Page 204 of A Touch of Chaos

“I have Zeus’s balls in a jar,” said Hecate.

Everyone looked at the goddess.

“Okay, that is definitely distracting,” said Hermes, adding under this breath, “and disturbing.”

“They can be a powerful weapon,” Hecate said. “It just depends on what is born from them.”

“I think we’re all aware,” said Hermes. “Do we really want to play chance with Zeus’s balls? I mean, what if we get another Ares?” His mouth twisted in disgust.

“Fuck you, Hermes,” said Ares.

“It’s a valid concern!”

“I think if we are going to offer something to entice Theseus to open his gates, we should know what it is,” said Athena.

Hades had an idea, but no one was going to like it.

“What about surrender?”

“You cannot be serious,” said Aphrodite.

“As the dead,” he replied.

“You keep using that joke, and it’s not even funny,” said Hermes.

Hades ignored him. “Theseus would open the gates if he thought I was surrendering.”

“No,” said Persephone. “He would kill you the moment you stepped over his threshold.”

“He will want to gloat before he does that,” saidHades. “It is a valid plan. I will go tonight and offer an alliance. By the time you arrive at his gates, I will have them open.”

“And if you don’t?” Persephone asked. He could feel her fear and her fury. “What do we do then?”

“You fight until they open,” he said.

“That all sounds well and good,” said Hephaestus. “But what about Cronos? The Titan can manipulate our world, make us see things that are not there.”

“He will have to be distracted so he cannot use his power again,” said Hecate.

“I can manage that,” said Ares.

“You cannot,” said Hephaestus.

Hermes snickered.

“Are you trying to challenge me, metal leg?” asked Ares.

“Shut up, Ares,” Aphrodite snapped.

“I am warning you,” Hephaestus said. “You do not know Cronos’s capabilities because you were not there today.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Persephone spoke. “What about Prometheus?”

“He would certainly distract Cronos,” said Hades. “There is no love between the two.”

“Will he join our side?”

“He will not exactly join our side,” said Hecate. “But he will help if mortals are under threat. We will not have to ask him for that. He will just appear as he did today.”

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