there was no doubt in Pollux’s mind that the King of the Gods would stop at nothing to defend his pride.
Taking heed of his father’s warning, Pollux grasped Castor’s hand and ran.
Kate
Six months. One hundred and eighty-four days. That was how long I had to stay away from Eden, where Henry, my brand-new husband, waited for me to return in September. Looking forward, it seemed like forever, and the idea of being away from him for so long made me ache.
But I hadn’t had much of a choice. Six months on, six months off. That was the arrangement we’d made when I’d agreed to stay at his manor in Eden in exchange for him keeping my sick mother alive. Crazy as it sounded, Henry was really Hades, God of the Underworld, and he was more than capable of it.
I didn’t regret our deal, but after six months of falling in love with him, facing another half a year without him felt like torture. But he’d insisted, and in the end, it was probably for the best that I had a chance to step away from my immortal life and remember what it was like to be human.
During the first seventy-two hours away, I didn’t have much time to miss him, mostly because I hadn’t gone alone. My best friend, James, had agreed to come with me, and together we’d set off for Greece. He wasn’t Henry, but he knew exactly how to cheer me up and get me excited about our summer.
James had our whole trip planned out, and on the plane from New York City to Athens, I’d daydreamed about what the next six months would bring. Tours of ancient ruins. Mouthwatering Greek cuisine. Entire days spent lounging on the beach. And no longer having to look over my shoulder, wondering when someone was going to try to kill me.
Getting lost in a forest our first day there was the last thing I’d had in mind.
“You seriously have no idea where we are?” I said, trudging after James. Three hours after we’d split from our tour group, we were still wandering through the woods outside of Athens, more lost than I’d ever been in my life. James, however, looked like we were taking a light stroll, his hands shoved in his pockets as he admired the scenery.
“Not a clue,” he said lightly, and there was something in his voice that made me think otherwise. I had no choice but to follow him though.
“If this is some trick to get me alone,” I muttered. Couldn’t put it past him—had I failed my tests in Eden, James would have replaced Henry as Lord of the Underworld. And even though I wouldn’t have had any memory of my time in Eden, I was certain he had his eye on replacing him as my husband as well. Henry had won that fight, but from the looks James had given me ever since, it was clear he didn’t realize the contest was over. Or that there’d never been one to begin with. I was Henry’s, plain and simple.
James grinned. “You really think I’d do that?”
“Yes, even though you know damn well I wouldn’t kiss you for anything.”
He placed his hand over his heart with mock hurt. “You wound me, Kate.”
“If you don’t find civilization within the next fifteen minutes, I’ll show you what a wound really is.”
He flung his arm around my shoulders, and I tried to shrug it off to no avail. “You need to learn to take in the scenery. Enjoy the little things in life. We’ve got six months before we need to be anywhere.”
“Yeah, and by the time September rolls around, I’d like to not still be wandering,” I muttered. “Seriously, James, if you think I’m sleeping on the forest floor—”
Crack.
A twig snapped nearby. James stopped, forcing me to as well, and his gaze darted around the surrounding trees. I frowned. It wasn’t like there was anyone else out here. And if there was, terrific, maybe they’d know a way back.
“What—”
James shushed me, and I glared at him. His brow was furrowed, but as the seconds passed, his worry gave way to a boyish grin. “Excellent,” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes.
“If you don’t
Taking heed of his father’s warning, Pollux grasped Castor’s hand and ran.
Kate
Six months. One hundred and eighty-four days. That was how long I had to stay away from Eden, where Henry, my brand-new husband, waited for me to return in September. Looking forward, it seemed like forever, and the idea of being away from him for so long made me ache.
But I hadn’t had much of a choice. Six months on, six months off. That was the arrangement we’d made when I’d agreed to stay at his manor in Eden in exchange for him keeping my sick mother alive. Crazy as it sounded, Henry was really Hades, God of the Underworld, and he was more than capable of it.
I didn’t regret our deal, but after six months of falling in love with him, facing another half a year without him felt like torture. But he’d insisted, and in the end, it was probably for the best that I had a chance to step away from my immortal life and remember what it was like to be human.
During the first seventy-two hours away, I didn’t have much time to miss him, mostly because I hadn’t gone alone. My best friend, James, had agreed to come with me, and together we’d set off for Greece. He wasn’t Henry, but he knew exactly how to cheer me up and get me excited about our summer.
James had our whole trip planned out, and on the plane from New York City to Athens, I’d daydreamed about what the next six months would bring. Tours of ancient ruins. Mouthwatering Greek cuisine. Entire days spent lounging on the beach. And no longer having to look over my shoulder, wondering when someone was going to try to kill me.
Getting lost in a forest our first day there was the last thing I’d had in mind.
“You seriously have no idea where we are?” I said, trudging after James. Three hours after we’d split from our tour group, we were still wandering through the woods outside of Athens, more lost than I’d ever been in my life. James, however, looked like we were taking a light stroll, his hands shoved in his pockets as he admired the scenery.
“Not a clue,” he said lightly, and there was something in his voice that made me think otherwise. I had no choice but to follow him though.
“If this is some trick to get me alone,” I muttered. Couldn’t put it past him—had I failed my tests in Eden, James would have replaced Henry as Lord of the Underworld. And even though I wouldn’t have had any memory of my time in Eden, I was certain he had his eye on replacing him as my husband as well. Henry had won that fight, but from the looks James had given me ever since, it was clear he didn’t realize the contest was over. Or that there’d never been one to begin with. I was Henry’s, plain and simple.
James grinned. “You really think I’d do that?”
“Yes, even though you know damn well I wouldn’t kiss you for anything.”
He placed his hand over his heart with mock hurt. “You wound me, Kate.”
“If you don’t find civilization within the next fifteen minutes, I’ll show you what a wound really is.”
He flung his arm around my shoulders, and I tried to shrug it off to no avail. “You need to learn to take in the scenery. Enjoy the little things in life. We’ve got six months before we need to be anywhere.”
“Yeah, and by the time September rolls around, I’d like to not still be wandering,” I muttered. “Seriously, James, if you think I’m sleeping on the forest floor—”
Crack.
A twig snapped nearby. James stopped, forcing me to as well, and his gaze darted around the surrounding trees. I frowned. It wasn’t like there was anyone else out here. And if there was, terrific, maybe they’d know a way back.
“What—”
James shushed me, and I glared at him. His brow was furrowed, but as the seconds passed, his worry gave way to a boyish grin. “Excellent,” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes.
“If you don’t
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