Releasing The Gods (The Titan's Saga #1)- Leia Stone Page 0,38

was. Forest rat? Rabbit?

“You need to experience Taco Bell. It will change your life,” I told Cronus finally. I could eat six bean and cheese burritos right about now.

Rhea frowned, picking at her meat. “Is taco the food? So you ring a bell and the servant brings you taco?”

I actually snorted trying to hold in my laugh but turned it into a cough. “Yes, Rhea. Exactly that. We should take you with us so that you can try that.”

She nodded curtly. “I’d like that.”

Cronus and I locked gazes and his eyes were alight. A slow smirk pulled at his lips. “I’ll time jump and exchange the gold bars for paper money tomorrow. That way we can afford the luxuries of Taco Bell.”

He’d read my mind; he knew Taco Bell was a cheap shithole with amazing food. He was being … sarcastic.

I bit into the mushroom and was pleasantly surprised. It was earthy but salty and good considering it felt like I hadn’t eaten in like five weeks. Sure, we’d had pizza yesterday, but still … the lack of regular food was draining.

“Tell me about this time jump?” I finally said, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.

Rhea placed a hand on Cronus’ chest, stopping him from speaking. “Don’t you know anything about us? He’s the father of time. He could time jump back to find the most luxurious bedding you’ve ever lain on and bring it here. But he won’t.” She glared at him.

He reached up and removed her hand from his chest. “It depletes my power, and it’s also dangerous,” he snapped. “Messing with time can unravel the seams of the world. But you never cared about that.”

Holy shit. There was so much more going on with these gods and their powers than I knew about. “Can you, like, go back and keep me from opening the box?”

Rhea glared. “I knew it was your fault. Thanks for confirming that.”

Fuck. I’d just incriminated myself. Now she thought I was an even bigger idiot than before.

Cronus ignored her. “I cannot go back and keep you from opening the box, no. There are a lot of rules. I cannot interfere with living beings such as humans or gods or animals. I can mostly deal only with inanimate objects. Unless I’m willing to completely destroy the world, of course. So since Pandora's Box contained gods and is technically alive, I cannot touch it in the past. Make sense?”

I frowned. It did. Kind of.

“So the sins were once upon a time gods?” I pressed, having deduced this already from a few things I’d heard.

“Of course they were,” Rhea said, waving her hand like this was old news. “How do you think they got so powerful?” She dismissed my question, turning to her ex. “Cronie, I’m bored. Tell a story like the old days … something dramatic.”

Cronus sucked in a long breath, like he was counting to ten in his head or something. “Why doesn’t Maisey share a story. Anything. Tell us of your childhood.”

He leaned back; the fire danced shadows across his face.

My childhood? Fuck that. My “mother” died when I was seven and then my “dad” started drinking. Drank himself into liver failure and a stroke. Passed away last year. And at this stage I still didn’t know how I was related to Selene or if one of my parents was not actually my parent. So, no, we would steer faaaar away from my childhood.

Rhea glared at me. “Her life is too boring for dramatic stories, dear. Tell us of the time you almost slew Zeus on Mount—”

“I was seven when my mother died. Car accident,” I blurted out.

Fuck this bitch. She wanted a story. She’d get one.

They both stilled and I stared at the ground. “It was raining when my dad told me. I remember that so clearly. Weird, right? I remember thinking the Earth was crying for her.”

Silence.

“My dad started drinking after that. Only at night, after work, but enough to make him pass out by 6 P.M. in front of the TV every night. He did the best he could.”

#NotReally

What was I doing?

“For a long time I thought I didn’t belong. Had nothing that really felt like mine. I felt worthless. Then one day, I was thirteen and at the mall with a friend. A model scout gave me his card. He wanted me to do a big campaign for one of the local department stores. He told me I was special and beautiful and could make a career off my