Many families had confirmed that members of their houses were missing, and several of them had known they were going to visit Nemesis. The goddess had recruited males and females from every realm, from Hellspawn through to demigods.
“If Nemesis and the enemy have been building their army, then we must build one too.” She had been holding that back for so long that it burst from her lips as if a dam had given way. She didn’t give him a chance to respond. She let the flood happen, a torrent that she desperately needed to sweep him up in so it would convince him to do something other than shutting her down. “We should speak with Zeus and Poseidon about the possibility of them joining the battle.”
Keras opened his mouth.
Enyo spoke before he could. “I know what you are going to say, but Hades needs allies in this war. Whatever is coming, it is going to be big. I can feel it in my gut and it’s unsettling me.”
It struck her that part of her unease, that her reason for constantly expecting her brother to summon her, was because she could feel war brewing, felt it building inside her and knew that at any moment it would erupt.
Keras stilled and stared at the horizon, a grim light entering his green eyes as he set his jaw.
“What do you see?” she asked, because he wasn’t looking at the here and now.
He was looking at the future of this world, at what would happen to it if the enemy was allowed to continue on their current path.
“It looks bad.” His distant tone made her want to shake him back to her, together with the corona of scarlet that ringed his pupils.
The darkness still had a hold on him, had surfaced like this more than once since she had stopped him from killing the witch. His body tensed, his lips compressing as his black eyebrows knitted hard. The crimson faded, leaving clear green behind.
He didn’t take his eyes off the sky.
“We are not welcome in those realms.” His deep voice rolled over her, stronger again now, and his gaze slid to lock with hers. He slowly turned his head towards her and then came to face her. “And I doubt Father will accept their help even if you could convince my uncles to speak with him.”
“But—” She bit her tongue, cutting herself off, trying to let the argument fade.
It refused to go, the thought of Hades foolishly denying help riling her almost as badly as the fact he had put his beautiful son through hell for two centuries.
Keras needed powerful allies if he was going to make it through this battle.
She wasn’t sure whether it was her heart that kept telling her that, fear of losing him at the helm to fill her mind with thoughts of him being torn from her, or whether it was her instincts as a goddess of war.
What she did know was that telling Keras his father was a fool, that his ridiculous pride in this matter was only going to get his sons killed, was not the way to go about convincing him to speak with his uncles.
Keras had a little bit too much of that pride himself.
He was liable to turn on her if she dared to insinuate that his father was in the wrong, or that he and his brothers were too weak to fight this enemy alone.
“Very well. If it will ease your mind, I will speak with them.” Keras turned away from her.
All of the fight left her, the arguments she had been practicing in her head fading away as she stared at his back. She stood there, watching the distance between them growing, unsure what she had done to win and convince him to talk to his uncles.
He paused and looked back at her, warmth in his emerald gaze as it met hers and held his hand out to her.
It struck her that he was doing this because he knew it would make her feel better, and that was the only reason. He didn’t believe his father would allow Poseidon and Zeus to interfere, or that his uncles would even dare to speak with Hades, but he was willing to do this because he wanted to take away the fear she felt.
Gods, she wasn’t sure she could love him any more than she already did, but in that moment, she fell a little deeper in love with him.
She went to him, took hold of his hand and let him lead her back to the house. When they stepped inside, his gaze sought Ares where he sat on the cream couch facing the huge television, his dark eyes dull not with fatigue but hurt.
He was missing Megan again.
She had taken the time to speak to him about the Carrier, and had noticed how his eyes had brightened when he had been given the chance to talk about his wife.
When Keras had his attention, he said, “I will not be long. Enyo has suggested we petition our uncles for aid, or at the very least help in asking Father to gather more allies for us.”
Ares pushed onto his feet. “I can talk to Zeus.”
Valen snagged his arm and dragged him back down. “I’ll go. Zeus loves me.”
Valen grinned, his golden eyes bright with mischief.
Which made Enyo feel Zeus did not love him and wouldn’t be pleased to see him. A feeling that Keras backed up when he sighed, and Calistos only strengthened as he looked at Ares.
“He’ll get us all killed.” Calistos wearily rose from the couch. “I should probably go with him. Keep an eye on him like.”
Enyo wasn’t sure it was wise to send the two most reckless brothers to speak with Zeus.
“Marek will go with Valen.” Keras eased her mind, until he spoke again. “I will go with Enyo and speak with Poseidon.”
She stiffened and did her best not to show the tension that suddenly cranked her tight inside and had her regretting suggesting speaking with Poseidon too.
“Perhaps we should only speak with Zeus. I am sure he could speak to both Poseidon and Hades for us.” She schooled her features when Keras frowned at her, curiosity shining in his emerald eyes.
Eyes that seemed to peer deep into her soul.
She looked away from him, settling her gaze on Valen. “I will speak with Zeus.”
“Valen and Marek will speak with Zeus, and you and I will speak with Poseidon.” Keras took hold of her arm and she didn’t get a chance to protest.
Darkness embraced them and then warm light washed over her, carrying the scent of the sea.
She looked at the blue gate that towered vertically before her in the harbour of Olympus, obscuring the view of the turquoise sea. Rings of glyphs in cerulean, aquamarine and cobalt lazily rotated around a shimmering swirling watery circle. It rippled with colour, with flashes of light that looked like sunbeams cutting through a tropical ocean.
Oh gods.
Her pulse shot off the scale and she fought for words, for ones that would convince Keras to remain here in Olympus and speak with Zeus rather than stepping through the gate to Poseidon’s realm.
Keras tugged her forwards, ascending invisible steps that brought them to the heart of the vertical gate, and didn’t hesitate to step into it. She braced herself as the gently rippling water swept around her. The sensation was as unsettling as the thought of where they were going. The gate swept around her, as if she were underwater, but she could breathe and not a drop of liquid touched her.
She stepped out of the other side of the gate, completely dry, not even a speck of water on her black and silver chest piece, the leather slats of her skirt, or her boots.
Keras had remained dry too, his black dress shirt and trousers still neatly pressed and perfect.
He paused on the long causeway that led from the gate.
The wide white marble road led her eye forwards, the crystal-blue water that flanked it a stunning contrast to it and the elegant gold statues that lined the edges of it on turquoise plinths.