Page 85 of Summer's Seduction

I looked up at the sun's shining brilliance, catching the hint of a shorter, stockier figure just behind Apollo. He was broad across the shoulders, his arms as thick as tree trunks, and he clutched a chain-link net in his hands.

A steel chariot broke away from the golden one at its side, the metallic horses smoking as their engines churned, swooping down right over where Aphrodite stood firing arrows. She didn’t see him until it was too late.

Hephaestus threw the enchanted net, the links fanning out until they covered Aphrodite. The ends then snapped together like magnets drawn to one another.

“Time to come home, wife, and reap the punishments you’ve sown.” Hephaestus rumbled, reaching over the side and scooping up the net with Aphrodite still inside.

She screamed and kicked, but Hephaestus simply tossed her over his shoulder as the mechanic horses rose, aiming for the shifting patch of sky, and then slipped through the portal.

Ares’s snarl shook the ground, his horses bucking and spitting fire as he turned his back on the troops and started after them.

“We need to press our advantage,” Hades bellowed, kicking his dark beasts into action. The souls of Cocytus were in disarray without Ares to lead them, making quick work for The Lord of The Underworld.

“Let’s go hunting, girls,” Artemis called, lifting her silver bow to the fury-filled sky.

“Our pleasure,” Camilla grinned, looking like a cat set free on a mouse.

I noticed the pouches containing The Sands of Slumber had ceased, but I couldn’t see Morpheus through the cloud of battle. Focusing on our connection, I turned inward. There were flickers of rage, remorse, and resignation all mixing together. He was engaged in battle somewhere. I pulled back, not wanting to be the distraction that got him killed.

Instead, I called to the howling beasts in the trees, coaxing my chimeras to join me in a feast of blood. Their lion roars had picked up, growing louder as the sounds of goat hooves pounded the forest floor.

The first reached my side, nuzzling my hand as its blue serpent tail coiled around my wrist.

“Good to see you again,” I cooed, scratching behind its ears as the snake released me, turning its attention to the throng of humans stumbling toward us. They were still bewitched, most of them with bodies that had burned past the point of saving.

“Stun those who can be saved,” I commanded. “And enjoy the ones you can’t.”

With a lick of its sandpaper tongue, the beast was off, leading the charge. I watched as my creatures did my bidding, linking my darkness with their consciousness as the pack cut through the humans with ease.

It was like looking through the lens of a hundred eyes at once. I was still in my body but also theirs, relishing the bite of flesh and the tear of muscle through my lion’s fangs while also remaining apart.

We coiled and struck, teeth ripping as we thinned the enemy’s line until only one battle was left. Until we were staring at Morpheus, my beautiful Dark Prince, faceoff against the one being we wished to see dead more than any other: Hypnos.

MORPHEUS

Iflitted through the sky, keeping to the light as I dodged golden arrows. That bitch would have to be dealt with soon, but Aphrodite would have to wait for now. It was time I stopped my father the only way I knew how: through death. Ironic that he was the one who’d demanded I be more ruthless, who’d insisted I learned when I was still a boy that there was no room for mercy on the battlefield.

“Leave him,” Hypnos called as Aphrodite notched another arrow, her cheeks flushed with anger. “This mistake is mine to fix.”

Those words stung more than any arrow could. Some small, naive part of me had hoped for a different outcome. And maybe that was why I’d resisted my title for so long. Because I knew it would always end this way—with either my blade ending his life or his ending mine.

As much as I wished we’d diverted from this path, I knew this moment was much larger than myself. Slaying Hypnos and claiming my throne was the only way to save my people. To save Larkspur.

Chimera’s roared in the distance, their howls growing closer. They worshiped Larkspur almost as much as I did. My littlemonster had been so brave—so fucking selfless to give her life for mine. She would be a beautiful, fearsome queen, and it was time I gave her a kingdom worth fighting for.

He set The Cornucopia down, The white poppies along the rim looking faded and nearly empty.

“You’ve been abusing your power,” I said, raising my sword, not surprised as he withdrew his blade.

His greatest weakness was arrogance. He still thought of me as the vapid little boy, the spoiled prince. He’d forgotten the monster he’d forged me into. I was quicker than him, stronger, and though I had no doubt his thirst for power and recognition that fueled this war was endless, my love for Larkspur was greater.

Hypnos shrugged as we circled each other. “It’s mine to abuse, boy. I’ve earned the right to use it as I please, not that you would know anything about what it takes to run a kingdom.”

He lashed out, a quick jab that would’ve left me gutted had I not parried the blow.

“I would do things differently,” I said in earnest. I would listen to our people.”

“Don’t be stupid,” he sneered, feigning left and striking right. He kept coming, his words punctuated by each swipe of his blade. I deflected each one as I held on hope that he would see the change that needed to happen. “You wouldn’t be able to handle this type of power. You’ve never been responsible for a single thing in your entire life. I should have known that whore would only breed filth.”

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