She gave me the tiniest of smiles, and I grinned back. I’d already guessed as much.
“I just…I’m prepared. I knew this might happen, and I was willing to swallow the consequences. But for Mac and Sprout and Perry…” She bit her lip. “Is he okay? Do you know anything?”
I hesitated. “I know he’s in good hands. The best there is in literally the entire world. If anyone can save Perry, it’s him.”
“Thanks,” she whispered. “You didn’t have to do that. You didn’t have to do any of it, yet you did anyway.”
I pulled her in toward me. She rested her head on my shoulder, her breaths coming in deep and uneven. “I did, though. Chosen family and all.”
“Even if you’ll outlive us all?”
My chuckle was void of all humor. She had no idea how much that reminder twisted the knife already buried deep inside me. “There’s an afterlife, you know. My uncle runs it, and sometimes I help escort lost souls there. What do you think will happen when you die?”
She hesitated. “I don’t know. Hell, I guess. Eternal fire and torture for everything I’ve stolen and done and…right.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” Or at least it wouldn’t be for her—I refused to let her think that way. “It’s the best place you can imagine. The happiest moment, the people you love most—it’s whatever you want. Whatever you believe deep inside of you.”
Tuck didn’t move for a long moment, and at last she whispered, “I don’t want to die. And I don’t want Mac and Sprout and Perry to die, either.”
“I won’t let that happen,” I said firmly. “Just trust me, all right? Hard as it might be, I won’t let anything happen to you. We can leave now, you know, if you want.”
She peered up at me. “We can?”
“Sure. Just say the word, and you and I will walk out of here without a care in the world.”
“But—Mac and Sprout—”
“I’ll come back for them, of course,” I said. “I wouldn’t leave them behind.”
Tuck shook her head fiercely. “No. If you can really get us out of here, then they need to go first. The moment my father discovers I’m missing, he’ll have them killed. I can’t let that happen.”
I laced my fingers with hers. They were cold and much smaller than I thought they’d be. “All right. Mac and Sprout first. I’ll bring them to a safe place in the woods, and then I’ll come back for you. Deal?”
“Deal. Wait a little bit before you go, though.”
“Why?” I said, tightening my grip on her hand. “Like spending time with me after all?”
Tuck snorted. “Yeah, right. The later it is, the less likely you’ll be spotted, that’s all. Sorry to shatter your hopes and dreams.”
I gazed down at her in the flickering torchlight. She was practically a kid—a mortal kid, no less. But there was something about her that made me want to stay in this cell forever with her. Just the two of us curled up together in the hay, waiting for morning to come. Despite everything that had happened, I hadn’t felt this sort of warmth in eons, not since Persephone.
Lives with mortals weren’t impossible—they weren’t exactly encouraged, of course, but several council members had mortal spouses and children they visited often, Zeus included. It was a leap, since twenty-four hours ago, Tuck could barely stand me, but in that moment, I saw a future. A real possibility of happiness, even if it would eventually end with her death. But a little happiness, no matter how temporary, was better than none at all.
“Hey,” I said as the minutes ticked by. “When we get out of here, why don’t we build a cottage somewhere as far away from this place as we can get?”
She peered up at me, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Like a home?”
“A home. A place in the woods where no one will bother us, but close enough to travel if we need to. We can take care of the boys until they’re old enough to decide what they want to do. If they want to stay, brilliant—if they want to venture out on their own, they can always come back. And you’ll never want for anything, I promise.”
Tuck’s expression softened, and finally she said, “That sounds perfect.”
I kissed her temple. “Then that’s what we’ll do. And you’ll never have to worry about any of this again.”
“That’d be really nice.” She sighed. “Thanks for—you know. Not being terrible. Even if I still don’t believe you about the whole god thing.”
“No problem,” I said. “Now sleep. I’ll wake you before I leave.”
She snuggled against me, wrapping her arms around my torso as if I was a pillow. Soon enough her chest rose and fell evenly, and her heart beat slowly but steadily.
