The Iron Queen (Daughters of Zeus) - By Kaitlin Bevis Page 0,29

in the Underworld full of his victims. They deserve better than to be at his mercy again, and so does everyone in your realm. As much as I love Persephone, this isn’t just about her. It’s about every living being in creation. I can’t let Zeus happen to them.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I appreciate that. But as one of those living beings you’re protecting, can I give you some feedback?”

I smiled, amused. “Why not?”

“You’re overstepping. We don’t need you to protect us from Zeus. We don’t need you at all. If Zeus thinks he can take down the human race, he’s going to have another thing coming.”

Chapter XXI

Hades

I was still mulling over my conversation with Melissa when I left Demeter’s to track down Artemis. Demeter had finally granted me teleportation rights. Far too late to help Persephone, of course, but it could come in handy in the future.

A twig snapped beneath my foot. Swearing, I slapped at a mosquito. I didn’t care for forests, but this was where Artemis spent most of her time during hunting season. Apollo said she had a cabin out here…somewhere. I just needed to find it.

Another twig snapped. I frowned at my feet, but didn’t see any broken branches.

Something cold touched the base of my neck.

“Don’t move,” a gruff voice instructed.

I turned with a sigh, grabbing the gun out of the hunter’s hand before he could fire off a shot. Not that it would have hurt me more than that mosquito bite, but it could be damned uncomfortable, which made it at least as annoying.

The gun crumbled to dust in my hand, and I gave the stranger my least friendly smile. The blood drained from his face. Before I could comment on his predicament, a cry rang through the clearing.

“Diana!” The hunter spun on his heel and tore through the forest.

Diana? When Artemis’ pseudonym clicked, I swore and followed him, casting a shield as far ahead of us as I could see so our progress through the forest couldn’t be seen or heard. Before we reached a small clearing with a cabin, I threw a second shield at the hunter, freezing him in place.

I walked to the edge of the clearing. Beyond the shield, Zeus held a struggling woman just above his head by the throat. She pried at his fingers with both hands, legs kicking uselessly at the ground but finding no purchase.

“I can make this easy for you, or I can make it fun for me.” A grin spread across Zeus’ face. “Swear fealty now, and your death will be less interesting, but infinitely less painful.”

“No,” she gasped. Her body stiffened, muscles going rigid, and the smell of burnt flesh and ozone wafted through the clearing. Behind me, the hunter yelled, straining against the shield. Maybe I could sneak up behind Zeus and…no, shit, if he teleported with her, all bets were off. I closed my eyes, concentrating, and crafted a shield just above his head that took in the whole clearing, then dropped the shield between myself and Zeus out of necessity, but kept the one around the hunter. The last thing I needed to do was give Zeus more leverage.

Zeus started. “Hades. What a nice surprise.”

He lowered Artemis to the ground, spinning her to face me, looping his left arm around her neck, and gripping his right bicep. His right hand shoved her head forward. Grinning, he brought his elbows together in a tight chokehold. Sweat glistened against her caramel skin, plastering the dark wisps of hair that had escaped her ponytail to her face. Get me out of this, her eyes seemed to beg. I’ll owe you.

Shit.

“You’ve gone ten seconds.” Zeus gave me an expectant look. “When she drops, I’m gone.”

I inclined my head to the shield around him. “Unlikely.”

Zeus’ face twisted in a scowl. “We’ll see. Are you here to surrender your realm?”

“No.” My mind raced to find a way to trap him without Artemis getting caught in the crossfire. I could create an entrance to the Underworld and pull enough of my realm through to trap him in the same type of prison that held the Titans, but she’d be stuck with him.

It might be worth it.

“Then we have nothing to discuss.” Zeus tightened his grip around Artemis’ throat, and she slumped in his arms. “Except, I’ve been meaning to get this to you.” He took advantage of Artemis’ lapse in consciousness long enough to reach in his pocket and toss something to me across the clearing