Chapter 13

When the etherspat us out on the castle lawn, I nearly staggered. Maximus wrapped his arm around me, and I leaned into him.

"Geez, I'm tired." I dropped my head against his side as we walked toward the castle. I moved as fast as I could, but I was majorly dragging.

It was night here, with the moon hanging high in the sky, though I had no idea what time it was. In the distance, the ghostly Pugs of Destruction charged across the lawn, glinting blue and bright.

"With all the adrenaline gone, I think we can finally feel it." Maximus squeezed me close to him.

"I hope Jude is here." I needed to deliver news of what we'd learned, and I was afraid I'd fall asleep if I had to wait.

I pressed my fingers to my comms charm. "Bree? Ana? You here? Is Jude here?"

"I'm here," Ana said. "Jude, too, but Bree is gone."

"Can you get Jude and meet us in the kitchen?"

"Sure thing."

"Oh, and what time is it?"

"Nine."

Not that late, then. We climbed the stairs to the castle, stepping through the massive wooden doors and into the brightly lit entry hall. It was warm and welcoming, smelling of some kind of stew that Hans must have made earlier. My stomach growled loudly, and Maximus chuckled.

Then his stomach growled.

I nudged him, a tired smile tugging at my lips. "Let's go get a bite and fortify ourselves for what's to come."

He nodded, and we hurried down into the kitchen. With the catastrophes were coming so quick that there was no longer time to meet in the Round Room. If we wanted to have an opportunity to talk and eat, we'd have to do both at the same time.

When I stepped into the kitchen, I stopped dead still. It was quiet. Empty. What the heck? It was only nine at night. Hans should be here.

But for the first time ever, he wasn't in the kitchen. Neither was his rat, Boris.

I stopped at the base of the stairs, staring into the warmly lit room, and blinked stupidly. "He's not here."

"The cook?"

I nodded. "Hans is always here. With the exception of the very occasional battle, he's always here."

A pot of stew steamed on the AGA stove, and the fire was banked low. A horde of juice boxes sat near the massive fridge. But Hans was gone.

"He's on peacekeeping duty in The Vaults." Ana's voice sounded from behind me.

I turned to see my sister coming down the stairs, her blonde hair gleaming in the light of the fire. She looked exhausted, but that was par for the course.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Remember the riots I mentioned? They're getting worse. Everyone we can spare is on peacekeeping duty now."

Oh no.

She gestured for us to move farther into the kitchen, and I realized I was blocking the entrance.

I headed over to the stove to get a bowl of stew, my steps dragging. I gestured for Maximus to go first, but he shook his head, refusing to go until I had. I smiled wearily at him, then filled my bowl. She stepped up behind me and filled her bowl once I was done.

I snagged a juice box off the counter and went to sit at the table. Ana and Maximus joined me. I started shoveling food into my mouth far too fast, but I couldn't stop. Not only did it taste savory and divine, I was so famished that I was shaking.

"It's gotten so bad that they've recruited the cook in peacekeeping efforts now?" Maximus shook his head. "That's bad business."

Ana nodded, shoveling stew into her mouth. "Yep. So I hope you guys were successful in finding the Titans."

"Me too," Jude said from the stairs. I turned to look at her, and she looked even more exhausted than Ana did. A tired smile stretched across her face. "We've finished the weakening spell and the binding spell. So if you have their location, we can stop them."

"We've got it. It's an island off the coast of southern Greece." I relayed everything Hecate had told me as she filled her bowl and sat down to join us, including the idea that there was a tunnel leading into the island fortress from underneath, deep below the surface of the ocean.

Jude tapped her chin, starry eyes considering. "I like the sound of this. We have indicators that there is more magic in that area of the world, so that must be the place. Do you trust Hecate?"

I nodded. "She was a bitch, but I didn't think she was lying. Partially because she thought there was no chance we'd succeed."

"Oh, we'll succeed." Jude's eyes turned hard. "They won't beat us in this. And she said that the Titans are actually in charge?"

I nodded. "The Stryx raised them from Tartarus, but I think it was at their command."

"They're immensely powerful, so it makes sense." Jude leaned back in her chair.

"So we need to get started soon," I said. The idea both excited me and exhausted me. I wanted to stop these bastards—now. I just wasn't sure I could move.

