Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
I’m hit with an invisible wall the minute he passes through.
“Wait!” I say again. “I just want to know what I’m dealing with here. Who are the remaining gods?”
He looks over his shoulder. His daggers are back in hand, his helmet is back on his head, and he looks so menacing I take a step back.
“Write the names, you’re running out of time.” He lowers his head. “We all are.”
“For my sacrifice?” Maybe if I keep asking questions, he’ll get so annoyed he’ll answer.
“No.” He leans against the wall. “For Ra. If you don’t, he’ll be trapped here and where would you be without the sun?”
My mind spins. “Is it soon?”
“You’ll be dead, why do you care?” He shrugs. “And your precious brother won’t live to see the day, but yes, it is coming, it’s always coming. Nighttime, always comes.”
I’m given his back seconds later. But he does flick the sky and then twist his fingers like he’s pulling it toward him.
It’s like the sky is his iPad as he swipes across it like it’s nothing, and then rubs the clouds away.
He gives me nothing but shining stars.
“Thank you.”
“I was bored.” His response. “And don’t for one second think we’re friends. I help keep the balance between immortals and humans now, remember?”
I want to ask more questions.
He’s quiet, though, and he stops answering.
I’m so confused.
I change into the silky black pajamas that Kratos left for me and reach for the book with shaking hands.
The quill is in my right hand, the book in my left.
With a deep breath I open it.
And the first name I see.
Is my mom’s.
CHAPTER 27
CYRUS
“The error is the result of letting fear rule your actions.” – The Saga of Harald Hardrada, ch.46.
Inti
So, Kratos told me you failed, need some help?
Inti
Here’s some advice, if she isn’t responding with a, go faster, slower, yes, yes, yes, your name, or a scream, moan, shiver, you suck.
Me
Eat shit.
Inti
Touchy.
Dag
Have you lost your touch?
Inti
Clearly. I’m almost worried for us when it comes time for the choosing. What if she chooses one of us and falls in love only to die tragically later, oh wait…
Enki
Trust me, she’d be more likely to stab you.
Inti
Enki would love that.
Enki
Getting stabbed after the chase would be an honor.
Me
I hate all of you.
Apep
We’re aware.
Tyrell
How did this go from dinner last week at your house to you not being able to please a woman? Why am I in this chat when it’s not even my time to show up yet? I’m so confused.
Me
Oh good, you’re here as well.
Tyrell
I’m quieter than the others, too busy saving lives near Olympus, so many campers. It’s ridiculous how they can’t read signs.
Apep
He devoured a soul yesterday by accident, he’s been out.
Inti
Accident my ass.
Tyrell
Tempting.
Inti
Memories, memories. How is Jor?
Tyrell
Wife keeps him fed.
Me
Gross.
Tyrell
You can’t even please a human woman, sit down.
Dag
Agreed.
Enki
Did you get my links?
Me
I’m leaving now.
Kratos
Yeah well, she’s in a mood. She hasn’t spoken a word since staring at names of the dead , so good luck. What immortal are you teaching her about today?
Isigh and stare down at my phone.
Me
Apep, damn it.
Apep
Teach her well, it won’t matter in the end. It never does.
I toss the phone onto the nightstand and quickly slip on my silk robe. I don’t tell the sacrifices this, but all of the fallen wait and want the human being slaughtered because it gives them an edge against everyone. Case in point, Enki had the last sacrifice and now he can see shapes rather than darkness.
He drained what he could from her, just enough to restore some the godliness he would have had, had he ascended, and then we performed the ritual.
Once this last one is gone, they won’t be able to continue in this loop of devouring the sacrifices. There were ten thousand to start with and there was no way I was going to carry out the murder of each by just my own hand, plus there was no way I would be able to give them the gift of my body each time, which is why we came up with a plan, the sacrifice would pick her god, and the remaining deities would create more mates
No attachments. No wondering.
Just primal sex, sacrifice, and power so the ones cursed to stay on the human plane would at least have partners.
The most basic and important things in our lives and in the world some might argue and say it comes down to love. It doesn’t. It comes down to your primal needs every single time and the lie that if you get those few sad little bones thrown at you, that you’ll finally have happiness despite your epic failure to go to Olympus. A sordid Greek tragedy for us all.
I stomp down the concrete stairs yet again and walk past Kratos, who’s grunting about something and looking at his phone.
He’s probably complaining in his head about the lack of finesse in music these days as he listens to every single pop song on Spotify. He almost jumped from the cliff when I found out Charlie Puth was on his playlist.