Page 133 of Blood of Olympus

She raised a brow. “Deadly?”

“What, too soon?” I said with a smirk.

Her lip twitched, betraying the emotion I could feel through our tether anyway.

“Just Char and I then. Off you go, Taser Boy — you’ve got work still to do.” She glanced down at her ruined clothes. “Ugh, and I really need a shower.”

“Well, actually…” Charon began.

Both of us turned to him, our emotions in sync: dread, anguish, reluctance, regret… and bucketloads of love.

“It’s time for me to go, too. For good this time,” he said, sorrow stealing the dimple right off his cheek.

“I’m not ready,” Nyssa whispered, her heart breaking all over again.

“You know better than any that Death takes us when she’s ready, not when we are.”

“I’m going to murder Atropos for cutting your thread so short,” she vowed.

“Well actually…” Charon said again, rubbing the back of his neck. “I cut it.”

“You what?!” Nyssa burst out.

“When?” I dared ask.

“Months ago. During the trials. They offered me the choice between two threads” — his gaze crashed into mine — “and I chose mine.”

No.

“Why?” I choked out, a fresh ball of sorrow clawing its way up my throat.

“A son of Zeus was the price.”

The truth of it shattered across Nyssa’s face. Fate had decreed that loving us both meant she was always going to lose.

“So, either way, I was going to lose one of you…”

Charon nodded.

“Seems incredibly unfair.” She sniffed.

Charon and I both cracked what I’m sure were painfully similar grins because the corners of her lips pulled down, turning her mouth into an upside down U.

It was painfully, heartwrenchingly adorable.

“For what it’s worth, Nyss, I’m glad it was me. I don’t think I’m the son of Zeus you needed to finish this.” Charon turned to me. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Nyssa snorted. “That list is awfully short, Char.”

He bowed, dramatically splaying his arms. “Exactly.”

“So, this is it,” she said, unshed tears welling in her eyes.

“Mmhmm. Be brave, be bold, be good, and for the love of fuck, mind⁠—”

“Mind my feet,” she laughed. “I know.”

“Just making sure,” he said, hands raised in surrender.