Elixir

I stiffened at the obvious sound of interest in Dionysus’ voice.

Apollo shot me a look, one that warned that no other god would be as tolerant as he’d been when it came to throwing punches. “You know she’s here and you know that’s not why you’re here.”

“Is that why you had Ananke in a tizzy this morning?” Dionysus smiled gamely.

At the sound of Ananke’s name, a thousand violent emotions roared alive inside me. I started to move but stopped. Coiled tension locked up my muscles. Apollo wouldn’t dare. Even Solos had paled. Everyone knew who and what Ananke presided over, and it didn’t bode well for Alex. Rage rendered me speechless, and before I could recover, Marcus spoke.

“Why are you involving Ananke?”

Apollo waved him off. “Now is not the time to discuss that. Dionysus has gained information that has all of Olympus preparing for war.”

Dionysus yawned. “As much as politics and blood bore me, I am of great use when it comes to gleaning information from those who are in the know.”

“Wine and drink,” Solos murmured.

“Loosen the tongue,” Dionysus finished, gri

Dammit. If Seth and Lucian went after the Council there, the gods would retaliate again, and more i

“There are over a hundred half-blood Sentinels and Guards with them,” he added as an afterthought.

“Dear gods,” Solos muttered, rubbing his temple.

“Whatever the two are selling, those people are buying like crack addicts.” Dionysus studied his fingernails, appearing bored. “No offense, but the halfs are like idiot cousins if they truly believe siding against us is wise.”

I didn’t have to look at Solos to know that comment didn’t sit well with him. “Lucian is probably offering them the one thing no one ever has.”

“And that is?” Dionysus asked.

“Freedom.” I sat on the arm of the couch. “The freedom to do as they please and to not be indebted to the pures in any form.”

“But this one is free, is he not?” Dionysus gestured at Solos.

“Free?” Solos straightened. “If I may be blunt?”

“Sure,” the god replied. “Why not?”

Solos took a shallow breath. “Becoming a Sentinel was the lesser of two evils. My choices were to allow myself to become indentured and have everything that I am stripped away from me, or this life, which is one that most likely ensures an early grave. How is that freedom?”

Dionysus’ brows knitted. “Do you not feel that your duty is honorable enough?”

“It has nothing to do with his duty,” I cut in, glancing at Apollo. “The halfs who are Guards and Sentinels believe in their duties and will give their lives for them, but we haven’t given them any choice—not the same kind of choice I had. And if Lucian is tempting them with the idea of choosing their own destinies, then can we really blame them?”

“I understand that desire, Aiden, and maybe there is a need for change, but we ca

“Which is exactly what they’re pla

My teeth were going to break from how hard I was clenching them. Marcus leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “What I don’t understand is how none of you can take out Lucian.”

“We can’t get near him. He is always accompanied by the First.” Dionysus shrugged. “And we ca

“A few bruises,” I said. “Without him being at full power, he can’t kill you.”

Dionysus’ brows rose. “He killed Thanatos’ furie.”

“By draining Alex of her power,” I argued. “Without her near, he can’t tap into that.”

“We won’t take the risk.” Apollo leaned against the seat. “He can put us out of commission. If one of us is weakened, so are we all.”

“The family that—”

“Anyway,” Apollo cut Dionysus off. “According to what he has learned, they’re pla

“So what does Olympus plan?” Marcus asked, shoulders bending as if the weight of this conflict rested on them.

“See, there’s the pickle.” Hearing the word “pickle” come out of Dionysus’ mouth just seemed wrong. “We plan to go to war, but there is dissension among the fearless leaders.”

“What kind of dissension?” I rubbed the heel of my palm over my temple, pressing against a dull ache no doubt brought on by lack of food.

“Six want to a

“Go after Lucian and those supporting him?” Solos asked. “Take as many out as possible?”

Apollo nodded. “The rest of us believe there is still hope that a full-scale war can be avoided, because if we do go to war, what happened with the Titans will have nothing on this. The body count will include mortals—possibly millions of them. There is no way that can be avoided.”

There is still hope. Those four words brought forth images of Alex cradled against my chest, talking about Seth just a few short weeks ago. She’d had hope for him—right up to the moment he’d co

“Not to mention the risk of exposure,” added Marcus. “Gods, this is…”

There were no words.

It sort of struck me then. None of us—not even the two gods—really had foreseen this a year ago. The prophecies hadn’t predicted that the world would be on the verge of a war the likes of which had never been seen before—a war that would rip this world apart.

“We believe that the war can be stopped,” Apollo continued, “but the others are doubtful, especially with the most recent events.”

“Alex,” I whispered, now accustomed to the pang that shot across my chest.

Dionysus stood. “Many were willing to stay out of it, even after what the First did to the North Carolina Council. Only Poseidon and Hades were quick to respond, but now that she’s co

Unease stirred and spread like a weed. “Searching for what?”

With a sigh, Apollo said, “A way to kill the Apollyons.”

CHAPTER 3

I WORKED AT KEEPING MY EXPRESSION BLANK AND MY temper in check, but anger was tearing through me, shredding my control. It took everything in me not to leave the room and go downstairs to keep vigil over Alex.

Solos eyed me and cleared his throat. “I was under the impression that only the Apollyons can kill one another.”

My hands balled into fists as Apollo turned to me. “You know.”

Now Marcus and Solos stared at me, and I wanted to shove my hand through a wall. “The Order of Thanatos killed Solaris and the First. Somehow they know how to do it, which means wouldn’t the gods?”

Dionysus laughed. “Thanatos gifted the Order with the ability—a code or something—but even Thanatos can’t recall what it was. There were never supposed to be two Apollyons—never the possibility of a God Killer. Thinking it wouldn’t be needed again, he didn’t write it down. Idiot.”

Should I feel bad for being relieved?

“The Order knows, but with Telly’s death, they’ve scattered. Not to mention that some of the Sentinels under Lucian aren’t hunting daimons anymore.” Apollo paused and glanced at the door. “They’ve begun hunting members of the Order.”