Page 20 of Deadly Games
“I don’t know about that,” she said warily. “It’s complicated.”
“You were the first one to come through the trial. What could be complicated about that?” I asked.
She glanced over her shoulder as if she was afraid someone would overhear what seemed like a relatively innocuous conversation. “Can we talk outside?”
“Sure,” I said, following her out to the other side of the coliseum. I could feel her nervous energy the moment we were alone. “What’s going on? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Sort of,” she sighed. “Like I said, it’s —“
“Complicated. I know. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
She nodded reluctantly, leaning against the stone exterior of the coliseum. “I know how this is going to sound, but I didn’t get through the trial on my own. In fact, it wasn’t just a trial.”
I frowned, struggling to make sense of her words. “What do you mean?”
“Loki, Fenrir and Hades were with me,” she answered, her voice still low as if someone might be listening.
“With you? In the dream?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, but it wasn’t just a dream,” she said, taking my hands. My heart seemed to stop, but it wasn’t just from her words. I really needed to figure this out. “We went to the Ether.”
“The Ether?” I raised an eyebrow. “As in the place where Ares was banished?”
“Yes, and he was there,” she said urgently. “He’s the one who summoned us. All of us. He used the Games as a chance to reach out, while we were deeply unconscious.”
I listened carefully, but even though I had no doubt she was telling the truth, I was afraid my doubt in her story would be obvious. “I don’t understand. Why would Ares do that?”
“To protect me,” she said, cringing. “I know it doesn’t make any sense, and I’m still out of it. But I need you to believe me.”
“I do,” I said, giving her hand a gentle tug to urge her to sit on the stone steps with me. “Just take a deep breath and don’t rush it. I’m listening.”
Her gaze softened with relief, and she nodded. After collecting herself, she continued, “He told me the truth about why he was banished. He was one of Cronus’ most trusted warriors, and when he learned the truth about how his master had betrayed the gods, Cronus had to find a way to get rid of him.”
Of all the explanations I’d expected, that one certainly wasn’t on the list. “Betrayed the gods? How?”
“It’s hard to explain, but he’s drawing on souls from the River Styx to keep himself in power,” she answered. “He and Ares fought over it, and Cronus banished him to cover up the truth.”
“And you believe him?” I asked warily. I wasn’t even sure I believed she’d really spoken to Cronus, though where Kore was concerned, stranger things had happened.
“I do,” she answered, seemingly as unnerved by her reaction as I was. “Maybe I shouldn’t, but when he was telling me, he seemed so…sincere. The others thought so, too.”
“Hades was really there with you?” I asked. “In the same dream?”
“Not a dream. The Ether,” she clarified. “He just used the dream to get us through the portal.”
“Right,” I said slowly.
“Don’t look at me like that. You promised you’d listen.”
“You’re right,” I sighed. “Withholding judgment. But even if it’s true, why would Ares bring them and not just you?”
She grew hesitant and I could feel a wall forming between us. I couldn’t help but feel the sting of hurt, and I wasn’t sure if it was just as a friend, or because of the confusing emotions I’d been dealing with over the last few weeks. Maybe even longer, if I was being honest with myself. “You don’t trust me.”
“It’s not that,” she said, squeezing my hand tighter. I hadn’t even realized neither of us had let go until that moment. “It’s just that I don’t want to drag you into this.”
“Whatever it is, if you’re involved, so am I.” The veracity of my words seemed to surprise her, and I guess they surprised me, too. But I meant them.
“Alright,” she finally conceded. “This is the craziest part, but according to Ares, Hades, Loki and Fenrir are my consorts.”
