to help Talisa escape, but Zagreus caught up with us and took her back. I barely got away.”
Max’s adrenaline soared. “Where?”
“Where what?”
“Where is he holding her?”
“Oh. In the nymph kingdom of Ehrendia. He’s taken it as his own and enslaved all the nymphs there. It’s his new torture palace.”
Max’s stomach clenched. “And what about Talisa? What does he want with her?”
When she didn’t answer, Max shifted his hands to her shoulders. “Ana?”
“He…” Her voice wavered. “He’s obsessed with her. I don’t know why. But he’s keeping her as his own. As his… personal sex slave.”
Every muscle in Max’s body coiled tight, ready for a fight. He let go of Ana, stepped back, and paced the length of the round room, working like hell to keep from giving into the rage boiling up inside.
He’d heard all the stories about Zagreus and the sick things the bastard was into. If he hurt Talisa… “I have to go after her now. I can’t wait.”
“You can’t. Not on your own. Even with your gifts you’re no match for Zagreus. He’s a god.”
Max knew that. But if he could get close enough, he could use Zagreus’s powers against him.
“You’ll never get close to him,” Ana said in the darkness. “He has too many sentries. He’s trained the silens to fight for him.”
Max paused and glanced her way, realizing she’d read his mind. “How do you know—?”
“What you’re thinking? Because I know you.”
She did, he realized. Because she’d felt their soul mate connection, too.
Max’s mind spun. If he couldn’t go after Zagreus on his own, he’d need help. He’d have to get the Argonauts.
Shuffling sounded, then Ana’s fingertips grazed his arm, and her heat and sultry scent of jasmine surrounded him, making him lightheaded all over again. “You don’t need them.”
He stared down at her in the dark. “Who?”
“The Argonauts. You’re not really one of them. If you were, they would have been here already. They would have rescued you from the satyrs by now. They probably think you led Talisa to Zagreus.”
Something hard gathered in his chest. Something cold and familiar. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true. You were raised in the Underworld. Zagreus is from the Underworld. You know they’ve never truly trusted you. It’s why you’re not already a full-fledged Argonaut. Why you’re still in training. They know you’re more powerful than all of them combined. They’re afraid of you. They’re afraid of what you will become. That’s why they’ve kept you on the fringe of their group. Close enough to control, but not close enough to truly belong.”
Her words reeked of truth. He’d been busting his ass for the Argonauts for over twenty years. By his age, most had already been inducted into the Order, but they kept brushing him off. It didn’t matter how hard he worked or how many times he proved himself. Their answer was always the same—your time will come. Even his father, the one person who was supposed to be his champion, kept putting Max off.
They were afraid of him, he realized. They were all terrified of what he could do.
Ana’s other hand brushed his arm, her heat sinking deep into his flesh. “You don’t need them. There’s an army waiting at your fingertips.”
His eyes narrowed. “What army?”
“The satyrs. Upstairs. They’re nothing more than stupid fools. All you have to do is lead them. That’s why they’re here. They’ve been trying to lure Zagreus back to lead them, but he’s moved on. They could be yours though, Max.”
She pressed her naked body against his, and in the dark, his blood pumped hot as her breasts grazed his chest and the softness of her hips brushed his own. His head grew light all over again as if she had some kind of magickal power over him.
“With the satyrs,” she whispered, “you could overthrow Zagreus and take Ehrendia for yourself. You could be king. And I could be your queen.” She pushed to her toes and nipped at his jaw. “And together we could rule however we want. Without having to answer to anyone ever again—the Argonauts included.”
Her voice was like a drug, overwhelming his senses. One he couldn’t ignore. Lowering his mouth, he kissed her hard, his body hot and aching to feel her consume him again. And as he lowered her to the ground and she drew him into her heat once more, he thought…
Yes.
She was right.
He was strong. He was powerful. He could lead his own army. He could become king.
He could do it all