From Titans (Book 4) (31 page)

I stared into
Cronus
’
s blue eyes, too beautiful to be on a monster like him. “I
dare you to try it. Bring me closer to you so you can smell
me.”

Down below, everyone engaged their powers,
but Cronus was too strong. He would kick them when they approached.
I had no idea if Eris had performed a strength power spell on him
or had done something else to him; either way, he had more power
than expected.

Mason swung around
Cronus
’
s back and raised himself up, floating in midair, so close
yet keeping his distance. Mason looked god-like with all the
lightning surging around him, so hot and sexy. Getting captured by
Cronus was a blessing in disguise. Although I
hadn
’
t discussed my plan with anyone, it unfolded
anyway.

“
You stink. You smell like
my dog
’
s shit,” I spat.

“
You are just like your
mother, arrogant and stupid.” As he brought me closer, he opened
his mouth.

“
Do you know what happens
when you mess with the Rome and Grand families?”

Cronus scowled and stopped
from taking a bite of me. “
Stop talking. I don
’
t care.”

“
But you
should.”

I held up my hand and showed him the crystal
Zara had given me before we entered the Labyrinth. I had taken it
out of my pocket, thinking my plan would be impossible to see to
fruition, but instead, I had been given this opportunity. I had
needed to be captured by Cronus, and there I was. Light glowed,
illuminating us brighter and brighter. Cronus roared and covered
his eyes.

“
Put it away,” he
barked.

I did. Mason flung his
hand toward Cronus. His energy enveloped Cronus
’
s head, causing him to
freeze. I threw the crystal into his mouth. I knew he swallowed it
when his eyes shot wide, expressing terror. Then as I hoped, a few
long seconds later, light emerged from his belly—a straight glowing
light from his belly button to below. The crystal would awaken
Poseidon with the energy it carried. I was sure of it. Then he
would use Zeus
’
s staff Cronus had swallowed as
well and open him up.

“
No!” Cronus touched his
stomach, watching the light shine brighter every second.
“
I don’
t want to go back to Tartarus.” He lunged forward. His body
thrashed and twisted awkwardly. Cronus roared in pain. He dropped
to the ground on his knees.

“
Don
’
t worry.
We
’
re not taking you to Tartarus. We have a better place for
you,” I said.

Out popped Poseidon
through the blinding light. He dropped to the floor with the staff.
Hades and Zeus pulled him away. Off to the side, Eris stood on what
was left of the roof with Harmonia by her side. Harmonia had
wrapped magical energy around her so she couldn
’
t move.

“
No, no, no!” Eris cried.
“This isn
’
t the way it
’
s supposed to be. Everyone takes
everything from me. I have nothing.”

Her words faded when she became smaller.
Hermes must have spread Monkshead on her too. Cronus too became
small. Zara had been gentle with the other Titans when she had
placed them inside her bag, but with Cronus and Eris, she threw
them in.

It was over! The war was finally over.

“
Sky.” Standing a few feet
from me, Mason offered me a huge grin.

“
Mason,” I
breathed.

Our bodies collided. He kissed me as our
friends and family gathered around us. We hugged and high fived
each other. Even the gods joined us.

“
It
’
s good to see you
well, Poseidon,” I said.

Poseidon lifted me up and
placed me down. “Thank you for saving me. That crystal woke me up.
When I saw Zeus
’
s staff, I knew how to
escape.”

Zeus slapped Poseidon on
the back and gazed to his staff. “I didn
’
t think to have Cronus
swallow it. It just happened. Glad to have both of you
back.”

“
Everything worked out,”
Hades added and shifted his attention to Hermes.
“I
’
ll take that back, and good job by the way.”

Hermes nodded and handed
Hades
’
s helm back.

I glanced around.
Where are Mom and Dad?

Too caught up knowing
Cronus had finally been beaten, I had lost a sense of reality until
Mason called my name and snapped me out of it. It was a time to
celebrate, a victorious moment, but at the same time I thought of
those humans who had been killed for no reason. This
wasn
’
t their war. We would have to help re-build this town
again.

Having many hands pulling
me in for hugs, I didn
’
t realize Mom and Dad were
missing in our circle. I glanced around and gasped to see Mom
wheezing on the ground, straining for air, and Dad beside her. She
had shrunk down to her human size, but she was holding onto her
stomach, trembling. Sweat dampened her forehead, and her eyes were
shut tightly.

“
Mom?” I caught
Dad
’
s concerned eyes. “What
’
s wrong with her?”

“
I warned her she might
have a chance of losing the baby if she changed her body that
drastically. She didn
’
t listen. She told me you were
more important than the baby, and she needed to help you stop
Cronus.”

“
Step away,” Zara
demanded.

I didn
’
t notice everyone had
gathered around.

