liked it now, way too much. The darkness inside me seemed to purr, reveling in their awe, in the power that it implied.
That was all the damned darkness wanted—power. Too bad for me that it felt so damned good. It drove away my doubts and fears and made me feel confident and strong. It was so hard to resist.
I drew in a ragged breath, determined to succeed. I diverted my gaze from them, keeping it high over their heads as I stared at the massive library in front of us. We were nearly to the portal that would take me back to Guild City, and from there, to my friends.
I couldn’t help but take a peek at Hades, however. He looked regal and powerful as always in his black armor and golden crown. But it was the pride in his eyes when he looked at me that made me unable to look away.
Something had changed in him.
I’d felt it before. I could see it even now.
The light was growing.
Did he feel it? Did he fight it, like I fought the dark?
I shook my head, trying to drive away the thought. I needed to focus on my friends. They needed me.
We neared the library steps a few moments later, and I bounded off Sally. The dress and cloak that wrapped around my legs nearly tripped me, but I managed to keep my footing. Hades was at my side in a second, and he followed me up the stairs.
“This dress is stupid,” I muttered, holding up piles of it in my hands so that I could run.
“You are right.” He flicked a hand, and the dress changed into dark, tight trousers. My top was still the bodice of the dress, dark and magnificent as it swept low to bare my shoulders and tight down my arms. There were plates of metal sewn into it, beautiful but hard—armor of some sort. The cloak still swept from my shoulders, and I realized that I was dressed as I had been in my vision when I’d walked from the underworld onto the earth with Hades at my side.
The vision is coming true.
It was enough to chill my blood.
No.
I was in control. I wouldn’t give in.
Heart pounding, I ascended the last steps. Hades reached forward and opened the massive library door, not needing a key. I stepped inside the cavernous space, ignoring the magnificent soaring ceilings and the spiders lurking in their webs, watching me.
Quickly, I hurried toward the portal, lunging inside and letting the ether suck me in. The underworld pulled on me, a tearing pain from the pomegranate potion. I ignored it.
When the ether spit me out in my library, I stumbled forward, clutching my chest. The pomegranate potion still hurt like hell. Hades arrived only a half second behind me. I turned to him. “Can you leave the library now?”
“With you at my side, yes. We are fulfilling the ancient prophecy to spread the darkness, which makes it possible.”
I swallowed hard, remembering the vision I’d had. This was it exactly, down to my clothes.
I shook away my fear. I’d deal with it. “Let’s go.”
Together, we strode through the library. The stacks towered on either side, warm golden wood lit by the flickering flame of the candles that floated in the air.
When I stepped out into the dim light of dusk, Hades followed. I turned to him, taking in his tall form. The crown was gone, but his long cloak, the armor, and his regal bearing made him stand out like a sore thumb. Guild City was used to the magical, but it wasn’t used to gods. Certainly not gods who dressed like warriors of old and looked like they could tear the place apart with their bare hands.
His form flickered, turning transparent, and I gasped. “What’s happened to you?”
He looked down at his arm and frowned. “It is the curse. It’s stronger when I walk upon the earth. I don’t have long.”
Holy fates. “You’ll be dragged to Tartarus if I don’t do what you need me to?” He nodded sharply, and I wanted to scream. “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?”
“It wasn’t necessary.”
It sure as hell felt necessary now. I was only going to go rescue my friends, not spread the darkness from the underworld to earth. I’d thought there was nothing that could make me do that.
And there was nothing. No matter how much I was growing to care for Hades, I couldn’t do that. Not even to save him.