Captured (Shadow Guild Hades & Persephone #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,41
attendants turned to us. The leader spoke, “If you wait here, they will arrive shortly.”
“Thank you.” Hades inclined his head, and they departed.
A massive window overlooked the view outside, and I turned to it, wanting to see more of the stars. I stopped in front of it, letting the breeze rush over my face as I looked out. The room must have been situated at the edge of the castle, because before me lay endless sky. There was no land below that I could see, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Mount Olympus floated.
I turned back to Hades, but he was gone.
In fact, the whole room was gone. I gasped.
The walls and floor had been replaced with a faint mist that rolled over the ground. Thick darkness surrounded me, but it was a soothing, not threatening, the kind of darkness that came with a calm winter night. Above me, stars twinkled.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Hello, Persephone.” A musical voice sounded from far away. I squinted in the direction of the speaker, finally spotting a brilliantly bright figure.
They drifted toward me, so graceful that it was hard to believe they weren’t floating a few inches above the ground. The person had no gender that I could tell, though they did have long, shining hair and skin that glowed from within. Their robes were a gleaming silver to match their eyes.
“We have been waiting for you.” The figure stopped in front of me. “I am Phaethon, one of the five Astra Planeta.”
“Thank you for seeing me.” I looked around for Hades. “Where is my companion?”
“Ah, the god Hades.”
I nodded. “Yes. Where is he?”
“Speaking with Pyroeis, one of the other Astra Planeta. Do not fret. You will be reunited soon.”
“You know why we are here? Hades said it was fated.”
“Indeed, it was, though fate is not what he expects.”
“That’s what I thought. He’s not meant to wear the crown, is he?”
“That depends on him. And on you.”
“Do I have to stop him?”
“What you need to do it focus on stopping Chronos. He is far more dangerous than Hades will ever be. There is a core of goodness within the god of the Underworld. There is no such core within Chronos.”
“Why does he want it so badly?” I asked.
“The crown was created by the Titans, long ago. They planned to choose a ruler among themselves to wear it. But, as you know, that did not go as planned. There should not be one ruler of the Earth—it is far too much power for one being to wield.”
“So the gods locked them in Tartarus, right?”
“Precisely. For all their faults, the gods know that one single being should not rule. But Hades is different. The other gods were born of parents as you were, but Hades was not. He was created by the will of the Titans, formed from dark magic with a goal that reflected theirs.”
Worry tugged at my heart. “So he can’t fight that goal? He can’t choose differently for himself?”
“He could. And mayhap he will. But it will be difficult.”
“I think he’s changing, I really do.”
“Good. That will help. Because it is vital that you defeat Chronos. And you can only do that if you can find him.” The figure studied me. “Are you worthy of knowing the location of the crown?”
“I don’t know. Maybe?”
“That is a good answer.” Phaethon raised a hand and hovered it near my temple. Power vibrated from their palm, sending a shiver through me. “May I touch you to determine if you are worthy?”
I nodded. “Go for it.”
Phaethon rested cool fingertips against my temple. Magic pierced my mind, painful and bright. It felt like the sun rising inside my head, light and heat that made my breath go short.
When the pain faded, I was dizzy.
“You are worthy.” The voice sounded as if from far away, and I blinked, trying to return to the present.
Phaethon appeared in front of me, glowing and serene despite my hazy vision. A question popped into my mind. “Does Chronos know where the crown is?”
“No. He has attempted to reach us—one of our number used to be quite close to him—but he has not found us yet. That’s not to say he won’t. But if you can find the crown and destroy it before he gets it, you will have your only true chance at victory.”
“When I find it, he will find me, is that correct? And then I can send him back to Tartarus?”
“Yes. If you go to the place where the crown is