Page 98 of Blood of Olympus

“No!” she cried, tearing my heart asunder.

I didn’t love her — but I could have. I probably would have, eventually.

She was just a pretty flower in a field of dandelions. Something new and alluring to behold.

That was it.

At least, that’s what I told myself so I could keep walking away.

Before rounding the corner, I turned back at the last second. Lethe had her hands on either side of Nyssa’s face, wiping her tears away. She tilted Nyssa’s head back, the golden light of the torch caressing the entirety of her beautiful face, looking skyward as if in prayer.

Fate wouldn’t help her, though.

I waited a long moment, taking her in one last time, and made to leave.

The movement caught Nyssa’s eye, and her gaze snapped to mine. Though the remnants of tears glistened on her face, the tears themselves were gone. And the shattered emerald gaze that met mine was not that of an almost-lover.

It was blank.

Dark.

Cold.

I gazed down at the world in my arms — the woman who made this life worthwhile.

I had died for her once. And I’d wager that my heart would be on the line again before this war was over.

I had a score to settle with my mother.

And a life-debt to claim from Kronos.

Unless Nyssa took it first, as was her right.

When I entered the foyer of the building that housed students — and temporarily, us — Aros turned, dropped his intense conversation mid-sentence, and bounded up to us. With fists clenched at his sides and every muscle taut with barely restrained emotion, he bit out a terse, “What happened?”

I glanced down, checking she was still asleep, and noticed how stark the gilded ichor on her face was in the well-lit entryway.

With a grimace, I answered softly. “She almost drained herself.”

“What?!” he bellowed, causing my beloved to stir and the warrior he’d been conversing with to flinch.

“Shh!” I shot him a look, pleading with him to stay quiet. “Please, Aros — she needs to sleep it off.”

His teeth ground together audibly, but after a moment, he nodded with a sharp jerk of his head. “How, exactly, did this happen?”

“We went to Hades’ Palace after the battle.”

“I know, Velira told us. But how did that turn into this? And why wasn’t I sent for?”

“How, Aros?! In the midst of chaos, how was I to send someone for you, when no one was there but us?” I growled back, careful not to disturb my precious, sleeping cargo.

He blinked, taken aback. “You’re right,” he said, surprising me. “It’s just that I⁠—”

“Take your oath seriously, yes, I know.” I sighed deeply, exhaling the irritation. “And I appreciate that more than you know. The more people standing between her and danger, the better. But I think we both know that she’s going to throw herself headlong into it, regardless.”

He raised a brow, nodding.

“And that’s exactly what happened tonight.”