Page 7 of Blood of Olympus

“In any case, Aletheia was placed into the care of Themis⁠—”

“Themis?” Athena shouted, launching to her feet. “The Titaness? I thought she was long gone.”

“She was,” Caelus explained. “And technically still is. My parents reached out to her⁠—”

“Both of your parents?” Poseidon cut in with a snort. “Oh, Hera would have loved doing that.” He laughed fully then, clutching at his belly. Even Ares’ lips twitched in collective amusement.

“Yes, both of them.” Caelus’ returning smile was one of wicked delight. “Zeus and his second wife had to ask his first wife to raise Aletheia. To keep her hidden until she was powerful enough to wield.”

His grin withered slowly, curling inward until only a scowl remained.

Knowing his parents, that was the only thing they wanted — the gifts this girl possessed. Not the worth of her person. Not to aid her or guide her. Just to use her — which, unfortunately, toyed with my curiosity like a cat with a string.

What is so special about this particular child?

With timing so precise it was as though he’d heard me, Caelus answered my unvoiced question.

“Aletheia holds sway over truth.”

I canted my head to the side, inspecting her quizzically.

“She can inherently sense when a lie is spoken,” he continued. “And if she is touching a person’s skin, can force them to speak their truth.”

Aros whistled. “No wonder your parents wanted to use her.”

I rose and slowly closed the distance between us, stopping a few feet short. Knowing how terrifying I probably looked to someone of her age — clad in fighting leathers, bearing Nightbreaker at my hip, and wearing two interlocked crowns — I dropped into a crouch and met her at her height.

“Hello, Aletheia.”

Her uncanny eyes remained unblinking, and only now that I was close, did she falter. They widened with a fear that cannot be taught. Her mortal body screamed at her that she was in danger.

I understood it.

I was Death housed in a physical body. A monster dressed in darkness.

I was Hades. Queen of three realms.

And I scared her.

“My name is Nyssa.”

“I know who you are,” she answered, voice small but unwavering.

“Ah, so you know that I bear another name?”

She hesitated a moment before nodding.

“Then you must also know how very rare it is for Hades to owe someone a favour?”

She nodded again — quicker this time.

“And rarer still, for that someone to be mortal?”

Another small dip of her chin, this time with no hesitation at all.

“Would you be willing to help me? I’d like to ask a few people here some questions and I need to know if what they say is true.”

Her eyes darted around the room, peering at the gods and goddesses present, silently identifying each one. Her eyes widened when she looked upon Athena. Granted, the goddess looked elegantly fierce in her gilded armour, with Glaucus — her owl companion — perched on the back of her chair. But Aletheia only had eyes for Athena herself.