“Hey.” Her voice soothes my tension.

Leaning down, I kiss her gently. “You want to go? Not much more we can do right now. Let’s leave the others to plan.” I need to get away from here.

“Shouldn’t we help?” She looks around me at the others.

“We can plan. We should probably go over everyone’s skills first. We know yours,” Kai answers her, his gaze on me.

“Oh, well, I guess we can go.” She looks between us. She isn’t stupid -- she knows something is wrong but for now, she’s ready to let it go.

“I do owe you a night of dancing,” I tempt her.

“Dancing?” I ignore the voices of the women who have known me longest. I sift us away before they can say anything else. I take us to a club in New York, where the beat is pounding, and I change her clothes. I put her in a tiny tight bright-blue dress, and she runs her hands over it as she smirks at me.

“Okay, now you.” Her eyes run over me, heated. I look around, picking something I think she will like. The jeans and shirt are tighter than I’d pick, but her hands reach out, caressing over my chest through the material, moving around to my back, and then down to grab my ass. “Very nice, Mon cher.” Her accent grows thick with desire. Maybe tight is not so bad. She grabs my hand, pulling me out to the dance floor. The music is slow and sensual, and our bodies flow together.

I push the worries away. The music drowns out the whispers of the magic. She teases me, hands gliding over me, lips tickling over my neck, and dirty words are whispered in my ear as I bend over her. The flashing strobes make her movements seem even more sexual.

We are lost in each other when the music stops, so lost that we don’t realize for minutes that it has stopped. When we finally break apart, we see everyone else is still dancing, dancing to music that is not there. Cora looks around in confusion, and I stiffen as two of the Muses from the Greek clan shimmy across the floor, hips undulating and laughter falling from their lips.

“Loki.” Their voices are saccharin sweet. “Odin thought you understood Balor’s warning. But here you are dancing the night away with a human.” Her lip curls on the last word, and Cora stiffens.

“What do you want?” I fill my voice with boredom.

“He is giving you one last chance to join him,” one of them says as she steps closer, her eyes locked on Cora.

“Really? After he had my son killed and had Cora kidnapped and tortured?” I narrow my eyes and let a wave of power rush from me. “I thought I made my answer clear when I sent him Aphrodite’s head.” They stop, glancing at each other.

“You didn’t know?” Cora’s voice is filled with humor, her Southern accent thick as she moves toward them. I grab her arm, but she just smiles over at me. “Here, let me show you a couple things Odin might have forgotten to tell those of you that have chosen him.” Her hand whips out locking on the woman’s arm. Her silver eyes light up the room. The other Muse grabs her sister, trying to free her, but instead becomes locked within Cora’s vision.

I simply wait for her to be done. It doesn’t take long. She releases the women, whose eyes are wide. “How do we know that is truth?”

“Go. Look for Set and Aphrodite. Try to find the others you saw. Or are they missing also? Maybe someone doesn’t want them to tell you want happened on that mountain. Did he tell you that Cù Sìth and Cat sìth had returned? Did he warn you of Raven’s new feathers?” She watches them closely. “No, I didn’t think so.” She turns her back on them and returns to my arms. I smile over her head at them, my eyes still flashing red.

I see the moment they recognize my power, their fear and uncertainty. “Did you forget we are from the same clan, that we are brothers?” My voice is like thunder as it raises in anger.

“Come, cher, take me to our place.” I look down into her eyes shining like stars and nod. I sift us to the house in Iceland, the sound of the waterfall echoing in the early morning. She leads me up the path around the house to the top. Sitting, she pulls me down. “I think our time is shorter than we thought.”

Leaning my head against hers, I nod. “I can’t figure out why he’s waiting.” And I really can’t. Why the warnings? We sit watching the sun rise, both of us lost in thought.

‘Father? They have attacked in Greece. The news says largest earthquake in history. Four volcanoes have erupted in Santorini, Nisyros, Methana, and Milos. Millions are dead. Hades has confirmed it was magic that started the chain of events.’ I want to ignore her but Cora is looking at me.

