Page 90 of Spellbound
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Ihadn’t left my bedsince what had happened, but life went on. I stared at the rain-stricken window in my room, my mind reeling over every detail of the days with Freya, filling more with vile as I replayed Thalia’s death. As it weighed so heavily on my conscience, I couldn’t move.
Aziel’s words continued to float back, even in my layers of dreams, which grew darker with each passing day. Maddox knocked on the door, bringing me tea and cookies on a tray for breakfast, a new tradition since I’d come back looking like death and covered in blood.
He placed the tray on the nightstand. “Still feeling sorry for yourself?”
“Go away, Maddox.”
He glimmered a smile. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me he was a god. Do you know what this means?”
“I don’t care.” I pulled the covers over my head. They’d forgiven me for stealing the keys, especially after finding out Freya had lied about it all and that we had been guarding the freedoms of three innocent gods.
“You should.” He sat, pulling my covers back again. He and Edmund had spent every evening researching since we got back a week ago. Looking for what? I didn’t know, but something I’d said had struck a chord with them.
“There’s a way for them to kill Lucius for good.”
I sat upright. “He’s already dead.”
“No, he would have simply been sent back to the underworld.”
My heart palpated. “What?”
“They need to kill himinthe underworld. Not in this realm.”
“Are you certain?”
He shook his hand. “Seventy-thirty.”
I slumped again. “It doesn’t really help anything, seeing as Raiden is gone.”
“It’s still weird to call him that.”
I shrugged. “Maddox, no offense, but I really just want to be alone.”
He scoffed. “So you can wallow in your pity party for one about how this is all your fault? Hell no. You’re a keeper now, and those gods are much older than us and can make their own decisions. You didn’t force anyone to do anything. This isn’t on you.” He squeezed my hand.
I wished I could believe him, but I didn’t. “Freya’s still out there.” My blood boiled at the mention of her name. “I’m pretty sure he’s hunting her, but I can’t know for sure. Has Naomi said anything?”
Maddox shook his head. “You know, you could just ask her yourself.”
I sighed. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. “Maybe later.”
