Page 74 of Harbinger

Victor stiffened. A muscle jumped in his jawline. He did not meet Morgan’s questioning gaze.

Morgan blew out a sigh. “Sacrificing yourself would have achieved nothing, Victor.” He made a face. “Besides, can you imagine how much grief Cassius and Theo would have given me if you’d died?”

A genuine smile tilted Victor’s mouth at that.

They went inside and found Theo and Loki sobbing in Cassius’s arms, having jumped on him and pushed him to the ground the second he’d entered the room. Eden was blubbering into a tissue next to them.

“This is turning into a goddamn soap opera,” Morgan muttered.

The apartment door slammed open. Adrianne rushed in ahead of Strickland and the rest of Morgan’s team.

“And it’s about to get worse,” Victor said wryly.

The sorceress froze when she saw him. “Mor—Morgan?!”

Her face crumpled. She burst into tears and bolted into his arms.

Morgan rocked back on his heels before straightening and patting her back awkwardly, his chest tight with emotion. He’d barely been aware of his surroundings after he’d returned from Ivory Peaks, Tenebra’s Rot numbing most of his senses. Seeing how everyone was reacting to his miraculous recovery made him realize not just how much he’d missed out on, but how dearly he was cherished.

He felt Cassius’s gaze on him. The luminous smile the demigod flashed at him as he climbed to his feet and pulled a red-faced Theo and Loki up made Morgan’s belly clench with need.

All he wanted to do right now was take Cassius to bed and make love to him until he cried with pleasure. Morgan pursed his lips.

I wonder which deity I have to pray to to get that to happen?

Cassius’s smile faded a little. He narrowed his eyes, like he’d just read Morgan’s mind.

Morgan chuckled. Cassius blinked.

“I love you,” Morgan mouthed silently.

Color stained Cassius’s cheeks. His beautiful eyes sparkled with promise.

Morgan’s soul core tingled. There was something different about the bond that connected them now. It felt more…sensitive. Stronger even.

He’d become more attuned to Cassius’s emotions even before they’d left Argent Lake, just as Cassius had seemingly gotten more responsive to his. A thrill shot through Morgan as he contemplated the full implications of that observation. Would it mean sex between them would be even better than before? Though how that could even be possible he didn’t know.

“Get your mind out of the gutter,brother,” Kes scoffed. “We can literally see you undressing Icarus with your eyes.”

Cassius blushed even harder.

Loki sniffed and squinted at Morgan. “I fear Cassius won’t be able to walk for a week after he’s done with him.”

Cassius groaned.

“How about you shut it, you damn imp?” Morgan growled.

It was mid-morning when Strickland and Morgan’s team finally left. Jasper, Reuben, and Brianna had dropped by before taking their leave too. Morgan and Cassius had promised to let them know their next course of action once they’d decided upon it.

“So, whatisour next move?” Victor asked as Cassius handed him a fresh coffee.

“We rescue our sisters,” Atropos replied in a hard voice from where she perched on a kitchen stool.

Tisiphone, Kes, and Orena exchanged a determined look.

The surviving Hesperides and Ladon had wanted to help them free Tenebra and the other Goddesses from the Seventh Purgatory. Atropos had insisted they remain in Argent Lake. Even though Cassius had used the last Golden Apple to revive Morgan, she didn’t want to risk Elios finding the Sacred Tree. Cassius had concurred.

Daphne had promised to increase security in her realm so as to be able to pick up on any minute intrusion Elios might make into her kingdom.

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