back the sob that tried to climb out of my throat and turned away from him to head down the street. I had barely made it half a step when he reached for my arm and pulled me back. His eyes burned into mine as he said, “We will find your friends and save them. I vow it.”
I swallowed hard. I shouldn’t want the words. I shouldn’t need them.
I could save them myself.
But having him offer to help—to vow it—definitely twisted something inside my chest. Especially considering that he was facing his own destruction. He thought of me.
I pressed my lips together and nodded, my eyes pricking with tears. “Thanks.” I turned away, then stopped, looking back. I hated to ask, but I had to know. The stakes were so high for him, after all. “Did you plan this?”
The shock in his eyes couldn’t be faked. Hell, unless we were naked together, I never saw such emotion in him. Finally, he shook his head. “I did not.”
The honesty satisfied me, as did the memory of him being genuinely surprised that Chronos might be the voice in the abyss around which his entire existence revolved.
There was more going on here than either of us understood, but we were about to get to the bottom of it.
“Come on.” I whirled around and strode through the town, barely noticing the strange glances we got.
In human London, we’d have looked like we were going to a fancy party. In Guild City, the citizens knew enough to think we were strange and best avoided. Not a single person stayed on our side of the street as we strode forward.
“You’re making quite an impression,” I muttered to Hades as we raced along.
“I’m not sure it’s me.”
“What?” I turned to him, then caught sight of my reflection in a shop window.
Holy fates, I looked insane. My eyes blazed with green fire, and my skin glowed with light. Scarlet painted my lips, so red it could have been blood.
I am a goddess.
Apparently, something about the last few hours had changed me. Maybe my sense of purpose, or the darkness that was even now threatening to overwhelm me. The fear for my friends fed it and kept it going.
Next to me, Hades looked like the king he was, striding along as his midnight cloak whipped behind him.
We reached the alley that led to the Shadow Guild tower a moment later, and I could feel Hades’ confusion. I didn’t bother explaining, just raced down the narrow passage and out into the square in front of our tower.
The door hung open, the windows smashed.
I swallowed hard, horror racing through me, and sprinted up to the door. “Eve! Beatrix! Mac!”
Of course, there was no response, and I only needed to poke my head in to know that it was empty.
“We must go to wherever he has taken them,” Hades said. “They’re already there.”
I gritted my teeth, anger rippling through me. “We need a transport charm first.”
“I can teleport.”
“Do you know where we are going?”
“No. Only you know that.”
“Then give me a moment.” I wasn’t going to tell him where we were going, and the transport charms would give me more control. I raced into the main room and up the stairs, headed to Eve’s workshop. It had been ransacked, and the sight of it made my anger even brighter. I managed to find a couple of transport charms near the broken shelf where she stored them, and I shoved them in my pocket.
I returned to Hades’ side and set off toward the town exit.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“We need to get to human London first. The gate is this way.”
He nodded and followed. Together, we raced toward the main exit that led out of Guild City. The tower loomed high overhead, and we entered the narrow passage meant for foot traffic. The tunnel was dark and empty, and I hurried toward the portal at the other end.
As I neared, Hades gripped my hand. I clutched his in return, and we stepped into the portal. The ether swept us up and spat us out in the back hall of the Haunted Hound, the pub where Mac worked.
I let go of Hades’ hand and hurried out into the main part of the pub. To my surprise, the seats weren’t full of cozy patrons sipping pints. Instead, the place was empty save for Quinn, Carrow, and the Devil of Darkvale, all of whom stood by the bar. My only friends who hadn’t been abducted.
I