Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
“ H ow do we find him when no one can feel or sense him?” Jason asked, leaning into Blake, needing the comfort of one of his best friends and his Alpha.
“We have amazing powers in this pack. If anyone can find your mate, we can,” Ash told him.
“Ares is missing?” Kieran asked, sounding distressed as he walked into the kitchen with the other children.
“Come here,” Jason said, pulling away from Blake and holding his arms open for Kieran.
Kieran rushed into them.
Jason wrapped his arms around his son. “We'll find him,” he said, trying to reassure Kieran.
“Gramps, I need you, it’s urgent,” Kieran called out, pulling back from Jason.
The next moment Zeus appeared in the kitchen looking concerned. “What’s happened?” he asked, looking at the assembled group.
“Ares is missing. He started to talk and then suddenly vanished; I can’t feel him,” Jason told him.
“And none of us can find him,” Demi added.
Zeus stood still and closed his eyes, before opening them. “I can’t feel or find him either.”
“Does that mean he’s dead?” Kieran asked him softly, as if afraid to say it too loud.
Zeus shook his head. “No, it just means he’s somewhere probably in the underworld. There are places there where you can’t sense or use magic. Hold on a second.”
The next moment Hades arrived. “Ares is missing?”
Zeus nodded. “None of us can sense or feel him. I think he might be in the underworld somewhere.”
“The only place he could be would be Tartarus. There are levels there that block god powers and would leave him magicless. Remember, brother, back in the old days, if gods needed punishment we would send them there.”
“But how would he have got there?” Baylan asked. “No one knows the way in or out.”
“I do,” Tatum said from the doorway, standing with his mates. “And so does Barnabus. He probably remembered it from when I broke him out via the back door. I can go and have a look if you want.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Alex said.
Tatum shook his head. “Not for me, it’s one of my powers, getting in and out of anywhere. It’s my fault Barnabus is free. Please let me help?”
Zeus and Hades looked at each other for a moment, before Hades nodded. “We accept your offer of help, Tatum. Thank you.”
“We'll be going with him, my lord,” Wynter said. No way was his mate going alone. He looked at Saxon who nodded.
“I’m going as well, Ares is my mate,” Jason said.
“I can come as well I have my super gargoyle strength if it’s needed to rescue Ares,” Tudor said.
Alex touched his arm to stop him talking.
Suddenly Puff, Mateo, and Atticus rushed into the kitchen. “I’m coming as well, you might need dragon magic.”
Everyone stared at him.
Puff huffed out a breath. “Morgan told Bob, Bob told me.”
“He did,” Paris acknowledged. “I thought Bob might be able to help.”
“I’m not sure having two of our kings going to the underworld is a wise idea,” Ashton pointed out.
Zeus nodded. “That’s true. Thank you for the offer, Tudor, but I think Puff and Bob would be the better option.”
Puff looked at Tudor. “But I’ll totally fill you in when we get back.”
“Okay, so we have Jason, Puff and Mateo, Tatum, Wynter, Saxon, and me. That should be enough,” Hades said.
“We want to come as well” Alex said, pointing to him and Baylan, Demi and Dask.
“No, we can’t take too many with us. It’s risky enough as it is,” Hades answered. “The part of Tartarus we're going to won’t be easy, taking too many people on a rescue mission would be to risk death for all of us.”
Puff looked at Mateo. “You’re staying here.”
“Now wait a minute,” Mateo started to say angrily. What was Puff even thinking of leaving him behind? He felt Atticus touch his back, and suddenly his anger calmed.
“I need you to stay safe,” Puff told him.
Mateo blew out a breath. “I understand that, but being your guardian, I have to be there with you.” Mateo internally sighed. It looked like Atticus might be a grounding force for him as well. That was good to know.
Puff went to say something but Hades got in first. “He really does, Puff. When we go to Tartarus the gap between you two will be too big. Mateo would literally die from the pain that large a separation would cause.”
“Okay, you can come,” Puff said quickly, touching his arm.
Mateo smiled at him.
“Can I come?” Kieran asked, looking at Zeus.
Zeus shook his head. “Tartarus is no place for a child. I’m sorry Kieran but no.”
Kieran looked up at Jason. “Come back safely and bring Ares with you.”
“Yes, please bring my father back,” Demi asked softly.
“I will do my very best,” Jason promised. He couldn’t lie and say he would be successful, but he would try everything he could to bring his mate back for himself and his family.
“Time to go,” Hades said, and before anyone had a chance to say goodbye, all those that were going vanished.