Page 80 of Gambling with Time

“I may need to leave and come back more often if this is the greeting I’ll get,” Bellamy quipped as his arms wrapped around her, and he captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

“Bell,” Rai sighed.

“Morpheus said that there is a way,” Lex said, his gaze connecting with mine.

“A way for what?” Samantha asked as she laughingly pulled away from Bellamy. He pressed kisses along her neck, his scent attempting to encourage us to join in.

Lex and Raiden shared a look before Rai said, “For you to stop aging, with us.”

Her brow furrowed. A small smile tugged at her lips as if she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Then she swallowed. “That feels sort of–”

We all held our breath as she sorted out her words.

“Forever.”

“If you think we are going to let you go for one second now that we all found you, love, you haven’t learned much about each of us now have you?” Bellamy asked, pulling back to look at her.

“Is it not something you want?” I stepped forward. It wasn’t a question any of us wanted a ‘no’ to, but it had to be asked. We assumed because she was okay with acting as Queen that she would be okay living forever with us.

She blinked rapidly and shook her head. “No,” she whispered, and my heart sank, falling out of my ass. “I mean, yes, of course I want to. I didn’t think it was a possibility.”

Anything else she was going to say was cut off as Bellamy lifted her off her feet and swung her around in a circle. Laughter filled the room that soon turned to something else. Something more serious.

“Morpheus said we need a Golden Apple. The tree was said to have been cut down by the nymphs after mortals learned of its existence,” Lex said. “But he said that it is still there, we only have to go to the edge of the world to find it.”

“The edge of the world?” Samantha asked.

“That is a saying of the Gods that, metaphorically, is often used to represent the boundaries or limits of human knowledge, experience, or understanding. It signifies reaching the outermost point of what is known or venturing into the realm of the unknown.” I shifted on my heels when everyone stared at me. “Should be easy, right?”

Raiden's eyes flickered with a mix of determination and concern. "Easy or not, venturing to the edge of the world is no small feat. It's a realm untouched by mortals, where ancient forces dwell and secrets of immortality are guarded. We must tread cautiously."

Bellamy's tail swished with anticipation, his mischievous smirk never fading. "Oh, come on, Raiden. Where's your sense of adventure? We've faced demons, Gods, and everything in between. This is just another twist in our crazy journey. Besides, who doesn't love a challenge?"

Lex's voice resonated with his determination. "Bellamy, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, we can't underestimate the perils that lie ahead. The edge of the world holds unknown dangers and trials we can't predict."

Samantha's gaze shifted between each of us, her expression a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "I never thought I'd be standing here, contemplating immortality and embarking on a quest that defies imagination. But if it means spending eternity with all of you, I'm willing to take the risk."

I took a step closer to Samantha, my heart swelling with hope. "We'll face the unknown together, supporting each other every step of the way. Our love and bond will be our strength."

Bellamy's tail curled playfully around Samantha's waist, his eyes sparkling with determination. "So, to the edge of the world, it is. Let's show the Gods what we're made of, again,” he paused with a smirk, “and claim our destiny."

As we stood united, the weight of our decision hung in the air. A sort of excitement seemed to dance around us.

CHAPTER 45

Samantha

“The edge of the world,” Hades repeated the statement. “I know the place. The tree no longer grows. You would have better luck asking for a blessing from Zeus.”

“Can you open a portal for us?” Alastor asked.

“If I do, you could be stuck there.”

“Not if we bring a mirror big enough to crawl through,” Bellamy replied.

“How do you plan to protect a mirror on that journey?”

Bell shrugged. “They do make unbreakable glass now. I can have one created.”

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