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I sob a gut-wrenching sob. It all hurts so much. The gold and onyx blades of my past life and death through my exposed soul. The dangerous games I must play, and the sacrifice I must make to ensure an end in which we all survive.

The choice is mine, even as it isn’t a choice at all.

“I choose life,” I cry. “I choose love.”

All three turn back to the cauldron as Hades gathers me against his chest. My skin is dewy with sweat, and a fierce exhaustion weighs heavy inside my body. Still, I can’t allow myself to look away from the three sisters of Fate as they raise their hands high.

The blades of black and gold release my soul, spilling it gracefully back into the cauldron.

In its place, I watch as the translucent souls of our daughters rise.“Behold the freedom of a mother’s choice.”The three spears of black plunge into one soul as the three spears of gold plunge into the other. The translucent souls begin to burn a bright white, one marbled with veins of gold and the other with veins of onyx.“A daughter bound to darkness and a daughter bound to light. A love promised to the Darkest Depths and the other intended for the City of Gold.”

Two more souls rise from the deep of the cauldron, burning bright white. Gods’ souls. Immortal souls.

Clotho’s nimble fingers begin to dance an ancient dance as the golden threads begin to weave our daughters’ souls to the souls of Gods I can not name. The stitching is tight, knotted in such a way I know there is no undoing this tether. No severing this bind.

Lachesis swirls her hands over the cauldron, and from the deep of it rises two drops of red. One falls onto each soul, spreading pink ribbons as though to caress the eternal souls of our daughters in the warmth of humanity.

“A touch of humanity,”the three speak again.“And it is done.”

I watch, gasping for breath, as the souls of my daughters—bound eternally to their Gods—are gently returned to the cauldron. Fated to a life in which they will know great love and great pain, for I have seen it.

It will come to pass.

It is written.

Chapter

Twelve

Hades

“Zeus is throwingone of his tantrums.” Leuce’s hand drifts absently where it rests on Minthe’s thigh.

Minthe rolls her eyes, but there’s a graveness to her voice that has the room on alert. “We all know what happens when Zeus is pitching a fit.”

Hermes pushes away from the table to lean forward, jaw hard, head bowed. From the side, I watch as a muscle twitches in his cheek and his hands come together between his knees. Beside him, Thanatos touches a pale hand to his back. He gives his head a tired shake, but asks quietly, “How many fires burn?”

“Too many,” Leuce replies without really answering.

“And the seas?” Hermes dares a peek. “Do they invade the land?”

“The waters dance with Zeus’ wind, called to respond by the howl of the storm in the sky but?—”

“But what?”

“I believe Poseidon is working hard to contain the waves.” Minthe swallows, looking to me. “Is that why he’s not here?”

He’s not here because I didn’t call for him. I’m not sure I can look at him right now, knowing what I know. Knowing that his soul has been bound, eternally, to one of my daughters not yet born.

I still can’t shake the warning the three sisters had spoken into my mind as I lifted Persephone’s limp, exhausted body into my arms.“Speak not of the Gods who have been bound today, even to the Gods themselves. Fate is a fickle thing, and knowing can alter the path in ways that cannot be undone, King of Gods.”

I bristle at the secret I must keep from everyone. Even Persephone.

“How else does Zeus torment the living realm?” I ignore Minthe’s question for one of my own.

“Oh, you know.” Leuce waves a hand with nails dipped in silver. “Cyclones, tornadoes, quakes. They’re striking worldwide. Nowhere is safe from his wrath. Nowhere untouched.” She shrugs again, but I can see through the flippancy, the hatred that burns in her eyes. Fear for the people is a fire in her heart, and it blazes. “It’s Zeus being Zeus.Again.”

“It will only get worse.” I can’t help but think of the fate Persephone carved into Hydra’s cave. I sigh heavily, warily.