Gripping the banister, Nick peered over to the grand foyer below. Weaponry had been hauled into the foyer. A castle guard was organizing soldiers and volunteers and handing out swords. Nick scanned the faces, searching for Theron, but the only Argonaut he could see was Gryphon, already armed and ready for battle, standing in the middle of the great Alpha seal, embracing Maelea, his mate.
The Argonaut drew back, his light blue eyes hard, his face taut and rigid, and his voice drifted up to Nick’s sensitive ears when he said, “Stay with Natasa.”
The crowd parted, and Nick watched as Gryphon nodded to a redhead at Maelea’s side. One who was whispering something to her own mate, Titus.
“Hades will be looking for you,” Gryphon added.
“I can stay and fight,” Maelea protested.
“No.” Gryphon’s eyes flew wide with a panic Nick understood and was fighting back himself, but the Argonaut pulled it together, cupped her face, and said softer, “No, sotiria. I’ll be useless if you’re here. Please. Do this for me. Get to Prometheus. He’ll know how to keep you hidden. I need to know you’re safe.”
Tears filled Maelea’s dark eyes, and the pair embraced. Beside them, Titus held Natasa just as tightly, whispering words so softly in her ear, Nick couldn’t make them out.
Cynna stiffened at Nick’s side. “There are more, right? More who can fight?”
“I don’t know.” But worry gnawed at his gut. One army, maybe they could handle, but not two. Hades and Zagreus joining forces in this land clearly wasn’t a contingency any of them had ever planned for.
To the right, Orpheus stalked into the foyer with Skyla at his side, both dressed in fighting gear, Orpheus with a blade strapped to his back and Skyla with a bow slung over her shoulder. He sidestepped a boy who looked no more than fifteen lining up to be armed, shook his head, then continued moving toward the Argonauts.
Nick tugged on Cynna’s hand. “Come on.”
By the time they reached the center of the room, Gryphon, Titus, and their mates were gone. The females, hopefully, to safety; the Argonauts already out into the battle. He and Cynna met up with Orpheus and Skyla.
“Where’s Theron?” Nick asked.
“Threatening Phineus within an inch of his life,” Orpheus muttered, looking around the foyer. “Do you see these volunteers? Too fucking young.”
“Theron’s entrusting the queen, her sisters, and the kids into Phineus’s care,” Skyla clarified. “He’s taking them to Delia, who’s going to hide them all in the mountains until this is over.”
A good plan. One Nick suddenly wanted in on. “Where?”
“In the tunnels below the castle,” Orpheus answered. “They lead out into the mountains.”
Nick looked down at Cynna. “You should go with them.”
“What?” Cynna’s eyes widened. “No. I’m staying right here.”
“Cynna, be smart. She’s your sis—”
“And I can fight, she can’t. Look around you, Nick. You’re arming babies. You need all the hands you can get.” She turned to the Siren. “I need a blade.”
“Dagger or sword?” Skyla asked.
“Both.”
Skyla stepped back and motioned Cynna to follow. “Come on. We don’t have much time.”
As the two headed over to gather weaponry, Nick raked a hand through his hair. She was right, but dammit, he didn’t want her anywhere near this battle. “Son of a bitch.”
Orpheus whistled toward a guard rushing by and told him which weapons he wanted the ándras to bring for Nick. As the frightened guard scurried off, Orpheus’s expression hardened. “They came in through the west. The city gates are holding, but they won’t last long. Zander and Cerek are already at the wall.”
“What about Kyrenia?”
“Delia’s evacuating the Misos to the Temerus Caves. They run for miles in the Aegis Mountains. That’s where Isa, Casey, Callia, and the kids are all heading. The witches have been hiding there for eons. They’ll all be safe.”
Nick hoped like hell Orpheus was right. Pressure built in his chest. Duty pulled at his soul. And that dark energy popped and sizzled, just waiting to be unleashed.
He needed to be with his people, helping them get to safety, but he knew Zagreus and Hades were here for him. If he went to the settlement, their armies would likely follow.
He could leave, get the hell out of Argolea, try to draw the gods away from this realm, but he didn’t even know if Hades and Zagreus were close or if that was what the gods were waiting for him to do. And even if he left, there was no telling when, or if, the gods would pull their armies. He could run and hope for the best, but his honor wouldn’t—couldn’t—let him leave his friends to die alone. Not this time.
Cynna and Skyla returned. Cynna had pulled her dark hair back into a tight tail and tugged on a lightweight jacket. A blade was strapped to her back and two daggers were sheathed at her hips, reminding him of the deadly warrior she’d been in those tunnels when they’d escaped from Zagreus’s lair.
Orpheus looked down at the Siren. “Ready?”
Skyla’s green eyes sparked. “You bet your ass I’m ready.”