Page 7 of Absolved In Death

“I want to know why you’re actually here,” I scoffed. “You only help yourself.”

“Yeah, and it helps me immensely to have Lucifer in power again. So whatever we can do to expedite that process, consider it done,” he growled.

“Our fucking family—the people welove,” I shouted, making a sweeping gesture at Desmond and the others, “Are trapped in some secret location, with no way for us to find them. We don’t know if they’re safe, so excuse me if I don’t give a flying fucking pegasus about what benfits you!”

The anger boiling inside me burst, my skin catching fire. Roaring flames engulfed me and I thought of a million ways to make Zeus pay for his selfishness. A small, warm hand gently squeezed my forearm. Nonna peered up at me, and her soothing magic extinguishing my skin.

“We appreciate you, even if your intentions are less than valiant. I think I can speak for everyone here when I ask you to leave. Our family’s safety is what matters most to us.”

Zeus gave her a seething glare as static electricity fizzled around his hands. I wouldn’t put it past him to attack a being much less powerful than him for merely stating the truth. He didn’t care that she was no threat to him. Desmond’s shadows wisped around her feet and climbed up her limbs, encasing her in protection.

“Fine. But you better fix this shit, Ares. I refuse to lose because of your incompetence.”

“You lost a long time ago, father. You just haven’t realized what you lost. You can see yourself out,” I offered.

He stomped out of the room like an overgrown toddler, leaving a swirl of thunderous clouds behind. Hades shot a fireball at them, burning them up on the spot.

“I’d like to stay and help. I’m not here for the same reasons as your father. I’m here for you,anipsiós.” I couldn’t believe hecalled me nephew. Where was all that familial love when he left us to become a recluse on the river Styx?

LOL, he’s here to bang your brother’s girl,Voice cackled.

Obviously, but before he left, he was decent to me. We need all hands on deck right now, Voice.And it was the truth.

“I guess the family black sheep have to stay together.” I shook his hand, then brought him in for a hug. I whispered so faintly in his ear, no one could hear me. “If you hurt her or break her heart, I swear to the cosmos that made me, I will fuck you up. You’re not my actual uncle, and I’ll make you wish we left you in Styx.”

When I pulled away, the stunned expression on his face was photo worthy, so I took a good mental image I could share with Diana and the guys after they came home. And we would bring them home.Somehow.

Desmond sat at the small kitchen table, cracking his knuckles, then his neck. “Alrighty then, let’s get to business. Does anyone have ideas?”

We all stared at each other in silence. It seemed no one had a clue how to fix this.

This is going to be harder than we thought,Voice murmured.

Yeah, but mark my words, we will find her.

3

DIANA

Ihad no clue how long it had been since we entered our personal hells. Day in and day out, I endured the torture my psyche made for me.

Quelier explained that our “deep seated trauma creates the playlist, and I’m just making sure you can hear it.”

After he realized the first Hellscape wasn’t torturous enough for me, he transferred Zaz into a separate one and dropped me into a never ending loop of when we realized Nonna was abducted in Las Vegas.

When we thought we lost her forever.

Having to relive it filled me with such an intense dread that I had gotten physically sick. I’m sure he had enjoyed watching me puke from wherever he monitored me. Even though we had saved her from the Fourth Realm—which itself was a nightmare come to life—it still impacted me. It sucked to climb and scrape myself out of those feelings, but I did. Because I had to get us home somehow.

The same thing happened with every Hellscape he deemed painful enough to break me.

My ex Danny browbeating me over being too sensitive? Or too fat. Or too smart. Or not having enough time for him.Over it.

Finding out my whole family lied to me about who I am?Forget-about-it.

Discovering how Lucifer had my mom in a random cottage somewhere in magical limbo?Lucifer is always doing shady-ass shit, next.

Mal stabbing me?Not traumatizing enough.

---