“I will always love you, Thor,” I whispered. It was the truth—I knew it was—but truth can be so tricky. “Nothing can change that; not time, or darkness, or dragons. Once I give my heart, it's forever.”
Arach cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should gather our forces and head to Hell.”
Thor looked up at Arach and nodded. “The Squad is already back; we've just been waiting on Vervain to return with the Intare.”
“The Squad?” Kirill asked.
The bond of Blood to Heart had been strong enough to pull Odin and Kirill back to me, but it was clear that the spell Arach and I had cast was far superior at returning our memories along with our emotions. If we ever made it back to the right time, I'd have to cast more of those spells with my other men.
“The God Squad is what I call our friends who fight on behalf of the humans in the God War,” I explained. “The gods you met last night are in the Squad, but there's also Hades, who you'll meet soon. Nyx killed Hades' wife, Persephone, and we're going after Nyx to avenge Sephy.”
“Hades has amassed his army and is ready to march,” Thor said. “We don't have time for you to gather the lions now.”
“I can fetch zem quickly,” Kirill offered. “In matter of minutes.”
“All right, you have ten minutes,” Thor said. “If you're not back by then, we leave without you.”
Kirill didn't waste another moment with speech; he just ran for the tracing room.
Chapter Twenty
While Kirill was rallying the Pride for their new Tima, we explained Arach to the God Squad. Kirill returned by the time I finished answering the numerous questions, and the God Squad got to meet the Intare for the first time—in this time. We all traced to Hades' Palace—Demeter included—and found him outside; organizing an army of Greek gods and demi-gods.
“It appears that the Wild Hunt wasn't needed,” Arach noted as he scanned the troops.
Hades was just as amazed by the number of soldiers we had brought with us and actually hugged me. Then Demeter briefed Hades on what she had learned about Aion. In addition to information, Demeter had brought bags of hourglasses with her. While I had been off tracing around the realms, Demeter had been working with Ull to collect over twenty hourglasses; half of which she handed over to Hades.
“Thank you, Demeter,” Hades said sincerely. “I shouldn't have doubted you.”
“It doesn't matter,” Demeter said as she laid a hand on Hades' shoulder. “You've done well forming this army, and now our Persephone will have the justice she deserves.”
“And so will Kirill,” I murmured.
We assembled our troops in tidy formations and began marching across the Underworld; toward the cave that held the entrance to Tartarus. As we marched down the Dividing Road, along the banks of the Cocytus River, I felt an odd displacement settle over me. There have been several times when my life had seemed surreal, but this moment—when I marched at the head of an army of gods and lions—was truly dream-like. It was happening; I could feel the hot air on my cheek and smell the dry grass bordering the road. But I knew that it shouldn't be happening. Fate had brought us here to correct what had been done to time.
Fate is stronger than time, Alaric said.
That's what Faerie told me once; in that other timeline, I said to him.
You're remembering more and more, he said with approval. Good; it will make the transition easier.
Will it be painful?
I don't know, Al sounded worried. Honestly, I'm not even certain that killing Aion will fix this.
What?! I screeched inside my head.
It's the only shot we have, Vervain, he said calmly. Aion's magic should die with him, and a spell like this—recent and complicated; one that strains the very fabric of the Universe—should unravel without him to hold it in place.
Should, I said bitterly.
Or you can do nothing and just allow them to take your family from you, Alaric said coldly.
Point taken.
Good. Now, I've already scouted ahead, and I know that Nyx and Aion are alone in her home. This is the perfect time for you to strike.
They're alone? I asked in surprise.
Yes; they're overly confident, Al confirmed. You should have no problem killing them... hold on.
Al?
Vervain, they know you're coming! Their spies have spotted you!
Relax; even if they call in backup, we can still handle them, I said.
No, you don't understand, he said urgently. They know that their plans have gone astray; Aion is recalculating.
Recalculating?
Trying to find another time to go back to so that he can change history again! Al shouted. Vervain, if Aion changes things again, your memories will be harder to regain. You have to stop him!
“Fuck!” I growled and started to run.
I could just make out the cave to Tartarus up ahead.
“Vervain?” Hades called after me.
“Hurry!” I shouted. “They know we're coming!”
The entire army began to run after me, and let me tell you, that's a hell of a thing. Pun intended again. The pound of thousands of feet vibrated the ground and created a roar like thunder. I glanced at Thor and then at the men behind me; Arach, Kirill, and Odin. Who was I going to lose next?
“They're not getting away,” Arach growled as he shifted into his dragon form; his clothes bursting apart into streamers.
I watched as, moments later, Arach land near the mouth of the cave. He shifted into human form and ran inside, but I could already feel my hold on this time slipping. The world around me seemed to go hazy, and I screamed in denial as I stumbled.
“Vervain!” Several men
