Page 41 of The Brothers Bane

“It is time to rest for real, my love. Alcides will wake you when it’s time to train. Don’t let this mongrel disturb your sleep.”

She shoots me a warning look, but it’s tinged with affection I didn’t know she felt. I give a terse nod, understanding her silent missive. Sleep is what our mate needs now, so sleep is what she will get. As much as I’d love to lie beside her and hold her, I relent, shifting back to my canine shape and curling up at the foot of the bed to guard her while she slumbers.

18

Vesh

Ipace back and forth at the end of the large table in our war room, a storm brewing inside me. My guards have assembled as requested, all save three, but their postures are a mix of defiance and anticipation. Tension crackles in the air, almost as palpable as the magic pulsing through my veins.

I clench my fists, trying to contain the frustrated rage that’s ready to erupt. “Where the fuck are my brothers?” I start, my voice sharp as a blade. I send the question mentally to the bastards in question, but the utter lack of response from them makes me clench my fists so hard purple lightning crackles out from them.

“I think you know the answer to that, boss,” Pan says.

I dart an exasperated look at the faun. “One day until we hit Pandemonium, two until we face those damned Titans, and my brothers are too busy playing house with Nemea to bother showing up.”

Asterius raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. Cerberus shifts uneasily, each of his three heads emitting erratic whines. Chrysaor and Pan exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them.

“You’ve all bonded with her now?” I can barely keep the snarl from my voice. “All night in her sanctuary, indulging in distractions when we have a prison to secure and Titans to bring to heel?”

Campe stands up straighter, her eyes flaring with that prismatic fire I know all too well. “Getting Nemea to full power is part of preparing her for battle,” she retorts sharply.

A bitter laugh erupts from me unbidden. “Preparing her for battle? Is that what you call it?” Sarcasm drips like venom from my words, but even I can’t deny what a hypocrite I am. I can still smell her on them—onallof them—and I have zero doubt Typhon and Erebus are with her still.

Campe’s face hardens, and she steps closer. “She’s more than just a weapon, Vesh,” she snaps back at me. “She’s a person, with powers that we need at their peak if we’re going to stand a chance. You said yourself this heist will be easy. We had a successful dry run yesterday. We’re all as ready as we’ll get.” She spreads her hands as if about to placate me, then shakes her head and clenches them into fists. “I should be preparing to train her to fight, but I’m here listening to your bullshit. Get your shit together.”

The rest of the room goes dead quiet at her insolence. But she continues to hold my gaze, challenging me. Before I can argue further, she disappears in a swirl of violet smoke, leaving behind only the echo of her defiance.

“Fuck!” I curse under my breath, slamming my palm against the table. The obsidian-like surface ripples with the impact before settling back into stillness.

Cerberus lets out an eerie, low-pitched howl, and I snap my gaze to him.

“What the fuck is wrong with him? He’s been acting off since Erebus left.”

Asterius clears his throat. “He is more closely bonded to you and your brothers than the rest of us. His loyalties are split.”

I turn to Asterius. He’s always been the one to keep his head when everyone else loses theirs.

“We need focus,” I state firmly, trying to regain control of the meeting and myself. “I need you all on top of your game.” My eyes scan the room, landing on each guard in turn. What’s left of them, anyway.

Cerberus woofs, his central head snapping to attention, eyes sharp and focused. The other two heads, however, continue their erratic behavior—one snarling and baring its teeth, the other whimpering and shaking as if caught in a nightmare.

“And we need someone to fill Erebus’ place,” I continue, ignoring Cerberus’ unease for now.

“I’m the only other guard who can fill that role,” Pan says. “Perhaps we send Asterius to seduce Sybil. Give him my appearance.”

I shake my head. “She’ll know he isn’t a satyr. It’ll be easier to fool Chaos with Campe, since Sybil’s part dragon.”

“They say Chaos came to Sybil as a bull their first time. What if I’m not disguised as the faun? What if I pretend to be her mate?” Asterius offers.

“She’ll definitely know you aren’t him. We can’t diverge from that part of the plan. Pan will seduce Sybil. I’ll meet with Erika, see if she has any ideas. Meanwhile, if I catch any of you fuckers leaving the prison without my permission, I’ll fucking lock you back up.”

I endure their bitter looks before I wave a hand to dismiss them. Our time is running short. I don’t have time for them to indulge their libidos outside the prison, away from my attention. I need to fucking get Nemea back, to keep things contained if nothing else.

As much as I hate to admit it, without Nemea’s full cooperation and without my brothers by my side, our chances are looking slimmer by the minute.

The silenceof the night wraps around me like a cloak as I stand at the edge of Erika’s excavation site. It’s an hour when even the restless souls of the world find solace in sleep. My gaze drifts southward, pulled by an invisible thread toward where Nemea is staying. The idea of seeing her, just to catch a glimpse, is a temptation that stirs within me like a restless wind. But I don’t sense her in the world at the moment, which means she’s likely still slumbering inside her sanctuary.

In Tartarus, time bends to my will—a convenient feature that I assume her secret sanctuary shares. To her, hours of passion with my guards might feel like an eternity, while here, in the mortal world, it’s been mere moments. This thought offers me a flicker of optimism. Now that they are all bonded with her, they should be more efficient with their time—as long as their trysts remain within the confines of her magical space. Though keeping them confined to Tartarus would be preferable.

---