"Very soon." Jude nodded. "We're going to look into this island. Find its exact location using what you've given us and if there really is a tunnel. We'll probably send out a small team in the morning."

"I want to go," I said.

"You will," Jude said. "You're a student, but we're past that now. There's no denying we need you in this."

"I can help locate the island too," I said.

"No, you can't. You need to sleep. We'll find what we can, then you'll go out with your team."

I frowned, knowing I needed rest but not wanting to quit. I looked at Maximus. He looked pretty freaking tired too. Finally, I nodded, knowing there was nothing else I could say.

We finished eating quickly, then parted ways. I said a quick goodbye to Ana, who was going to find Nix to ask about the island.

Together, Maximus and I went up to my tower flat. The Menacing Menagerie were nowhere to be seen.

Without a word, we fell into bed. I rolled toward him, wanting to say something about how great it'd been to have him at my side in hell. About how I really cared for him. But before I even reached him, my eyes were closed and sleep was tugging at me.

I never got a chance.

* * *

I woke with a fuzzy head and a weight on my chest that pushed all the air from my lungs.

Groggily, I opened my eyes.

Romeo sat on top of me, staring down into my face. He patted my cheek with his little hand, and as soon as his gaze met mine, he grinned, tiny fangs peeping out.

Good. You're awake. They want you for a meeting.

I scrubbed my hands over my eyes. "Jude?"

Romeo nodded. Maximus is in the shower. You have ten minutes to meet Jude and the others.

Ten minutes!

I surged upward, sending Romeo tumbling off me.

Hey!

"Sorry!" I scrambled out of bed, feeling worlds better. Pale morning sunlight gleamed through the windows, and Poppy and Eloise were stretched out on their backs in the warm light.

Maximus stepped out of the bathroom, a too-small towel wrapped around his waist.

I swallowed hard as my body heated. Damn, he looked good. "We're meeting in ten minutes."

"Shite."

"Yeah." I hurried into the shower. "I'll meet you downstairs."

As I hurried past him, he reached out, grabbed me around the waist, and pressed a hot kiss to my lips. It lasted only seconds, but my mind was fuzzy by the time it was done.

He grinned down at me. "See you in a bit."

I swallowed and nodded, struck dumb, then hurried into the bathroom. I finished my shower in record time. Two minutes later, I tugged on my clothes and grabbed a random tube of lipstick off the bathroom vanity. I didn't know what color it was and I didn't care, but I considered it armor and I didn't want to go into battle without it.

I swung by the kitchen to refill my potion belt and bag, then met Maximus by the door, slicking on the lipstick as I walked. I was such a pro that I knew it would go on straight.

"Ready to go save the world?" he asked.

"Always." I turned back to the bedroom where the Menacing Menagerie were still lounging. "Bye, guys! Be ready to go to war. We might be fighting soon!"

I heard some excited chittering and squeaks, which I assumed came primarily from Eloise.

Maximus and I hurried out of my flat and down the hall.

I pressed my comms charm. "Ana? Bree? I was told we're meeting now. But where?"

"Kitchen again," Bree said. "Everyone needs to eat."

Perfect. My stomach was already growling, as if determined to make up for lost time.

The kitchen was crowded when we arrived, though Hans was still gone. Bree and Ana sat at the big round table, along with Cade and Lachlan. Jude, Hedy, Caro, and Nix were there as well, and everyone was scarfing down muffins and coffee.

I hadn't seen the platinum-haired Caro in days, and she looked as tired as everyone else. Her hair was messy, and she raked a hand through it as she looked up at me and grinned.

Jude met my gaze. "No Hans means no hot food, but this should do."

My gaze landed ravenously on the carafe of coffee. "It'll do fabulously."

Maximus and I sat, and I poured us each a cup. I looked between Jude and Nix. "Well? Did we find the island?"

Jude nodded. "We did indeed. Your tip about the Mage's Star and its distance from land helped us locate it."

Nix leaned forward. "And I've got a contact who can help you find the underwater entrance, if it exists."

My brows rose. "Really?"

"Yeah. You'll like him."

"We've also got a mega-sweet ride," Caro said.

I turned to her. "What is it?"

"A submersible." She grinned widely.

