Sentinel [Covenant #5] (10 page)

glanced at the Apollo. “You haven’t told him?” “Oh, he has. I was hoping that someone in here had used their intelligence and changed their minds.” Hades smirked. “Although, I see that is highly unlikely.” Luke elbowed Deacon, who kept his face perfectly blank. “Does everyone in this room understand the danger of releasing Perses?” Hades asked, standing in the middle of our loose circle. His leather-clad legs were spread wide, thighs like tree trunks. The silver cuffs at his wrists glinted in the light. “I’m not talking about a slight risk of him killing someone we don’t want dead. He will, mark my words. Perses is what you would call…” “Unpredictable,” Apollo threw out, grinning. “We are well aware of that, as is Zeus, and from what I hear, he has sanctioned Perses’ release.” Athena was his favorite child. “That means squat to me, and you know that. Zeus has no power over my realm. And before this conversation proceeds any further, I want everyone to fully grasp what they are agreeing to.” “We understand,” Seth said, gaining the boss of the Underworld’s attention. “Do you?” Hades turned to him, head cocked to the side. “You’ve been around Ares. Let me ask you a question. What does Ares thrive on the most?” “More than one thing—war and fear,” Seth responded blithely, and I flinched. “But most of all, he loves winning.” “Correct, but Perses thrived on the bloodshed of battle. He used to bathe in the entrails of those he’d defeated.” Olivia turned green. “Not only that, Perses fought to destroy—not to win. There’s a big difference there.” Hades paused, and it felt like cold wind had circled its way down my spine. “And what has happened since Ares decided to play in the mortal realm?” Aiden shifted his weight, his jaw set in a tight, grim line. “There’s been conflict—countries everywhere on the verge of war. His presence affects mortals. We know.” “And what do you think will happen if you add Perses to the mix?” Hades asked. “His influence is stronger than Ares’. Those countries on the verge may make war just because we’ve released him. Is that another risk you’re willing to take?” No one answered, because seriously, we could be exchanging one apocalyptic situation for another. “We have to take that risk,” I said finally, meeting the all-white eyes of Hades. “And we’ll make sure hebehaves.” Hopefully. “You think he’ll behave because I’ll release him into Elysian Fields afterward? Do you have any idea what crimes Perses was responsible for?” I could only imagine. Apparently Hades didn’t want me to use my imagination. “He created the term ‘rape and pillage.’ He wiped out entire generations and civilizations for the fun of it. He killed our brethren just to hear them scream and plead for their lives. He took our children and ripped them apart because he could. That is what you are releasing into the mortal realm. That is what you’re asking me to give paradise to.” My heart rate kicked up. I got what Hades was saying. It was like allowing Hitler into Heaven or something, but I wondered if Hades had ever heard of the whole throwing stones and glass houses thing. “And how is that any different than what you guys have been responsible for throughout history?” Hades took a step toward me, and over his shoulder I saw Aiden and Seth stiffen, but I didn’t need them. I held my ground and lifted my chin. The god stopped a few feet in front of me. Akasha, the fifth and final element, simmered in the pit of my stomach. The marks on my skin tingled in warning, but I refused to look away from his unflinching stare. “What? It’s the truth. How is a Titan truly any worse than an Olympian running amok? Any worse than what Ares is already doing?” A slow, almost-reluctant smile graced Hades’ lips. “You want to know the difference?” “Yes.” Did he know how creepy his eyes were? Probably. Hades leaned down, coming so close that we shared the same breathing space. “A God Killer can kill an Olympian. Not a Titan. And a Titan can kill an Apollyon.” My brows shot up. “Oh.” Well, then… “Yeah, ‘oh.’” Hades wheeled around, eyeing Aiden, who had made it halfway across the room before Apollo had intercepted and blocked him. “So does everyone still want to hold a welcoming party for a bloodthirsty Titan that no one can kill if he decides to not play along?” Unrest filled the room. Luke and Solos shifted their gazes, no doubt having second thoughts. Deacon looked like he had no idea how he’d ended up in this room, and Olivia was slowly shaking her head. Only Aiden, Marcus and Seth looked resolute. “You’ve stopped the Titans before,” Aiden said, voice level and calm despite the rising tension. “And there were many more than one at that time.” “It took all of us to stop the Titans, one at a time. And if we manage to stop Ares, we will be down