Chapter 45 Seth
Seth
Iducked under the Ma’at knight’s spear and darted behind him. Slamming the blunt end of my spear into his back, I sent him sprawling forward. Whirling on my heel, I readied myself to face the next enchanted soldier.
Something changed, this time. The knight behind me halted his advance, and the soldier I’d thrown to the ground paused to catch his breath.
Spinning to face the frozen knight, I noticed his eyes: dark brown, freed from Eris’ crimson haze.
“The fire needs to be put out,” I yelled at him. “And there are countless injured. Move!”
Disoriented, he gaped at me silently before shaking his head and running off, relaying my orders to the other men.
Men who, moments before, had been trying to kill me.
Scorching fire burned within the heart of ashen darkness, clinging to the remains of the chimera. My final attack with the serpent turned the creature’s body to dust, leaving only severed limbs smoking with fragments of the Empty and Seraphim’s flame.
Someone grabbed my shoulder and whirled me around. Seraphim wiped the blackened sweat from her eyes. “Are they free?”
“Yes,” I panted.
Eris had died, or become distracted. Which meant . . .
“I have to find Aethra,” I shouted. “Go after the others!
Nodding, Seraphim raced across the smoldering road toward Phaedrus. I tore in the opposite direction—back toward Apet square.
Choking on the smoke, I blinked the stinging cinders from my eyes. Frantic people clogged the streets, and corpses lay broken against the stone buildings. Something dark and furry ran toward me, and I cursed.
“Shit, Whisper.” Reaching down, I grabbed his scruff. Soot coated his ears, and his left flank was burned. “What are you doing here?”
Whisper sniffed me vigorously and bit my hand gently before weaving between my feet and darting back the way he’d come. I chased after him, heart thumping. The dog was a hunting hound, not a war dog.
I really hated when he was near the fighting.
Whisper leaped over a burning wagon and turned right, toward Apet Square. Was he tracking Aethra?
Gods, I had the best dog.
A brilliant spot of white appeared in the skies—Athena. New blood coated her wings and side as she dove toward us.
The Pegasus hit the ground harder than she intended and stumbled. Drawing in her wings, she rushed past me before turning sharply and returning to my side.
Aethra leaped off her back and limped forward. Leaving my spear, I ran to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She flung her arms around my neck, and I lifted her off the ground, spinning around once before setting her down and pulling her close.
“She’s dead,” Aethra breathed.
I kissed the top of her head, and my lips curled up into a grin. My princess had come so far. Now, she was slaying goddesses single-handedly.
Whisper growled and released a low, hostile bark. Pushing Aethra behind me, I readied my spear.
A unit of Hades Knights quickly surrounded us. Archers raced across the roofs, bows pointed down. More thundered down the street, stopping a few paces away, glaives leveled toward us.
“Stand down,” I shouted. “Your Lady’s dead. I won the throne.”
“You did no such thing,” a senior officer snarled, stepping forward. “This whore murdered Lady Eris.”
“Call her that again,” I growled. “And I’ll take your head in payment.”
“Seth,” Aethra hissed.
She probably wanted me to choose diplomacy, let her come up with the right words to say. I had no interest in dealing with these people anymore.
Baring my teeth, I called upon the serpent of the abyss. Three shadow cobras burst from the road and encircled us, their heads looming above the archers on the roofs.
The Hades Knights stepped back—and I noticed a few gape in recognition.
They knew the serpents matched the prophecy—and the throne of the king.
“Eris tried to destroy this city,” I shouted,. “Tried to have my own men kill me. And now she’s dead. Bow before your ruler, or none of you will leave here alive.”
One of the archers fired. The serpents lunged, intercepting the projectile before lashing at the man responsible.
Stone cracked as they struck one after another.
His ebony armor turned to dust beneath their deadly touch. Only the bloody stump of an arm and severed head remained when the cobras reared back.
The remaining knights fell to their knees in a wave of black and red. Only the senior knight remained standing, eyes flicking between his men and me.
Gritting his teeth, he lowered his blade and kneeled.
Taking a breath, I changed my tone. Calm. Commanding.