"Like a submarine?" Maximus asked.

"Exactly," Jude said. "Caro, our multitalented water mage, is the pilot. You six are going in it." She pointed to me, Maximus, Ana, Lachlan, Bree, and Cade. "You're all immensely powerful, and we need a small team. You'll be the ones in the sub looking for the underwater entrance. We'll have standby teams in case it's not there, but we're counting on you."

"Where will the standby teams be?" I asked, not wanting them to be close enough to alert the Titans.

"Don't worry," Jude said. "They'll hold off. We'll have them positioned in boats far away. I don't think we can drop in from the top because of a protective spell that forms a dome over the entire fortress, but we'll deal with that when the time comes."

Hedy leaned forward. "As Jude told you last night, we've finished both potions that will help you fight the Titans." She nodded at Lachlan, the Arch Magus and a potions wizard. "You tell her about yours."

Lachlan turned his dark gaze to me. "The weakening spell needs to be deployed first. It's in potion form and we need them to ingest it, but once they do, their magic won't grow any stronger, which has been our main problem. They'll also be physically weaker, and they should be susceptible to the second potion."

"That one will bind them," Hedy said. "It's basically our strongest murder spell. It will immobilize them so that they can't move, and we can throw them back in Tartarus. But if that magic hits anyone who isn't a god or Titan, they're dead."

"At that point, your job is to weaken the defenses on the fortress," Jude said. "We'll send in reinforcements to get the Titans once they're immobilized. The Order is going to help us put them back in Tartarus."

"We still don't know how their magic is growing or what they plan to do with it," Hedy said. "But if we can stop it and get them back into Tartarus, maybe we don't have to worry about it."

Fates, I wanted an answer to that. I leaned back against the chair, my mind whirring. This was a big plan. With a lot of parts.

I prayed I could live up to my end of the bargain.

* * *

An hour later, I stood on a bobbing dock on the Greek island of Crete. I had the special potions in my bag, and we were ready to go. The sun shone beautifully on the sparkling blue water, but we'd be under the surface soon, deep in the darkness.

Maximus stood at my side. So did my sisters, Cade, Lachlan, and Nix, the FireSoul. We were a good team. Bree and Ana had the power of the Norse and Celtic gods respectively, and they could kick some serious butt. Maximus was a badass on every level. And so were Cade and Lachlan. As a Celtic god of war, Cade was a great one to have on your side at any time. Lachlan was the Arch Magus—the most powerful mage in the world—and definitely not one to mess with.

Caro was bringing the submersible around from its berth, and we'd load in soon. Nix would introduce us to her contact, then leave.

I turned to look at Nix, who stared off to sea with a blissful expression on her face. "So, we're meeting a giant sea turtle named Nestor here?"

Nix nodded. "That's the one. He helped me out when I was in the realm of the Greek gods, and we became pals. For a Twinkie, he'll do anything."

I couldn't believe that this was our guide, but if it worked, I wasn't going to say no. I looked down at the bag of Twinkies in my hand. The partially hydrogenated treats were apparently Nestor's favorite thing in the entire world, and Nix had told us to bring a bunch of them. Jude had a weakness for the American treats, so Maximus hadn't had to conjure them.

The water rippled in the distance, and Nix leaned forward. "I think that will be him."

The ripples in the water grew larger, and a huge green head finally broke the surface. The turtle was enormous—at least a dozen feet across. His eyes gleamed a brilliant emerald, and his shell was a pale shimmering green.

"Nestor!" Nix waved.

He bobbed his head and swam closer.

"A Greek turtle is named Nestor?" Maximus frowned.

"Don't ask," Nix said. "He's a weirdo, but he's nice and he'll keep his word."

Nestor stopped right in front of the dock, his gaze going between Nix and the Twinkies in my hand. "Phoenix Knight."

"Hey, Nestor. Thanks for coming. We could really use some help."

"Could you now?" A cunning gleam entered his emerald eyes. "The kind of help that could get me some Twinkies?"

"That's exactly the kind of help we need." Nix gestured to me. "Rowan and her friends are looking for the secret underwater entrance to the Titans' fortress on the island of Lektos."

The corners of Nestor's mouth turned down, and his eyes got shifty. "Why the flippins would you want to go there?"

