casually sidestepped the attack, making a show of not
being the least bit scared. A glance over her shoulder revealed her companion
hadn’t fared so well. Daedric swatted at what remained of his sleeve, clopping
around like a child, as a tiny plume of smoke twirled in the air.

With her gaze never leaving Zeus, she spoke to her nephew in
a low tone. “I would appreciate it if you could pull yourself together.”

“Pull myself together? I almost got fried by a lightning
bolt.
I’d
appreciate it if
you
would make sure that doesn’t happen
again,” Daedric whined.

Eris pushed aside her sudden urge to disembowel the little
brat and returned her focus to Zeus. “You and I have unfinished business.”

“I have no business with you, Eris,” Zeus responded in his
standard condescending tone. “I suggest you leave here before you cross a line
you can never uncross.”

“But crossing lines is my specialty,” Eris snorted. “And
this one I never want to uncross.” A collective gasp filled the room as she
manifested the scythe. “You used this blade to slaughter your father. I’m sure,
if he were able, he’d be watching with glee as I use it to slaughter you. Don’t
you just love the irony?”

Zeus growled his response but stopped short of using actual
words when Eris teleported to his side, the scythe positioned so the tip rested
on his cheek. She watched as the arrogance drained from his body, replaced by a
fear he probably hadn’t felt since the Titans ruled the realms.

“I’ll give you credit. I thought for certain you’d flee.
Simply teleport from place to place, until I eventually caught up with you.
Which, of course, I would. Although I’m saddened to have this end so quickly,
I’m also impressed.”

Zeus glowered at her through squinting eyes. “I don’t run
from anyone.”

“But
you
should,
Eris,” came familiar voice, taunting her from across the room.

She turned to see Artemis, arrow nocked in her bow, sizing
up her prey. A moment later, Athena joined her, followed by Hera, Styx, and
Persephone.

Eris looked behind her to see Daedric skulking by the
doorway. “Next time, perhaps a little warning would be in order, nephew.” She
glared at him with a look she hoped broadcast her deep disappointment. When he’d
cringed enough to satisfy her, she turned toward the new arrivals and smiled.

“Let the games begin.”