one,” Hades responded. “So it wouldn’t be easy.” Apollo squared his shoulders. “You offer him paradise. He will behave.” “You think?” Hades folded his arms again. “And I thought you weren’t really down with this plan?” “It’s not the best thing, but it is all we have, and you know that’s true, so stop posturing. What do you want in return for releasing Perses?” Hades’ jaw worked like he was crunching bone. “And for offering him paradise?” The Sun god looked like he wanted to toss Hades at the sun. “Yes. And for that.” Here it comes , I thought. What could Hades possibly want that we could give him in return for his assistance? The souls of our firstborn children? A giggle rose, but I squelched it, because it seriously could be that. Seconds turned into an eternity, and then Hades finally spoke. “You.” I blinked, at first having no idea who he was speaking to, but then I saw his attention fixed on Aiden. My heart thumped against my chest like a caged bird. “What?” I demanded, my voice too thin. Hades’ lips curled into a smirk. “I want him.” A flash of bewilderment raced across Aiden’s features. “You want me?” I had no idea where this was going, but I did not like it.“He doesn’t swing that way,” Apollo commented, his blue eyes alive with amusement. “And I didn’t think you did, either.” Someone, I suspected Seth, choked on a laugh. Hades shot the other god a scathing look. “I want his soul.”CHAPTER 13I was seconds away from discovering what would happen when an Apollyon hit a god with a bolt of anger-fueled akasha. Seth sensed my fury. Hell, he had to be drowning in it. He was edging along the wall, coming closer and closer to me. Or the exit. “No,” I said, and then louder, “Hell to the no, you cannot have his soul.” Hades whipped toward me, and the tense pull to his lips told me he didn’t like my tone. Well, he wasn’t going to like my foot up his ass, either. “I would’ve asked for yours, but Apollo wouldn’t have allowed that.” I so did not care. “You cannot have his soul. I don’t care what we need you for.” Apollo heaved a heavy breath. “Alex.” “No!” I spun on the god. “No way.” Hades’ smirk infuriated me. “But you haven’t even heard the details.” I stormed up to the god, already tasting his blood. “You can take your details and shove them up your fake British—” “Alex!” Clamping my mouth shut, I tensed my shoulders as I turned to the one person in this world who could get me to shut up. Aiden stood to my right, and the moment our gazes locked, I saw it. He wanted to hear Hades out. Knots spiraled tightly in my stomach. “No,” I said again, my voice a pitiful whisper. “I don’t want to even hear it.” He held my gaze for a second longer and then turned to Hades. “What are the details?” The god oozed smugness. “I want your soul.” “I think we’ve covered that,” I snapped. Hades ignored me. “Your soul would belong to me once you’ve died to use however I see fit.” I took a breath, but it got stuck. However he saw fit? My hands itched to get around his thick neck. “I could always use a guard with your boldness and skill,” Hades continued. Images of the guards of Hell, in leather and astride giant warhorses, flashed through my mind. I couldn’t—wouldn’t picture Aiden as one of them. “And I wouldn’t take your life,” Hades went on while I started to picture myself lopping his head off with a giant sword. “When you die, not by my hand or through any trickery on my part, I will have your soul. I give my word.” I thought of what Solos had told me. Snakes. “And we’re supposed to believe that?” “He’s not lying,” Apollo said, eyes narrowed. “He gave his word. It’s unbreakable.” I laughed, and the sound was coarse. Trust a god’s word? Were they on meth? I twisted halfway and saw Deacon’s expression as he stared at his brother. Stark. Accepting. Oh gods, he knew. I whirled on Aiden. “No! We’ll find another way.” “There is no other way.” Aiden crossed the short distance between us and gently placed his big hands on my cheeks. “You know that.” “No.” I gripped his wrists. “There has to be something else.” “Is there? Minutes ago, Perses was our only option,” Hades oh-so pleasantly reminded me. Outrage caused the akasha in my veins to start begging to be used. Loudly. “It’s your soul, Aiden. When you die, you will have to go to work for him or worse. You won’t go to the Elysian Fields. You…” I broke off, unable to say what was so selfish but true.We wouldn’t have eternity together. When I died, barring I didn’t kill Hades right now, I’d go to Elysia, and Aiden would not be there. He’d never be there, not until Hades allowed it. And he would never allow it. Tears filled my eyes as Aiden lowered his forehead to mine. “I don’t plan on dying for a long time, agapi mou. We have today, and we’ll have many tomorrows, but only if we get Hades’ help. We won’t have any of that