shook her head. “Actually, I’m wrong. You didn’t start out having a choice. But you have one now, because I’ve felt the light in you.”
Her words were an unwelcome reminder, as was the feeling of that same light. It almost seemed to respond to the things she was saying.
I couldn’t afford that. Not now.
I needed to be victorious in this—to stay on my path. More than that, I needed to ensure she was on that same path with me. She was almost there. Chronos threatening her friends had helped.
Finally, Charon landed on the bank near the entrance to my realm. Seraphia scrambled off and waited for me, her expression impatient. I climbed from the boat, and Charon moved away from the shore, drifting back toward his duties.
“Let’s go.” Seraphia waved her hand. “Call on the horses.”
I nodded and called upon my magic. The horses appeared a moment later, and I helped her mount Styx.
She nudged the animal in the sides and took off toward the gate toward my territory. I leapt onto Horse and followed, quickly catching up.
Seraphia
Sally seemed to sense my anxiety, because she hotfooted it toward the gate. Hades kept pace easily, and we whipped by Cerberus. I wanted to stop to greet the dog, but there was no time. Echo squeaked as he flew past the giant hound, and I had to assume it was a quick farewell.
As we thundered through the forest on our mounts, I couldn’t stop thinking of the vision of my friends. Was Chronos torturing them even now?
The idea made rage swell inside me. It was preferable to fear, and I clung to it, letting it drive me harder, faster. The forest whipped by, dark and nearly dead, and I didn’t spare much more than a glance for it as I bent low over Sally’s neck and hung on tight.
The farther we rode, the angrier I grew. I felt it twisting inside me until it was all I could think of. Though I knew this was Cronos’s attempt to get me where he wanted me, I couldn’t help but follow along. Of course I had to immediately find out if my friends were really trapped.
We exited the forest and reached the plain, riding toward the sea. The waves crashed against the cliffs below, but I had eyes only for the city on the hill. Nearly there.
Hades kept close by my side as we ascended the hill. Near the main tower that housed the wooden gate, Sally slowed. I tried to nudge her on, but she wouldn’t go. He’d stopped her using his magic.
“You’re going to plow right into the gate,” Hades said.
I gritted my teeth and stared at it, my lungs heaving. “This is what you wanted, right? Me heading hellbent toward doomsday?”
“Yes, but I want you arriving in one piece.”
It was true enough that I couldn’t do much to help my friends if I had a broken neck, but it was hard to slow down. It felt like the hounds of hell were nipping at my heels.
Finally, the gate in front of us opened.
Hades looked at me, frowning. “A moment.”
He waved a hand at me, and the clothes that I wore changed. I gasped, looking down at the dark cloak and fine dress of thick black silk. There was a faint weight on my head, and I knew without looking that there would be a crown there—probably similar to the one that Hades now wore.
We were entering the city, where we would see his subjects.
“Why?” I asked, still looking down at myself.
“You will be my queen.”
The words sent something shivering through me, horror and delight all at once. I didn’t want to rule hell by his side. But he no doubt thought I was going to, since I was currently headed right toward everything he wanted me to do.
“I can’t think about that right now.” I nudged Sally, determined to ignore Hades and my new clothes. They didn’t matter if I wanted to be quick about saving my friends.
Sally trotted through the gates, Hades and Horse to the left.
As expected, people drifted out of their houses, gazing in awe at us. This was the first time they’d seen me dressed as a queen, and they clearly didn’t care that it was little more than clothing. The reverence in their eyes shot straight into the dark heart of me, making something shiver and grow.
I frowned.
That wasn’t me. I’d never liked attention much, and this was the most intense kind of attention. But I