“The western district is aflame,” I said. “Aid the men already there and rescue any survivors.” When they didn’t rise, I sharpened my tone. “Go.”
Aethra pressed herself against my back as the Hades Knights rose, heeding my command. She flinched as they passed us.
I released my spell, and the serpents faded into smoke and shadows. Pain surged through my limbs.
My life would be the price for this power. I’d need to be careful.
But my chthonic side might not allow caution in the days ahead.
“Can Athena fly?” I gasped, wincing under the pain.
“She took a hit. I don’t think she could carry two.”
“Then we’ll walk.” Taking her hand, I pulled her after me. “Do you have anything of Eleos’ on you?”
Reaching for her neck, Aethra pulled off a necklace set with a blue gem. I grabbed it from her and dangled it before Whisper’s nose.
“Find El, boy,” I encouraged.
Whisper’s muzzle traced every inch of the necklace. Tail perking up, he flew toward the east, the rest of us in tow.
The fire abated as we ran. Sticking to the edge of a central channel, I glanced at the horse trotting behind us.
A horse I thought I knew well, considering I’d stolen her for Aethra. Apparently not.
“What the fuck happened to your horse?” I asked.
“I’ll explain later,” Aethra panted.
Fair enough. It didn’t matter now.
Running had never hurt this much before. My legs screamed in protest, and I swore my skin was being flayed from my bones.
“Seth!” Aethra called. “Are you alright?”
“Fine,” I lied. Skidding to a stop, I stared at the square ahead.
A horde was running in terror toward us. Pulling Aethra behind me, I backed out of their way, letting the stampede fly past.
Their faces were twisted in terror, eyes pale and bulging. And the way they ran . . . senseless, unthinking. None looked in our direction.
“Seas,” Aethra breathed. “What happened?”
“Stay close,” I ordered, heading toward the source of their fear.
The road ahead was empty, save for two souls. Cerys, her white gown torn and bloody, limped toward me, leaning heavily on Percy’s arm.
“Set!” Cerys called, beaming.
“One Oracle,” Percy announced. “Safe and sound.”
Taking her by the arms, I checked her over. “Are you injured?”
“Only a little,” she said. “Icelus couldn’t resist kicking me a few times, but your heroic friends saved the day.”
I raised an eyebrow at Percy. He grinned, and I could already hear the boast on his lips.
But then his face fell. “Eleos, he . . .”
Aethra grabbed my arm, “He what?”
“He stayed behind.” Percy abruptly changed his tune, speaking with a smile. He pointed over his shoulder. “Seth, would you go tell him we’re alright?”
Percy met my eye. His white eyes flicked back and forth, trying to send me a quiet message.
It was not death I’d find beyond.
Noticing how he jerked his head toward Aethra, I peeled her hands off my arm. “Stay here, princess.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”
Percy grabbed her shoulders. “Yes, stay here. You’ve done enough. Let’s not open those wounds any further.”
Squeezing her hand, I sprinted around them, holding tight to my spear. The road ahead was empty. Quiet. My footsteps echoed on the cobbled road.
Cerys’ pyramid rose ahead, but even its courtyard was empty. Two corpses decorated my path forward: ebony-armored Hades Knights. Both were impaled on their own spears.
Something told me they hadn’t killed themselves. Not willingly.
Leaping over them, I slowed to a stop at the foot of a blood-soaked platform.
Eleos knelt at its center, clutching his arm, head hung low. A corpse lay beside him, its throat slit open. Icelus.
My eyes traced from the wound on his neck to the dagger beside his hand.
A laugh broke the silence. Hushed and manic.
The sound was so unlike Eleos, I first looked around for its source. Only when I saw an empty square filled with corpses did I realize the laugh had come from him.
“El?” I asked, worriedly reaching out.
His bangs hung over his face. “Is it over? Did you win?”
“Yes.” Stepping forward, I glanced around the vacated square. “What happened here?”
“What happened?” Eleos repeated. “For ten years, I fooled myself and the world. And now—” He finally lifted his head. Streams of blood ran down his face, like morbid tears. “I’ve finally accepted who I really am.”