Silence filled the throne room as Marina flexed her fingers to calm the column of water into stillness. She moved the bowl aside, and the now-quiescent liquid rippled like a common puddle.  Just where I wanted him to be. Now he’ll give me all the answers I need. She moved carefully so as not to ...

The moon used to remind Hypnos of his mother; bright, vibrant, and brimming with life. That happiness had tarnished into misery after two decades. Looking at it now reminded him of the night he sold himself to Corina for Pandora’s survival and Hades’ sake.  Corina had taken that comfort from him, too.  He stood before ...

Athena reformed in the heart of Olympus after leaving Hades. Golden sunlight warmed her, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and honey. Her home was perfect. Up here, the world below felt distant. When she approached her father’s quarters, a harem of women lounged throughout the open space. They gawked at her in shock. No ...

Pandora   In Nyx’s office, Pandora stood before the windows she adored. Night swallowed the skyline, leaving thousands of lights glittering in its wake. From this height, they looked like stars scattered across the earth.   For a moment, she watched.   Hades and Nyx arrived without a sound, but she was keenly aware of his presence. The hairs on her neck prickled, and she suppressed a shiver.   ...

When Lacey hung up the phone, the emotion of the encounter bubbled up in her throat. A thousand thoughts pulled at her, sharp and insistent. Was she doing the right thing? Could she actually help, or would she make things worse? A cold ball of anxiety settled deep in her stomach as she realized how ...

“What did you do?” Athena repeated. Red embers sparked within her silver stare, which glowed in the dimmed space. “A simple conversation, niece. Nothing more.” He rapped the glass of beer he had ordered. Condensation dribbled onto the table. He was feigning nonchalance, or genuinely unbothered. Sensing her powers intensify, the sparse number of patrons ...

“Do it,” Lucian said. He lounged back into his black, ornate throne. His dark eyes glinted with anticipated pleasure.  “No,” Marina answered. “I’m too tired. You’ve worn me out.” She stood, chained at her ankles, in front of him.   Lucian let out an inhuman growl. “You will. I own you. You are mine.”  “What if I refuse this time?” she asked.   He tugged on ...

Pandora struggled to connect Alerion with Hades, even though he sat across the table from her. He didn’t look like Hades, but those mannerisms belonged to him. The slight quirk of his brow when confusion crept in. The perpetual scowl carved into his features. Even the way he steepled his fingers whenever he was deciding how to deliver terrible news.    It ...

For the first time in her life, Lacey was alone. No comfort of familiarity in her parents’ home, no June, no Brooke. She was forced to reckon with the reality that she was fully responsible for her entire life now. She sat up in bed trying to make sense of the utility bills she left ...

“Open the sails. Catch the breeze and keep her easy, boys.” Captain Aquilla said as they approached the charcoal-colored isle. A huge, inky cloud hung over the land like an ill omen that blotted out the stars. The sea, too, kept to a whisper as gentle, land-bound waves pushed at the ship’s hull.   Darius stood next to the Captain, ...