Captured (Shadow Guild Hades & Persephone #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,7

was safe.

“That’s why I was coming to find you.”

Fear chilled my spine. “What happened to her?”

“Nothing. Not yet. But something is happening to the Earth. Chronos is spreading his power. He’s freezing cities all over the world.”

“Freezing?”

Lucifer nodded. “From what I can tell, the people he’s stricken are not dead. Not yet. But they may very well die.”

I cursed, low under my breath. “But Seraphia is safe?”

“For now. I believe she will seek you out.”

“Good. I need to find her.”

Lucifer stepped to the side, clearing the way. I strode past him, heading toward the front of the castle. The guards stepped back as I pushed through the main doors, taking the stairs two at a time. I called upon Horse, and the stallion appeared. Quickly, I mounted, then galloped through town. Though the townspeople exited their houses to watch me, I did not don my crown. This once, they’d be fine without it.

As I approached the library, I couldn't help but breathe deeply of the faintly green scent that permeated the air near the enormous, ornate building. Seraphia’s plants had grown larger in her absence, the vines twisting around the base of the library, crawling up some of the steps. The night wolves slept among them, curled within their embrace as if they missed her.

I couldn’t help but feel a certain kinship with them, though it was an odd sensation. I shoved it aside and dismounted.

Before I could ascend the steps to the library, the air sparked with magic.

I stiffened.

Again?

Two figures appeared in front of me. Though they were vaguely transparent, their identity was unmistakable. Magic rolled out from them, so powerful that even I could feel it. The feel of crashing waves and the sound of thunder.

Poseidon and Zeus, one dressed in ancient armor, the other in a ridiculous gray business suit.

“You cannot be serious,” I said. “Appearing in the middle of my realm?”

Zeus held up a hand. “Just appearing. We are not actually here.”

“We wouldn’t dare, dear brother.” Poseidon’s armor glinted. At least he wore the garb of a god, unlike Zeus.

“What brings you here? Be quick. I am busy.”

“Going to save the Earth, are you?” Poseidon asked.

“Of course he isn’t,” Zeus said. “He simply wants to enforce his own dark rule there.”

I nodded toward Zeus. “One of you is not a simpleton, at least.”

“While we would fight you to the death to keep you from ruling the Earth, we will help you defeat Chronos. He must be returned to Tartarus.”

“I agree with you on that point,” I said. “But why are you helping me? Surely you could endeavor on your own?”

“We are brothers,” Poseidon said.

“We are not. You were born, I was created. We share nothing but status and a placement in myth.”

“True enough. Yet we are still here,” Poseidon said.

Zeus grinned cockily. “To help our adopted brother.”

“To further your own goals.” Which comforted me, in fact. The idea that they might be here out of some fraternal bond made my skin itch. “Fortunately, I do not need your help.”

Lachesis had made it clear that it was up to Seraphia and me, not my miserable fellow gods. I strode past them.

Zeus and Poseidon turned to watch me as I passed.

“You may find that you do need our help,” Zeus said.

“All you need to do is call.” I could hear the grin in Poseidon’s voice.

“Over my dead body.”

“Don’t tease me,” Poseidon said. “The idea is just too exciting to bear.”

I ignored them and took the stairs two at a time. When their magic departed my realm, I felt it, but I didn’t bother to look back. Instead, I hurried toward the portal and stepped inside.

Seraphia

I sprinted through Guild City, Eve at my side. The right side of the street was slowly freezing over, the blue ice creeping over the fronts of the buildings and crystallizing on the windows. The left side was still normal, but it wouldn’t be for long. By the end of the day, the ice would reach the other side. In a matter of days, Guild City would be entirely frozen, but it would be uninhabitable long before that.

We pushed our way through the hordes of people streaming through the city, heading toward the gates and the human world. From what I’d seen on Eve’s phone, it wasn’t necessarily better out there. But at least there weren’t walls like in Guild City.

To my right, a woman stumbled and fell. I turned and helped her up.

“Thank you.” Her face was pale with fear, and I could