Suddenly exhausted, I crept away from the door and made my way back downstairs before I was discovered. It was strange. The atrium was virtually unblemished, as if nothing had happened there.

As if Solos hadn’t lost his life in there.

Drawing in a shallow breath, I forced each step forward. I don’t know why I walked into the library. Maybe there was something soothing about being surrounded by books. The familiar scent eased my nerves.

I walked to the couch positioned across from the window and sat down, curling up against the arm. Smoothing my hand over my face, I pushed the hair back from where it had fallen over my eyes.

What had happened?

Gods, I couldn’t really process it all.

Everything had changed. Somehow I’d seen this happen. Had Atlas been invading my dreams or . . . or was it something else? Right now, that didn’t matter. Solos was gone, here one second and then just gone. A tear snuck free, trailing down my cheek. I tried to comfort myself with the knowledge that there was an afterlife. That Solos was ultimately okay. As Aiden had said, Solos would be awarded a warrior’s welcome in Tartarus. That didn’t make it easier, though. Not really, because death was death, and to me, it was still final.

It was the end.

Sorrow dug deep, hooking itself in with tiny claws that hit bone and muscle. You couldn’t cut it out. Grief was there to stay.

And Seth . . . I didn’t even know what was up with Seth, who he was going to be when he woke up. The Seth who made horrible mistakes but wanted to do better? The Seth who’d stood in the bedroom, vulnerable and nearly broken as he apologized?

Or the Seth who had leveled all of us, including Atlas? He hadn’t just tapped into my aether. He’d gotten all of us, something none of us had known he could do, and deep down, I honestly didn’t believe Seth had even realized he could do that until he’d done it.

I dropped my hand, curled it against my chest as I drew in a long breath that didn’t seem to ease the tightening there.

I’d done the right thing by stopping Seth. I knew that, but was sitting by and keeping him locked up in a room okay? Herc would leave soon, and he would bring back a god who could trap him. Was I wrong for thinking that wasn’t the right thing to do? I didn’t know.

Right now, more than anything, I needed my . . . my father.

I needed him to do what fathers did. Give me advice. Help me. Get on my side. Support me.