From Titans (Book 4) (24 page)

“
Would you like your
freedom again?”

“
Yes, we would,” he burst
out excitedly.

Tara adjusted her cape and
moved closer to the rods. “For your freedom, I need you to hand
over the gods
’
gifts. The gods need your help. They are about to
face the Titans again.”

Polyphemus blinked several
times and ran his hand up and down the rods as if he could almost
taste his freedom. “That
’
s it? You want the gifts, and
then we can go free?”

“
Yes. I will let you out
of your prison, but when we put the Titans back,
you
’
ll have to keep guard like the last time.”

“
So,
we
’
ll be on the other side of this bar?”

“
Yes, but you are not free
to roam. Times are different now. You are safer in Tartarus. There
are many dangerous monsters twice your size that will destroy you
and will want you dead.” Tara told them a lie to keep the Cyclopes
under control. Luckily they believed her. The Cyclopes appeared
intimidating due to their size, but they were gentle
creatures.

Polyphemus gasped sharply. “Why do they want
to hurt us? We are not dangerous.”

“
No,
you
’
re not, but will you help? I promise you,
you
’
ll be on the other side of the bars. I am an Oracle. My words
are true. You have my word.”

“
Then
I
’
ll
take your word as a promise and hand you the gifts.”

“
Wait.
” My wings stretched and
fluttered up to his eye level. I had no idea what
Zeus
’
s plans were, but they had to be even cleverer than before.
Cronus would be expecting them to use the same tactics. “I have one
more favor to ask.”

“
Hermes,” he sang my name
joyfully. His giant eyes sparkled in recognition. “Why
didn
’
t you tell me it was you? I could barely see you.”

“
It
’
s been a long time. I
forgot you can
’
t see well.” Though I
couldn
’
t fathom why. His eye, the size of a truck, took up his
forehead. “The gods are going to need more than the items Tara
mentioned. Are you willing to do all you can? Sure, Tara can let
you out, but if the Titans win, they
’
ll put you right back in.
You
’
ll be stuck here for eternity.”

Polyphemus looked behind his shoulders to
his family. With a nod from everyone, he turned back to me. “We are
at your service.”

“
Good.
” I grinned.

“
Now, how are you going to
get us out of here?” he asked.

“
It
’
s simple. No magic
trick. I would get back if I were you. Tara is going to blow it
up.” I winked.

Polyphemus blinked with an
understanding grin. I wasn
’
t sure if he winked back, but the
Cyclopes shook the ground as they ran back as far as they
could.

Chapter
21

Mason

I pulled the hood over my head and hid
behind the nearest boulder. Darting my eyes every which way, I
looked for an escape but found none. Even the path I had come
through disappeared. Eris had intended me to end up here. My
instinct said the battle would take place at the arena since Eris
loved a good show. There would be no doubt she would sit at the
front, watching everything unfold and gloating over her sick
plan.

A whimper caught my attention. With my
fingers shimmering in faint light, willing my powers ready, I
carefully moved around the boulders to the sound. A man crouched on
the ground into a ball. Shirtless, with long scars on his back, he
was smeared with grime. His pants had holes caked in dried blood. I
grimaced at the scent of him.

“
Who are you?” I
snapped.

He didn
’
t move. His face
dipped to the ground, and he groaned like he was in
pain.

“
Hey. Are you
hurt?”

“
Eris,” he mumbled in a
hoarse whisper.

“
Did Eris put you here?”
Panic shot through me. Something didn
’
t feel right. I glanced up either
side of me and then behind my shoulder. When he
didn
’
t answer, I spoke again. “You need to get up. Cronus is here
somewhere. He
’
s
coming.
” I was about to push him over to
see his face when he craned his neck.

Just like his body, his
face was smeared with dirt and caked with dried blood, especially
around his temples. I didn
’
t recognize him. But his blue
eyes—so blue and sparkling, like the gods—sent goose bumps up my
arms. I pushed that feeling aside. Fear would make me weak, slow me
down, prevent me from thinking fast.

“
Cronus?” the stranger
whimpered, hardly audible.

“
Yes, Cronus. Do you know
who he is?”

He pushed himself onto his knees, moving
ever so slowly.

“
I
do.
” A slow smile spread across his
face—cunning and mischievous. Surely I had misinterpreted that
grin—I hoped. “He
’
s my dear brother, and I would
watch your back if I were you.”

It took me a second to
register what he
’
d said. He
couldn
’
t have been Cronus
’
s brother. Cronus was a giant, so
his brother must be one, unless…Eris had shrunk me before, and she
could
’
ve done the same to him. I was screwed. Before I had a chance
to react, something hit me hard from behind, like a bat to a ball,
tossing me across space. I slammed against the wall. Breaking
through those bricks, I hit another wall and another, until I
finally stopped as pain sliced through me. I felt like every bone
in my body shattered.

