Page 124 of The Curse Breakers

“Ellie.” He held his hands out to me. “You can bring me back.”

I wanted Daddy, but at what cost? I looked over my shoulder at the god behind me.

“Ellie, I was wrong about Okeus. He’s really on our side.”

I never remembered Daddy talking about Okeus other than being concerned about me having the god’s symbol on my back. “What are you talking about?”

“Ellie, you need to listen to Okeus. He can bring me back.”

Collin told me that no human could go to hell and come back alive. So how was my father here? “Daddy, he wants me to do something terrible.”

He stepped toward me and placed his right hand on my arm. His fingers were cool and clammy, not the warm hands I remembered. His face was my father’s…but not my father’s. It looked wrong, almost plastic. And Daddy always smelled like cinnamon with a soft hint of leather, even after he’d taken ill. Now he smelled like nothing. But that was to be expected, right? Okeus had brought Daddy back from the dead, so it made sense that he wouldn’t be quite himself.

But I knew in my heart that this wasn’t him, and having his likeness in front of me made the pain of losing him fresh all over again.

“It’s okay, Ellie. Okeus is going to help us. We should help him too.”

I shook my head and took a step back, tears burning my eyes. “No. You’re not my father.”

His face twisted in dismay. “Ellie, how can you say that?” He held his hands out from his sides. “It’s me.”

“No. My father would never let anything terrible happen to me.”

Okeus approached from behind. “Can you be so sure about that? How well did youreallyknow your father? You didn’t even know that he was world renowned in his field. Or the role hereallyplayed in your mother’s death. Your father was supposed to be home the night she was killed, but he was somewhere else.”

Fear tickled the back of my head, stealing my breath. “He went to a board meeting.”

Okeus’s eyebrows lifted in mock surprise. “Did he? You think you are beginning to know what happened the night your mother was killed, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.”

“You’re a liar.” I pointed to the man who looked like Daddy. “That isnotmy father.”

Okeus’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want most, Ellie? What is your heart’s desire? Is it your father? Maybe not…maybe it’s the truth about your mother’s death.” He gave me a smug smile. “I know the truth and can share it with you.”

“Liar,” I spit.

“Or is it Collin? I know you think he betrayed you, but he only did what he thought was best for all concerned. I assured him you would eventually understand.”

“I understand all right. I understand that you lie and manipulate and bend the truth to get what you want.”

“Ellie.” I heard impatience in his voice.

“I have proof that you’re a liar. You promised Collin payment and you didn’t follow through.”

Okeus’s eyes narrowed, his temper creeping in. “He disobeyed me.”

“For protecting me? Isn’t that what you said? But nowyouwant to protect me too, so maybe you should pay him now.”

Okeus’s eyes flashed red before returning to their normal dark brown. “I do not tolerate disobedience.”

“Then this thing between us—”I waved my hand from him to me “—It’s not going to work out, because I have a real problem with obedience. Just ask Collin.” I looked up at the thing pretending to be my daddy. “And too bad that’s not my father—he would have told you the same thing.”

I stomped toward the water, but Okeus grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “We aren’t done here.”

“Well I am.” I jerked my arm out of his grasp, and blood soaked through my white shirt as my arm began to throb where the badger had clawed me. I stopped to stare at it in confusion, but Okeus took advantage of my distraction.

Wrapping an arm around my waist, he pulled my back to his chest and picked me up as if I weighed nothing. He stomped toward the canopied daybed.

I kicked his shins and clawed his arms, screaming, but he never so much as flinched.

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