I tilted my head back to meet his eyes and I could feel my forehead screw up.
“The thing? What thing?” My hair might have black in it now but I was still a blonde at heart.
“The fates gave you a death prophecy…”
Oh, right. That thing.
“Yeah, so that happened,” I told Cronus.
I froze, and it wasn’t because I’d suddenly gone into shock or anything. Nope. Cronus used his magic to wrap around me. Then he dragged me, slowly, inch by inch, toward him. All I could see was his thunderous face. I couldn’t turn to look away. Not that I would have even if I could move.
“Maisey Hope Parker,” he growled. “What the fuck, woman? You should have told me earlier.”
I glared back, because one could not talk when one was fucking frozen.
Dude, what I wouldn’t give to flip this big bastard off right now.
“What did they say?” Cronus asked Hyperion, not taking his eyes off me and not freeing me from his energy.
It was stirring up the sins though. I felt the darkness swirling inside of me, creeping along my skin again. If Cronus didn’t let me go soon, he was probably going to have more than one issue on hand.
“They said that Maisey’s line ends tomorrow and that you need to be with her. That you’re the only one that can save her and your paths are interwoven.” Hyperion spoke quickly and succinctly—his eyes scanning the darkness threading my skin and hair again.
“Let her go, Cronus,” he finished, concern filling his voice. “You’re stirring the sins.”
I choked on a breath as he released me, lurching forward, off balance. Cronus caught me, holding me for a few seconds longer than what would be considered polite.
“Maisey doesn’t leave my side,” he said shortly when he set me on my feet again. “Not for anything. Let’s go now to Thanatos. We have a bastard god to convince that he should bend the rules just this once.”
Before anyone could reply, he blinked us out of that shattered room and into the underworld, leaving me wondering, again, just how much my Titan cared for me.
Chapter 6
We ended up in what could only be described as a waiting room. There were a ton of souls sitting blank-faced. The walls were stone and a drab gray. The floor the same, not a single creature comfort to be seen.
“Kinda reminds me of a creepy doctor's office,” I whispered, looking around. None of the translucent beings turned to us though, remaining in their chairs. The medical center vibe grew stronger as we moved toward the front—where they all faced—and I saw the notice board.
Names were listed in long rows, and next to them was a wait time.
Mary Joe … 3 mins
Simon Lewis the Third … 4 mins
Regina Halt … 5 mins
It went on and on, endless names until it disappeared off the screen.
“This place is way different from where you’ve taken me before,” I whispered to the asshole who I was trying really hard to be mad at. What we had was complicated, and it would take a damn good apology before I forgave him.
“This is where the new souls are sorted and assessed,” Cronus told me, and he didn’t bother to keep his voice low, because he clearly knew that none of them could hear us. “The veil to the dead is thinnest here.”
“Thanatos does the sorting?”
Cronus nodded, and the board above suddenly shuddered and flickered, the names shifting. At the top there was a new entry.
Maisey Parker, Cronus pain in the ass, Hyperion old but wise, and Okeanos, fucking playboy of the Ocean … 1 min.
I snorted. “Guess he knows we’re here.”
Cronus grunted. “Not much gets past the god of death.”
We had reached a back door with a thin plaque that read, “DO NOT ENTER.” Cronus grabbed the knob and swung the door wide.
Guess he wasn’t much for following the rules. We all shuffled inside a huge office with rows and rows of books. It was actually more like a library with a desk dead center. The only odd thing was to the right there was a blank wall that was thin, like a white sheet, and blurry figures moved behind it.
My body froze. Was that … the dead?
“Can’t you all read? The board said one minute,” Thanatos muttered, and my gaze flicked to the huge oak desk he sat behind. A beautiful brunette was perched on his lap.
Cronus eyed the female. “Is this the one I got elixir for?”
She waved at us all. “Hey.”
Thanatos smacked her butt playfully. “Why don’t you grab us some lunch and I’ll ditch them soon and come meet you.”
She nodded, leaning in to give him a kiss.
Once she left, Thanatos jumped up. “Okeanos! You just left. Miss me already?” He gave a bro hug to the gorgeous Titan before stopping at Cronus. “You never come for any good reason. Why are you all here?”
I’d been preparing a speech in my head. It was direct but sweet.
Cronus growled, “I need to see Selene. Won’t take no for an answer. You fucking owe me.”
Well … there goes that idea.
“Please,” I added.
#WhoTaughtYouMannersBoy #OhYeahTheUniverse
Thanatos growled. “You know the rules, man. I can’t let the living beyond that veil without dire consequences.”
Cronus pointed to me. “Look at her hair. The sins are killing her! She can’t possibly take any more. Only Selene will know what to do! We tried all the boxes available. This might be our last chance.”
Thanatos eyed him for a few extra moments, before sighing. “You just have to apologize.”
Cronus growled again. “You think I haven’t fucking done that? He won’t listen and he’s secluded in his fortress. No one can get to him.”
I blinked, having no idea what the fuck they were talking about. The conversation jumped super fast.
Was this about a possible container for the sins?
“So, Maisey,” Thanatos said, distracting me, “black hair isn’t really your color. We need to address this…”
He wasn’t really kidding about that. I’d tried to dye my hair once