“You tensed. What has happened?”

“They attacked Greece. Millions are dead.” I push to my feet and pull her up.

“Millions.” Her outrage reddens her face. “We have to do something.”

“I know. Come on, let’s return to the Isle.” I sift us there. Arriving, we find everyone there waiting. Hades is ranting, Persephone is trying to calm him, and Jason is talking to Nestor before they disappear a moment later.

Hades turns his anger on me. “Your brother. You had to have known his plans all along.”

I don’t deny it; I can’t. Glancing at Danu before I speak, I see her nod. Ylva steps forward between Hades and me. Laying a hand on her shoulder, I smile but shake my head. I must face this. “Of course, we knew he wanted to rule. He has never made that a secret. We just didn’t have any idea he had recruited others to his cause.”

Khonsu studies me for a moment. “You were not aware that he grew stronger?”

“I don’t know that he has. His magic has always been incredibly strong, even before he gave into it. Now the issue is that it seems he has convinced the others to let him draw from them.” They all look at me, waiting. “I fear that if he wins, he will draw it all from them, leaving them either dead or mortal. If he does and he gains enough power from those that have chosen to follow him, he will not need permission to take from the rest of us.”

Morrigan turns and paces away, her shoulders shaking. Ylva is frozen for a moment, her eyes blazing Berserker blue as the memories of Odin’s attack on her and Asger rip through her mind. The others watch with apprehension as long claws slide from her fingertips. She is losing her fight for control. Asger strides over, stopping in front of her. His voice low and his accent thick as he whispers to her.

“How do we beat him?” My niece's voice is barely audible. She doesn’t turn around. “How do we stop my father?” So much heartache in those words.

I sigh, and Danu looks at me. She knows what I think it will take. Before I can speak, Michael and Sean step forward. “We have an idea. A way to start.” Sean stops, looking at Michael.

“We need to find at least one who has joined him. One who maybe isn’t sure. We need to catch that one, because we,” he points his thumb at himself and Sean, “we can get them to tell of the others they know of. Then it is as simple as starting to quietly remove his batteries.”

Sean nods. “We won’t win fighting an all out war. This is going to be all about guerrilla warfare. We have to pick them off one at a time. And we need to do it fast once we start.” He looks around at us all. “We won’t get them all. But we might level the playing field.”

The Gods and Goddesses look at one another and nod. “We might know just who to grab for information.” I look to my right as Cora moves forward, joining the two men. She smiles at my frown. “Our messengers.” I smile. “Cher, you look like a cartoon villain with that grin on your face.” Her words break the tension as the women start to chuckle. “Persephone, I think it would be easiest for you to get them.” Persephone’s brow furrows at her words, and Hades stiffens. “Can I could show them to you? I’m afraid I didn’t get their names.”

Persephone nods even as Hades growls. Cora reaches out, laying her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. Her eyes shine bright as her power flows over the Goddess. Candy pink lips form an O and then a smile much like my own.

“Polyhymnia and Terpsichore,” she says as she looks at Hades, and Cora drops her hand.

“Those bitches. Makes sense, they are stupid and gullible.” He relaxes. “Yes, my love, you can catch those two idiots.”

“I think I will ask them to come dance and read poetry for me. They often do that for mother when I’m gone. Where should I bring them?” That gives us pause. We can’t bring them here or the Underworld, where they could be seen or felt by others. We discuss it for a few moments and then Emma speaks.

“What about the prison we made for Arias?” She is looking at Persephone. “Hades didn’t sense the others that were placed in the Fields.” The man in question purses his lips at the reminder. “You made the prison even stronger, and maybe Mimi could ward it with Circe’s help, if we can convince her.”

“Leave Circe to me.” Demeter straightens, smoothing her hands over her already flawless hair. “I’ll be back.”

“Wish me luck.” Persephone blows Hades a kiss as she sifts away. Jason and Nestor arrive with a group of misfits just as she fades.