Page 30 of Salt & Blood

“You don’t have the right to order me around,” he growled.

“No, I don’t. But if you insist on tormenting me, then I’ll do the same to you.”

He chuckled. “You can’t hurt me, Pandora.”

She offered a cruel smile. “You know what I think? I think it’s your guilt that’s fueling you. Guilt for letting this happen to her. For not evenrealizingwhat your beloved mentor was doing, right under your very nose.That’swhy you can’t kill me. You’re angry with yourself for standing by while Apollo lied to and deceived everyone.”

She turned away, ready to put distance between them. He grabbed her arm, his grip bruising, and whirled her to face him once more. “Don’t youdarepretend to know me just because you have her soul inside you,” he hissed. “You are not her.”

“I know that,” Pandora whispered. “But do you?” She stared at him for a long moment until he released her, his expression going slack. She took advantage of his confusion and slipped away from him, weaving through witches until she stood beside Mona. Her sister looked her over with a slight frown but said nothing, resuming her conversation with Evander.

Pandora rubbed her arms, but a chill seemed to seep into her very bones, icing her blood. She didn’t want to hurt Sol. But he was in agony, and he was lashing out at her for the wrong reasons. Yes, she deserved it, but he was broken, and until he realized that, he would never heal.

Pandora walked silently with Mona and Evander until they reached the edge of the jungle. Farah took the first step. She entered the Voiceless Jungle without hesitation, her form vanishing between the shadows. When the rest of them followed, setting foot on the sacred soil of the jungle, the darkness swallowed up every sound, leaving nothing in its wake.

Leaving Pandora to the torment of her thoughts and memories.

SILENCE

MONA

Mona had been warnedthe Voiceless Jungle was ominously silent, but nothing could have prepared her for the jarring absence of sound. Even her footsteps made no noise. It felt like she had stepped into a yawning void of nothingness, a stasis between worlds that trapped her forever.

She had been between worlds before. She had been in a state of helplessness, disconnected from her soul and unable to fix it. Unable to move or do anything.

This felt a lot like that.

Mona swallowed hard, her heartbeat thundering louder than anything around her. From beside her, Evander’s warm hand captured her own and squeezed. If anyone understood how this would feel for her, it would be him. He had been her anchor during that time in the Underworld. Her guardian. Her savior.

Mona squeezed his hand in return and clung to the warmth of his body next to hers. Alive. Whole. Healthy.

It didn’t matter to her that he was altered. But she knew it bothered him. It would take some adjusting. He had lost a central part of himself that would never come back. And she was prepared to stand by him for as long as it took for him to come to terms with it.

On her left, she felt Pandora trembling beside her. She’d seen her sister conversing with Sol, and judging by their venomous expressions, the conversation had not gone well. Sol was full of a hatred that couldn’t be quenched, and Pandora was masochistic enough to let him torture her. Because she was in love with him.

But Mona knew it wasn’t her place to interfere. Both had to work out their own issues in their own time. Besides, the last person Sol would want to hear from was the woman who had gotten his mother killed. The reminder of Hestia’s sacrifice still ate at her, and being surrounded by the fire goddess’s acolytes only worsened Mona’s guilt.

If she hadn’t taken a stand before Apollo, Hestia would still be alive.

If Sol should blame anyone—besides Apollo himself—it should be Mona.

Mona’s steps were slow and careful as she followed the shadowed forms of the witches in front of her. Darkness surrounded her, but Farah’s palms were lit with the smallest of flames, providing a dark orange glow that guided their way. The coven leader seemed to know the right path to take, although there was no trail that Mona could see. Nothing but wild foliage and overhanging trees blocked the moonlight.

No twigs snapped. No leaves crunched. Not a single insect chirped.

There were no noises at all. The jungle might as well have been a graveyard.

A chill skittered across Mona’s skin, and she drew closer to Evander until his arm was pressed against hers. The warmth of him warded off the ice in her bones, and she inhaled his scent, clinging to that strong presence beside her.

Farah had warned them not to speak, that it would disturb the spirits that lived here. But all Mona wanted to do was talk to Evander. How did he feel? Was he all right? After they reached the Gorgon sisters, what did he want to do? Try to return to the Underworld? Stay here in the Realm of Gaia? Mona wanted to remain with Pandora, to support her sister. But if the Gorgon sisters determined she should be executed or imprisoned, Mona wasn’t certain what she could do.

Her heart twisted at the thought, even though, logically, she knew Pandora’s crimes were great. Many had perished because of her choices. If the Gorgons sentenced her to death, it would be warranted.

But that didn’t stop Mona from feeling guilt and anguish at the thought of losing her sister.

Pandora was cruel and vicious and conniving. But she was Mona’s blood. And, despite everything she had done, Pandora still had a heart. She was trying to make things right. She was trying to change her ways. People like Sol were making that difficult, but Mona could acknowledge the effort her sister was putting in.

It meant there was still some good in her, and Mona hoped this meant Pandora was strong enough to conquer her curse and the vengeful soul inside of her.

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