if we don’t stop Ares.” “But—” “This is bigger than both of us.” His thumb caught a tear that had snuck out, wiping it away before anyone besides Seth noticed. And there was no hiding how I felt from the First. He was standing close to us, his expression devoid of its usual smirk. Aiden smiled, but it hurt. “We have to do anything and everything to stop this.” “I don’t care,” I whispered. “Yes, you do.” I shook my head. “Not if it means this, I don’t. I don’t care.” It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that we had to keep making sacrifices. We could possibly face losing a mortal life together, and now we wouldn’t even have an afterlife? Sorrow rose in me swiftly. “You wouldn’t want this for me.” “I wouldn’t,” he admitted, “but that’s not the situation, and we need this.” “You do,” Hades cajoled, and I wanted to claw his face into tiny, bloody pieces. Seth shifted closer. I didn’t see him, because I couldn’t look away from Aiden, but I felt him. “Aiden is right,” Seth said quietly, but it was still intrusive. “You know there’s no other choice.” “I don’t want you to have to make this choice,” I insisted. Yes, I was being selfish, but it didn’t just affect me. It also affected his brother and his family. If Hades didn’t allow it, he’d never see his mother and father again. This was too much. Aiden’s striking face blurred through the haze of tears. “I know.” His lips brushed the corner of my lips. “But we have to.” I opened my mouth to protest more, but he took advantage of that moment. He deepened the kiss and kissed me like we were the only two people in the room, in the world. Tingles shot up and down my spine in a wave of electricity. I leaned into him, kissing him back with everything I felt. Aiden tasted of salt, of mint, and of love. Someone, maybe my uncle, cleared his throat. Aiden slowly lifted his head, and the room came back into focus. My cheeks burned. “By doing this, we are giving ourselves a future together. Okay? We have to do this. I have to do this, and there’s nothing that can be done to change that.” “Oh, this conversation is so not over,” I promised, blinking back tears. “I’m going to spin-kick you in the head for this one later, but okay. Okay.” Aiden chuckled, but he wisely stepped back and turned to Hades. “Okay. You have my soul when I die.” “See?” Hades eyed me over Aiden’s shoulder. “Was that so hard?” “I hate you,” I hissed. “It’s nothing personal, Love.” “Yeah, and the last time you said that to me you wanted to kill me.” My hands curled into fists. The god of the Underworld shrugged. “Okay.” “That’s it?” Seth asked, the hollows of his cheeks more pronounced. “You’re not going to even shake on it? He says ‘you can have my soul’ and you say okay?” I shot Seth a glare. Hades smiled again. “That’s all I need.”Seth’s amber eyes rolled. “That’s anticlimactic.” The god was unbothered by that as he settled his attention on Aiden and me. “You two will be responsible for Perses, meaning you will come with me and take him out of Tartarus.” My spine stiffened. “We have to go to Tartarus?” Static crackled around Hades’ eyes. “I think showing you two what could possibly lie in store for your pure-blood may incline both of you to work extra-hard to ensure that Perses sticks to the plan.” I gasped. “Wait.” Seth stepped forward. “I’m going with them.” Aiden opened his mouth, mostly like to passionately disagree, but Hades cut him off. “I think that is a great idea. Then the three of you will be responsible for Perses and what role Aiden takes on in the afterlife.” My stomach dropped, and I felt like I was falling. Before I could protest, Hades was already making plans. We would leave for Tartarus within the hour. He would take us straight there, no need for finding a gate or facing any of the guards. It was all happening too fast. Aiden was talking to Deacon in low, hushed tones, and Solos was with Marcus, surrounded by Olivia and Luke. My unease about the deal settled in me like sour food. My heart pounded in my chest way too fast, and if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve sworn Phobos and Deimos were back, but they weren’t. Fear formed an icy knot under my breastbone. Alex… I didn’t turn to Seth. What if Perses doesn’t do what we need him to? What if he runs off and slaughters an entire nation? Hades will put that on Aiden. He’ll have his soul and— We’ll make sure that won’t happen . The confidence in Seth’s words pushed through our bond. St. Delphi won’t end up in Tartarus, I promise you. The fact that Seth would promise something like that didn’t go unnoticed. Either way, he’ll own Aiden. No matter what happens. Aiden will be like a half-blood, nothing more than… Air leaked out of my lungs.
