Awakened (Eternal Guardians Book 8) (44 page)

“I heard what you said to her.” Ari stepped closer and laid one hand on Cerek’s shoulder. “You do matter. You always did. To me, to the Argonauts, to everyone. I’m sorry I was such a shitty father and didn’t tell you that before. I should have. If I could go back, I’d do a lot of things differently.”

Cerek had waited a hundred and fifty years to hear these words. And now they were here when he didn’t have time to embrace them. He swallowed hard. “You have to go.”

Ari shook his head. “I’m not leaving you again. I made that mistake once before. I won’t do it again.”

His chest pinched. “But Daphne—”

“—will understand. She knew when I left that this might be a one-way trip. We talked about it. And she knows if I don’t make it back, I’ll be waiting for her on the other side.” He squeezed Cerek’s shoulder and grinned, his eyes sparkling in the dim light. “Now what’s your plan?”

What was his plan?
Skata,
Cerek didn’t have one. His mind spun. “The Orb will most likely be in Siren Headquarters. There’s a vault in the lowest level. I’m guessing Zeus stashed it there where his Sirens can guard it.”

“Makes sense. What’s the easiest way in?”

“Through the orchard on the back side. We’ll have to go out and around Olympus to get there.”

“Let’s go, then.” Ari took three steps deeper into the trees before Cerek reached for his arm, stopping him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just…” Emotions tightened Cerek’s throat. Emotions he wasn’t prepared for. “I’m glad you’re here,
patéras
. With me now. At the end.”

“It’s not the end,
yios
. Not even close.” Ari closed his hand over the ancient Greek text on Cerek’s forearm. The same text that ran over his forearms. “No matter what happens tonight or tomorrow or next year, our spirits will live on. You’ll see your mate again. And your kin. And when you do, they’ll know what you did for them here. That I promise.”

The words steeled Cerek’s resolve. He nodded. Let go of his father’s arm. Knew what he was doing now was as right as binding his life to Elysia’s.

He stepped forward. The crackle of twigs around them brought his head up. Every muscle in Cerek’s body went rigid as eight Sirens emerged from the trees, bows drawn, arrows pointed right at them.

“Well, well, well,” Zeus said in a deep voice at Cerek’s back. “The Orb and two Argonauts for the price of one. This day is turning out better than I planned.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

T
hey were fucked. Completely fucked. Before they’d even gotten out of the damn trees.

Cerek’s pulse raced. He gripped the blade tightly and turned.

Ari moved up at his side and glared at Zeus. “Your little stone spells won’t work anymore. Cerek knows how to break free of them.”

“No thanks to a witch, I’m sure.” Zeus’s dark gaze narrowed. “I’ll deal with her later. Right now, I’m going to enjoy killing both of you once and for all.”

“I want the girl,” Athena hissed, moving up next to Zeus, her eyes filled with fury.

“Patience, daughter,” Zeus said. “As soon as we’re done here, you can have her. She hasn’t passed the gate yet.”

True fear swept through Cerek as he shifted so his back was to Ari’s. His gaze darted right and left at the Sirens around them. His gift of augmentation wasn’t going to help them here. He lifted the blade. The weapon was useless against flying arrows, but he had to hold them off long enough for Elysia to get free.

Run, emmoní…

“The only good Argonaut is a dead Argonaut as far as I’m concerned.” Zeus grinned. “Ladies? Fire away.”

“Remember this isn’t the end,” Ari muttered at Cerek’s back.

Not the end… The words had a calming effect as Cerek drew a breath. He pictured Elysia rushing past the gates of Olympus where the gods couldn’t touch her, flashing back to Argolea where she would be safe, the wedding band that matched the one he wore snug around her finger.

No, this wasn’t the end. He would see her again. He’d wait for her on the other side as long as it took because she was worth the sacrifice. She was worth everything. And he knew the next time he saw her, he could hold his head up high and not feel ashamed for all the things he’d done here because of Zeus.

The Sirens drew their bows back. Twigs crackled. Cerek tightened his hand around the hilt of the blade.

Silence met his ears, followed by Zeus’s muttered, “Fucking Argonauts.”

Cerek squinted to see past the Sirens to where an Argonaut stood behind each one, a blade at their throats.

“Draw off your bitches,” Theron yelled. “Or each one of them will die.”

“I’d do what they say,” Skyla called toward Zeus, her blade also at a Siren’s throat. “These heroes are unpredictable.”

“This is my realm,” Zeus growled.

“And these are our boys,” Theron said. “Tell your warriors to drop their weapons, or we’ll make mincemeat of them.”

Zeus lifted his hands. Before he could draw on his powers, Nick, Demetrius’s half brother and a god himself, stepped out of the shadows and shot a beam of energy forward that knocked the god off his feet and slammed him up against a tree.

“Your power is broken until we leave this realm,” Nick announced.

“You can’t do that,” Zeus growled, scrambling to his feet.

“I just did,
adelfos
.” Nick held out his hands, ready to use them again. “I’m as strong as you. Now tell your dogs to lower their weapons.”

Zeus’s black-as-night eyes narrowed, brimming with retribution and rage. But he motioned for his warriors to drop their weapons.

The Sirens tossed their bows on the ground and muttered derogatory comments. Orpheus shoved the Siren at his front forward and moved from tree to tree, picking up the bows.

“You can’t let them do this,” Athena hissed.

“Shush,” Zeus said to her.

Cerek ignored the gods and looked from face to face, stunned the Argonauts were all there—Theron, Zander, Orpheus, Gryphon, Phineus, Titus…even Demetrius. They’d all come after him, even knowing he’d given up the Orb.

