From Titans (Book 4) (8 page)

I wasn
’
t the type to easily
give up, so I urged my body to fight. But it did not
respond.
How do I gain control of my
body?
Is there even hope for me?
I never cried, but the thought of being trapped
with Eris for who knew how long, and then seeing my Sky without
touching her, killed me. A hot drop of liquid streamed down my
face.

Sky, I know you
can
’
t hear me, but it
’
s so good to see you, baby. You
look so tired and ill. Please take care of yourself. I wish I could
be with you. I miss you so much it hurts to look at you. I think of
you every day and night. You
’
re all I want to dream about.
Thinking about our time together keeps me from falling apart. I
know you
’
re trying to find a way to bring me home, and I promise
I
’
ll
do everything I can to go home to you.

The sound of
Eris
’
s voice broke me away from Sky, but not for long. Between my
limited view and the immobility of my head, my eyes could only
focus on Sky. Eris liked to play games, and she made it clear
something would happen to Sky if I didn
’
t cooperate.

“
What are your demands?
What do you want in exchange for Mason?” Zeus
’
s voice
echoed in my mind.

After a long silence, Eris finally answered,
“I thought you would never ask.”

Skylar

Hades leveled his burning
eyes at Eris, still blocked by the invisible wall.
“You
’
re crazy. Why can
’
t you get it
yourself?”

Eris gazed at her long
nails, adorned with rhinestones, and then rolled her eyes as if she
was bored. “What would be the fun in that? I like to create chaos.
You
’
re an idiot, Hades. Midas has been dead a long time. Why else
do you think I asked
you
to get the gold from the river?
I
’
m
only asking for a cup of the gold river. Do you think you can
manage that?”

The invisible wall blazed
with fire from Hades
’
s hands, but the fire quickly
died. “Stealing gold from the river is suicide.
I
’
m no idiot,
”
he sneered.
“We might turn to gold ourselves.”

Eris grazed the tree roots
along her necklace with her fingernail. “That
’
s not my problem. If
you refuse, then you might as well say goodbye to Mason and
leave.”

“
Why do you need the gold
water?” Poseidon asked. He
’
s been the calmest of all three
gods so far.

Eris rolled her eyes.
“Stupid god asks stupid question. Why do you think? I
don
’
t have any more gold apples. It
’
s my signature.”

“
That
’
s it?” Poseidon threw
his arms in the air. “Not to cure a sickness or help others? You
want us to risk our lives so your apples turn to gold. Forget
it.”

“
Wait.
I’
ll do
it,
” I jumped in. I hated Eris with every
cell in my body, and I wanted to give her pain as much as she had
given me, but she had my Mason. I
’
d do anything to set him free,
even if it meant risking my own life.

If I agreed, others would
follow. Listening to the gods talk to each other was like
overhearing a conversation about who had the bigger ego. The
conversation would go on and on, and although the gods might have
sounded as if they didn
’
t want to meet
Eris
’
s demand, they would do the right thing.

Eris gazed at Mason
adoringly, rubbing his biceps. “I knew you would, Sky. I see why
you would for him. Just look at him.” She eyed him lustfully,
running her hands down his chest. “He
’
s so sexy.” She moaned and licked
her lips.

Disgusted, I turned away.

“
Where is this river, and
how do we find it?” Nick jumped in with the question before I had
the chance.

She took a step in front
of Mason and wrapped his arms loosely around her neck. Snuggling
her cheek to his hand, Eris said, “Well, I really
don
’
t know.”

“
What do you mean you
don
’
t know?” Everett huffed. He
’
d been patient and quiet until
then.

We were all losing our tempers.

Eris slipped away from
Mason and slammed her hand against the invisible wall. No sound
rang, but her blue eyes hardened in pure rage and turned black for
a second. “Don
’
t you know the story of King
Midas?” She shook her head. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Let me enlighten you,
idiots.”

The three gods growled, and Eris snickered.
She loved attention, but she seemed to love troubling their
emotions and playing with their minds even more.

“
No, thanks.” Nick crossed
his arms and fake yawned. “
We
don’
t have time for this.”

“
You
’
ll make time. Listen
carefully, and you might find your answer. I
’
m going to make this
short. Once upon a time, a satyr—half man and half horse—gave King
Midas a gift. The satyr offered Midas anything he wanted, all for
being nice. Greedy King Midas only thought of himself, so he asked
that whatever he touched would turn into gold. King Midas became
the richest King of his era. But when he touched his daughter, she
too turned to solid gold. Distraught, he begged the satyr to
reverse his gift. The satyr told him to go to Phoenix River and
wash his daughter and himself. As the gold peeled off his daughter
and his hand, it floated with the current and settled by the bank.
When King Midas was himself again, he promised never to be greedy
again. He ruled his kingdom with kindness, was generous to his
people, and gave his gold items to whomever he thought
deserving.”

