Unmade (Unborn #4) - Amber Lynn Natusch Page 0,35

smiled. “I would not have it any other way.”

He returned the gesture, then shook his head. “I’m not even gonna say it because we’re already thinking it.”

“Thinking what?” Muses asked.

“She’s batshit crazy,” Kierson replied with a laugh. “It’s kind of a thing at this point.”

“And well earned, no doubt.” Muses turned his attention to me, the movement slow and elegant and menacing. “Perhaps I should go with you, Sister. I am in desperate need of entertainment these days.”

“No dice,” Oz said, taking my arm to lead me to the door. “You get out there and fuck with some minds. See what you can find out.”

“Bring me a Light One and I’ll gladly do that.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Kierson added. “It’s the only way to learn the truth.”

Oz stopped short of the door. “I try it my way first,” he said over his shoulder. “If that fails, we’ll bring in Khara and Muses to tag-team him.”

“That seems a bit unnecessary, but—”

“Muses!” Oz shouted, cutting him off. “You know what I meant.”

Muses feigned disgust. “Honestly, Ozereus. Incest is so last millennium…”

“I’ll be the only one fucking your sister.”

I looked from one to the other, something dissonant blooming in my gut. “I will fuck whomever I please, and I do not require permission from anyone to do so.” I focused my anger on Oz. “At the moment, that happens to be you. Keep making decisions for me, and we shall see if that continues.”

I could hear Kierson giggling before Casey’s outright laughter eclipsed it.

“Remember what I said,” Casey called after me as I headed for the door. “Go ask your questions, then come straight back. Do we need to get Trey, or can you travel like him now?”

I mulled over his question for a moment. “I do not know. There is only one way to find out…” I reached inside for the sensation I had felt when he had stolen me away from the Dark Ones near the Underworld. Then I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was on the far side of the room. “It appears I will be fine on my own,” I replied, making my way back to them. “I shall return soon.”

Before Oz could stop me, I channeled that foreign energy again and focused on the Underworld. I traveled through the thick darkness until the Acheron suddenly appeared before me, along with a being I had not expected to see.

At the sight of me, both the river and Persephone raged.

14

“Are you lost?” she said to me from across the Acheron.

I did not bother to answer. Instead, I flew to her side.

“I know precisely where I am.”

“Oh good. I was beginning to wonder if your time at the Hallowed Gates had changed you—made you forget who you are.” Her gaze flicked to my wings. “But I see the darkness still owns you. A small victory for the time being. Are they thanks to your little trip to the in-between?”

“What is my status to you?” I asked. “You care not for me or my well-being.”

“I care for your father. That is reason enough,” she said tersely. “You remember your father…the one you were to return to after your rescue mission. The one who has not seen you since.”

Her anger was palpable beneath her practiced indifference, and it gave me pause.

“That was not by design. There were complications.”

“Clearly.”

“How is Hades?”

She eyed me tightly, anger etching her brow. “Worried about you.”

“He need not worry.”

“He is your father, Khara. He will never not worry about you, regardless of what you think or how you feel or where you run off to. That will never change, even though I wish it would.”

Her words bit at my heart. “As I said, he need not worry.”

Persephone let out an exasperated sigh. “Why are you here, Khara?” The hint of suspicion in her tone was mirrored in her taut expression. “It is not fair to come and go in and out of his life this way, especially not after you tore out of here with the mother who abandoned you the day you were born.” Her body went rigid with anger. “It might not have crossed your mind, Sister dear, but Hades did not take that well. His mind was filled with doubt as to your safety, though you do not seem too concerned about that. Tell me, has your mother already grown tired of you? Is that why you came back?”

“I returned the other day to see my brothers,” I said icily, “and to