Aiden and Marcus both moved toward me, withdrawing daggers. The poor Dean of the University looked like he was about to have a coronary.
“Guards!” he yelled, moving behind his desk as if that could somehow protect him in case the poo was about to hit the fan.
The doors behind us flew open and the two stepped in, eyes darting around the room. Dominic held his dagger out too. “What the hell is going on?”
All of this wasn’t necessary. I was no longer the student in class. I was the Apollyon and fully charged. Let Romvi try something. I’d seriously look forward to throwing his monkey ass out the window.
“He is a member of the Order of Thanatos, which tried to kill Alex.” Fury rolled off Aiden, and I expected something to catch fire. “He is not what we’d consider a friendly acquaintance.”
Instructor Romvi clasped his hands in front of him. “As I remember, I was not the one who carried out the deed, which was successful, might I add.”
Oh, that was the wrong thing to say.
Aiden’s stance said he was about to break all kinds of bad. “That is correct, but you are a member of the Order and you—”
“Have the ability to kill the Apollyon?” interrupted Romvi. “Yes. I do. But I am many things. Stupid is not one of them. It appears Miss Andros has many gods on her side, and the Order’s only real mission is to serve the gods.”
“And that meant killing me?” I said, folding my arms.
His eyes met mine. “It did at the time.”
“And not anymore? We’re supposed to believe that?”
Romvi cocked his head to the side. “We are on the same side, Miss Andros.”
That nervous, too-much-caffeine feeling was back, tying my stomach up in knots. The runes were really going crazy now. “And what side is that, Romvi?”
“The only side there is to stand on,” he replied. “In war, there is only one side to truly stand on, and that is on the side that wins. And make no mistake, Miss Andros, we are at war.”
“You never seemed like the philosophical type,” Aiden said.
Romvi’s smile didn’t slip. “I’m sure I didn’t seem like much to you, St. Delphi.”
Aiden replied, but I wasn’t listening. I was getting a weird feeling again, the one I had had while standing in the War Room in Hade’s palace. That odd, nagging feeling, like there was something I should remember, that I should see. It was much stronger now.
“In times like these, we must let go of mutual dislike.” Romvi still hadn’t moved closer, but I felt… choked by his presence. “We must work together.”
“We are always at war,” I murmured, feeling very, very odd.
Romvi arched a cool brow. “You remember my teachings. That pleases me.”
I thought of the strangest thing then. When Romvi and I had sparred once, what had he told me? I should cut my hair. Something to do with vanity, but I recalled that War Room all too easily and what Persephone had said.
He likes to cut the hair of those he’s conquered and then strings them up for all to see.
I slowly unfolded my arms. My heart sped up. Romvi was watching me curiously, as if he was waiting for something. Memories of what Persephone had said pieced themselves together rapidly. To him, everything is about war and its spoils… What had she said about him? Without war, there was nothing.
“One should never turn their back on war,” I said, moving my hand behind me. “I also remember you saying that.”
And I also remember Persephone saying that about…
Romvi’s gaze dropped. “No. One should never turn his back on war. I believe that is why we are where we are today. The fools have turned their back on it, even though war always exists.”
Suddenly, the weird, edgy feeling and the marks made sense. It wasn’t nervousness or hyperactivity. No, not at all. And the automatons. There was one other god who could wield control over them—they were creatures created to fight. There were the mortal armies that were backing Lucian. That made sense now.
Son of a daimon donkey.
Moving lightning quick, I pulled the Covenant dagger from my back pocket. With speed and perfect precision, I threw the blade across the room.
The pointy end embedded deep into Romvi’s chest before he could take his next breath.
“What the hell?” Marcus exploded, whirling on me. “What is wrong—?”
Aiden turned wide eyes on me. “Alex…? Holy crap…”
The Dean of the University started toward Romvi, but drew up short. And Marcus and Aiden quieted down, because Romvi was still standing.
And he was laughing.
Marcus took a step back. “What the…?”
The Guards and Dominic exchanged looks, and then moved toward the Dean, surrounding him and edging him toward the door.
Romvi’s laughter faded. “I was beginning to think you weren’t that clever, Miss Andros.”
Then a blue shimmery cast surrounded Romvi’s body, swirling around him until we couldn’t see the man behind the eerie, god-like glow. Then it receded, revealing what stood behind it.
Ares was impressive.
Well over seven feet tall, he neared Godzilla-size with his height and bulk. He had more muscles than a pro wrestler, like Apollo on steroids.
He wore leather pants and a tunic that was punctured by the Covenant dagger still in his chest. Snakelike bands covered his biceps, but as he lifted an arm, I realized they weren’t bands at all.
They were bronze snakes, pulsing and slithering around his arms.
“Holy crap,” I whispered.