Never in my life had I
been hit so hard. The power and strength was beyond anything
imaginable. Flat on the ground, my back exposed, I pushed myself
halfway up, quivering, unable to control my muscles. My head
pounded, and the sound of my name blasted air on me.
Cronus!
Before I had the
chance to recuperate, I was tossed again.

Thoughts of Sky danced in my head: her soft
skin, her scent. She was the reason for my smile, the reason for my
happiness. I held onto her, Everett, Nick, and Amanda as I accepted
death. Visions of their cloudy faces appeared like a dream as I
fell in and out of consciousness.

“
Mason…Mason. Can…
hear…?”

Sky?
Humming buzzed through my head as memories of Sky flashed in
my mind. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn
’
t. I
couldn
’
t because I was dead. The thought of never seeing my Sky or
family killed me. Hot liquid dropped on my face. I guessed dead
people couldn
’
t cry but instead could feel
their loved ones
’
agonizing tears. I couldn
’
t stand for Sky and my
family to find me dead on the floor. Their guilt, their pain would
eat them alive, as it would have for me.

“
Mason.”

Sky had found me. I was so
close to reuniting with her. So freakin
’
close. I had no idea how
much time had passed. Can dead people hear? Perhaps my spirit
hadn
’
t left my body yet. Sky
’
s voice…oh dear God. It was
beyond torture. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, kiss her lips,
and tell her I loved her so much.
Sky,
Sky, Sky. I love you. You can
’
t hear me.
Gut-wrenching pain clenched my heart, worse than anything
imaginable. Then icy cold hit me. The cold spread throughout my
body, numbing me. Death had found me.

Then warmth enveloped me.
My body jerked countless times as electrifying shock waves rippled
through me again and again. Was this how a soul left the body? Then
the face of an angel appeared, first blurry and then clear. I heard
when a person died, an angel would come to guide them to the light.
The angel would look like someone you knew. Of course Sky would be
my angel. If only she could stay with me forever, then death
wouldn
’
t be so bad. I could pretend Sky was with me,
always.

“
Mason. Mason.
It
’
s
me. Can you hear me?”

My angel was crying, but I
couldn
’
t help star
ing at her
beautiful face, her smile, and she looked so relieved. Identical to
Sky. My lips curled, but I wasn
’
t sure how much as I tried to
produce a smile. Tears dropped from her eyes to my cheek, making me
blink.

“
He
’
s awake.” She was
talking to someone?

“
Good. I
can
’
t hold this barrier much longer.”

Zara?
Why would she be in the afterlife?

“
Sky?” I
wasn
’
t sure if she could hear me, even though my lips parted to
speak. The buzzing in my head made it difficult for me to hear even
myself.

“
Mason. I
can
’
t believe you
’
re here.” She crushed her body to
mine. Though I felt like I
’
d been hit by a bus, I welcomed
it. The cold air replaced her warmth when she released me to wipe
her tears. “Can you get up? We need to get you to safer
ground.”

“
Hurry!” Zara
snapped.

Sky twitched. Before I
could say anything, she helped me up. The earth tilted under my
feet, and my view spun as if I had turned upside down. My body and
mind hadn
’
t synced yet. I wasn
’
t sure if this was real or if I
had to prove myself worthy before I entered Heaven or some other
divine place. But everything became clear when my eyes focused past
our protective barrier. Holy freakin
’
Zeus! A battle raged. Then
everything fell in place.

I turned to my angel, who propped me up. My
heart thundered in bliss and recognition. Not only was I alive, Sky
and I had been reunited. Her teary eyes and her smile said it
all.

“
Sky? Is this really you,
or am I dead?” I asked hesitantly, dismissing the fact Zara stood
in front using her magic and the scent of Sky I knew like my own
spiraled dizzily around me like a euphoric drug.

“
It
’
s me, Mason.”
Her lips quivered.
“Are you hurt? Or you okay?”

I didn
’
t care who saw us or
what the hell was happening beyond the protective shield. Her words
were all I needed. Ignoring her questions, I conquered
Sky
’
s lips with mine and ran my hands all over her. Every inch of
her face, my thumb over her eyes, her nose, her cheeks, her ears.
Every curve of her body, needing evidence it was her. Needing to
know I was alive and she was here and we were finally together
after all those torturous days apart.

Her body melded into mine, and she kissed me
back in the same intensity, showing me how much she’d missed me.
Then it became too much. Overwhelmed with adrenaline,
uncontrollable exhilaration coursed through me, taking all of my
strength. I shocked her.

“
Mason?” Sky jerked
back.

“
I
’
m so sorry.
I…it
’
s been so long. I mean—” My hands gently caressed her
face.

“
It
’
s okay, Mason.” She
gave me her sexy, naughty grin. “You know I love it when you do it
during…um…”

“
Any minute now. You can
have a longer reunion after we defeat Cronus.” Zara snapped me
back. Her arms still raised.