I would give that to her no matter what it took. Even if I had to walk away from the council, even if I could never see my family again—I would have a new family with her and the boys. I did have that new family. And I wasn’t going to give them up for anything.
Iris arrived shortly after midnight, appearing in the cell with a burst of rainbow. Her red hair hung in waves, and she wore one of her fancier outfits, as if she’d taken time getting ready.
“Hey,” I whispered. “Thanks for coming.”
“Sure thing.” She eyed Tuck, who had shifted sometime in the past hour or so. Her head was in my lap, and she snorted softly. “Who’s this?”
“A friend. Her name’s Tuck. I need your help.”
“Of course.” But Iris didn’t tear her eyes away from her. “What sort of help? I don’t have much time before Zeus figures out I’m gone.”
“I need your help getting a few kids out of here. They’re in a cell a little ways down—I can show you where. They need to be brought to a safe spot in the woods where no one except us can find them. Go through the walls if you have to.”
“But—”
“No buts,” I said. “I’ve already shown them my powers. They’ll be surprised, but they’ll go along with you. I need you to do this fast, Iris. As fast as you possibly can. And as soon as you’re done—”
“Let you know,” she said. “I’m not an idiot.”
“No, you aren’t. Just—please. This is important. Life-or-death for them.”
“Right.” She eyed Tuck again. “And what about her?”
“As soon as we find the kids, I’m coming back to get her.”
Iris twirled a curl around her fingers, and finally she nodded. “I’m always in the mood for a little trouble. Let’s do this.”
Reluctantly I shifted Tuck’s head out of my lap, running my fingers through her dark hair one more time. “I’ll be back soon,” I whispered, and once I could stand, I offered Iris my hand. “Walk right on through. The more scared they are of us, the more likely they’ll be to leave us alone.”
“Can’t imagine anyone ever being scared of you.” A split second later, we walked together through the thick stone wall opposite the door, arriving in the passageway. It was almost completely dark in here, but I guided Iris through the cells, careful to avoid the ones that were occupied. Much as I wanted to release them all, now wasn’t the time.
At last we arrived in the cell the boys shared. Sprout leaned against Mac, twitching every few seconds in his sleep. Mac, however, was wide-awake, and he didn’t so much as blink when we walked straight through the rock.
“You’re all right,” I said, relieved. Mac nudged Sprout awake, and the moment he opened his eyes, he sprang to his feet.
“James! You came!” cried Sprout, catching me in a bear hug. “See, Mac, I told you he would. Is Tuck all right? And Perry?”
“Tuck’s fine. Perry—” I hesitated. “I don’t know. But we’re going to find out, all right? This is my friend Iris. She’s going to get you out of here.”
Sprout turned toward her as if he’d only just realized she was there. And upon seeing her, his mouth dropped open. “You’re pretty.”
“And you’re very handsome,” she murmured, taking his hand and offering her other one to Mac. “Come on. This will be quick, I promise, but
we’re going to walk through walls, so it might be a bit odd.”
Sprout gasped, and while Mac looked dubious, he took Iris’s hand anyway. Before she led them off, however, Mac clapped me on the shoulder and looked me in the eye properly for the first time.
“Thanks,” he rumbled, his voice hoarse with disuse. But that was more than I’d ever expected to hear, and I patted him on the arm.
“Any time. I’ll see you both soon.” All three of them, if Apollo had done his job, but I wouldn’t find out until Tuck was safe. Wasn’t sure I wanted to know until then anyway.
I watched as Iris guided them through the stone wall. It wasn’t far to the edge of the castle; they’d make it in under a minute, even at such a slow pace. Which meant it was my turn to get Tuck out of here.
Taking a deep breath, I turned to open the cell door—and walked straight into a solid wall of immortal. Dazed, I shook my head and stepped back, my eyes widening when I saw who it was.
Zeus.
