Cronus stepped in front of me, preventing Zeus from looking at me any longer. “I want your fucking head in a blender, but I’ll settle for the sins.”
I peered around Cronus’ shoulder to find Zeus grinning. “The gods and the Titans,” he mused. “What a glorious event. We will finally see who is more powerful.”
The sky darkened then, lightning cracking as it threw shadows across the gods’ faces.
“Oh I think we already know that answer. Without the sins you’re no match for me,” Cronus said arrogantly.
Zeus’ eyes went black. “Really?”
Narida, who had just reappeared covered in dirt and sticks, cleared her throat. “So the terms will be set with a blood oath. Winner of the games gets the trunk and necklace containing all nine sins.” I saw the glint of a small dagger in her palm. “They also get the bragging rights of who is the most powerful. Age old question, right?” She looked between Cronus and Zeus. “Titan or god. Who is truly the strongest?”
Wow, the old bitch was actually helping us. Nothing played on Zeus’ competitiveness more than trying to usurp a Titan. Especially the one he thought was his father.
Cronus nodded. “I agree.”
Zeus was silent for a moment. “In this situation, I am bringing more to the table. I already have the sins, so there must be an incentive for me to play. What do I get if I win? Other than bragging rights?”
Cronus’ hands clenched into fists at his side, so tightly I could hear his knuckles crack. “You get to keep the sins, we won’t fight you for them, and I won’t kill you.”
He’d very deliberately used I there for a reason.
Zeus frowned. “Tempting, but…” His eyes snapped to me. “I want her. I could use a new wife, and I haven’t had a child in so long. She’s obviously a good breeder.”
Everything happened so fast then I couldn’t track it. The sky exploded in lightning, thunder, and rain. Cronus was a blur in front of me, lurching toward Zeus. Luckily, Hyperion managed to zoom out of nowhere and yank his best friend back.
“Focus on the sins,” he whispered to Cronus.
Wife? Breeder?
#HellToTheFuckingNo #IDontHaveBreederHips
Zeus was disgusting. The thought of ever touching him made me sick to my stomach. But what if we said no and he walked? He would take the sins with him, and no doubt would eventually release them into the world again.
“Those are my terms,” Zeus declared casually. “Maisey as my wife and the unborn child transferred to me. Think about it. You know where to find me.” He poofed out of existence.
Cronus looked me dead in the eyes. “I’m sorry, love. I know you like Earth and the humans, but I’m going to kill Zeus now, and if the world perishes in the process, then so be it.”
Wait, what?
“NO!” I jumped forward and gripped his arm so if he flashed out of here he would bring me with him.
“Maisey, love, let go.” There was fire in his eyes, and I knew without a doubt that if I removed my hand, he would disappear to kill Zeus, starting a war with the gods, which would release the sins upon the Earth and probably destroy us all.
“Cronus, listen to me.” I reached up and touched both sides of his face, forcing him to look down at me. “What world do you want to give our baby girl? A broken one? With no playmates?”
Not to mention … Mommy needed some playdates to drink wine and talk about parenting. That’s what you did at those things, right? If all the humans were dead, I wouldn’t have that.
Cronus looked around the forest. “This one looks fine. We’ll give our daughter this one.”
I sighed. “Cronus. I know you can beat him. We all do.”
His chest puffed up. “Of course I can.”
I nodded. “Good. Then just agree to his terms.”
His face twisted into a scowl. “Never. You will never be his.”
I stroked his cheek. “No, love. I’m yours. Always yours. But if this is what we need to do to get him to agree, then do it.”
I trusted Cronus to beat him; he was strong enough.
Narida cleared her throat. “I just want to remind you that this deal is bound in blood and if you lose … he will be able to take her and the child.”
#ThatSoundedPermanent #NoTakeBacks
“Never,” Cronus growled.
Hyperion stepped up and placed a hand on Cronus' shoulder. “We won’t let that happen, brother.”
Cronus took in a deep breath and the sky flashed from black to gray to light again in rapid succession until finally he nodded. Reaching out, he grasped me lightly behind the neck, “If it looks like I’m losing, go to Thanatos. He’ll hide you,” he whispered in my ear. “The blood bond will be focused on Titan energy.”
I nodded. The god in our back pocket.
#HolyFuck #WeWereDoingThis
Cronus looked at Hype. “Go get him. I’ll agree to the terms.”
Chapter 9
The deal was struck. Zeus had a fucking grin on his face the entire time, but he at least stayed silent as Narida performed her blood oath, the magic settling in the air around us while blood swirled in arcs across the joined hands of the Titan and the god. They spoke for the others in their group, so this one spell was all that was needed.
“We’ll start in the morning,” the crone declared. “Be back here in twelve hours’ time. You have half a day to mentally prepare. Use it wisely.”
She’d stepped into her adjudicator role far too easily—being in charge and playing with powerful beings was clearly something she enjoyed. I hoped we hadn’t underestimated her fear of Cronus and that this wasn’t all a big act.
I was waiting for an ambush on all sides.
“See you tomorrow,” Zeus said, saluting and disappearing.
The remaining Titans turned to Cronus. “Wait here for the others to return with the demons,” he said. “Then we’ll train while figuring out all the ways Zeus is going to cheat. Blood oath or not, that bastard is up to something.”
Hyperion nodded. “I agree, and I think it might be a good idea for us to have a backup plan or two in place if shit goes south. There are ways around the blood oath that I don’t think Zeus knows, so if this ends up in a way we don’t want, I might still be able to siphon the sins from him.”
Cronus nodded. “Yes. But that won’t mean shit unless we have a proper container for them.”
I cleared my throat. “What happened with the box before? I mean … why didn’t it seal properly after Death?” I didn’t like to think of the moment Cronus died, and it was a little hazy in my memory, but I had remembered him ready to put Death in the box when it leapt for him.
Cronus growled. “Hephaestus clearly rigged the box to be strong enough for all the sins except Death. That’s why it didn’t fade into it like the rest, and could take me along for the ride. It’s also why it’s cracking now.”
Hyperion nodded. “He didn’t make that box to last, like he promised. Damaged as it is, we need to find something else.” He rubbed at his face, looking uncharacteristically weary. Theia walked over and wrapped her arm around him, offering comfort in the way only a lover could. She knew his tells, and that he was reaching his limit of stress.