He narrowed his eyes at me, all light extinguished. “You don’t believe that. But you were kind enough to play along. . . .”

9

Day 391 A.F.

Sol and I stopped at a fork in the road. One way was unpaved and rocky. The other was a highway, cleared of wrecks, but with litter all along the shoulders.

As if a large army had marched that route, pitching trash on the way.

“The area’s starting to look familiar,” I said. We were at the fork between the treacherous slaver route—the one Jack, Aric, and I had taken to the Lovers’ hideout—and the Azey army’s highway. “I think I know where we are.”

Sol exhaled a relieved breath. “Ah, gracias a Dios.”

I frowned at him. “What?”

“Past that last interstate, I had no clue where I was going.”

“You lied.” I lowered my voice menacingly. “You shouldn’t make me angry, Sun.”

“Why are you whispering?” he whispered. “One second you’re crying, the next you’re scary. Then you’re really sexy. Then you’re sexy/scary.”

“You lied to me.”

“I didn’t want you to kill me!”

I twirled my thorn claws at him. “Why shouldn’t I now?”

“Because I make you stronger.” Expression growing troubled, he said, “I wonder if someone like you should be stronger.”

I lowered my hand. “Just head down the highway. Follow the trash. And don’t lie to me again.” The only reason I wanted more strength was so I could eviscerate the Emperor while he was still alive. I imagined using my claws on him, slicing him to ribbons. Or should I choke him in vine? Flay him with my thorn tornado—

“How much farther do you think it is?” Sol asked, dragging me from my daydream.

I shrugged. “We could be there late tonight or tomorrow.”

“What will happen to me once we get to the fort? Will the other gods hurt Joe and Bea?”

“We’re not . . . forget it.” I let it go. “To answer your question, I won’t let anyone hurt them—or you. If you behave.”

“We will behave. I swear to myself.”

“Swear to yourself? You. Are. Not. A. God.”

He waved that away. “Tell me about your alliance. How do you expect to defeat someone like the Emperor? Can’t he simply bomb your hideaway? Attack with his lava?”

Bingo. “We have advantages that I won’t tell you about. And strength in numbers.”

“Which Arcana are in your alliance?”

Most. Was Circe? Every time I passed a body of water, memories arose of our past. The more I remembered of her, the more I missed her friendship.

I told Sol, “I won’t talk to you about strategy or strengths and weaknesses. Even if I trusted you were on my side—which I don’t—you could get abducted. Richter could force you to talk.”

“Empress, you are forcing me to get involved in this game. I don’t want to fight. Especially not against a man who is as strong as a volcano.”

“I don’t want to fight either. I want revenge against the Emperor, but after that . . .”

After that, what? I had a connection to almost all the players left. But Aric had warned me that the game wouldn’t be denied, calling it “a hell we’ve all been damned into.” I hadn’t believed him until Richter had entered the arena—with Jack caught in the crossfire.

With that in mind, my plan to run off to Louisiana had been ridiculously naïve.

After I brought Jack back, and we’d destroyed Richter, what would we do?

“You should come live with me at Olympus.” Sol slid me a seductive look. “You could be my goddess queen. Together, we’d build the largest settlement on earth! With your crops and my sun, we’d feed thousands. Between your thorns and my Bagmen, we’d maintain order.”

Order. Jack had wanted the same thing. I absently said, “That is something to think about. Well, except for the goddess queen part.”

“Don’t knock that part, pequeña. It’s my favorite detail about our future. We would do our duty and repopulate the world. Because we are givers. I, myself, would be devoted to giving.”

I quirked a brow at him. “No kids for me. Would you really bring children into a world like this?”

Eyes alight with playfulness, he said, “No. It was just an excuse to get in your pants.”

“Ugh. Behave. Or you’ll get a vine where the sun don’t shine.”

His jaw slackened; then he started laughing. Belly-laughing.

Despite everything, I felt my lips twitch. If he weren’t a homicidal god-wannabe, and I didn’t have a murderous red witch inside me, we might’ve been friends.

When his laughter died down, he said, “Back in the day, we would’ve made a great reality TV show. The Sol and Empress Show.”

“The shit show,” I muttered. The way I felt right now, I would’ve gotten top billing.

_______________

Day 392 A.F.

“Drive faster!” I told Sol, all but bouncing in the truck seat. From the bridge, I’d spied Fort Arcana’s outline up on the windy bluff.

I was concerned about the lack of lights, but maybe they were conserving after the massacre. Or they’d gone dark for cover.

Being this near the fort made me feel closer to Jack. Excitement welled inside me as I ran my fingers over the ribbon in my pocket.