Page 261 of Blood of Hercules
“It stated,” Augustus interrupted him smoothly, “that we could not marryonlyone of the ten Chthonic names that were listed in the law. Alexis Hert was not on that list.”
“But,” Zeus sputtered. “The purpose of the law?—”
Kharon interrupted him. “The purpose of the law does not matter. What matters is that we have obeyed the letter of the law in exactitude. As Alexis isnotlisted, there should be no problem.”
Zeus clenched his hands into fists, face reddening, but he said nothing.
Air left my sternum—the two men in wolf’s heads had asked me where my jewels were.
It had been them.
They’d wanted to know why I wasn’t wearing their horrid gifts.
And they’d touched me so . . . intimately.
The worst part? I’d enjoyed it. A part of me had known. But like a fool, I’d ignored the warning signs.
They probably laughed about it afterward.
They’d been playing a twisted game for months.
Setting me up for marriage.
Using me.
To avoid a marriage law.
There’s something wrong with them. They’re... sick in the head.
I could feel their ferality from yards away in the way they watched me. Their eyes were a little too wide, postures a little too stiff.
They used charisma to hide what they really were.
Father John was mistaken. The devil wasn’t a lone figure—he was two men, and both were standing across from me, splattered in gore.
Savage promises glinted in their expressions.
The emotions were suddenly too much.
I’d never had a romantic relationship, and nowthiswas happening to me. I was in way over my head.
My lower lip trembled as I glared at them, and Augustus’s face fell.
He looked shattered.
I looked away.
Everything blurred, and time was fuzzy on the edges, as my head spun with blood loss.
Zeus cleared his throat, an edge of spite in his gaze as he looked at me. “Under the article three amendments,” he said harshly, “the law states clearly that all Chthonics are required to join the Assembly of Death, if they survive the crucible. It is our law—she must join. As a Chthonic, she also... must compete in the upcoming Gladiator Competition.”
Persephone cried out as Zeus and Hades started arguing.
Helen sobbed harder in the sand.
Bone-weary, just wanting the day (life) to be over with, I staggered to the group.
“I’ll do it,” I said.
