"Gory death."
Ash shook his head. "You stubborn bastards. Take it from someone who knows firsthand, there's a lot to be said for forgiveness. Grudges seldom hurt anyone except the one bearing them."
"And there's a lot to be said for knocking enemies upside their heads and cracking their skulls open."
Ash felt a tic start in his jaw over the man's obdurate nature. "To everything there is a season, and tonight ours is to stand together or lose everything. I'm not fighting for Stryker or to save your sister. I'm fighting to protect the ones I love. The ones who will suffer most if War isn't stopped . . . children like Eric and-"
"I get it," he snapped at the mention of his nephew.
"Do you?"
Urian's gaze hardened. "I will be there, but once our enemies are put down-"
"We fight each other. Understood."
Urian nodded. He took a step back, then paused before he stepped even closer to Ash. "I want the honest truth about something. Could you really fight with someone who did as much damage to you as my father has done to me?"
Ash met his gaze without blinking. "I subjugated myself to the goddess who drugged me to the point I couldn't protect my sister and nephew the night they were brutally slaughtered, and they were the only two people in the universe who'd ever given two shits about me. Later that same day, she stood back and let her twin brother butcher me on the floor like an animal, yet within hours after that I sold myself to her to protect mankind. For the sake of the Dark-Hunters, I subjected myself to her cruel whims for eleven thousand years. So, yeah, Urian, I think I could manage to suck it up for an hour to protect the rest of the world."
Urian let out a slow breath. "You know you're the only man alive I'd ever follow after what I've been through. You're also the only one I respect."
"And you're one of the extremely few I trust."
Urian held his hand up to him. "Brothers?"
"Brothers to the end," Ash said, taking his hand and clutching it tight. "Now before we get all girly and cry, get your ass upstairs and prepare for what's coming."
STRYKER STEPPED BACK AS HE ADJUSTED THE brace on his left arm. It wasn't often he wore the titanum-laced armor, but since they were about to be up against the gods only knew what, he wanted to be prepared.
He left his room to find Zephyra in his office, staring into the sfora as she tried to locate Medea. It wasn't working. Wherever War was keeping her was off limits to them.
"I'll bring her back. I swear it."
Zephyra rose slowly as her gaze held his captive. "I wish you'd reconsider my offer."
"You won't be fighting with a level head, and you know it. We don't know what we're walking into, but I'm sure War isn't going to play by any rules. As Acheron said to his woman, I can't fight if my attention is partially on you. I'll need every advantage I can have."
Zephyra nodded in understanding. She reached up to brush a lock of coal-black hair back from his eyes. Her chest was tight with fear not just for Medea, but for him, too. How unfair to lose him now when she'd just found him again. "Will I be able to watch in the sfora?"
"You should."
"Then know that I'll be laughing at your ineptitude every time your enemies strike you, and if you fail to return with my daughter, I'll have your heart and your head for decorations."
Stryker narrowed his gaze on her and would have told her exactly what he thought of that had a small glint on her hand not caught his attention.
It was her wedding band. The one he'd kept all these centuries in his room. That one ring belied and translated her words.
She didn't want him harmed . . .
A slow smile curved his lips as he lifted her other hand to place a kiss on it. "Your words are noted, my most prickly rose. And I shall endeavor to keep your amusement at a bare minimum."
As he stepped away, she grabbed the buckles on the front of his armor and pulled him back to her lips so that she could kiss him.
Stryker growled at how good she tasted. "I want you here naked when I return."
"You return whole and I promise you a night you won't soon forget."
"I intend to hold you to that, my lady."