Page 102 of Flame and Fury

“You can’t turn on someone you never supported.” Hades appears out of the shadows, Persephone at his side. Hermes pops into sight with Athena on his arm. He doesn’t look pleased to be here, but Athena’s face is full of wrath.

“We left you to govern your territory for too long without consequence, and now your people are rebelling.” Athena’s face is stoic. “You aren’t worthy of their loyalty.”

The gods are finally here to fight, and all I want is to be alone with the woman in my arms. To have one more moment with her. One more argument, one more angry glare, one more life-changing kiss.

I know that’s not what she would want, though. If she were alive, she’d punch me and tell me to get my head out of my ass. There’s a fight happening around me, and she’d be pissed if I didn’t do everything I could to ensure we rise from the ashes as victors. Knowing I need to let her go, I press a kiss to her forehead and vow to end this once and for all, for her.

CHAPTER51

WREN

Hurtling back into your body after you’ve been killed sucks. In the Underworld, nothing hurt, but I know I’m alive because every inch of my body is screaming in pain. My face is pressed against a warm wall of muscle, and I feel lips moving against my forehead.

“Fuck, Wren. You can't leave. We weren't done.” Atlas's honied voice seeps into my veins and warms me from the inside out.

The clash of steel and shouting rouses my senses enough for me to open my eyes. Oh shit. We're still at the Shrine of Olympus and there is chaos at every angle. Zeus and Ares are fighting. Greer is by me and Atlas wielding her own set of knives as clerics swarm around us. They're obviously scared of her, though, so they keep jumping back when she takes a swipe. I can't see behind me, but I have a feeling more of our friends are protecting our backs.

Atlas isn't fighting, though. He's in the center of this circle, holding me.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” My voice is rough as sandpaper, but it surprises Atlas so much that he almost drops me.

“Wren?” My name is more breath than sound as Atlas gapes down at me. His eyes rove over my face, not focusing on any one feature.

“How? Fuck. Who cares.” Atlas answers his own question before dropping his head and capturing my mouth. He kisses me with all the desperation of a man who's had everything taken from him.

His arms tighten around my body, and I groan. And not in a good way. I'm still healing from becoming a minotaur kabob. Then Atlas's asshole of a sperm donor thought it would be fun to filet my back with my own whip. Last but not least, there’s the Hephaestus blade wound in my chest. I’m about to have words with Hades. He brought me back to life, but couldn’t see to mending my body? I guess I can’t complain too much because, holy shit, I’m alive.

“Fuck, sorry.” Atlas loosens his hold, but he doesn't let me go.

“Make out later. Godsdammit,” Greer snaps at us, bringing my focus back to the battle around us.

“Help me stand.” I quickly press a kiss to Atlas's mouth, and he chases it to give me one more.

Atlas reluctantly lets my feet drift to the ground. We're in the middle of a circle formed by Greer, Hades, Ares, Drake, Nico, Lark, and a whole cadre of Underground warriors. I know it's them because of their masks. Hopefully, soon they’ll never have to wear them again.

“Where's the amulet?” I pat my chest, my stomach sinking as I realize the necklace is missing.

“Nyx.” Atlas searches the crowd. “Let her do this. You've been torn apart.”

I tip my head back to look up at Atlas. From the very first moment I saw him, I thought he was a golden god, the embodiment of the perfect man. Then I met him and thought he was a block of ice. A being with zero emotion. An obedient soldier and a paragon of a demi-god who was trained his whole life to win a stupid game.

I was so wrong. Atlas is flawed and has made some big mistakes. He's struggled to let down his walls and show his true emotions. But he broke down those barriers for me. He bared his soul and made me feel loved.

“You'd better stop looking at me like that, or Greer is going to skin me alive.” Atlas grins down at me. My answering smile quickly lifts my lips.

“As long as you're right here, I'm strong enough to do this.”

“This is war, not pillow talk,” Ares snarls, and Greer makes a sound of agreement. The two of them narrow their eyes at each other, without missing a beat in their fights.I ignore them when Atlas squeezes my hip.

I shift my body and unleash my wings.

The gasp that ripples through the crowd momentarily halts the fighting. There's another cry of surprise when a body bursts up from the horde and shoots into the sky. The dark wings are a mirror of my own. Nyx soars over the crowd and drops down with terrifying speed, landing in a crouch next to me.

“I thought I told you not to get hurt.” Nyx reprimands like an annoyed parent.

“Hazard of the job.”

“Why are you all still blabbering? Get on with it,” Greer snarls as she kicks a cleric in the chest. He goes flying into a whole group of red-robed assholes and they go down like bowling pins.

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