Chapter 44 Aethra
Aethra
Athena soared through the air, still a little unsteady on her new wings. Everywhere I looked, the city was in chaos.
A tornado consumed the east, and fire raged in the west. Crowds of people congested the center, fleeing from both.
Eris would be in Apet square—waiting for news of Seth’s death, so she could claim her victory.
The great statue of Ma’at and the surrounding pillars pierced the heavens like guiding beacons. Leaning forward, I drove Athena toward them.
A protective circle of ebony-clad knights guarded the square, watching every exit. Eris sat alone on the edge of the statue’s base. Unguarded.
They did not expect an attack from above.
One of the Hades Knights pointed toward me and shouted. The rest leaped to attention, pulling out javelins or knocking their bows.
Arrows whirled through the air, but Athena weaved between them. Pulling her wings in, she dove toward the statue.
Eris’ head snapped up, and our eyes locked. Clutching her skirt, she backed into the statue.
She was scared. I could feel her emotions with ease. Whirling around, she barked for her men to protect her, and four sped to her side. Grasping hold of her emotions, I pushed a new one onto her.
Fear. But not of me—of the men racing toward her.
Compelled by my spell, Eris darted away from her guards. This would be my only chance. Athena dove toward her head. Sheathing my blade, I reached out, hooking my hand around the collar of her dress.
A thundering stampede of knights rushed us. A javelin soared toward Athena, grazing her neck and cutting a gash across my shoulder. Ignoring the pain in my arm, I held tight to Eris as Athena took to the skies.
The arrows and javelins stopped flying. Thank the gods—I’d been banking on them refusing to risk their Lady’s life.
The muscles in my arms screamed as I hauled Eris onto Athena’s back. Shrieking in terror, she grabbed for me. Both hands locked around my arm, and she balanced her foot on my shoes.
Grimacing, I kept hold of her collar as wind whipped into my face.
“You’ve lost,” I shouted over the wind as Athena soared up. “Set doesn’t want to kill you, Eris. Surrender—end your spell.”
Scarlet eyes flaring, Eris’ nails dug into my arm. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“You don’t want to be a pawn,” I shouted. “Under Set, you won’t be.” I scowled. “And as much as I don’t like it, trying to save this world means saving everyone in it—including you.”
“Letting you into the Acheron means death,” Eris hissed. “You’ll take everything from us.” Her fingers dug into my skin. “Do you have any idea how little I have? How much I’ve suffered? I will not yield to the spawn of that monster.”
Eris hated Haimyx as much as Seth. But I realized, then, that we never could have been allies.
Blood shimmered on my arm where her fingernails bit into my skin. A faint crimson mist seeped from my wounds.
How ironic—to choose immortality over life.
Peeling her hands from my arm, I flung her from my horse. She clawed at me, trying to hold on, but I yanked my hand back.
Slipping from Athena’s back, Eris plummeted to the city below, her crimson mist following her like the trail of a dancer’s sash.
Her body struck the statue of Ma’at and landed in the shallow basin of the scales Ma’at was always depicted with. The stone fractured under the impact.
One glance told me everything. No one could survive a fall from that height.
I needed to get back to Seth. Directing Athena back toward the flames, I saw shadows pierce the red.
A serpent even larger than the chimera coiled into the sky, dousing the fire in its abyss. Kicking my heels into Athena, I urged her to fly.
My heart steadied as we soared toward the great serpent of the abyss, and I realized something.
For the first time in my life, the sight of the Empty brought me comfort, not dread.