Releasing The Gods (The Titan's Saga #1)- Leia Stone Page 0,37

are strong, but nothing like mine,” he said, in a low rumble.

#StayHumble

“She was the logical choice for the mother of my children,” he continued, making no effort to whisper. “However, she’s also a little unstable, and wants to bear children for as many Titans and gods that she can.”

She made a disparaging sound from behind us and I knew she could hear everything.

“It’s my duty to reproduce,” she said, sniffling. “You should have understood that from the start. An open marriage would have suited my lifestyle better.”

Now who was the prostitute?

Cronus shrugged. “I don’t share. That’s just how I’m made, how I feel, and I cannot compromise on that.”

“And her powers?” I pushed, because I was nervous about sleeping near her, being that vulnerable.

“They don’t nickname her the ice queen for nothing,” he whispered.

“I heard that,” she growled behind us.

“But she would have to physically attack you to hurt you, and I will not let her close enough for that.”

I believed him, and that was a huge step forward in our relationship. Cronus would protect me until he no longer needed me, that was a given, so I’d be able to sleep soundly. Or as soundly as one could on the ground.

When we finally reached the “perfect spot” as Cronus declared it, I all but collapsed into the somewhat cleared area. My head was throbbing, my stomach rumbled, and my throat was as dry as my fucking sex life.

“Hound,” Cronus said, “find food and water.”

The hellhound rushed off, disappearing into the dark forest in a second. My eyes closed of their own accord, and I sort of sprawled across my arms, not even caring that it was freezing under here in my leather shorts and silk top. I needed to start dressing like a fucking mountain climber. Clearly.

“Just need five minutes to rest my eyes,” I mumbled.

A low rumbling chuckle was my answer, and I wondered if I’d actually made Cronus laugh this time or was it my imagination. Everything went fuzzy as I napped for a bit, and when I managed to pry my eyes open, it was to the scent of cooking meat, a warm fire, and something softer than the ground under my head.

I scrambled up, before realizing I’d been laid across a bed of leaves covered in a thick blanket. Another blanket was over top of me. “I don’t want to use too much power,” Cronus was saying to Rhea, “so we’ll have to make do with minimal comforts for now.”

She did her infamous nose wrinkle. I could already tell it was a signature move. “Cronie, come on. You know I can’t sleep on the ground. Just bring some beds.”

He shook his head. “My energy is strong enough to be tracked even in this forest. It’s one night. You’ll be fine.”

I was distracted from my eavesdropping by a wooden bowl close to my head. It was filled with water, and I grabbed it, gulping the water down in one go. Not water, it was sweet like wine but super hydrating. I trusted that Cronus wouldn’t leave it here if I couldn’t drink it, so I chugged the whole thing. My throat burned a little and I felt exhausted, but the dehydration was pushed back a touch. Energy trickled across my skin, and Cronus was suddenly right in front of me. He crouched at my side, his hand coming out to brush some hair from my face. “You slept a long time. Are you feeling okay?”

I nodded, pushing my tired, sore body up. “Yep, just human, you know.”

He didn’t know, but whatever.

“Do you have some food?” I asked, not even caring at this point if it was tree bark. I just needed to put something into my stomach.

He handed me a steaming hunk of brown stuff. “Wild mushroom for my vegetarian.” He winked.

I grinned and took it gratefully. Was Cronus on drugs? Why was he being so nice to me?

“Vegetarian?” Rhea cackled. “That’s a great way to die in the wild.”

I glared at her. “You’re the goddess of fertility and Mother Nature and yet you scoff at someone who doesn’t want to take a life to eat? No wonder you were sent to hell.”

“Okay.” Cronus put his hands up. “Let’s just eat in silence.”

Damn right, otherwise I was stabbing a bitch. Rhea needed to come “online” with her powers stat, because I was over this bitch.

We munched in silence while I stared at the meat they were eating and tried not to think of what it once