Page 84 of Gambling with Time

Baldwin tossed the towel over his shoulder. “You’ll have better luck with the Golden Apple.”

“That is what it is starting to sound like,” I admitted. I just wanted the easy button though.

“Well, thanks for nothing, Baldwin, we need to get back to our girl,” Bellamy quipped, his annoyance at the situation clear, and turned back toward the bedroom we arrived in. When I didn’t follow immediately, he paused. “I will leave you here. And I will cover up the scent you put all over our girl with my own.”

I snorted and said a brief goodbye to Baldwin before I jogged after the temperamental demon.

What was my life?

“You were really going to leave me?”

He looked over his shoulder at me, the swirling portal already open to Lex’s apartment. He shrugged. “I don’t make idle threats, you should know that already. But you’re here now, so you can come back, I suppose.” He grinned, a mischievous glint to his eye that told me he wouldn’t have left me.

A surprised laugh puffed out of me. Was it strange that I had a favorite when it came to Samantha’s other guys?

“You’re not so bad yourself, dragon,” Bellamy said with a wink. “After you.”

The room was dark, and Alastor still had Sammy wrapped in his arms. They were both sound asleep, not moving a muscle as we entered the room. Cerberus popped up his heads to see us, before settling back down. I moved over to the couch and dropped down, propping my legs up and throwing my arm over my eyes.

Bellamy sat in the armchair, kicking his feet onto the coffee table. Neither of us wanted to wake the other two by joining them. It was all decided without a word between us.

CHAPTER 47

Samantha

The mood was subdued the next morning. Bellamy and Raiden left on an adventure without me, while Lex went for a visit to his mom, all of them returned already. Both in search of another way. But I was ready to go find that mythical apple and take a giant bite.

We had a simple breakfast of sugary cereal before heading back to the Underworld.

Hades smiled as he saw us. “Are you ready?”

“Yep, no mirror needed,” Bellamy replied, his tone conveying how proud he was of Alastor.

A flush pinked Alastor’s cheeks as he ducked his head.

“It seems finding love has unlocked all of your powers, son.”

“That is usually what it takes,” Persephone replied. The dress she wore, covered in flowers, flowed with an unnatural wind as she rested her hand on her husband's shoulder. “I didn’t have full control until after I met you.”

He placed his hand over hers before pressing a kiss to the fingers that were still visible. “Mine as well, dear.”

“You knew that was why I hadn’t shown?” Alastor asked.

“I hoped,” Hades replied. “But we loved you regardless. Now, I imagine you are ready to start your adventure and don’t want to stand here listening to your parents profess their love.”

Hades stood up and walked to the middle of the room. He lifted his hand, waving it in the air between us. A portal opened, a dark landscape on the other side.

We stepped through to the other side, and the portal snapped shut behind us. I glanced around. A small hill was in front of us, blue flowers covered every surface they could, while a small trail was cut between them, revealing a walking path laid with stones. That must be the way.

Up over the hill, the starry expanse spread out around us. It looked like that famous painting, swirling stars some closer than the others. And beyond where we stood was a dark path leading into who knew what.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as we stood at the edge of the world, the vast unknown stretching before me. It was an actual place we had been searching for. Bellamy's sarcastic remark broke the tension, as always.

"Well, here we are at the edge of everything. Who knew the view would be so breathtaking?" Bellamy's tone was laced with playful sarcasm, his blue skin shimmering under the ethereal light.

Raiden, always the counterbalance to Bellamy's snark now, chuckled. "Indeed, Bell. I suppose we should ask the Gods for a refund on this scenic tour."

They grinned over at Alastor as if he would be the one to issue them a refund. He shook his head and rolled his eyes but didn’t say a word.

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