Page 232 of The Games Gods Play
“My first act as king,” he announces in a voice as dark as his crown, “will be to keep a promise and grant the winner’s prize.”
He looks at me, and I say clearly, “I ask for Boone Runar to be made a god.”
Hades snaps his fingers.
Boone appears on the dais. He has faded a bit more since I saw him last. He blinks, then looks around, visibly confused until his gaze lands on mine. Then his eyes widen before his mouth lifts into that cocky grin.
“About damn time,” he says in an echoey voice.
“What’s this about, Hades?” Poseidon demands.
Before anyone else can so much as move, Hades holds up his hands, and power goes out of him. It’s not black like I’m sure the world expects but a brilliant, sparkling blue—the color of the River Styx.
Boone’s ghostly form absorbs the light, then slowly turns from translucent to opaque and then to radiant, incredible health. Suddenly, a beam of that same blue light shoots from Boone straight to Hermes where he, like the other gods, is on his feet.
“No!” Hermes throws his hands up to ward off what’s coming, but it’s too late.
Boone has already taken what he needs, and the glow around him dissipates, that cocky grin widening. “Looks like there’s a new god of thieves in town,” he says.
The way Hermes stares at him, Boone had better watch his back.
Boone dismisses the messenger god without another glance, turning instead to offer me a bow. Me, not Hades.
I grin back before facing Hades, my smile changing to one of gratitude. “Thank you,” I whisper.
He would never admit it out loud, but he knows what Boone once meant to me, and with my curse gone, he knows it’s possible for Boone to love me back. Making my friend a god might be the most selfless thing Hades could have done.
“And to the champions,” he announces next. “I made you promises as well.”
Hades turns to Zai, his expression softening. “First to Zai. For giving Lyra what she has always wanted, a best friend, you may choose a boon. And I swear on the River Styx no harm will ever come to you again, so choose for yourself.” Then he shoots a look to Zai’s father that sets the man to trembling—and my heart swells.
Zai stands taller and holds Hades’ gaze. “May I take some time to consider? For now, I want to remain by Lyra’s side”—he tosses me a cheeky grin—“and see what she does with the Underworld.”
Hades’ eyes narrow, but he gives a brief nod, then turns to the rest of the champions. “Every champion shall receive the same blessings as the winner of the Crucible—abundance for your families as well as your homelands—and one boon each. Both those here and those champions in the Underworld.”
Every one of my friends stares at Hades in slack-jawed shock.
“You can’t fucking do that!” Poseidon yells, jumping to his feet.
Hades silences him with a single look. He doesn’t even have to speak before his brother sits back down, visibly shaken. The other gods and goddesses are all exchanging worried glances.
Because they know for sure now.
Hades is about to change everything.
They should be afraid.
He looks at me, and only me, and his smile is everything the god of death’s should be.
I can’t help but smile right back at him. Ready for whatever comes next as long as it’s with him.
“A dark king and queen, ruling Olympus and the Underworld side by side,” Aphrodite murmurs behind us, an odd lilt of trepidation in her voice. “This could be interesting.”
Hades ignores his sister and turns to Zeles, then commands, “As my rightful boon as ruler of Olympus and King of the Olympian Gods, I demand Pandora’s Box.”
The room erupts in chaos as an ornate, wooden container suddenly appears at Hades’ feet.
The box rumored to have the power to unleash all evils on the mortal world. I swallow back my own panic at the one secret Hades still managed to keep from me.
