Chapter 9
POSEIDON
Iawoke to the sound of murmuring voices.
Cracking open my eyes, I saw my acolytes standing with Hades, Persephone, and Thanatos. What in Olympus were they doing in my bedroom.? And where the fuck was Amelia?
‘He’s awake,’ Theseus’s voice made me turn my head. He was sitting in a chair by my bed, his face pale and drawn. Everyone turned my way.
‘What is going on?’ I barked as I threw the covers off and jumped from the bed.
‘Eww! Put it away!’ Persephone covered her eyes as Hades’ lips twitched in amusement… I looked down and realised I was sporting a rather large erection. My acolytes all appeared amused, but my death glare sobered them immediately. Tugging on a pair of sweatpants, I turned to my brother.
‘What the fuck are you all doing in my bedroom? And where is Amelia?’
‘We seem to have found the godly-infused Blade of Olympus,’ Hades said as cool as a cucumber.
I tilted my head. Why had he changed the subject? ‘Where?’ I grunted, my temper simmering like a pot of dark roast.
‘In your heart.’ His brows raised as he pursed his lips. ‘But at least we have it back, I suppose.’ The haughty bastard. Then his words registered—I let out a burst of shocked laughter and shook my head.
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
Persephone elbowed her intended out of the way.
‘Gods, Hades. Remember when I told you a kind word, or, gods forbid, a smile, will make people feel more cherished.’ He gave a half-shrug, his lips turning down.
Persephone released a frustrated breath.
‘You need to be less brusque. A little compassion wouldn’t go amiss. ’
Her eyes tracked to Theseus—my acolyte looked bereft. What in the Fates was going on? ‘Poseidon, sit down.’ Persephone ushered me to sit on the bed. How could such a tiny person be so annoying?
‘Your friend… Amelia—’
‘What about her?’ I snapped.
‘She tried to kill you. She’s an assassin.’
I tensed and blinked several times. My Amelia? The only woman I’d coveted for centuries? Her smiles, her chatter, her kisses, her head game… Fates, she’d enjoyed it. Doubt swelled like bitter wisps of acrid smoke. No.
‘You must be mistaken.’ I ground my teeth so hard I was surprised they didn’t crack. ‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Boss,’ Theseus said, voice low. ‘Lady P is right. By the time I uncovered her true identity, it was too late… I’m sorry.
’ His head hung low, and his shoulders drooped.
Tangy worry filled the air like thick smoke—they were all expecting me to blow.
I remembered the last thing I tasted on my tongue from her—fear and sadness.
Sharp and sour, like spicy blood and wasted dreams.
‘Who is she?’ I said through gritted teeth as anger thrummed under my skin.
‘Cordelia Hamartia,’ he said. ‘Real name. She does live in England and teaches at a private school there. But her alias is the Black Dahlia… the infamous assassin.’
I ruminated for a beat… the Greek word Hamartia means sin.
Cordelia Sinn.
An apt name, as everything about her was a lie, and the only interest she had in me was my demise. Silent anger consumed me, but I welcomed it. It was much better than the hurt and that drowning feeling of desolation.
‘Married?’ I spat. Theseus shook his head. Jason, Perseus, and Ajax all stared at their feet.
‘What I want to know—’ Hades drawled—‘Is why your acolytes were nowhere to be found? It’s a good job Thanatos, Persephone, and I were nearby.’
I stepped towards him, outrage whirling through me, mixed with heartbreaking sorrow; I was about to batter the shit out of my brother, when Persephone grabbed my arm.
‘Don’t blame him, Poseidon. It’s not his fault,’ she said in a small voice. Hades smirked at me, and I was a hairbreadth away from pummelling his face.
‘Thanatos felt your soul struggling and flashed straight here, alerting me, and Erebus informed your acolytes immediately.’ Hades said dispassionately.
‘He held your soul in place, to prevent you from going into the eternal sleep, until Persephone arrived. She healed you when we removed the dagger. It would have taken you many months to heal without her.’
‘Thank you both,’ I said quietly to Thanatos and Persephone. I released a long breath and dropped onto the bed again, grief blooming inside like a poisoned flower. Thinking about Amelia and what she had done caused a shockwave of anguish to ripple through me.
‘Going back to your question… I told my acolytes that under no circumstances was I to be disturbed. They followed orders. This isn’t on them.’ I held my brother’s gaze. His eyebrows inched up his forehead, but he gave a curt nod.
Fates, this was a high scale clusterfuck.
‘Ixion?’ Hades squinted at me.
I shrugged and looked down. ‘Probably.’
‘She had my helm.’
My head snapped up. ‘What?’
‘I sensed its presence for a fleeting second, plus the smell of cherries. But I was so worried about you, I ignored it.’
I thought back to earlier that day when I thought I’d smelled Amelia in my apartment. I’d also ignored it. Damn fool.
Hades was my closest ally, and I’d behaved like an idiot, taking my frustration out on him. ‘Sometimes we forget we are not totally invulnerable,’ I said.
‘No being is so powerful it cannot be weakened,’ Hades answered. ‘I’m glad we found you, Brother.’
After a beat of silence, Perseus spoke, ‘We found a rope and a grappling hook on the balcony. She was prepared.’ He hesitated. ‘She drugged you, Sir. There was a vial with white powder in the trash. Likely a magically infused form of Conium Maculatum, because it’s odourless.’
‘Poison Hemlock,’ Persephone muttered.
‘The only toxin known to temporarily incapacitate a god,’ Perseus confirmed.
Icy rage from my acolytes permeated the room; I had a maelstrom of emotions swirling around inside me, but the one I was trying to control was anger.
She tried to fucking kill me... For Ixion.
I stood from the bed and stalked into the living area, spying her dress on the floor. The dress I’d bought her. At the sight, fury sucker-punched my gut—it was a toxic weed rampaging inside me.
‘Theseus,’ I growled, voice low and dangerous.
‘Yes, Majesty.’
‘Do you have eyes on the tracker in her phone?’
‘I do. As we expected, she was already gone when we were made aware of events. Currently, she’s about two hundred miles away, and still going. Probably heading for a private airport.’
‘She won’t get a flight until tomorrow at the earliest,’ I snarled. Rage lit me up from the inside; blood hammered in my veins. Power coiled inside me, wild and tempestuous.
‘She’s mine… Ajax, Perseus, let’s go hunting.’