“I thought I told you to remain in Olympus,” he said, and before I could protest—before I could so much as utter a single syllable in my defense—he gripped my hand, and we disappeared.
* * *
“You can’t do this to me,” I howled, pacing up and down Zeus’s office. “She’s relying on me to get her out of there, and the moment that damn earl finds out the others are gone—”
“I have no idea what you’re going on about, nor do I care,” said Zeus mildly, sitting at his desk. “Mortals are none of our concern. Forcing Apollo to save the life of that boy was foolish and wasteful. He is just a mortal.”
“That’s exactly the kind of attitude that’s making us go extinct.”
“That’s quite easy for you to say. You are not the one who must explain to the Fates why he is still among the living.”
Despite my anger, a bubble of hope formed inside my chest. Perry was alive. But if I couldn’t convince Zeus to let me go back down to the surface, Tuck wouldn’t be, not for long. “Please. Ten minutes, that’s all I need. If you don’t let me go, she’ll die.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you disobeyed me,” said Zeus. “You will remain here in Olympus, as I have ordered. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to your mother and me? We thought you were dead.”
“Like you’ve talked to my mother in the past thousand years,” I said. “If you don’t let me out of here, I’ll—”
“Leave anyway?” said Zeus calmly. “Run away, as you’ve already done? So be it. If you leave Olympus, I will see to it that you are permanently removed from the council and banned from ever setting foot here again. Your duties to the Underworld will be revoked, you will be replaced, and I suspect that soon enough, you will fade completely. Is that what you want?”
I swallowed. “I want to keep my promises.”
“And is your promise to the rest of the council no longer a priority?”
“Not when my friend’s life is on the line.”
“Then it is your choice. But I hardly think you’ll have any chance of reaching her in time, so do choose wisely. Mortals have an afterlife, and even if she does unfortunately die before her time, she will live on in Hades’s realm. But if you go…well, I would rather not see that happen.”
“That’s a comfort,” I snapped, and he stood.
“Do not blame me for this mess, Hermes. I am only doing what I must to keep this council intact.”
“Until we all fade because no one’s doing a damn thing.”
“We are doing all we can. Just because you are not privy to everything that happens does not mean we are doing nothing.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Go to your chambers. Tomorrow I will come up with an appropriate punishment for what you have done.”
“You mean practically killing the only friend I’ve had in centuries isn’t enough?” I said, but he wasn’t listening anymore. Instead Zeus flipped through several sheets of parchment, and the office melted away, replaced by my chambers.
Perfect. Now I really was trapped.
I slammed my hand against the golden wall, and the room trembled. Not all of Olympus shook though, as it would have if my father had done it instead. Another reminder that I was replaceable. Next to nothing compared to the original six. And Zeus’s neutrality to whether I lived or died—
I should’ve protected Tuck. I should’ve done more somehow. They were my real family, not this, and even if I outlived them all, at least I would’ve had them for a moment. It couldn’t end like this. Not for Tuck, not for the boys, not for anyone.
But even if I did drop from Olympus, I’d be stuck on the other side of the world. I didn’t have the ability to travel in the blink of an eye like the original six—I relied on that drop-off point, and the best I could do was go down at sunset and hope to hell they hadn’t hanged Tuck early. It wasn’t enough to guarantee her life, and I couldn’t settle for anything less than that now.
I paced. And paced. And paced some more. I practically wore a path in the floor of my chambers as the hours passed and Tuck’s sunset grew closer and closer. She had to be awake by now and wondering where I was, and the thought of her fear only made my anger boil over. I couldn’t let this happen no matter what it cost me. I couldn’t live with myself otherwise.
At last I cursed and headed for the door. I didn’t have a choice—dropping down at sunset was the only way I could hope to get to her in time. It had to be enough. Any other possibility was unacceptable.
Before I could cross the room, however, a soft knock sounded on my door. I threw it open, prepared for a fight, but instead Iris stood on the other side, looking pale and disheveled.