Aiden would be like a slave, like every half-blood was now and would be, even after we took care of Ares. Aiden’s own words came back to me in that moment. This is bigger than us. Realization whirled, and an opportunity presented itself. Hell, the opportunity had always been there, but I’d been too self-absorbed to realize it, too caught up in my own problems to… To use the power I held in my hands to change things. “Wait!” I called out. “Alex,” Seth said in a quiet voice. I shook my head, breathing deeply. Apollo turned to me, inclining his head. I readied myself. “Wait. There’s something I want before we do this.” Hades chuckled deeply. “What position are you in to bargain, Love?” If he called me “Love” one more time… I reeled in my temper and focused on Apollo. “You want us to go down into Tartarus and fetch Perses, watch over him while he helps us, and then you want me to become the God Killer and take out Ares, right?” Apollo shifted his weight. “That sounds about right.” My heart turned over heavily. “I will only do this if you do something for me.” Hades scuffed. “Again, Love, what position are you in to bargain with us?” I slid my gaze toward Mr. Tall, Dark, and About to be Missing an Eyeball. “Without me, you don’t have a God Killer. You can’t make me become it, and you can’t make me fight Ares.” “We can be very persuasive,” Hades growled. “Yeah, and Ares tried to be persuasive, and I still didn’t give in.” I looked at Apollo. “I know you guys can’t make Seth or me do it. We could leave you guys to this mess. You need us willing.” Apollo’s lips twitched as if he wished to smile. “What do you want, Alex?”“I want you to free the half-bloods. I want you to get rid of the laws requiring them to either become Sentinels, or Guards, or servants. I want you to give them the same rights as pure-bloods. I want the Breed Order revoked.” Silence. It was so quiet that you could hear a fly run into a wall. Everyone was staring at me like I’d just pulled up my shirt and asked for some beads. And then Seth chuckled deeply. “Clever, Angel.” I ignored the nickname. I also ignored the way Aiden’s eyes went from the purest color of gray to silver in a nanosecond. “I know you can do it, Apollo. I know you can make the other gods agree. You do this for me, and I’ll be all about taking a tour of Tartarus.” Apollo stared at me as he slowly shook his head. “There was so much more you could’ve asked for, Alex.” My brows knitted. “Like what? What could be more important than that?” His gaze held mine, and suddenly I knew what he meant. I could’ve asked for his protection, because once I took care of Ares, it would be open season on my arse. I knew Apollo would already do what he could to ensure that I walked away, but it seemed useless to waste this opportunity on something that Apollo might not be able to stop. The god nodded curtly. “Okay. Once everything has settled, we will change the laws and the Elixir will be no more. You have my word, no matter the outcome.” No matter the outcome. Meaning if Ares kicks our asses into the next generation. I wanted Apollo to do it now, because I had the patience of a hyena, but I could understand why he couldn’t. The last thing we needed was more half-bloods, thousands of them, coming off the effects of the Elixir in the middle of this mess. My gaze traveled across the room, skipping over the shocked expressions of Luke and Olivia. I think, in that moment, they realized the same thing Solos must have by the look in his wide eyes. After all this was said and done, they would have something they’d never had before. Complete and utter control of their future.CHAPTER 14Olivia hugged me so hard I thought my lungs would deflate. She held on, her lithe form trembling. It was a good hug, reminding me of the ones my mother used to give me. “The whole evil-twin god thing is so messed up. I’m sorry, but I’m glad they’re out,” she said, and then in a lower, hoarser voice, she added, “Thank you.” I knew why she was thanking me—for the deal. I squeezed her back and then leaned away. I kept my voice low. “So what are you going to do?” “After this craziness with Ares?” When I nodded, a far-off look crept into her pretty eyes. She dropped her arms, shaking her heard. “You know, I don’t know. I never thought about it, but now I do have something to think about, and it’s…” “Amazing,” Luke said, dropping a quick kiss on my cheek. “I think I’m going to enroll in college.” Both Olivia and I stared at him. “What?” A flush spread across his cheeks. “I actually like school.” “Freak,” I muttered. Hades was growing impatient. Surly bastard . I said goodbye, giving my uncle a stiff and somewhat awkward hug. Tension and elation warred in the room. The agreement made with Apollo, who was actually going to remain here instead of popping back to Olympus, was obviously a big deal, but what the three of us were about to embark on could quickly