Page 74 of Thorn & Ash
Relief crossed her sister’s face as she clasped Prue’s hands in hers. She turned to face the tunnels, then hesitated.
“I’ll go with her,” Romanos offered. “I can lead the way.”
“Thank you,” Prue murmured.
Mona glanced at Romanos and nodded before they both darted away, their footsteps echoing in the tunnels.
Prue swallowed down her guilt and regret and turned to Lagos, who stood obediently next to Cyrus. “Lagos, I need you to get back to the castle and secure everyone inside. Prepare for the worst, in case we can’t find Pandora’s box or Kronos attacks.”
“My queen,” Lagos began, but Prue cut him off.
“You’re the only one left who can warn everyone. Do what you can to protect everyone.”
Lagos stiffened, clearly conflicted. After a moment, he bowed and said, “Yes, my queen.” He made to leave, then turned to face her. “Please be careful.”
Touched by his concern, Prue nodded, trying to stifle the tears welling in her eyes. “You, too.”
And then Lagos was gone, leaving Prue with Cyrus. He fixed a fearsome look on her, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.
“I’m doing this, Cyrus,” she said. “You can’t stop me.”
“I know,” he said. “But you think I’ll let you jump in there alone? I’m going with you, Prue.”
Prue drew in a breath and looked at him, the clarity in his gaze, the fierce longing in his expression. She pressed a firm kiss to his lips, relishing the feel of him, solid and here with her. When she withdrew, they clasped hands and leapt into the pit together. Prue screamed from the fall, but the sound was lost as darkness overtook them both.
REVEALED
EVANDER
Evander’s mind was elsewhere as he darted through the cave tunnels, his mind only on one thing: Trivia
How did she know so much about Pandora’s box? There was next to nothing in the palace archives. Evander knew that firsthand.
She was hiding something. Every inch of him quivered with unease, his instincts screaming that she was not who she claimed to be. After all, she had manipulated Mona into bargaining with her. But to what end? There were too many questions unanswered, and he couldn’t just let her disappear.
The ceiling rumbled again, raining down more pebbles on his head. Evander hastened his pace, hurrying to catch up to Trivia.
The walls continued to tremble, and heavier rocks began to shower from above. It wouldn’t be long before the entire structure caved in completely.
What would happen to the river? What would happen to Tartarus?
To Mona? To Prue and Cyrus?
Evander didn’t want to consider it. If the horrors of Tartarus didn’t destroy them, the collapsed cave certainly would. Cyrus, being a god, might survive, but Prue and Mona…
They are goddesses, too, Evander thought. Not fragile mortals. They’ll be okay. They have to be okay.
He tried to ignore the small part of him that thought, But goddesses can still be killed.
He finally emerged just as a cluster of boulders crashed to the ground behind him. His wings spread wide, and he took off, trusting his bestial sense of smell to locate the mysterious goddess he was looking for.
It didn’t take long for him to track her scent. She smelled of oak trees and woodsmoke. He easily tracked her across the river Styx, his gaze snagging briefly on the glistening Pool of Forgetfulness before he landed just north of it. Ahead of him, the glowing portal to Elysium gleamed and thrummed with power.
What the hell was Trivia doing here?
“I thought you seemed too quiet back there,” said a voice.
Evander’s eyes narrowed as the red-haired goddess came into view, her golden eyes glinting like a predator sizing up its prey. Beside her was that same black dog from before, its ears twitching as it watched Evander curiously.