Page 212 of A Touch of Chaos

“I believe you once called it an opportunity, did you not?”

“Do not become distracted, Hades,” said Theseus. “Or you will miss witnessing your defeat.”

Hades’s gaze moved back to the tiles as Theseus slidhis last in place. He was not sure what he had expected once Theseus won, but it was not what followed. The demigod dropped his hands from the table and leaned back, staring with a darkness in his gaze Hades had never seen before.

After what seemed like an eternity, Theseus spoke.

“I know you let me win, Hades. You could not have tried harder to lose. You were not even counting the tiles.”

Hades did not speak.

Theseus continued to stare as if he were considering what he was going to do. His jaw ticked, and he rapped his knuckles on the table, offering a small laugh. “I knew when you declined to choose the game you had come with a plan. No one who desires control as you do would relinquish it. The question is why?”

Hades shrugged. “Now you have defeated a god,” he said.

There was a beat of silence, and then Theseus began to laugh. At first, it was quiet, and then it deepened. He laughed so long and so loud, he started to cough. He swiped Hades’s glass from the table and downed the contents. When he was finished, he slammed it on the table.

Before he spoke, he chuckled again. “I have to give you credit for creativity, Hades,” he said. “But it was a stupid plan. I have already fulfilled the prophecy, and now you have lost to me.”

Theseus summoned a blade. The end was dark with Hydra venom.

“You understand, don’t you?” he asked. “A bargain is a bargain.”

Hades held Theseus’s gaze and watched as his eyesfilled with pain. His face almost seemed to crumple—an expression of his agony.

He dropped the knife, and his hands went to his stomach as he doubled over and vomited blood at Hades’s feet.

When he met his gaze, his eyes were red and watery.

“What did you do?” he screamed.

Hades just stared as Theseus fell to his knees, his breathing ragged.

“I learned a funny thing,” said Hades. “Did you know that the rumors about Hera’s apple tree are actually true; you cannot eat a golden apple twice?” He bent and took up Theseus’s knife, which was covered in blood. “The second time will kill you.”

More blood came from Theseus’s mouth, and his face was turning a reddish purple. Hades rose to his feet then, the knife in hand.

“Everyone has a weakness, Theseus,” said Hades, positioning the blade over Theseus’s heart. “Mine might be Persephone, but yours…yours is hubris.”

He held Theseus’s gaze as he drove the knife deep, and as the life drained from his eyes, he gripped his head to keep him upright as he spoke.

“I’ll meet you at the gates,” he said and then let him fall to the floor, dead.

CHAPTER XL

PERSEPHONE

Persephone stood with Hecate on her left and Hermes on her right. Farther down, Aphrodite and Hephaestus were flanked by Athena and Ares, both wielding their spears and shields. Then there was Artemis, who had been entrusted to use the golden arrows during battle and heal those who had been wounded.

Directly behind them were the most experienced soldiers among their Faithful army. They had large shields that they locked in place to create a barrier so they could advance on the Impious army opposite them.

Leading the Impious were Kai, Damian, Machaon, and an additional demigod Persephone had not seen before.

“The one on the right is new,” said Artemis, her eyes narrowing.

“His name is Perseus,” said Dionysus. “And he is mine.”

“Damn,” said Hermes. “You picked the hot one.”

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