Page 45 of Tyr

Fallon had yet to let go of Hephaestus’ arm.

“You can call me tomorrow or the next day if you want,” said Celeste. “Maybe we can have lunch.”

Fallon smiled. “I’d like that. Thank you all so much for your help. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

Tyr handed her back the phone, and Fallon and Hephaestus moved a few steps away. Phes stopped and jogged back, pulling something out of his jacket. “You dropped your merch. I didn’t want anyone to take it.”

Celeste took the items and smiled. “Thank you, Phes. It was great to meet you. I hope to see you again soon.”

He gave her a strong, one-armed hug. “Absolutely.”

Hephaestus strode back to Fallon and offered her his arm. “Don’t screw it up, Tyr. She’s a keeper,” he called.

Celeste blushed and had to duck her head to keep Tyr from seeing the smile that spread across her face.

Tyr splayed his hand on the small of her back and led her to his car without a word.

Celeste chewed her lip, trying to decide how best to approach the subject of his eye color.

“Fallon’s gonna be alright, right?”

“Hephaestus will die before he lets anything happen to her on his watch.”

“I wasn’t implying he would do anything. I meant the demon. He can’t come back for her, can he?”

“There’s no coming back from where I sent him.”

“Good.” Celeste thought about Tyr’s words.“Hephaestus will die before he lets anything happen to her on his watch.”

She pulled to a stop. “Wait. Hephaestus is an immortal. He can’t die.”

He finally looked straight at her again. “Then I guess she’s safe, isn’t she?”

He opened the car door for Celeste, and she slid into her seat. The noise of all the people dropped away as soon as the door closed, and Celeste relaxed.

They drovein silence for a long time. As they neared the portal, Celeste realized they were going to go back to the Underworld.

She gazed out the window and let her mental barrier down. She shouldn’t have done it, and she knew she shouldn’t have. He would be mad she went up there, but she couldn’t help but try.

“Papa?”

She waited, the portal coming into view.

“Papa, are you there?”

The silence that stretched out from her call made Celeste’s heartbeat quicken. Why wasn’t he answering?

They’d almost made it to the portal.

She threw out a call as wide as she was able.“Dad! Where are you?”

Seventy yards.

“Sylax!”

Sixty.

Forty.

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