become dangerous. Perses could kill us all and make a run for it. Continuing that line of thought wasn’t what I wanted to be focus on as I made my way over to where Hades stood between Aiden and Seth. My eyes bounced between the two guys. Then again, I wasn’t so sure that Perses was going to be the problem. Aiden and Seth were sizing each other up like they were ready for a caged death match. Sidling up to Aiden, I elbowed him in the side. He glanced down at me, eyes the color of the ocean during a storm. “I’m proud of you.” Oh, the swelling in my chest could’ve lifted me right up to the ceiling. I smiled up at him, smiled so widely my cheeks ached. “I would’ve used that favor more intelligently, Love.” Hades smirked. “There was so much you could’ve asked for.” Aaand Hades burst my bubble with a quickness I should have expected. “Thanks for your input,” I muttered. “You’re welcome,” he replied. “Is everyone ready for our little field trip?” With Apollo’s seal of approval, Seth was given his toys back, so all of us, even Seth, were decked out in our Covenant daggers and Glocks. Our eyes locked for a moment. There was something in his amber gaze that unsettled me. Aiden reached down, threading his fingers through mine. “We’re ready.” Without any warning, the floor dropped out from under us. *** “Holy daimon babies!” I gasped, stumbling back as the world righted itself once more. “Good gods…” Aiden patted his hands over his chest as if checking to make sure he was all there. Seth looked a littleout of it. None of us had been prepared for that method of traveling. The god of the Underworld watched us. Amusement bled into the air around him. “It’s easier that way, don’t you think?” I smoothed my hand over my hair, relieved to find it still attached to my head. When the floor had moved under us, it had felt like we’d fallen a million feet. “Did you just…just teleport us?” “Something like that.” Hades turned, putting his hands on his hips. Tipping his head back, he let out a loud, ear-piercing whistle, causing me to jump. “So this is the Underworld?” Seth turned, taking in his surroundings. Forcing myself to get over the fact that I wasn’t exactly sure how Hades had managed to teleport us, and the whole science behind that concept, I looked around. I recognized where we were. “Thank the gods it’s not the Vale of Mourning, huh?” Aiden said. I nodded. That vast, depressing stretch of the Underworld was not a place I wanted to visit again. We were just outside the Vale, several feet from the congested road that led to the Plain of Judgment. Seth watched the recently departed making slow progress with a troubled look. A lot of the deceased were Sentinels, their black uniforms in various stages of distress. Seeing them…well, I had to think it was a painful reminder of what he’d been a part of. The sound of pounding hooves drew my attention from the First, and I turned. “Holy gods…” I jerked back, bouncing off of Aiden’s chest. An arm circled my waist, steadying me. Good gods in Olympia, the horses were the size of elephants. Four of them. Their coats were as dark and shiny as midnight oil, their manes glossy and groomed. They looked like extremely large horses with the exception of the all-white pupils behind their black-leather eye shields. “I don’t remember them being this big.” “Me, neither.” Seth neared one, head cocked to the side. The horse whinnied. “They’re like the Hummer of the horse world.” I almost laughed, but then I noticed the saddles on each of them. I glanced at Hades as he ran a large hand down one of the horses’ manes. “These are bigger than what you saw last time. They are from my personal stable.” He grabbed the saddle and swung himself up with astonishing ease. “It is not a quick journey to Tartarus. We will ride them there.” Glancing at one of the horses near me, I hesitated. “Why didn’t you just pop us into Tartarus?” “Tartarus is an ever-changing landscape, adapting to its…newest arrivals.” He shrugged. “I would hate to pop my newest acquisition into a lake of fire.” My eyes narrowed. Hades smirked at me as he wrapped a meaty hand around the reins. “We don’t have all day. There’s a mean game of Mario Kart waiting for me when I get back.” Resisting the urge to run up to Hades and knock him out of the saddle, I wheeled around. Seth had already found his horse and was in the saddle, looking very proud of himself. Then Aiden was on his, swinging a leg over the horse, which left me staring at the last one, the one that reminded me of a T-Rex. It sniffed at me. “You might want to get used to these magnificent creatures.” Hades’ smile was cold and pleased as he looked at Aiden. An ache hit me in my chest at the reminder of Aiden’s deal. I turned, ready to lay into him for agreeing, but drew up short. I was face-to-face with a massive horse head. Walking up, I awkwardly patted its nose. “Nice horsey.” Its lip curled up, revealing oddly sharp teeth. Did horses have sharp teeth? Or just Underworld horses? My gaze traveled over the massive chest and leather saddle. How in the hell was I supposed to get on this thing? The stirrup was so far off the ground I was going to need a stepladder to access it. “You put your foot in the stirrup,” Seth said, tipping his chin down.