Zara ran her
hand over Mom
’
s body. “We need to get back to
New Olympus. Hermes, get the portal ready.” Zara handed me the
magical pouch holding the entrapped Titans and Eris. “Lock them up
well.” Our victorious moment had quickly turned into a
nightmare.

Chapter
28

Skylar

The Oracles rushed Mom
into a room and wouldn
’
t let anyone in. We waited in the
meeting room, except for Hermes. Zeus sent him to inform the gods
in Mount Olympus that all was well. Everyone looked drained. Their
hair was messy, their clothes were dirty, and their weary eyes were
filled with concern. All of us, that is, except for the
gods.

“
How
’
re Colin and Aaron?” I
asked Amanda when she walked in.

“
They are stable for now.
Tara had to resuscitate their hearts a couple of times.
We
’
ll have to wait and see, but I have high hopes they will
recover.” She gave me a faint smile.

I gave her a hug and watched her join the
others.

“
Sky, sit with me.” Mason
draped his arms around my shoulders, guiding me to the chair next
to him. I had to pace the room and do something besides sitting and
waiting.

“
I need to place the
Titans in their cell.” I released the bag tied to my pant loop.
Unbelievably, it felt light. The bag held six Titans and Eris.
Sometimes, magic was wonderful, but unfortunately, it came with a
price.

“
I
’
ll come with you.” Mason
stood.

“
Do you need me, Sky?” Dad
asked. His dull eyes drooped, and his shoulders slumped. He looked
so tired.

“
No. You stay here, Dad.
Mom is going to come out of this. When she does, she will need
you.”

Dad nodded, giving me a small grin.

“
I
’
m coming too,” Zeus
said.

“
Me too.” Poseidon
followed.

“
Oh, hell. I might as well
come.”
Hades
’
s voice trailed behind
me.

We went down, down, down
the cascading stairs. The farther down we went, the cooler it
became. I shivered and rubbed my arms. Mason cuddled me, keeping me
warm. I wasn
’
t thinking straight. I had the
power of fire, and I could have easily warmed up my body myself.
But I would much rather have Mason keep me warm. Having him back, I
needed to touch him every chance I had.

In the deepest part of New Olympus, Zara had
created a prison. She had cast a spell so not even a god could
escape. Each cell had a divider and a thick, soundproof glass wall
as long and wide as each section.

On the far end,
Hephaestus
’
s iron cast stood alone. He would
be locked inside asleep for a lifetime. A part of me felt terrible,
but the other part of me knew he deserved his punishment for all
the wrong he had done. It was time for the Titans to have the same
fate. They could have at least had some kind of freedom in
Tartarus, but now they would reside here with no sunlight. They
would remain small for their entire existence.

I placed my hand on the glass door. After it
took my imprint of my hand to identify me, it opened. Opening the
bag, I tossed the prisoners out. I should have been gentle, but
they deserved no kindness from me or any one of us. Dropping to the
hard ground, they cursed, but their tiny voices made me snort.
Everyone else did too.

“
Have a nice life,” I
hissed and shut the door.

“
Skylar, you
can
’
t keep me here,
” Eris
squeaked. She pounded on the glass, but no sound penetrated from
the glass wall.

I bent down to my knees so
she could see my face. “I can do whatever I want.
You
’
re lucky I didn
’
t turn you into gold. Be thankful
for that.”

Mason got down to her
level too. “Be thankful I didn
’
t place you in a prison box. At
least you have company.”

“
Company?
They
’re morons. I
don’
t want to be here with them. Mason,
come on love. Let me out. I let you out. Don
’
t you
remember?”

Mason scowled. “I remember
everything, Eris. You
’
ve taught me so much. To be human
is to err, but to be a god is to take revenge. I am both.
I
’
m
glad I never have to hear your irritating voice ever
again.”

“
Wait! Mason. Please.
Don
’
t leave me with the Titans. Put me somewhere else. At least
give me my own cell.”

I took a small bottle
filled with gold liquid from my pocket. “I think
I
’
ll
turn anything I want into gold.”

Eris glared at me.
“That
’
s mine. Give it to me. You aren
’
t the goddess of chaos. I
am.”

I shook my head.
“
I don’
t plan on being you. Who went to the Land of Reverse? Who
fought for the gold water? If you can say that was you, then
it
’
s
yours.”

Silent.

“
Tick tock, tick tock…time
is running out.” I reveled in using her own words back at her. “I
didn
’
t think so.” I’d had enough of her and walked
away.

“
Skylar. Come back.
I
’
ll
be good. I
’
ll do whatever you say.
Please!”

My heart squeezed. I knew
what it was like to be in her position, but she deserved it. If I
let her free, and something bad happened again from her doing, it
would be on my hands. I couldn
’
t allow guilt to eat at me. I
couldn
’
t take that chance. Eris deserved her punishment. She needed
to think about all the wrong she had done. I should walk away, but
I wasn
’
t done with her yet, so I got back down.