Page 25

Lucifer cocks an eyebrow. “You don’t think so? After being locked together in Olympus for thousands of years? You don’t think theyjumped at the first chance to escape their prison? Even if it meant working with others?”

Erebus pats the other man’s hand. “I can see how that would be unbelievable to someone who hasn’t had many interactions with them, but most of them were pampered by their parents. Made to think they were more than what they were. Being locked away and unable to do anything about it would’ve sent them into a frenzy. And we all know how charming Michael can be. He might not have fooled most of us, but the other gods saw what they wanted to see.”

“He shouldn’t have been earth-side,” Nyx muses. “If he found a way to leave, then we have to take his threats seriously. It’s not hard to believe that the angels would want to wipe out the mortals. At least not to me.”

“Nor me,” Hecate says with a nod.

Hypnos leans forward. “They truly snuck in and stole my powers? They couldn’t have taken much from me at a time, or I would’ve noticed. That would’ve taken a lot of planning, and it explains why no one could wake them. It’s possible we might never be able to wake them, depending on how much of my powers they used. It’s something most of the gods feared and why they shunned me.”

“That’s all good and well,” I say, annoyed that they’re still discussing if this is a genuine threat or not. Why wouldn’t they just believe Lucifer? He was there. “But what are we going to do about it? How are we going to stop them?”

All eyes find me once again, and I immediately regret my decision to speak up.

Meg leans forward, sniffing in my direction.

“Oh, a rejected mate bond. That’s why you’re the way you are. Interesting.” Her eyes rove over my mates, stopping on Nex as she smirks. “Very interesting, indeed.”

She’s really freaking me out.

My eyes lift to Lucifer, who’s laughing as he shakes his head. “Oh, daughter, you’ll come to learn that you can’t force gods to work at the pace you want them to. They usually get there, but they sure do love to take their time.”

“We don’t have time for that!” I slam my hand into the table before slumping forward, the momentary frustration leaving me feeling exhausted. “He said we have less than a month. None of you are mortal, and I understand I’m not either, but I was raised among them. They deserve to be saved, and we don’t have enough time for all of you to argue if the threat is real or not. It is.”

Thanatos turns, staring at me for a moment before nodding. “The three-quarter blood is right. This isn’t something we can debate for hours. I might be the god of death, but I don’t want to see the annihilation of all mortals. We need to figure out what their plan is and how we can circumvent it.”

The table falls silent as everyone looks around at each other.

This is getting us nowhere.

I lay my head on the table, startling when Brenden’s arm wraps around me and pulls me into his lap. He maneuvers me around until I’m resting my head on his chest, practically lying across his chest. I attempt to meet his eyes to see if he’s finally rejoined the land of the living—or nonliving as it may be—but he won’t look down at me. A glance at Wraith has him shaking his head, and I sigh.

I need my mate back with me—and soon.

My back is to the rest of the room, so all I can see is Mom, Wren, and Wraith, but I wish I could see Nex. I have to figure out how to complete this bond with him.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something I’m going to be able to keep from my other mates. I’m going to have to let them know what I intend todo and hope they’ll support me. If they don’t, I’m going to have to move forward, anyway.

Gods, I really hope they’ll support my decision.

Burying my face in Brenden’s chest, I allow my eyes to fall shut. I can’t talk to them about it until after this stupid ass meeting, so I might as well rest while I can.

This is going to be a hard conversation, and I need to make sure I have enough energy to make it through the entire thing.

With that thought in mind, I feel myself drifting off to sleep as the others talk around me, safe in my mate’s arms.

Chapter Eleven

Donovan

Staring down at Audrey’s sleeping form, I finally allow myself to let the worry sink in.

I have no idea what I can do to help her and Brenden. Audrey seems to be fighting a losing battle with her emotions, and Brenden is practically catatonic at this point.

And it’s all Nex’s fault.

All I want to do is kill him for the pain he’s caused the pair of them, but that wouldn’t help either of them.

After Audrey fell asleep in Brenden’s arms atthe war council meeting last night, we hadn’t been able to wake her. I’d carried her home and left the others to deal with Brenden. I’m so afraid she will not wake up this morning, but I can’t voice those concerns.