Page 98 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

Duncan moves to the side, and I push past Jed. “Sorry, Jed, no gods allowed,” Duncan says.

Jed folds his arms. “What if it’s a trap?” he says.

“How would it be a trap?” I ask, coming to stop in the middle of the living area.

“Someone could have kidnapped Charlie and be making him call you.”

Duncan, Zee and I chuckle, Jed’s frown deepens. “You don’t know my uncle Charlie, but his stubbornness makes mine look tame. He would die before leading us into a trap.”

“Torture takes many forms,” he mutters.

I shrug. “And that’s why our lovely government trains us to withstand the many forms available.”

Duncan grabs my hand. “You first, Locks. I’ll be back for you, Zee.”

“What about Aaden?” Jed asks, narrowing his eyes.

“We’ll make up an excuse,” Zee lies without missing a beat.

A giggle sounds from the bedroom as Emi shouts, “Oh my goddess, yes, right there, baby.”

“Unless you want to disturb them?” Zee asks with a cocky smirk.

Jed shakes his head. “No, I’ll touch base with Zac, make sure his head hasn’t imploded with the thought of the looming wedding.”

I snort a laugh seconds before the room twists and blackness claims the world. I stagger onto hard ground, looking around the familiar area. “Why did you bring us here?” I ask, spying the beautiful view of nighttime Seattle from the floor to ceiling window, the moon spilling her light across the bay.

“Your grandpa’s apartment is warded against everything I can think of, Jed will expect us all to go offline with our auras when we hit the SIP’s wards. This is the only place that would have the same effect. I’ll go get Zee.”

He disappears from under my hand, my heart leaps. I’ve seen people disappear, I’m almost used to it. But touching them whilst they blink out of existence is disconcerting. I’m still looking like a dumbstruck idiot when Duncan and Zee appear a few feet to my left.

Duncan frowns. “What’s wrong?”

“How long did it take you to stop being wigged out by people disappearing?”

He shrugs. “It was common in my home growing up.” He gestures towards the curved sofas. I sit across from him and Zee. Duncan looks between us. “Which one of you is going to tell me why we are sneaking around behind Jed and Emi’s back.”

“In Archan’s office at Reinheart and Hunter, there is a set of blades which can kill a god. We need them.”

He sits back on the sofa and scrubs his hand down his face. “Are you planning on killing a god?”

“What happens if the ‘stuff Ty back in the Jar’ doesn’t work?” I ask.

“I know, but it’s Archan,” Duncan says, his eyes boring into my soul.

“There won’t be any world left for us to save if Ty releases the occupants of Tartarus.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

My mouth dries and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. “I will do everything I can to save everybody.”

Zee leans forward to look at me. “But?”

I stand and pace in front of the fireplace. “He’s a god, the one other god’s feared. We would be idiots to think he hasn’t figured out we will try to stop him with everything we have.”

“But he’s counting on you not being able to kill Archan,” Zee utters.

“And for you not to have the means to do it at all,” Duncan adds.

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