Jennifer Armentrout - Apollyon

Aiden nodded. “He did.”

“It doesn’t make sense, but when do the gods ever make sense?” I forced out a laugh. “I guess he was tired of being known as the gimpy one.”

“But what about the other gods?” she persisted. “They cannot be pleased with the idea.”

Seeing no way around this other than ignoring her question, I sighed. “It is what Apollo wants. And it is what the gods want.”

Aiden turned completely toward me, as did half the room. I felt like slinking under the desk. “After I become the God Killer, they want me to take out the god responsible.” I looked up, my gaze settling on a marble bust of Zeus. “The Olympians want me to kill one of their own.”

That little ditty went over like the Titanic. Everyone was pretty stunned. There were a couple of ripe curses from Aiden and Marcus, and some surprised gasps from the rest of the peanut gallery.

I got the whole “Holy crap-a-roo” thing going on. The gods had fought on and off for millennia, but had never seriously wanted one another dead, not since the Titans fell. But things were different now. This god, surprisingly one whom no one would’ve expected, had gone too far. Although many mortals had died, the gods were most likely more concerned with the fact that Hephaestus hoped to use the God Killer against them.

So, yeah, things were different now.

Once the shock died down, Dominic led us to the first dorm and showed us inside. They were nothing like the ones in Deity Island. These rooms were suites—two bedrooms joined by a shared living room and bathroom.

We were left to figure out the sleeping arrangements ourselves. Before Marcus could go all parental on us again, Aiden claimed one of the suites for the two of us, practically dragging me inside. Before he’d even shut the door, he leaned down so that our faces were only inches apart. I knew he was mad—the steely, thundercloud-colored eyes, the rigid line of his jaw, and his stiff movements pretty much gave him away. That and the fact he hadn’t so much as looked in my direction since we’d left the Dean’s office. “Take the shower first, and then we need to talk,” he said, his voice low, leaving no room for argument. He disappeared into his room before I could even agree.

Olivia’s lips pursed. “Someone’s not a happy camper.”

“Can I bunk with you?” I was only half-joking.

She leaned against the door of the suite across from mine, smiling slightly. The tight curls drooped around her face. Shadows bloomed under her eyes. “My room is your room, but seriously, you do need to talk to him. It’s obvious he didn’t know about what you’d been asked to do. None of us did.”

I scrubbed my grimy cheek. “I… I wasn’t even sure I was supposed to say anything.”

“Does that matter?”

“I guess not. I just didn’t want anyone to worry.”

“I get that. I’m sure he does too, but there are some things you shouldn’t keep from those who love you.” Olivia turned, opening her door. “Talk to him.”

Not like I had a choice when it came to talking to him. “Thanks.”

She nodded and then slipped into her room. Letting out a loud and largely obnoxious sigh, I went into my room. My gaze immediately went to the full-size bed and I groaned.

“Shower first. Epic bitch-out session second, sincere apology third, and then sleep.”

Freshly showered, I was thrilled to find someone had dug up a pair of jeans and a clean shirt that fit me. Most likely Aiden had done so while I was hogging all the hot water. It was so like him, even when he was mad at me. Alone for a few moments, I sat on the bed and crossed my legs. The bedroom walls were a nice shade of buttercup, while the door and window frames were trimmed with titanium, as were the headboard and the small end table. On the far wall, a picture of Artemis hunting with her bow and arrows was framed in titanium as well.

It was like these people expected daimons to pop out from under their beds.

But studying the décor wasn’t the whole point of me sitting on the bed like a Buddha knock-off. Ever since Seth’s appearance after Lea’s death, he had been oddly quiet. As if he was gone, actually. The cord was still there, but his unmistakable presence was absent. Like before I’d Awakened, when my head and body had been my own.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the cord. It was there, humming softly and barely discernible.

But there was no Seth.

I screwed my face up in concentration. This wacky long-distance internal phone call crap should be able to work both ways. Maybe I was crazy to be the one initiating contact, but a quiet Seth made for a really nervous Alex. It wasn’t like him. He was up to something. He had to be.

Seth ? I called his name again… and again. At some point, I heard the low hiss of the shower and then it turned off. The muted sound of a door closing followed minutes later. That was how long I sat there, looking like an epic fail at meditation.

The door to the living area opened, and Aiden came in carrying a plate of fruit and roasted turkey slices. “I bring gifts in the form of food—what are you doing?”

“Nothing.” I flushed as I patted the spot beside me. “I’m starving. Thank you.” And I was also surprised that he was bringing me food.

Aiden sat beside me, placing the plate between us. He smelled of clean soap and spice. Moving a few slices out of the way, he found a thick piece of dark meat.

“Aiden—”

“Eat first.”

I frowned at him, but he held the turkey way too close and my mouth watered. Taking it from him, we spent the next several minutes gorging on the meat and fruit. As I chased a ripe strawberry across the bowl, he leaned over and tucked a damp strand of hair back behind my ear. I looked up and our eyes locked. All the air fled my lungs. Aiden was probably ready to throttle me, but that look in his silvery eyes…wow, simply wow.

Aiden leaned back, observing me, studying the blush I knew was spreading like a fever across my cheeks. “Before this goes any further, what you did with the automatons was nothing short of amazing. I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but I wanted you to know.”

I blinked. “Really?”

“Yes. That kind of power—it was epic and graceful. It was pretty amazing.”

My gaze fell to the empty plate. “If I hadn’t worn myself out, I could’ve saved Lea.”

His fingers found my chin, tipping it up. “Don’t blame yourself for what happened to her. Her death was not your fault. And if you hadn’t used your power, all of us would’ve died.”

I nodded. Those words weren’t as easy to swallow as they were to say.

“Done?” Aiden gestured at the plate and bowl. He placed them on the table when I nodded again. There was a stretch of silence where he just looked at me until I squirmed. He sighed. “How could you not tell me, Alex?”

“I didn’t want you to worry,” I said lamely.

His eyes narrowed. “That’s bullshit, Alex.”

I jumped, eyes going wide.

“We’re in this… this screwed-up situation together, right? Both of us would do anything for each other, am I correct?” He didn’t give me a chance to answer. He was really on a roll. “We love each other. And call me stupid or old-fashioned, but I think all of that means we don’t keep secrets from one another, especially potentially dangerous secrets that the other party really should know about.”

My cheeks were burning for a whole different reason now. Everything he said was true. Keeping him in the dark had sprouted from the best of intentions, but he was right.

“I’m sorry and I mean it. I should’ve told you when I figured it out.”