couldn’t look away from the vision in front of me. Surely, that version of me would stop soon. Would turn on Hades and refuse to do his will. She would fix what she had broken.
I kept watching, determined to see it happen.
Knowing it would happen.
Yet it didn’t. And all around me on the mountain, the earth shook and the temple quaked. I should go, but I couldn’t. I was riveted to the scene of the future destruction that I wrought.
Surely, if I kept watching, the future version of myself would turn on Hades and undo all the damage she had wrought. There was no way I would do that willingly.
I was killing everything.
He could have no leverage over me that would make me do that.
“We’re out of time!” Hades gripped my shoulders and pulled me upright. “The temple is taking its price.”
All around us, the ground shook and cracked. One of the pillars leaned hard to the side, nearly uprooted from the ground.
“No!” I pulled away from him, moving toward the vision, horrified. Entranced. It reached into my soul and pulled me forward.
Pillars began to crumble as the earth split in front of me. It happened so quickly that I couldn’t avoid it. One moment I was standing, the next I fell deep into a crevasse.
The wind tore at my hair, and my stomach pitched. Something tiny and dark flitted around me, but I couldn’t make it out. Terror shot through me, then my head slammed into a rock jutting from the crevasse wall. Pain flared, my vision going white.
I clawed at the air, helpless.
I’m going to die.
Agony twisted my stomach and fear chilled my soul as I plummeted downward. Through bleary eyes, I could see the sky above, visible through the crack in the earth.
A figure appeared, brilliant golden wings blocking out most of the light. In the flash of a second, Hades’ arms were around me, yanking me out of the air.
The brilliant golden wings surrounded us.
His wings.
I clung to him, my heart hammering against my chest as I tried to get my bearings. He clutched me close, strong arms wrapped around my back as his powerful wings tore at the air, carrying us up to the surface.
Blood poured from the wound in my head, chilly against my skin. My vision was still off, hazy and strange, and a wooziness pulled at my mind.
I’m losing so much blood.
It took all my strength to remain conscious as we shot out of the ravine and into the sky. With blurry eyes, I looked around. Most of the temple pillars had fallen, some shattering. The domed roof had collapsed. The entire surface of the mountain was cracked and broken.
Hades flew away from it, diving through the air.
The gold of his wings caught my eye, and I stared at them as my strength waned.
They were so beautiful.
So pure.
His energy was so pure, now.
Almost good.
Like his magic had changed when his wings had appeared, opening a portal into his soul.
He wasn’t all darkness.
I was sure of it. I knew it like I knew my own name.
My head lolled against his arms.
“Hang on,” he ground out. “Just hang on.”
I tried, but my vision was going blacker and blacker, gray creeping in at the edges.
I’ve lost too much blood.
13
Hades
Wind tore through my wings as I flew, trying to outrace the earthquake and find a safe space to land with Seraphia.
My heart thundered with something entirely unfamiliar, a frantic pounding against my ribs that brought a chill to my skin.
Faster, faster I flew, finally reaching the second plateau. The earth had stopped breaking apart, and all was still. I landed at a run, going to my knees with Seraphia in my arms.
The wind whipped at us, harsh and biting. I curved my body over hers, trying to protect her from the worst of the gale. The dark night was silent save for my ragged breathing.
Swiftly, I sent my wings back to the ether, banishing the despised appendages with all the haste I could manage. The painful light in my chest went with it, letting the shadows return.
“Seraphia.” I laid her gently on the ground, cradling her upper body against my chest.
Blood poured from the wound at her head, and her skin was far too pale. Her pulse far too weak.
I can’t lose her.
My plan couldn’t sustain it.
I couldn’t sustain it.
The mere thought was insanity. Of course I could. I needed her for my goals. When they were achieved, I’d never see her again. It wasn’t even