Page 103 of The Shadow Gods

I could feel my body shutting down. My lungs didn't take in air. It got harder to breathe. I was going to suffocate.

Turning my head, I found Achilles watching me. He was in the same position as Hector—jerking, teeth clenched, fighting against something I couldn't see.

“Don't.” The word wrenched out of him, broken and harsh. I barely recognized his voice. His hazel eyes narrowed the longer we looked at each other. “Don't.”

I wanted to listen, but my serpents were quiet, and my power just as silent. There was nothing I could do.

Unable to draw a breath deep enough to speak, I mouthed the words. “I'm sorry.”

Back arching, Achilles let out a yell. It was a sound I’d never heard him make, and it hurt that I was its cause.

Where are you?Why would my power fail me now when I needed it most? A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, not one that was helpful. I didn't want to leave them.I didn't want to leave them.

But I didn't have a choice, and when the moment came and I couldn't breathe and my brain and body screamed, there was nothing I could do.

I died.

Achilles

There was a second when I thought I could keep her. When I thought she would listen. When I thought she could.

Pain blasted unceasingly along my nerves, in my blood, and over my skin. Pain was the price as undiluted power rushed from the seal into me. I stared at Leo, pushing all my will to survive into her.

But it didn't work. Her lips formed an apology, and the light died from her eyes. I thought I’d known pain before, but it was nothing compared to this.

“I'll kill you!” The scream that came out of me was inhuman. I didn't recognize my voice.

Athena nudged Leo, but she must have known she was gone. Squatting next to her, she put her hand on her chest, right over her heart. “No.”

She stood. Raking her fingers through her hair, she shook her head. “No. This can't happen. This isn't right.”

It was all she had time to get out before Hector took her down. He hit her with the full force of his body, slamming them both into the altar. The marble cracked, and they fell to the ground.

“Bring her back!” Gripping her shoulders, he shook the goddess. “Bring her back.” Whatever anger had been buoying him drained away, and Athena slid from beneath him.

She closed her eyes. “Her power is gone.”

The pain holding me in place abated enough for me to take in a breath. With each passing second, I changed from the inside out. My muscles ached, but it wasn't from hurt anymore.

Pushing up, I met the shocked and terrified gazes of my friends. Paris stood, stumbled, and on his hands and knees, crawled to Leo. Pulling her onto his lap, he put his mouth over hers and breathed into her.

Her chest rose with a horrible crackling sound.

“There's no point.” Orestes clutched his knees so hard his knuckles were white. “Listen.”

“Shut up.” Paris spared him one glance before fixing Hector with a hard stare. “Help me.”

Hector stood, wobbled, then made his way to his brother. He fell hard, put his hands on Leo's chest, and when Paris looked at him, pushed.

The sound was awful. I wanted to cover my ears. Orestes was right. She was broken and couldn't be put back together.

“There is always a cost,” Athena whispered. “The cost of your power was her life. The cost of my curse was my strength.”

Our power.

I studied her for a long moment, and it clicked. Hector sat back on his heels as Paris gathered Leo's limp body to his chest. His gaze cut to the seal.

Our power.

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