“I know,” I snapped. But I didn’t move any closer. The horse turned its elegant head back away from me and snorted. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.” Hades sighed. Heat crept into my cheeks. Honestly, I was sort of afraid of horses. Normal ones could break your bones. These could eat you. Aiden guided his horse toward where I stood, smiling slightly as he looked down. “Come on.” I stared at him. The slight smile spread, revealing a dimple in his right cheek. “There’s room for both of us up here. Ride with me.” Okay. I was scared of horses, and that made me a wuss, but I thought about all those romance novels my mom used to read with the hero astride a horse, and then there was Aiden, larger than life astride a horse, and that was…well, that was hot. “I really don’t care if you ride alone or with Loverboy here, but can we move this along?” Hades tightened his hand on the reins, turning the horses. “I am not known for my patience.” I shot him a scathing look, which was ignored. Crossing the distance between Aiden and me, I reached up, putting my hand in his. With astonishing ease, he hauled me up into the saddle in front of him. After a few seconds of awkward fumbling, I was seated on the horse, clenching the edge of the saddle. Well aware that both Hades and Seth were staring at us, I remained stiff as Aiden snaked an arm around my waist and tugged me back between his thighs. His heat immediately seeped into my tense muscles. “How cute,” Seth drawled. “Shut up,” Aiden said, and then much lower, directly in my ear, “This is the greatest idea I’ve ever had.” I shivered. We started off then, galloping along the crowded road. It took a little while to get used to the jarring motion of the horse and even longer to get familiar with the stagnant, sweet-scented air blowing in my face. About a half an hour in, four guards suddenly flanked us, their faces pale and somber. I tried desperately not to picture Aiden becoming one of Hades’ henchmen, but I couldn’t help but wonder why Hades had even asked for Aiden. It wasn’t like there was any shortage of people who had some kind of penance to pay, and wasn’t that what these guards were doing? Working off their sins in the afterlife? Or was it something else? I knew it was punishment. Hades knew we’d snuck into the Underworld to see Solaris, and he obviously wasn’t happy about that. In a twist of irony, our journey had been rather pointless now. Seth wanted me to become the God Killer, and he knew how to make the transfer. We’d ended up not needing Solaris. The barren landscape turned lush as we neared the crossroads. The bare, brown ground gave way to thick, bright-green grass. The congestion of those recently deceased grew as the spired tips of Hades’ stone palace finally came into view. And so did Tartarus. The eerie red glow off in the distance was hard to ignore. So was the very faint, almost untraceable scent of sulfur. I couldn’t believe we were actually going there willingly. My unease grew with every passing moment. I was waiting for it to happen, and when it finally did, Seth swore loudly. A loud pop thundered through the air, following by a whoosh as the ground trembled under the hooves of our horses. The sky lit up, bleeding red and orange as a ball of flames shot up, spreading first into fiery wings, and then the jaws of the dragon opened, emitting the horrifying scream that stuck with us. The fiery dragon swooped back down, its tail flaming as the ground shook once more.“Holy shit,” Seth said, eyes wide. “What in the hell was that?” “Tartarus’ welcoming party,” Hades replied. “Get used to it. I have a feeling you’ll see it up close and personal more than once.” Seth snorted, as if the very real possibility of him ending up in Tartarus wasn’t a big deal, but my stomach roiled at the thought. I looked at him as we rode on, remembering quite clearly where the Solaris’ First was currently located. Did Seth deserve eternal damnation for his actions? He glanced over at me, his expression unreadable. Our gazes locked. His perfectly pieced face was emotionless, but something churned in his eyes. Seth? There was no answer. Instead, those amber eyes, so much like my own, flicked back to Aiden. “Hey, Saint Delphi.” Oh, Lord. Aiden stiffened behind me. “Yes?” Seth guided his horse beside us, and I wondered where both of them had mastered horseback