Page 52 of Salt & Blood

Mona looked up, her gaze passing over each deity in turn. “I’m going to the Underworld to help my sister.”

Marina huffed in exasperation. “That’s not?—”

“Try and stop me,” Mona hissed, her eyes flashing. In this moment, she looked just as fierce as the Gorgon, her face hard and unyielding. Pandora had never seen her like this before.

“I’m going with her,” Evander said, sliding his arm around Mona’s waist. “My brother needs me as well.”

“Neither of you is going anywhere until we figure out how to save Elysium,” Marina barked.

“You have no authority over us,” Mona snapped. “We are not your subjects, and you are not our queen.”

“I am the vessel of Hestia, the fire goddess who gave herlifefor you!” Marina roared, and this time shedidrise several feet in the air, her eyes burning amber and her hair floating around her as if it were underwater. Romanos suddenly grabbed Pandora’s arm, whirling her around with her back to the Gorgon.

“What are you—” Pandora muttered, struggling against his grip, but he held firm.

“Do not look directly into her eyes,” Romanos warned, and Pandora went still, the back of her neck prickling with awareness as a powerful energy flooded the room.

“Hestia dedicated her life to the protection of Elysium,” Marina went on, her voice resonating and echoing as if several people were speaking. “Now, it is in our hands. You would do well to remember that Elysium is the home of your ancestors. You are not a mortal anymore, Pomona. You are a goddess. And your duty is to protect the home of your birthright.”

A low hissing noise filled the air, and Pandora resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. Had Marina morphed into a snake?

“Marina,” Rom called, his voice full of warning. “Settle your serpent. If you turn us all to stone, there’s not much we can do for Elysium.”

A chill skittered down Pandora’s spine. “What is she?” she whispered.

“She has the soul of Medusa inside her,” Rom said.

Pandora stiffened.Medusa.She only knew the name from stories, but the woman had died ages ago. Cursed with the hair of serpents, she had the power to turn others to stone with a single look.

She’s like me,Pandora thought.Marina is just like me.

Except it seemed she had bonded with the soul, whereas Pandora was at war with hers. And she was losing.

Gradually, the powerful energies dispersed, leaving a chill in their wake. The hissing sounds vanished, and Romanos’s grip on Pandora’s arm loosened. Slowly, she turned back to the group to find Marina back to her normal height, her eyes returning to their usual green. She stared Mona down, and Mona glared in response.

“I will go,” Pandora said quickly. “I will help rebuild Elysium. I have the blood of Apollo and Gaia in my veins.” She wasn’t sure what possessed her to say it, but she didn’t want the Gorgon sisters attacking Mona.

Marina turned her steely gaze to Pandora before shaking her head. “You are not strong enough, and you do not possess sun magic.”

“But I do,” said a voice from across the room.

Pandora’s heart seized in her chest as she turned to find Sol on his feet. He still seemed pale, and he was cradling one hand to his chest, but his gaze was firm as it locked with hers.

“I’ll go with Trivia,” Sol said, striding toward them. “We can activate the fail-safe together.”

Pandora swallowed hard. How long had he been awake and listening?He called me Trivia,she thought. She wasn’t sure if he had overheard what she’d said to Mona, or if he somehow knew that was the name she preferred.

She found she couldn’t look away from him as his gaze held hers. Something intense stirred in those dark eyes, drawing her in, freezing her in place. It wasn’t the same loathing she was accustomed to, but it was just as powerful, just as volatile. She feared if she kept looking, it would destroy her completely.

Why did you push me out of the way when the hydra attacked?she desperately wanted to ask him.Why didn’t you just let it destroy me?

She couldn’t deny it. Something had changed between them. They had both shown they would sacrifice everything to save each other.

But the darkness of her past couldn’t be ignored. It wasn’t something they could just brush past. Even if Sol did not hold hatred for her like he did before, it was possible nothing had changed between them. She was still a villain who had wronged him.

“It is an acceptable alternative,” whispered one of the Gorgon sisters, jolting Pandora from her tangled thoughts.

“Perhaps,” Marina said softly. “But we need?—”

---