Page 12 of The Brothers Bane

Awareness finally fills his eyes and he heaves a weary sigh, slumping back into a chair against the wall. He rubs at his temples, massaging away the confusion that haunts the edges of his expression. “And Nemea… she’s central to all this too.” His tone softens, a pained grimace betraying his urgency for connection. Perhaps I should feel guilty for not facilitating his bond with her sooner, but her departure complicated matters to his detriment.

A sliver of genuine concern crosses his features as he looks back at me. His eyes search for something unsaid—a silent plea for equilibrium amongst the escalating turmoil. Equilibrium I’m not sure I can offer.

“My brothers know their tasks. And we’re all aware of Nemea’s importance to our mission. It’s the rest of you I need to make sure are clear on the plan. As we were discussing, Cerberus, you are tasked with keeping watch over Pan and Sybil at the saunas, while Chrysaor keeps watch in front of Chaos’ door. Sybil might want to make an orgy of it, but you are not to join in, got it? Naturally Campe will need to get Chaos alone so as to not give away our ruse. And to avoid contaminating our sample.”

“And what about after? Even with Chaos’ spunk in hand, opening that vault won’t be child’s play,” Pan points out.

“The essence will persuade the vault to open,” I explain. “It’ll believe Chaos himself stands before it.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Pan asks.

“It has to,” I reply.

Our plan is simple yet potentially devastating—a single misstep could spell disaster for my entire team, which is why my brothers’ displeasure sits so heavy on my shoulders.

But such is the nature of our existence now: teetering on the brink between Fate and Chaos. The stakes are too high for us to fail though, and glancing around the room at my team confirms that they understand how crucial it is that we succeed.

“When shall I go to Nemea?” Campe asks. “Surely you don’t want me to wait. There is little enough time remaining to train her as it is.” Her eagerness is well-contained on the surface, but I can sense her champing at the bit. Whether it’s simply the prospect of freedom that has her excited or of finally having Nemea mostly to herself, I can’t be sure.

“As soon as we’re finished today. I need to return to the Pandemonium for final reconnaissance and to get a look at the party arrangements in case there’s anything I may have overlooked. I need you all along for the ride. Then you can go to her.”

She cocks her head and narrows her eyes at me.

“What is it?” I snap. “I thought you were excited about this.”

“I am. But don’t you think there’s one thing you overlooked?”

I stop, fixing her with a look that has sent lesser beings scurrying. “Speak.”

She leans on the table, pinning me with one of her fiercest looks, as if to remind me that she’s older and wiser than I am. She’s the eldest of all of us. “First, you need to stop biting everyone’s heads off if you want this plan to work. We’re on your side, in case you’ve forgotten. Your brothers are too, so a little leniency with them can’t hurt. But more importantly, you owe Nemea an explanation at the very least. And an apology.”

My pride bristles at the thought of reaching out to Nemea after all that has transpired—after Alcides’ flight has cast doubt on my decisions, and now my own brothers seem to want to sow discord among the team.

Disconcertingly absent are the ever-present opinions of my brothers swirling around the back of my mind. Neither of them are here, which means they’ve gone to her. Never have my brothers been so angry with a choice I’ve made. Not even after that godsforsaken battle we fought on the island where Typhon lost three heads.

Asterius seems to sense my reluctance. “Vesh,” he says softly, “it’s not just about mending fences. It’s about ensuring our plans don’t unravel because we neglected one detail. A decision, I might add, that is slowly causing rifts to form among our ranks. There is only one thing that will mend those rifts. If we ever want her back, it has to start with you.”

He is right; Asterius often is when it comes to matters of foresight.

With a sigh that feels like it drags up from my very darkest depths, I relent.

“Fine,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll go talk to her.”

Asterius gives a slight nod of approval, and they all return to their duties, leaving me to absorb the conversation. There is no time to dwell on it now, though. With the power of a thought, I return to the Pandemonium and gird myself for the preparations for our heist.

7

Nemea

My eyes snap open in the pitch-black room, the chill of pre-dawn air nipping at my skin. I’ve slept fitfully and my covers are tangled around my legs. The dregs of strange dreams still coat my mind in sticky residue, making it difficult to separate them from reality. My heart hammers from the abrupt awakening, and it takes me a moment to orient myself to my location.

A female silhouette materializes in the darkness. “Rise and shine, Nemea,” Eleutheria says. “Training starts at five.”

Grumbling, I kick off the covers and swing my legs over the edge of the bunk. The floor’s cold bite is a sharp contrast to the warmth of the bed. “Already? I feel like I just closed my eyes.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to be caught sleeping in.” Ele’s voice is a mix of amusement and sternness.

I dress fast, yanking on the clothes Eleutheria hands me—a sports bra, a snug-fitting tank, and black athletic shorts that don’t restrict movement. The boots are a pleasant surprise, fitting as well as my own boots do. I lace them up, still grasping for the ambition to justify being awake at this ungodly hour.

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