“Iris? Are you all right?” I stepped aside for her to come in, and she slipped past me, hugging her arms.
“I’m fine,” she said with a weak smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Or I will be soon enough. Zeus wasn’t too happy with me helping you out.”
I touched her elbow. She set her hand over mine, holding it as if it was the only thing keeping her grounded. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I should’ve never asked—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If I hadn’t wanted to help, I wouldn’t have,” she said. “Did you get the girl out of there?”
I shook my head, the pressure of Tuck’s impending fate weighing heavily on my chest. “She’s going to be executed in a few minutes. If I don’t get to her—”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it covered.”
I blinked. “Iris, you can’t—you’re already in hot water, and if Zeus finds out—”
“I don’t care.” But there was a tremor in her voice that said otherwise. “It’ll be worth it if we can save her life. I know Zeus doesn’t care about that kind of stuff, but I do. I’ve met countless mortals, and while some of them aren’t exactly savory, she doesn’t deserve to be executed. And those boys love her so damn much.” She shook her head, her eyes watering. “Don’t bother arguing with me. I’ve already made up my mind. Like you said, I’m the only goddess who puts up with Zeus’s antics, and even if he fires me, he’ll hire me back soon enough.”
I opened my mouth to protest. With the gods fading, even temporary unemployment wasn’t safe. But before I could say a word, the sky-blue ceiling and sunset floor dissolved, replaced by clouds and rain and the smell of wet dirt.
The forest. And just beyond it, the serfs, the walls, the village—
Without giving it a second thought, I kissed Iris on the cheek and bolted down the path. I felt the tug of Mac and Sprout and Perry behind me, but I didn’t have time to celebrate. I pushed my mind forward, searching for any sign of Tuck, and my heart skipped a beat. She was in the town square, by the gallows.
I raced through the gates and across the dirt road. The square wasn’t very big, with only a few shops surrounding it. Maybe a quarter of the village’s population could fit inside, but I didn’t care about them. I’d blast them aside if I had to, if that’s what it took to save Tuck’s life.
When I burst into th
e square, however, it was empty. No sign of onlookers, no executioner—just a stout man dragging a wagon from underneath the gallows.
I knew what was happening. I knew what the tug that led me to that wagon meant. But even as I shattered into infinite pieces, I ran up to the man and pulled the crude canvas from his load.
Tuck’s body, pale and still, lay underneath. Someone had mercifully closed her eyes, but I could see them in my mind, glaring at me for something I’d said or done. It would’ve been easy to pretend she was sleeping, if it hadn’t been for the ring of deep purple-and-blue around her broken neck.
My own body seized, and anger and hurt and grief beyond words ripped out of me. The stout man took one look at me, glowing with fire and the screams of a thousand dead souls, and he ran.
Tuck. My poor Tuck. How could this have happened? It wasn’t sunset yet. We should’ve had time—it wasn’t supposed to be over yet. I was supposed to have time to save her.
A shuddering sob escaped me, and I gently cradled her body. I’d failed her. Because of me, she was dead, and I’d lost the one friend I’d had in a very, very long time. That agony and guilt swirled around inside me, compounding my grief for a girl I’d barely known two days. But time didn’t mean a damn thing when it came to love, and as I stood there, rocking back and forth and trying to force the world to right itself, any last ounce of hope I’d had disappeared.
I don’t know how long I stood there—long enough for shutters to be drawn and the villagers to escape into their homes. They weren’t my targets though, and their fear only made my fury worse.
“Hermes?”
Iris’s soft voice brought me crashing back down into myself, and I turned to her. Her face swam in front of me, but even through the tears I could see her concern. “She’s gone,” I choked. “He killed her.”
Iris wilted, and her eyes grew red. “Oh, Hermes. I’m so sorry.”
“Can you—” My voice shook. “Can you take her body back to the boys? She deserves a proper burial. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I have something I need to do.”
Iris reached for my hand. “Hermes…”