Page 1 of Salt & Blood

DAUGHTER

PRUE

Prue staredat Apollo as he lounged on the throne—Cyrus’sthrone—while her heart flipped in her chest. Cyrus and Gaia stood behind her. The three of them had rushed into the throne room as soon as they had sensed the presence of another god. The chrome walls of the throne room were as immaculate as ever, a stark contrast to the ruins just outside the castle.

Apollo was here.

Her fatherwas here. And he wanted to rule the Underworld.

How was she supposed to stop this man—thisgod? Cyrus was human, and he despised her. She wasn’t sure if she could trust him to help her.

She was on her own.

“You have no authority here,” Gaia said from beside Prue, her voice sure and steady. The strength in her tone grounded Prue, reminding her she was not as alone as she thought.

Apollo’s dark eyes flashed as he fixed a venomous gaze on Gaia. “Hello,wife,” he spat. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Gaia replied calmly. “But you don’t belong here, Apollo. You have made many enemies by isolating the people here. You should leave now. While you can.”

Apollo chuckled, sliding off the throne and striding toward Gaia, his movements lithe and graceful. Ever the king.

Prue went rigid, holding perfectly still as her father drew closer. Somehow, she could sense Cyrus behind her, though she didn’t dare look over her shoulder at him. The last thing she needed was a reminder of the hateful look in his eyes when he said those terrible things to her.

“I have more authority here than you do, Gaia,” Apollo said, his mouth curling into a smirk. “If anyone should stop me from taking the throne, it would certainly not be you.”

“The kingdom already has a king and a queen,” Prue said, finding her voice at last. “It does not need another.”

Apollo’s gaze slid to her with a keen interest that made her skin prickle with unease. “Ah. Prudence, is it? I’ve waited a long time to meet you.” A hungry gleam shone in his eyes, and Prue resisted the urge to step back.

Power,Gaia had told her.Apollo will do anything for power.

And he wanted hers.

“And why is that?” Cyrus asked loudly. Prue’s breath caught in her throat as her husband drew nearer, standing alongside her, as if the past hour hadn’t happened at all.

As if they were still a united front, protecting this realm as husband and wife.

“Why were you so anxious to meet my wife?” Cyrus asked, his voice lethal. In this moment, he might have been powerless, but his tone and his posture oozed authority.

He was bluffing. And Prue prayed to the Goddess that Apollo would fall for it.

Apollo looked over Cyrus with a slight frown. “You look different from when I last saw you.”

Cyrus only glared at him, refusing to offer an explanation.

If Apollo suspected anything about Cyrus’s loss of power, he didn’t mention it. Instead, he said, “Well, don’t worry, nephew. I won’t harm your witchling. At least, not yet.”

Cyrus made a low sound in his throat and bared his teeth at the sun god. “Don’t call me that,” he bit out.

“What? Nephew?”

Cyrus’s nostrils flared as he took a threatening step toward Apollo.

Apollo laughed. “Your father and I were comrades in arms. We grew up together. Fought together. He was my most trusted commander. Even if we were not brothers in the flesh, he was more a brother to me than anyone else.”

“I. Don’t. Care.” Cyrus enunciated each word. “I am not your friend or ally, and I am certainly not your family. Get out of my kingdom.”

“Ah, see, I can’t do that. Clearly, this realm is not fit to be ruled by the likes of you.” He gestured to Prue and Cyrus. “Look what happened under your rule! This entire kingdom is in shambles.”

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