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“There’s no shame in staying right here, if right here is where you need to be.”
I clenched my teeth, seeing visions of the battle from the very night before. Children of Ares prevented the monsters from advancing. Children of Demeter protected and fought alongside the dryads. Sirena was right. They positioned where their power did the most good, and they won.
“Okay,” I pushed out. “I understand.”
“Good.” She clapped. “Maybe you’re not the braindead idiot you appear to be, although I doubt that too.”
I flashed her all the obscene gestures there were. I even made a few up.
“It’s all well and good you guys have sidelined me and assigned me the world’s most annoying bodyguard, but does anyone have an idea of how to beat lightning? We’re completely exposed out here. No protection.”
They exchanged looks, no replies forthcoming.
“I’ll go first,” Alexander announced. “I’m a son of Zeus. I’ll stand a better chance.”
“But, Alex—”
Alex was done talking. He leaped up, grasped a protruding rock, and climbed.
I cracked my neck watching him scale the mountain, holding my breath in so deep and tight, I forgot how to let it out.
“It’s working,” Nitsa said. “Zeus is letting him climb. He’s going to make it—”
Lightning streaked across the sky, striking Alex off the mountain’s back. He didn’t shout on the way down. My love was already gone.
“Alex, no!”
Sirena took off to catch him, but I was already falling into the land outside of time.
“I’LL GO FIRST,” ALEXANDERannounced. “I’m a son of Zeus. I’ll stand a better chance.”
I shot around Sirena and jumped him, throwing my arms around him. “No,” I said hoarsely, eyelids heavy with unshed tears. “You won’t.”
“Did you just...?”
I nodded.
“What now then?” Nitsa slid down against the wall, legs giving up. “What do we do?”
“I’ll go.” Daciana crossed the scant distance the ledge afforded her. “There’s a full moon behind those clouds. I can sense it. I’m stronger when Luame is at her full power, shining her light to all who sing with the wind. I won’t be taken out so easily.”
Claws reappeared at the tips of her hands. They sank into the stone, scattering rock at our feet. Scaling quickly and efficiently, she was halfway up in the space it took for us to release our held breaths.
“She can do this,” Ionna whispered. “Please, gods, let her do this.”
Charged electricity cut through the heavens, illuminating the shadowed clouds, and for the barest second, on all that I held dear, I swore I saw the angry, raging face of Zeus roaring down at us.
The lightning sought its victim, eager for blood, but it wasn’t Daciana.
“Look out!”
Claws hooked me and Alex, wrenching us off our feet and into the air. The strike devastated the spot I was standing in, breaking the outcropping to pieces.
Nitsa, Jason, Theron, and Ionna fell screaming to the depths below.
My wails echoed across the sea.
I FELL OUT OF THE THREADspace.