“
You still
didn
’
t answer my question. How do we find the river?” Everett
sighed, rubbing his face as if to rub the anger away.

Eris shook her head disappointedly and
creased her brow. “Did you not listen to the story?”

Enough!
“Where do we find this being?” I
asked.

Eris
’
s eyes lit up. “We
finally have a smart one. But of course she
’
s a girl. Women are smarter
than men. Do you know why, Skylar?”

“
I
don’
t care,” I grumbled, my shoulders
slumped. My legs ached from standing, and my mind had been numbed
by nonsense rambling.

Eris frowned. A stiff breeze brushed against
us. It tousled her blonde hair and almost knocked her tiara off.
“Because we listen. I believe Hermes knows where he is. You should
ask him. Or not.” She laughed, but it sounded fake.

I gazed at Mason as
despair pierced my heart. He was an arm
’
s length away, and I
couldn
’
t touch him. The agony ate at my soul. I would do anything
for him, but how did I know Eris would let him go after we brought
what she wanted? I couldn
’
t trust her. Someone as devious
as her might ask for something else, and the list could be
endless.

“
We need a contract,” I
said out of the blue. I had no idea if gods signed contracts and if
they would be bound to it, but I had to try.

“
No,” Eris hissed.
“I
’
m
above that. My word is good. I don
’
t
sign
—”

Before she could say another word, Zeus had
magically presented a contract in front of her, big as her
invitation, behind the invisible wall. How fitting. The floating,
3-D words popped out.

“
If you
can
’
t read, I can read it for you,”
Hades mocked.

Eris glared.

“
Sign it,” Zeus commanded
in that deep, gruff tone.

Eris scowled. She got closer to read it.
“Very well. This is a contract between Eris and Skylar. Upon her
fulfillment of her duty, bringing a cup of gold water, Mason will
be free to go. Blah, blah, blah, yeah, yeah, yeah…whatever.”

Her arm went through the
invisible wall, and with her finger, she signed her name. “There,
satisfied? Now stop wasting precious time and go. If you
don
’
t come back in three days, Mason and I will have to wed
without our family.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “We
will be so sad, won
’
t we,
love?
” She kissed his cheek.

I closed my eyes to wipe the image of that
kiss away. There was nothing I could do, so I brushed it aside and
kept calm. I would get my revenge when I fulfilled the contract.
Eris would get it from me.

“
It
’
s time to go, Skylar.”
Hades tugged my arm, but I held fast to my stance. “I have to…” I
stared at Mason, memorizing his face, memorizing all of him. I had
to capture the happy feeling of seeing Mason with my own eyes. I
had been so worried he
’
d been hurt or tortured. Perhaps
he had been, mentally, but from the outside, he looked oh so
divine.

“
I
’
m coming back for you,” Nick
said with conviction and then shifted his attention to Eris. “You
better not touch him. So help me, gods, I will kill you
myself.”

Eris tilted her chin high, dismissing Nick.
He was nothing to her.

“
We
’
re not resting until
you
’
re home with us,” Everett added with his fists tight and jaw
clenched.

“
Mason.” I paused,
blinking back the tears. “
I
promise I’
ll come back. And when I do,
you
’
ll come home with me. The dogs are well. They miss you too.
Mason sleeps with me.”

“
Oh, how sweet.
You
’
ve replaced Mason with a dog.” Eris
’
s lips spread into a wicked
smile, so fake and conniving.

My eyes sparked, and my hands blazed.
“Shut—”

Hades picked me up and
twirled me around before I could finish. Still holding me in his
arms, he strode forward, long quick strides. “Enough of her
insults. We stay there any longer she
’
ll make me want to rip off my own
ears. Not only can I not stand the sight of her, but I also hate
her annoying voice,” He growled out loud.

“
Now what?
What
’
s the plan?” Poseidon asked when we reached the first
invisible wall.

“
When we cross over, we
should be arriving at the meeting room in New Olympus,” Zeus
replied. “Just make sure to think of that room and nowhere else.
Everyone ready?”

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell them
that Mason needed me. Instead, I said yes. We slipped through the
wall together.

Chapter
9