Page 71 of Salt & Blood

From the ground, Apollo climbed to his feet, massaging his neck. He nodded at Hyperion, who dropped his arms and withdrew to the line of Titans.

Cyrus’s breath seized within him.Dammit.As long as the Titans were backing Apollo, Cyrus would never win.

Power simmered in his veins, eager to be unleashed. But Cyrus had to save it for the right moment. He likely only had one shot. Apollo wouldn’t be foolish enough to let Cyrus touch him again. And now that Hyperion had seen firsthand what Cyrus could do, he wouldn’t let it happen, either.

Strike him straight through the heart,Cyrus told himself. A single strike of a god’s power at full blast would be enough to kill him. But it had to hit him directly in the heart.

Cyrus brought his hands together, and a pulsing vibration quaked through his fingers.

Apollo staggered back a step, his face paling, as he realized what Cyrus was about to do. His gaze flicked behind Cyrus as if searching for a way out. He brought his own hands together, no doubt to summon power to deflect Cyrus’s blow.

Cyrus unleashed the full strength of his sun magic, just as Apollo did the same… but his hands weren’t pointed at Cyrus.

Time seemed to freeze as someone shouted from behind him. Cyrus’s heart constricted in his chest as he heard Prue scream.

“No!” Cyrus roared, turning to see Prue fall to the ground. Lagos caught her by the shoulders before she collapsed. Her eyes were still open, but a searing black mark stained her shoulder.

Hershoulder.Not her chest. She wasn’t dead.

“Finish her!” Apollo bellowed.

Cyrus faced the sun god once more, finding him on the ground, clutching his bleeding arm.

Cyrus had missed.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on this. Hyperion strode forward, his venomous gaze fixed on Prue. He wielded his hands together, conjuring shadows, then blasted them straight at Prue.

Cyrus didn’t think. All he knew was he couldn’t let this vile beast destroy his wife. He dived, catching the Titan’s magic straight through his chest, absorbing the impact before he crashed to the ground. Screams echoed around him, and the smell of burning flesh stung his nostrils. Pain—blistering and unbearable—rocketed through him. He faintly heard Prue shouting his name before he succumbed to darkness.

COLLIDE

PANDORA

“More,”Gaia commanded.

Pandora didn’t bother stifling her irritation at the commanding tone ringing in her mother’s voice. “Moreplease.”

“I am not your subordinate. I do not owe you any manners or politeness.”

This had become the routine between them over the past two days. They stood on the shore near the edge of the wards, the ocean waves lapping around them.

Gaia was urging her to create a wall of vines that could completely block the wind. From the wind tousling Pandora’s red hair all over her face, it was clear she was failing.

Pandora flicked her wrists, clinging to the anger flaring within her, using it to fuel her power. Vines and brambles climbed from the ground, twining around her feet. But the foliage moved slowly, as if something were blocking its movements.

“More,” Gaia said again.

“I’mtrying,” Pandora snapped. “It won’t come.”

“It won’t come because you haven’t accessed your true powers. Pull on it more, Pandora.”

“It’s Trivia,” she bit out. “My name is Trivia.”

“Prove it. Prove you aren’t the goddess trapped inside you, but your own woman with your own magic. Show me.”

Pandora stifled a cry of frustration and flung her hands toward Gaia, envisioning her ivy coiling around the earth goddess’s throat until she choked.

Gaia’s blue eyes glinted, as if she knew exactly what Pandora was thinking. “You can’t do it without him, can you?” Gaia asked.

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