Chapter 28 #2
Hera shoots a blast of magic at me, and I roll to the side, preparing my own magic to fire at her, but she pops out of my sight again.
“Where is she?” I scan the room again but she’s nowhere to be seen. “You’re really acting like I’m nothing and can’t defeat you, aren’t you? You won’t even face me head-on without using your invisibility.”
“In war you use whatever is available to you,” she says.
I turn in the direction her voice echoes from and fire off a shot of magic at her. Something hits the wall with a crack and a shriek roars over the music still playing loudly in my ears.
Hera pops into existence, her eyes glowing with rage and her pantsuit smoking. “You will never leave this room alive, little bitch.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Hera. The only way you’re getting out of here is with your ass in that chair.” I shoot another blast of power at her, and she stumbles back.
Hera screams and our magic connects again but this time Jayden’s shadows wrap around me, holding me in place before the magic reverberates against me again.
“Thanks, baby.” I grin at him.
“Look out,” Jayden yells.
Jayden slams into me, pushing me out of the way as a bolt of her magic narrowly misses me, but I gasp as the magic wraps around his throat.
No, no, no, no, what have you done?
The magic wrapped around Jayden’s throat launches him across the room next to the queen and she cackles.
“Never bring your greatest weakness to a fight,” she says. “What is wrong with you?”
“Forget the chair. I will end you.”
Jayden groans and his skin around his neck blackens, smoke billowing off him.
“This is what’s going to happen.” Hera examines her nails as if bored. “You are going to sit on that throne, or I am going to kill your little mate.”
“No, Beth. Don’t do it. End her right now,” Jayden yells but is cut off at the end with a gasp.
“Isn’t that sweet. He will sacrifice himself for the world. Such a noble son Hades has,” Hera taunts me.
This is it. Tears streak down my face as I shake my head. This can’t be happening. This is the choice everyone keeps talking about and it’s literally his death or my imprisonment on a chair that will end everything.
“Beth, no. You can’t choose me. I won’t let you. Hades won’t keep me away from you. The underworld isn’t strong enough to keep me there. Do not choose me. End this, now.”
“I won’t survive without you, Jayden. I can’t,” I sob.
“You’re gonna have to, baby. Fight her, now,” he chokes out.
Smoke billows around him as she tightens her magical hold on him. I take a step toward the chair, my limbs heavy with the weight of what I’m about to do. How could we come this far just to lose now?
“Beth, no,” Raven cries. “Let’s make her pay for the torment. We’ll get Jayden back from the underworld.”
I glance at my friend. Fresh tears streak down her cheeks as well.
Jayden grunts in pain and I glance at him.
The magic isn’t just wrapped around his throat now but around his torso, holding his arms in place around him.
He gasps for air. He only has moments, and she’ll kill him for sure just to torture me, but this isn’t just her torment.
The fates, Nereus, and Apollo are to blame for this as well. They want to test me and force me to choose the fate of the world over Jayden but then make us mates? Make it even harder to make this choice? That is just cruel.
Magic crackles along my fingers as my anger rises but one more glance at Jayden sends ice trickling through my veins. Blood leaks from his mouth and nose as he stares at me, shaking his head.
“Don’t, my love. Don’t do what she asks. Fight her. Now.” Jayden struggles against the magic, but it’s just hurting him more and blood drips on the stone floor beneath him, the same bright gold as mine.
“I can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t do this again.” I take another step toward the throne.
“No, Beth, stop,” Jayden roars.
“Beth, no. You need to fight,” Raven grabs my arm. “Don’t listen to that bitch. She’ll kill us all either way unless you fight.”
“I can’t, Raven. Could you sacrifice Greyson?” I sob and rip my arm from her grasp.
“No, but I’m not the one being asked to, you are, and I hate it, but you are the strongest of all of us.” She grips both of my arms. “I will storm the underworld with you, magic blazing and weapons at the ready when this is over, but you have to fight for the chance to save him.”
“You’re only prolonging his suffering, Bethany,” Hera calls. “You can end his suffering if only you sit on the throne.”
I shake my head at Raven and take a step back. “I can’t watch him die. I can’t. This isn’t fair. Why did the fates do this? Why did they make us mates only to rip him away?”
“You have to,” Jayden says and our gazes lock. “Let me go, love.”
“Jayden.” My chest heaves with sobs.
Jayden screams again, blood gushing from his mouth as he convulses. Hera laughs at the torment in the scene unfolding. Me breaking apart and taking the final step to the throne.
“I’m sorry,” I say and turn to sit on the throne. “Hera has won. I can’t be the hero you need me to be and sacrifice my one true love to save the world.”