Chapters (58)
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Imprint Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Map
- Contents
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Acknowledgments
- Endmatter page 1
“I don’t have the other amulet.” I kept my focus on my parents, trying to think of a way out of this. “My half was stolen the night my grandmother was attacked.”
“Then I suggest you start looking for it. One half won’t do.”
“If you attacked my grandmother, don’t you already have my amulet?”
“Let me provide a bit of advice: accusations without evidence are worthless.” Envy poured another glass of wine. “By this time tomorrow, I expect to be in possession of both amulets. I will move your family and friends to your home tonight. Meet me there once you have the other amulet and we will trade. Your family and friends for the Horn of Hades.”
I went to remove my sister’s cornicello from my neck, but he held up a hand to stall me. “Why not take this half tonight?”
“If I touch it now, it will . . . alert those I wish to keep in the dark. I don’t want to draw any attention until I possess the entire Horn of Hades.”
“Wrath didn’t care about the Horn before. Why can’t I ask for his help?”
Envy gave me an odd look. “Wrath will never be the hero in your story. He’s carved from something other. In fact, he might be the biggest liar of us all.” I scoffed, which only seemed to delight him. “If you don’t believe me, then ask Wrath about the final soul he has to collect. The one that will grant him freedom from the underworld, regardless of the curse.”
I stared at the smug demon prince. I’d say it was a lie, but deep down I suspected it wasn’t. I knew Wrath had his own agenda, and this felt like the final piece I’d been missing. But a soul? I shook my head. He’d saved me when I’d been attacked by the Viperidae. If this was true, he could have bargained with me then. Or maybe . . . maybe he hadn’t told me because he’d wanted to use it to his advantage when the time was right. I exhaled. I was getting paranoid.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I? I thought you knew better. Why do you think he, the mighty demon of war, cares about safely escorting a witch to the underworld?”
“Because he wants to break the devil’s curse.” As I said it, I heard the doubt creeping in.