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You're my kin, Halwen,Cronus continued his smug monologue, as I hadn't already worked that out. He was Rhea's abusive husband; I was her great-granddaughter. It didn't take a genius to put that together.My power is your power. Your blades glow because of me.

A scream ripped past my lips when one of my daggers tore from his skin, leaving me hanging by a single weak hand. My heart fluttered fast, making me lightheaded. I hung on by a single precarious blade, the cut making Cronus's thigh slippery and treacherous as blood coated my fingers. Wind thrashed faster, sharper around me like it was waiting for me to drop.

I hung so far above the ground that broken bones were guaranteed, and a broken neck was almost assured. It was a miracle Cronus throwing me across Olympus hadn't already snapped my neck. Some deity was definitely rooting for me.

"My blades," I panted, the muscles in my arms screaming as I held on by that single dagger, "glow because I'mcursed,you pompous twat."

Cronus just laughed, the sound filling my head until I couldn't bear it.

It's just like scaling a building, Haley,I coached myself, panting hard.Just like scaling a building.

With a stifled scream, I swung my other arm up, pulling my damaged wing to breaking point as I drove the knife back into Cronus's thigh. When I was stable, sweat rolling down my face, I did the same with the other knife, rising a few inches at a time.

And look at you,he taunted.You turned out wonderfully even cursed. Almost like someone knew you would.

Fuck that, and fuck him.

"Don't care," I panted, driving my daggers higher, climbing him like an ice climber on a giant, glacial cliff. I rose higher and higher, unsure how I’d kill him but determined to do the deed.

Electric blue magic fluttered like a shroud on his skin, grazing my daggers.Fuck!A scream of pain trapped behind my clenched teeth, desperate to break free. It was like touching the prison bars all over again, but I could have sworn this pain struck mymagic,not my body.

Your curses made you who you are, Halwen. You should be grateful. You wouldn't have half your power or greatness without them.

He only let me have thispower and greatnessbecause he wanted it for himself.

I gritted my teeth, climbing higher, not daring to look down. Heights usually didn't faze me because I could catch myself with my wings, but I knew today was very different. Cronus had assured that by throwing me halfway across the city.I'll have this meal tenderised.Asshole.

"There's nothing—great about—killing my mates," I panted, reaching his broad back and hauling myself up, driving my knives deep into his spinal cord. I hope it hurt like hell.

How can you know when you haven't done it? They can't kill you, Halwen. They never stood a chance. You're the daughter of titans and gods; an archdemon isnothingcompared to you.

"Yippee—for me," I rasped, my arm musclesbuckling as I dragged myself higher. If I could go back in time, I'd add a hundred pull ups to my workout routine everyday. Maybe my arms wouldn't be going numb, maybe I wouldn't be losing strength with every inch I climbed higher.

If you kill them—

I drove my dagger into his spine ruthlessly hard. "It'll break me."

You'll be reshaped into something invincible. No demon has killed their mate and survived, but a descendant of the king of Olympus?

I forced a snort even as tears gathered in my eyes. "Wow.Zeusis my ancestor?"

Cronus roared, my jibe hitting him in his weak ego like I knew it would. I didn't account for the pain that split my skull, tore through my body, and ripped my chest apart until I could only scream.

The sound tore from deep in my chest, bruising my vocal chords.

Cronus twisted, snatching me off his back in crushing hands, ripping my daggers out without even a hiss of pain. My fingers had locked around the hilts, pain freezing me like his cruel power had frozen my mates. The world twisted and blurred around me, pain carving itself so deep, so permanently into my blood and bones, that I barely even saw Cronus as he lifted me to his face. I was nothing compared to him. Powerless, small, breakable. I knew he wouldn't throw me across Olympus this time. This was it. I was going to be eaten by a megalomaniac titan.

"Not waiting—for me to kill—my mates anymore?" I rasped, my voice so fucking weak.

My hands started to shake around my blades as the numbness wore off. The pink fabric of the hilts had been burned off. My hands were raw, blood smearing my fingers—both his and mine.

Cronus’s face was horrific up close, formed of night and shadows and evil, blue threading through his skin and magic like lightning. He had no features at all, just a flat plane that made my heart jolt.

Looking at him made my skin crawl, made a deep, buried instinct scream at me to flee. But he held me too tightly for me to escape. At least my arms were free this time; I took full advantage by driving my strong arm up and burying the blade in his throat for the second time tonight. This time I drove it all the way to the burned hilt, and blood sprayed, drenching my face until copper and power was all I could taste. I twisted the blade, but blueish magic thrashed from his skin and brushed my arm, that minor touch inflaming my magic so badly that I couldn't think.

My eyes rolled back. I screamed until my voice broke.

My curse marks flashed brighter, until all I could see was crimson light and my knife buried in Cronus's throat. It should have been enough.