Page 104 of Kiss the Filthiest King

I try to place her, but the immediate knowledge I had that the man by her side was the god of sleep does not extend to her. All I know is I know her face. I've seen it before, on more than one woman.

And that face istrouble.

And suddenly, I remember her name. The first to have worn this face was Aphrodite, but this woman is even more dangerous. "Helen."

The woman who destroyed ancient Greece before joining the gods and causing so much more than mischief inclines her pretty head.

"This world is not to be touched. Nothing and no one will be harmed in retribution for your husband's imprisonment." Because, naturally, Helen is wed to Death. "We had nothing to do with it. It was Zeus's will."

They know that. The thing with immortals is, they can rarely afford to rise against their leader, so they just destroy his toys, his houses, his minions, and his prisons to make a point.

And there's exactly one thing that can stop their wrath.

A more powerful immortal.

Helen inclines her golden head. Hypnos narrows those silver eyes."My brother has cause to be upset with this little garden of yours. It's his right to set it aflame if he so wishes, after a thousand years of captivity. Did you know they made him birth half-mongrels?" He looks Ryther up and down. "Of course you did. Your folks would chain him in iron and have their pleasure upon his flesh until they could spawn you."

Ryther winces. "It does sound like my mother, I have to admit. You're about a thousand years too late for retribution against her, I'm afraid."

"I'll take my due againstyou."

He moves faster than light, a silver flash launching himself at Ryther, with all the power of the first generation of gods, so close to the primal forces.But not enough.

Hypnos is son of Nyx, daughter of Chaos.

Gaia created herself, and then her mate, Uranus.

In short? He's hopelessly outmatched.

Weareprimal forces. I simply will him to his feet, and that's where he kneels. Ryther is less kind. He makes his throat hit the ground, too.

"This was not a negotiation," I tell them. "You may take your brother. You will claim nothing else. Wake my folk and leave, ordie."

As I speak, I start to undo the spells and flesh knitting him together, attacking each of his immortal cells, ever so slowly.

"Fine, fine, it's done. Dammit, I forgot how grumpy you were."

I let go and smile. "Good. I'd hate to get in trouble with your mom.She'sscary."

Hypnos grumbles.

During our altercation, Helen approached the bending ash, and now I see Hypnos's twin, just as dreadfully handsome, but with the darkest hair.

Like Ryther, he's covered in shadows.

The picture Hypnos painted of his treatment at the hands of the folk makes me wince.

I cross the distance separating us and face Death. "You will depart with my goodwill?"

"I swear by Styx: I will depart in peace," he assures me. "Though I will return, with your leave. I have children here."

There's no animosity when he looks at Ryther, just curiosity.

"You're always welcome at our table, so long as we can count on your friendship."

Thanatos is awfully polite.

I bring my thumbnail to my palm and press hard enough to draw a drop of blood. Instead of the pitch blackness I remember from that day they shot me, I bleed gold.

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