Page 48 of Hades

War places his palm flat against it, and a secret hatch pops open revealing red armor and a matching double-bladed sword.

Next is Drevi. His armor is black, and his weapon is a scythe. Frank has arrows, but Pyro doesn’t have a weapon stored.

“Pyro, where is your weapon?”

“My hands are all I need,” he replies as he pulls a leather chest plate over his head.

“Hades, do you have any armor?” Frank asks, concerned.

I snap my fingers and in a flicker of hellfire I am clothed in my leather armor, azure just like the steaks in my hair.

“What about a weapon?” Drevi asks.

“I will have one once I have a need for it.” I make sure to meet each of their gazes, my tone and expression serious. “You four owe me nothing. If you want to back out, I won’t hold it against you.”

Drevi, who is standing next to me, cups my face in his hands. “In all my years wandering this earth, for the first time, I no longer have a piece of my soul missing. All just from being near you and knowing that you are in my life. Yes, I sound like acheesy chick flick, but it’s the truth. If you ask my brothers, they’ll probably say the same.”

I am awestruck, his words hit my heart like a ton of bricks, leaning on the wall to support me. Never in all my years did I think love so unconditional would be mine. “I don’t think I’d want to live any longer if anything happens to any of you,” I say, choking up a little as the words get stuck in my throat.

The rest of the horsemen move in closer and surround me in their arms. “You wanted us, and now you can’t get rid of us. You are ours and we are yours. No take-backs, no returns, and no refunds,” Pyro teases, but there’s a seriousness in his voice.

I can’t contain my laugh. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand. It’s time to kick Ares’s ass,” War announces.

All but one set of arms lets me go. “Pyro and Drevi are both right, you are stuck with us.” Frank smiles. “Hades, will you materialize us to the spot in the desert we visited yesterday? We need to stand our ground when Ares and his army arrives.”

“Everyone ready?”

“Yes,” all four reply at once.

I snap my fingers and in a flash we are standing right where we decided was the best place to make our stand.

“Now, we wait.”

As the sunbegins to rise, a glint catches my eye. We have been searching for any sign of Ares and this must be it.

Finally. Leave it to him to make a statement. The man was dramatic.

“Here they come. He will have the archers in the front,” I inform my men.

Oh, I like that thought. My men.

With a wave of my hand, bronze shields appear, one for each of us. A little more than a whisper is carried on the wind. “Archers, at the ready.”

I focus my gaze on them. “Do you four trust me?”

“With our lives.”

“On my mark, raise your shields together and we will form a barrier to block this onslaught of arrows. Wait for it, steady. . . “

The thwack of the arrow leaving the bow is the signal I was patiently waiting for. “Now,” I scream as we are showered with metal tipped sticks.

“Advance,” Ares’s voice yells.

“Weapons at the ready!” As the words leave my mouth, the thunder of thousands of feet grows louder by the second.

The swordsmen are the first to arrive, the archers must have fallen back. War and Drevi step out in front, the clang of metal on metal ringing free in the desert.

---