Page 188 of A Touch of Chaos

“So what are you going to do?” asked Leonidas. “Free Zeus and hope he brings about peace?”

“Why does everyone keep suggesting that?” Hermes muttered.

“It has been a long time since Zeus has brought about peace,” said Hades.

“So you do not mean to free him?” asked Jorn.

“At this moment, my brother is not my priority,” said Hades.

“Then what is your priority?” asked Damianos. “So we are all clear.”

“First, we find a way to give shelter to the innocent,” he said. “But we cannot take people across the sea. Poseidon will sink your ships if you manage to get them on one.”

“Many have fled to temples hoping for protection,” said Ptolemeos. “But rumor has it that Theseus intends to raid them in the morning.”

Hades exchanged a look with Persephone who asked, “Can we shelter here?”

“We could,” said Ilias. “The challenge is getting them here safely, especially without the aid of Dionysus’s tunnels.”

“We are certain they are useless?” Hades asked.

There was a part of him that did not believe it.

“There is a chance a few have drained, but there willbe bodies,” said Ptolemeos.

“And there are no survivors?” Persephone asked.

The old man shook his head. “None who have come forward, though I do not imagine they know where to go given the state of the city.”

“Has anyone heard from Dionysus?” Hades asked. The god was just as involved as he was with the underground and well known among this crowd, but everyone shook their head except Hermes.

“He came to me a few nights ago and asked for my sandals,” said Hermes, hesitating for a moment before he added, “He had some business on an island that belonged to Poseidon. I have not seen or heard from him since.”

Hades suspected there was more to that story Hermes did not wish to share with the group. As much as he hated it, they were going to have to use the tunnels. Maybe along the way, they would find a few survivors.

“I think it is a risk we must take,” said Hades grimly.

“Can we not…teleport them?” Persephone asked.

“If I do, I risk drawing the attention of my brother,” said Hades. “And I do not want any more casualties if I can help it.”

Someone chuckled, and Hades’s looked up to meet Ptolemeos’s gaze.

“What?” the mortal asked. “Does no one else find this ironic? The God of the Dead worrying over life?”

“If you knew him, you wouldn’t find it ironic,” Persephone snapped.

Madelia’s lips twitched, and Hades’s hand tightened on Persephone’s waist.

“So we empty the temples and Theseus has no one to sacrifice tomorrow. What then?” asked Jorn.

“I say we blow them up just as the demigods head inside,” said Leonidas.

“An explosion likely won’t harm them,” said Hermes. “For all we know, they are invincible like us.”

“You don’t seem to be all that invincible anymore,” Damianos pointed out.

Hermes glared. “I’ll show you invincible,” he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

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