Deity

The Hummer rolled to a stop behind Lucian’s house. “I’m offering him the world. The same thing I’m offering you.”

“What you are offering is certain death for anyone who goes along with this.”

“Not necessarily, my dear. We have supporters in the most… unlikely of places—a very powerful supporter.”

My door opened before I could respond. A Guard waited for me to exit, carefully watching me as if he expected me to sprint away, which was what I’d considered but knew I’d never get away with it. I was led into the house quickly and then left in the opulent foyer with my stepfather.

“It’s a shame that you have to make this so difficult, Alexandria.”

“Sorry to rain on your crazy parade, but I’m not going to go along with this. No one else will, either.”

“Is that so? Do you doubt my impassioned words?” His gaze settled on his half-blood guards. “I want to see a better life for the half-bloods.”

“Bull,” I whispered, and my gaze moved to the Guards. The condemnation that filled their expressions when they looked at me said that they did believe Lucian. And the real question was how many halfs were behind Lucian? The numbers could be astronomical.

Lucian laughed. It was a cold, grating sound. “You really have no control over this.”

“We’ll see about that.” I reached for the doorknob, but froze when it turned and locked in my hand. I loathed the air element with all my heart. Slowly, I faced him. “You can’t keep me in here. Let me out.”

Lucian laughed again. “I’m afraid you will not be allowed any visitors until your Awakening. And do not hope that Apollo will arrive, either. He will not be able to enter my house.”

I frowned. “You can’t stop a god.”

Lucian looked pleased as he stepped aside. My gaze fell behind him and up the wall that Seth had once pi

“Apollo ca

I swallowed. The drawing looked like it had been done in blood. “How… how did you figure that out?”

“I have many friends… of great power and consequence.” Lucian gazed at the drawing, a slight smile on his angular face. “I have many friends that would surprise you, my dear.”

I felt the walls closing in, squeezing the breath out of my lungs. I was trapped here until my Awakening. My breath hitched. I should’ve listened to Aiden and never left his house. “You can’t do this.”

“Why can’t I?” He drifted toward me. “I am your legal guardian. I can do with you as I please.”

My temper stretched and snapped. “Really? When has that worked out for you in the past?”

“In the past I did not have Seth, nor were we so close to the Awakening.” He caught my chin, digging his bony fingers in. “You can fight me on this all you want, but in a few days, you’ll Awaken. First, you will co

I blanched. “I’m stronger than that.”

“You think so? Think about that, my dear. Think about what that means and whether or not there is even a point in fighting what’s about to happen.”

Unease crept over me, but I kept my expression blank. “If you don’t release me, I will break your arm.”

“You would, wouldn’t you?” His breath was warm against my cheek. Bile rose in my throat. “There was only one thing that Telly and I ever agreed on.”

“What was that?”

“You need to be broken down.” He released me, the same damn smile plastered across his face. “Except he went about it all the wrong way. I will not make the same mistake that I made with your mother. I allowed her too much freedom. As of now, you’re mine. Just like Seth is. And you would do very well to remember that.”

I recoiled from him. “You’re a bastard.”

“That may be the truth, but in a few days, I’ll control both of the Apollyons. Then we’ll be unstoppable.”

CHAPTER 26

DINNER WAS AWKWARD FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THERE were only three of us clustered at the end of the long rectangular table, eating by candlelight as if we’d been thrust into medieval times. Seth alternated between chumming it up with make-believe-daddy Lucian and glaring at me. I refused any attempt Lucian made at luring me into conversation. And I couldn’t even bring myself to eat the mouthwatering steak, which really sucked.

This was going to be my last di

I knew it. What I was pla

They’d give Council members an option. Stand with them or fall. With Seth at full Apollyon power—the God Killer—he’d be able to zap any god who came gu

And yet, as much as they talked, I felt there was something they weren’t sharing. There was more to this just as I felt there was more to why Apollo had been so adamant about keeping me safe.

“How did the Order kill the First and Solaris?” I asked, speaking for the first time.

Lucian raised his brows at Seth as he twirled the crystal flute.

“They caught them unexpectedly.” Seth glanced down at his plate. “At the same moment, they were stabbed through the heart.” He cleared his throat. “Why do you ask?”

I shrugged. Mostly because I was curious since it wasn’t like killing two Apollyons was an easy feat. When I didn’t give an answer, they resumed their talking. I resumed my plotting.

I was going to do something I never thought I’d do again. I was going to kill a pure-blood—Lucian. My fingers curled around the steak knife. It was the only way to stop this. Take out Lucian and then Seth would be freed from his freakish parental influence. And I’d be dead, but maybe… maybe Aiden and Marcus could prove Lucian’s insanity. It was worth a shot. I couldn’t let this happen, and it would happen if they kept me here, and then there would be no stopping them.

This was possibly the craziest, most spontaneous and reckless thing I’d ever pla

I had to do something.

“May I be excused?” I asked.

“You haven’t eaten anything.” Seth frowned. “Are you feeling sick?”

Gee, could it be I’d lost my appetite because I was surrounded by lunatics? “I’m just tired.”

“That’s fine,” Lucian said.

Trying not to think about what I was doing, I placed my napkin over the steak knife and slid it, handle first, up my sleeve. I stood on weak knees. Killing in battle or when I needed to protect myself was totally different than this. Part of me screamed that this was wrong—just as wrong as what they intended to do to Telly, but one life to protect countless more? It seemed worth it.