“Where you could threaten me while you tried to kill me, you mean.” My mouth seemed to be on autopilot, while my brain reeled in terror. But it was true enough. After this morning, there was no longer any doubt who had provided a distraction at just the right moment for me to become untethered in time.

One to you, Gertie, I thought.

One to you.

But Zeus brushed it away. “A test, and an insultingly easy one—I see that now. The second attempt was better, although its outcome remains… uncertain.”

“What do you want?” I asked thickly, because this was clearly meant to be a bribe. Do what I ask and I’ll let you live.

Zeus raised an eyebrow. “If I were allowed, I would say once more that you remind me of someone else. She was also… disturbingly blunt.” He put out the cigar he’d barely smoked. “And you know what I want.”

“To ravage the Earth, and for me to get out of the way while you do it.”

“Not ravage. Would it help if I tell you that I’ve learned a few things since my last visit to your world?”

It was my turn to laugh, which surprised me, bursting out in sheer reaction. “No.”

“It’s the truth, nonetheless. As is this: you can’t win, Cassie. Not against me.”

“Which is why you’re spending so much time trying to convince me of that.”

“Our previous conversation was a bit crass, I admit,” he shrugged. “But you’d be surprised how often that sort of thing works.”

“And how often does this?

“Oh, but this is special—and rare. This is me being honest.”

“About what?”

He looked rueful. “See, there’s the rub. I could simply tell you—and I have partly. You do not win this contest, no matter what you do. But there’s more to it than that. However, explaining that part… could be counterproductive.”

“How? If I’m not going to win anyway, what does it matter?” I knew he was lying about most of this, maybe all of it. But our side needed any help we could get, and maybe he’d slip up and reveal something.

He smiled again, almost admiringly, and it was disturbing how much my heart leapt at the sight. He was literally currently killing me, with part of me gibbering somewhere in terror. And yet some other part still wanted his approval. I was insane.

And then I proved it when he laughed, and I felt an answering smile come to my lips.

I bit it back.

“I’d prefer to be plain with you,” he said. “But if I do, it increases the odds that you won’t believe me. I can’t blame you; when I first figured it out, I didn’t believe me—”

“Figured what out?”