Page 93

Again, Hades shakes his head.

“What am I supposed to do? How do we save her?”

“Is there anyone Ares trusts in the castle to get word to her?” Hades asks.

Hades’ eyes lift to mine as I blink rapidly. I’m on the edge of panic. “I don’t know.”

“Either way, we need to get you back to the Underworld.” When horror invades my expression, Hades assures, “Olympus breached the contract of our deal when Athena dropped you, intending to drop you to your death. I will suffer no consequence for your return to the Underworld.”

The breath of relief I breathe ismassive. The thought of returning home is…goodness, I want it so desperately.

But something dark and ugly holds me back from celebrating. “What about Zeus? He’s a monster, Hades. He steals innocent people and forces them to their death where they will be eternally trapped here in Olympus. Eternally prisoner.”

Flames burn in Hades’ eyes. Vengeance threatens to swallow him whole.

I add, “He is calling for a world war, Hades.”

“Without Ares, war of such calibre is unlikely.”

“Seemed to me Athena was doing just fine with starting little fires of hatred and distrust between nations.” I shift on his lap so that I can better see him. “Before I left for the Underworld, tensions between the people were high. Countries were already at war, others choosing sides.”

“Athena can light as many fires as she wishes, she will do little more than Aphrodite did when she submitted to Zeus’ demand she spark war between Troy and Sparta.”

I gasp, my jaw falling open. “Wait, what? Are you saying Aphrodite is the reason for the war between Troy and Sparta? For the Trojan Horse?”

“At Zeus’ command, Aphrodite blessed Helen of Troy with great beauty. Both Agamemnon and Paris fell madly in love with her under the spell of Aphrodite. Zeus knew that underAphrodite’s spell, Paris would not be able to deny his affections for Helen, and those affections would drive him to take Helen for his own, forsaking the good standing that had been promised between the lands.”

“He knew it would spark a war.”

Hades nods. “He did.”

“Where is Aphrodite now?”

“She took to the sea. She sought refuge in Atlantis, plagued by the guilt she carried for her part in the death of thousands when her gifts were to inspire love and beauty, not war.” Hades pauses. “She has not been seen since. It is why there is so little love, so little true love, in the living realm. Aphrodite has not blessed humanity in a long while, and humanity is now lost.”

“Atlantis had already fallen, then?”

Again, Hades nods. “Atlantis fell thousands of years before the Trojan war. Such is the reason the Gods hungered for devastation. Prayer always follows bloodshed.”

“Why didn’t Zeus want a world war then?”

“Too many world wars would simply end the world. Little wars feed the Gods, Persephone.”

“But Zeus wants a world war now.”

Hades dips his chin. “Yes. And Ares will not give him one.”

“If Zeus doesn’t have Ares or Athena, and Aphrodite is gone where he cannot get to her, he has nothing, right? No way of starting a war.”

“He has Athena. She may have been torn apart, but ending a God is no simple thing. She will live.” Hades sighs a heavy sigh. “It is why the Gods and Titans of before are imprisoned, not dead. The death of a God is not only impossibly difficult but bears consequences no realm or land can face.”

“But Zeus was distraught at her death.” I frown. “Why would he care if she wasn’t truly gone?”

“Athena is—myth speaks that she was created of Zeus alone,” Hades tells me. “It’s not wrong. Athena was crafted much the same way that Zeus crafts his humans, only she is whole, her soul unsplit. It is similar to the souls of Gods and Goddesses, and he blessed her with immeasurable power and immortality, making her a Goddess in her own right.”

“She is his daughter?”

“I believe his emotions for her are as close as Zeus is capable of feeling love.”