Page 282 of Psycho Gods

We weren’t built for this world.

I unleashed my power and darkness expanded into a floating doorway. Luka’s eyes widened as he realized what I was doing. It was highly illegal to release creatures from the underworld; it was a maximum-security prison for a reason.

The High Court would label me with treason and hunt me until I was eliminated.

“To help find her?” he asked.

I nodded.

My twin’s face contorted with determination. “Good. Let’s go.”

The ruination of the world be damned. She was ours and we would get her back. We stepped forward together into the—

“She’s here! I hear three people breathing!” Scorpius shouted, and we both halted. As soon as the meaning of what he’d said processed, Luka and I withdrew from the void.

It winked out of existence.

Jax pushed aside a large slab of the ceiling and revealed Sadie and Aran, who were holding each other. Jinx was leaning against them.

All three were unconscious.

Dirty.

Covered in blood.

Their chests rose and fell as they breathed.

Shadow snakes swarmed over all three of them, and Cobra hissed, “They’re all alive.” He staggered and whispered, “They’re okay. She’ssss okay.” He looked around at the carnage, face shining with pride. “They did this.”

Everyone looked around.

“Holy sun god,” Scorpius whispered as Orion whispered in his ear and described the room’s devastation.

The massacre took on a new light.

“No,” Corvus said with disbelief, eyes widening and jaw dropping as he looked back and forth between Aran—blood-coated enchanted sword lying beside her—and the dozens of mutilated corpses.

He stared at her like he’d never seen her before.

That’s my girl.

Satisfaction welled.

I’d never doubted her abilities. She was immensely capable. Sun god, power perpetually dripped from her fingers.

From Luka’s unsurprised expression, we were on the same page.

We’d always seen Aran for what she was; it was the kings who kept misjudging and trying to pigeonhole her.

Moment of shock over, everyone exploded into motion.

As I took in the gruesome wound on Aran’s thigh, the world became a blur, and it felt like I was moving underwater. Horror filled me at the fear and pain she must have experienced. She’d been all alone, trapped down here with monsters, bleeding out with no way of escaping.

My girl must have been terrified. Luka trembled beside me as he came to the same conclusions.

Time lost all meaning.

I wanted to cry, but my eyes were bone dry.