"So the entrance does exist?" I asked.

"Does," Nestor said. "But it's a death trap, ever since the Titans showed up. The whole ocean around their island is tainted with dark magic now."

"It'll get worse if we can't sneak in and stop them."

Nestor fidgeted in the water, clearly annoyed and stressed. "It's dangerous."

"We know," Maximus said. "But can you help us?"

Nestor sighed. "You're sure you want to go there?"

"We don't have a choice," I said.

"Everyone has a choice, sugar."

Sugar? What a weird turtle. "Fine. I have a choice, and I choose to take the risk. It'll be worth it. For the world, and for you." I shook the bag of Twinkies to make my point.

"I'm going to need more than that."

Maximus conjured a few in his hands, and the golden cakes gleamed inside their wrappers. "We'll make it worth your while."

Nestor's tongue snuck out to lick his lips. "All my magic, and I still can't get my flippers on Twinkies unless some human gives them to me."

"That's why you're lucky to have me," Nix said. "Along with my winning personality and loyal friendship, I keep you stocked in Twinkies."

Nestor inclined his head. "You have been good to me, Phoenix Knight. For you, I will help these humans."

Maximus tore the wrapping off one and tossed the cake into the air. The turtle lunged out of the water as if he were a great white shark, snagging the Twinkie and then splashing back into the water. I lunged backward, avoiding the spray.

Nestor surfaced a moment later, a contented grin on his face. "I will lead you to the tunnel, but I warn you—it will be dangerous."

"Always is," I said. "But if you can get us into the fortress, we'll pay you handsomely."

Nix pointed into the distance. "Your submersible is almost here."

I turned to look, and spotted the top of the vessel chugging through the water. Caro pulled it up alongside the dock, and the top hatch popped open a few moments later.

Caro emerged from the hatch, a big grin on her face. "Ready to go?"

"We've got our guide." I pointed to Nestor. "That's Nestor."

He bobbed his head.

"Hey, I'm Caro. Good to meet you." Caro grinned at him, then disappeared back into the boat.

I let everyone else climb in first, and turned to Nix. "Thanks again."

"You can do this, Rowan. I know you can." She reached out and squeezed my arm. "Call on us if you need help."

"We will."

I followed my friends into the cramped confines of the submersible, squeezing onto a tiny U-shaped bench that sat in front of a domed window. I sat between Maximus and Bree. All six of us were pressed in like sardines, but at least we had a good view. Nestor flitted around in front of the viewing window, doing loops and showing off. After a moment, I realized that he was spelling a word with his movements.

"Twinkies," Maximus murmured. "That's what he's spelling."

Everyone laughed.

"We'd better be prepared to pay up with those Twinkies, then," Bree said.

"Everyone ready?" Caro asked. She was situated behind a control panel, with a headset over her bright hair.

"Let's do this," I said.

As the submersible sank below the surface, the water grew darker.

"Lights on." Caro flipped a switch that made two massive beams of light cut through the water.

I gripped Maximus's hand, remembering the attack by the hydra in the lake. There were no hydras in the ocean, though, right? Nestor swam in front of us, leading us through the dark sea. Occasionally, a school of fish would flit by.

"Anyone else feeling a bit claustrophobic?" Bree's face was pale.

"Just a bit," I said. "You're probably too used to flying through the wide-open sky."

"You're in good hands with old Bessie here." Caro patted the complicated dash in front of her.

"Bessie?" Maximus asked. "You've named your high-powered submarine after a cow?"

"Well, she's reliable," Caro said.

"That's pretty much the most important quality I can imagine for an underwater death machine," Maximus said.

Caro chuckled.

"Nestor's turning." Cade pointed to the turtle, who was quickly adjusting his trajectory toward the left. Cade tilted his head to look toward the right. "But what's that?"

I blinked, using my extreme vision from Artemis. "Oh crap. It's a great white shark."

The thing had to be twenty-five feet long. Maybe thirty. Way bigger than a normal shark. A megalodon?

But weren't those extinct?

Whatever it was, the giant shark was headed right toward our turtle friend. Nestor might be big, but he was no match for a shark like that. My heart pitched.

If we didn't do something, we'd watch Nestor meet a grisly end.