Page 166 of Immortal Sun

“What?” I peer over at him.

“Best to ask forgiveness than permission.” He slams his hands together creating the sound of thunder. The skies open farther.

And a thousand fallen angels march out with silver and black armor, they form lines across the beach, followed by Cassius and Anubis, and standing next to them is Horus who I haven’t seen in ages—Mason a werewolf, King of the Earth, Ethan a vampire who hates everyone, and finally, one of my descendants from so very long ago, a male siren with just enough of my immortal blood within him to make him a serious threat to the world—Alex. Their wives, goddesses of the earth in their own rights, stand next to them, eyes full of fury.

And then they come.

The gods of Olympus descend onto the sand with one final clap of thunder.

“I failed.” I confess to myself as I manage to walk down the rock stairs one last time. I manage to make it across the beach of a thousand soldiers staring straight ahead at the water ready for war—ready to stand under the burden of the sun.

I approach the final thirteen gods of Olympus.

Gaia is still beautiful, her jet-black hair falls down past her waist; she’s in black armor and still refuses to wear a helmet since her beauty is her weapon.

According to her.

Full pale lips form into a tight line. “So is it the beginning or the end, Ra? Only we can decide what happens, and yet you still plan to go against the other immortals you know Apep has pulled to his side? You know he’ll be manipulating them even now.”

I nod. “Yes, I know, Gaia.”

“And what do you think, Mars?”

Mars shakes his head, he’s shirtless as he often is, and wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers that he probably just bought before coming here. He has two swords strapped to his back, and his hair is pulled up on top of his head. “Hard to say.”

“You don’t need to help us,” I say. “Go back to Olympus, this isn’t your fight.”

Mars laughs. “It may not be our fight, but we will always protect you. He cheated. Therefore, it’s null and void, your test. Have you forgotten yourself so easily after each sacrifice, you are the very sun we need to survive? Life isn’t so easy, Ra. It is about sacrifice, but it seems the more power you lose the more desperate you are to find, the more you convince yourself you really don’t have a choice.” He peers around Gaia. “Well, do you? Do you have a choice?”

“We’re talking about Chaos ruling the world I shake my head. So, no.”

“Destinies change. So do fates,” Gaia says. “It is how they created the worlds, so why would this be different? You are powerful, and now you are blinded by true love and revenge all at the same time.”

“Go.” Mars drives one of his swords into the beach. It starts to rumble, the water parts as a blood-red bridge in front of us and on the other side stands Apep, Enki, and the remaining fallen gods.

Tyr, God of War.

Delling, God of Dawn.

Nemesis, the God of Revenge, next to Fury.

And Jake.

I take a step forward.

Jake is holding a sword, his hands red with blood, his eyes matching them. His hair runs down his back in white braids, he’s standing next to Apep with a cruel smile on his face.

“Not yet,” Gaia speaks softly. “He’s Apep’s son. She has descended, he has ascended and Apep has secretly stored forbidden power within him as well. He’s created a weapon.

Power corrupts, dear Ra, absolutely. You know this. I sense the power of Apep within him. I do not know how or what happened but he is storing it.”

I fall to my knees in agony. “WHY!”

“Go.” Gaia’s whisper carries across the wind. “Go search for her, go to the depths of the underworld. We will take care until we cannot.”

“And if you die?” I’m on my knees.

Mars’s hands slowly move to his other sword. His eyes are pure black, his hair is in blue braids that fall over his chest. His brows are heavily slanted, his skin a light brown.

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