The Argonauts released the Sirens. The females glared back at their captors before moving to stand behind Zeus and Athena.

“You think this means you win?” Zeus shook his head. “Whether you rescue these two traitors or not, you still lose. The Orb is mine.”

“We didn’t come for the Orb.” Demetrius moved up on Cerek’s right. “Some things are more important than trinkets and jewels. You wouldn’t understand that, but then you don’t understand anything about brotherhood and sacrifice.”

“Brotherhood doesn’t win wars.” Zeus sneered. “You’re all going to die when I use the Orb.”

“That will never happen.” Theron stepped up next to Ari. “You don’t have the water element, and you’ll never find it before we do. We have two gods on our side now. One of whom knows exactly where the water element is hiding.”

Zeus growled at the mention of Prometheus, the Titan currently lurking in the mountains of Argolea, a realm the Olympians could not cross into. With one last glare, Zeus nodded toward the gate. “Leave Olympus now. And take your pathetic traitors with you.”

Athena startled at Zeus’s side. “But—”
 

Zeus grasped the goddess’s hand and poofed them away in a cloud of dark smoke. The Sirens glared at the group before turning up the hill and heading for their compound.

Voices echoed around Cerek. One by one the Argonauts each slapped him on the shoulder, muttered encouraging words he couldn’t quite grasp, before moving through the trees toward the gate. Orpheus and Skyla followed.

When Ari and Cerek were the only ones left, Ari grinned down at his son. “What do you say we get back to our women?”

Still too dazed to answer, Cerek nodded and followed his father into the trees. But nothing made sense. He should be dead. They hadn’t retrieved the Orb. The Argonauts should be gunning for him as much as Zeus, but they weren’t.

He stepped out of the trees onto the stone path that led down the hill and spotted Demetrius, standing only a few yards ahead. A scowl pulled at the guardian’s mouth, making the hairs on Cerek’s nape stand straight all over again. Swallowing hard, he stopped in front of the Argonaut he’d served with for fifty years before Zeus had taken him, understanding—now that he had his memory back—just what he’d done. Not to the Argonauts as a whole, but to someone he’d once considered a friend.

Demetrius didn’t speak. In the silence Cerek shook his head, more confused than ever. “Why are you here? You were right about me. You were right about everything. If I were you, I’d be handing me over to Zeus, not defending me.”

Demetrius angled his head to look down at Cerek in the moonlight. At six-eight, Demetrius was the biggest and most intimidating of the Argonauts. But in his dark eyes, Cerek no longer saw threats. He saw camaraderie.

“You have a long way to go to earn my respect,” Demetrius said. “I’m still pissed about the way you and Elysia kept your relationship a secret, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be okay with you and her, well…” He cleared his throat and shifted his weight. “But we’re kin. The bonds of brotherhood run deep. Regardless of what you think, you’re not a traitor. Not even close. I—we—all knew what you did was not done intentionally. But more than that, I know my daughter. I know she would not risk everything for someone who wasn’t worthy. The second I learned she’d gone after you, I knew you were innocent.”

Elysia…
“Is she—”

“Already on the other side of the gate. Probably freaking the hell out because we’re not back yet.”

Cerek glanced down the hill past Demetrius.

“Know this, though.” Demetrius stepped in front of him, blocking Cerek’s view. “If you ever hurt her, I’ll find out.”

“I won’t. I promise I won’t.”

Demetrius stared at him. Frowned. Finally shook his head and turned away. “I know you won’t, dumbass.”

He moved down the path. Alone, Cerek drew in a shaky breath. Ari chuckled and slapped Cerek on the shoulder as he followed Demetrius. “You’re screwed with that one as a father-in-law. Totally fucking screwed.”

He was. Cerek knew there was no way around it. He vowed to find a way to earn back Demetrius’s respect.

“Hey,” Ari said. “Slow down.”

Footsteps sounded on the path, and Cerek spotted Elysia rushing past his father seconds before she threw herself into his arms.

His heart leapt, and he captured her around the waist and pulled her close. “You’re supposed to be back in Argolea. What the hell are you doing on this side of the gate?”

“Rescuing you,
ilithios
.”

All the worry and stress and disappointment and fear leaked out of him. Smiling, he lowered his face to the curve between her shoulder and jaw and drew in a deep whiff of her sweet honeysuckle scent. “You did. More times than I can count. Did you send the Argonauts?”

“No.” She drew back and looked into his eyes. “They were already at the gate when Max and I went through. They believe in you as much as I do.”

He brushed a silky lock of hair back from her face. “Not quite as much as you do. I don’t think anybody could.”

“That’s true.” Her beautiful eyes narrowed. “Which is why sending me away was a really bad idea.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“I know. That’s the only reason I’m not spitting mad right now.”

She would always challenge him, always push him, and he loved that about her. Loved everything about her, especially the way she loved him back. He’d never believed anyone before her could. He’d been so afraid of that witch’s prophecy that he’d lose his courage because of lust, he’d never let anyone try. Something for which, now, he was so very grateful.

“We didn’t get the Orb,” he said softly.

“I know. But it’ll all work out.”

Amusement toyed with the edge of his lips. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because,
ómorfos
, I’m never wrong.”

He thought back to the choices she’d made on Pandora. To the decisions she’d made when they’d been attacked by those harpies. To her unwavering belief that binding her soul to his was the only path. His gaze narrowed. “You are never wrong. Why haven’t I noticed that before?”

Grinning, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Because I’m so completely talented in the ways of seduction, I distract you from my unwavering perfection.”