Reaching up, Ares wrapped a meaty hand around the handle of the hilt and pulled the dagger free. It turned to dust in his hands. “That wasn’t very nice, Miss Andros. The gods and the Council fear the First, but who’s the one lobbing daggers at a god?”
To say I wasn’t scared would be a bald-faced lie. Ares was the god of war and discord. Armies trembled at his feet and nations fell under his wrath. His children were gods of terror and misery. There wasn’t a single thing about him that didn’t send a spike of fear straight through me or any other living, breathing creature.
This must be the god who was a part of Seth’s bloodline, the one who’d been working behind the scenes with Lucian.
We were so screwed.
At least now I could understand how Romvi could kick my ass day, night, and on Sundays. It struck me then. I’d been sparring with Ares. Dear gods…
His cold, apathetic gaze drifted over us. “Silence? No one is going to cower before me? Beg for mercy, like thousands have before you? How disappointing. But there will be time for that in the future.”
“How?” Marcus choked out.
“How what?” Ares’ dark brows rose. “How have I been right under your noses this entire time? The same way apparently Apollo was, I assume. I avoided him whenever he was around, and therefore he never sensed me. The Golden Boy had his suspicions, I am sure, but… well, he just isn’t that smart, is he?”
“What do you want?” I was proud that my voice didn’t shake.
Ares brushed the dust off his hand. “Oh, you know. Just… everything. And to get everything, I need you to connect with the First.”
Aware that Marcus and Aiden were moving in behind me, I tipped my chin up. “That’s not going to happen.”
He sighed. “I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to tack on the ever cliché ‘or else’ at the end of that, but I see that I do. You can make this very easy, very painless. You know what I am, what I am capable of. Apollyon or not, you cannot even begin to hope to defeat me. I am the god of war. Connect with the First or else.”
I held my ground. “Or else what? You’re going to stand there and glare me to death? You can’t kill me. And you can’t force me to connect with the First.”
The smile that etched over his lips sent an icy Shockwave through me. “You are right and wrong. I may not be able to kill you, but I can bend you to my will and I can make you wish for death. And I can kill all those you love.”
Ares threw out his arm, and several things happened within a matter of seconds. The Guard closest to him was flung across the room and through the window I’d wanted to toss Romvi/Ares out of. The second Guard moved toward him and Ares closed his fist. The Guard crumbled to the floor, blood streaming from his nose, mouth, and ears. Dominic was next. He was thrown back, his body contorting and twisting in air. Bones snapped through skin. He was nothing but a mangled mess when he hit the floor. Then, Ares turned on the Dean of the University.
Ares turned his wrist and the man’s head twisted to the side. The crack of bone echoed through the room.
Aiden started around me and true terror stole my breath. In a flash of horror, I saw him taking the place of Dominic, as would Marcus. Ares would kill them. Everything was happening too fast, but there was no way I could allow this.
I did the only thing I could do.
Throwing my arm toward the door, I summoned the element of air and I used it against Aiden and Marcus. The gust of wind was so strong there was nothing they could do but submit to it.
There was a second when my eyes met Aiden’s, before he was pushed through the door along with Marcus, when I saw the stark horror in his silver eyes. When I knew there was a good chance he’d never forgive me for this.
The heavy doors swung shut and locked from the inside.
“Aren’t you a killjoy,” Ares said, chuckling softly. “I was really looking forward to ripping the heart out of St. Delphi in front of you. But there’s always later.”
I turned around slowly, my breath catching in my throat.
Ares winked. “Now it’s just you and me.”
“Well, that’s not freaky or anything.”
“Ah, that’s so like you. To joke when you’re afraid.” His large boots thumped as he took a step forward. “Or what do they call it? You’re ‘snarky’?”
My chest rose sharply as fists pounded on the door behind me. The thick titanium muted their voices. “That’s what some people say.”
“Hmm…” Ares tilted his head to the side, brows raised. “You know what I think about this snarky thing you have going on? It’s a poor attempt to mask how affected you are by things. What?” He grinned. “You look so surprised. Do you think I don’t know you? That I haven’t watched you just as long as Apollo has? See, I’m just smarter than him. After all, I am a great strategist.”
“The god of war has been stalking me? Wow, I feel all kinds of special. Usually the other gods are known for such creep things, but you? Wow.”
He laughed again, the sound deep but flat. “You are amusing. Very pretty, too. I see why Seth is quite fond of you.”
“I’m guessing, since you’re here, Seth won’t be too far behind.”
Ares just smiled, and the fists on the door continued.
“How did you find me, by the way?” I asked, buying time—time for what, I wasn’t sure.
“Oh, I have comrades everywhere, little girl. Ways to get around stupid talismans.” One more step and he was only two feet away from me. “You’re shaking,” he whispered.
