Page 21 of Deadly Games
“Consorts?” I almost choked on the word. “Seriously?”
“I know, I know,” she groaned. “Trust me, none of us were thrilled about the news, but I can’t think of a reason he’d make that up. And it’s the only explanation for how they got pulled in with me.”
“Technically, aren’t you Hades’ consort?” I asked. “Soon to be, at any rate.”
“That’s in this world. Apparently, the Ether has a whole other set of rules,” she muttered. Leave it to her to make being destined for three gorgeous guys seem like a burden. “The Ether isn’t what I thought it was. It’s more like a kingdom, and Ares is the king.”
“And that would make you the princess?”
“Something like it,” she said with a grimace. “But more important is what he told us about this world. Cronus’ attempt to prolong his reign has led to an imbalance in nature. The River Styx is all but depleted, and when it runs dry… I don’t know what’s going to happen exactly, but Ares originally pulled me into the Ether so I wouldn’t be here when it all went down.”
“That paints a picture,” I murmured.
“Well?” she asked, watching me closely. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
“Oh, definitely,” I answered without missing a beat. “But that’s one of the things I like most about you.”
She gave me a playful shove. “In any case, Ares is convinced that Hades is the only one who can stop his father, and he’s going to need the rest of us to do it.”
“What makes him think Hades can do that?” I asked. “I mean, he’s powerful, but we’re talking about Cronus here.”
“I know,” she said, her gaze growing troubled. I could tell it was more than just fear of the destruction she was speaking of that had her unsettled. She cared about Hades, whether she realized it or not. “But he’s stronger than his father, or at least, he will be.”
“Why?” I asked, sensing there was more she wasn’t telling me.”
She hesitated and the fact that she was suddenly having trouble meeting my gaze only confirmed it. “There’s something else I haven’t told you.”
“Good thing I’m already sitting down.”
Kore rolled her eyes. “Remember that night I almost drowned?”
“Of course. It’s still one of the hottest gossip topics, next to everyone thinking you had something to do with Phrixus’ death.”
She sighed. “The truth is that I did drown. There was no almost.”
I frowned. “You lost me.”
“I died that night, Dionysus,” she answered, her tone too somber to allow me to believe she was joking. Even though I really, really wanted to. “I drowned in the siren’s well, and Hades really did pull me out, but it was too late.”
“Then how are you here?” I demanded. “How is that even possible?”
“Because Hades brought me back,” she said in an urgent whisper.
My eyes widened. “From thedead? There’s no way even he’s capable of that.”
Even as I said the words, I wasn’t sure of them. If anyone was, it was probably the future god of the Underworld, but still.
“I know. But he did, and he used forbidden magick to do it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, more upset by that than anything other than the fact that she had actually died.
She opened her mouth to speak and suddenly stopped short, frowning.
“What is it?” I pressed.
“Because he put a seal on me,” she answered, brushing her fingers over her lips for some reason. “So I couldn’t tell anyone other than the Triad.”
“But you just told me…”
