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His lips gleam with the sticky sauce as he sucks the flesh clean, finally responding around the meat in his mouth. “He is claiming his prize.”

Pinpricks of horror needle my flesh. This time, when I lurch to stand, not even Leuce’s hand on my thigh can keep me down.

“What do you mean?”

“He defeated his opponent, and now he will claim his prize.”

My head whips to the scene below as the girl tries to absolutely no avail to free herself from the tangle of the gladiator’s arms. She is so small compared to him. So delicate and?—

“Free her.”

“Oh.” Zeus laughs like I’m a silly little thing. “Now, I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

He licks the sauce that glistens from his lips. “The man deserves his prize.”

“He deserves nothing! It wasn’t even a fair fight. A mortalagainst a monster!”

Zeus’ smile spreads wider. Ice chases the flame inside me, and I fight my flinch, so vicious it threatens to split me into pieces. Beside him, Hera watches me curiously with her cool blue eyes and beside her, Hercules’ attention is riveted on the scene below. A scene I can no longer stomach.

Despicable. They’re all?—

“You think the match unfair?” Zeus asks, and the way he does makes me think he’s backing me into a trap.

Across the table, I see Ares’ stiff form watching closely. Darkness radiates from him, but I don’t know him well enoughto know which side he stands. If he stands with his father and mother or if there could be something more, something decent lurking under the stoic exterior.

“Absolutely.” As soon as the word is between us, I regret it.

I regret it because Zeus’ eyes alight with something ugly. Something I very much know I am not going to like.

“Perhaps there is more to you after all, my daughter.” I hate how he insists on claiming me as his. But I refuse to say that I’m anything else. I can’t let him know I know of Uranus. And I refuse to draw attention to my very vulnerable human parents, lest Zeus gets a mind to harm them.

I grind my teeth and wait for him to continue.

He laughs again.The pompous ass.

“I’m elated to tell you that soon, there will be a dinner very much to your liking, then.” A pulsing thrum ofsomethingsurges around the table, but I can’t tear my eyes from the depths of pure evil that are the twin pools of brilliant blue.

Zeus truly looks like an angel. A thing of beauty and light, practically radiating glory.

I realize, chilled to the marrow of my bone, that it is the perfect disguise for the most tragic of evils. I realize how very led astray humanity has been pulled. For the truest evil is smart enough to bathe in the light.

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

Persephone

I don’t knowhow Leuce can sleep after everything we’ve seen. Perhaps she’s seen her fair share of it throughout history. I can’t imagine.

The last three days have been a nightmare. I am uncertain if the screams I can hear are echoes of the torment of earlier or if they’re real now.

Rolling onto my side, I pull the pillow around my head and do my best to sleep despite the torment that plays in my mind. I fail.

I miss the Underworld. I miss Hades.

When I can no longer suffer the ache for home, no longer remain in bed to the sounds of a woman screaming, I slide from the covers. With a glance at Leuce, my heart in my throat, I creep to the door. Hydra snuffs a sigh and I freeze, halfway to escape.