In the Nyx of Time Read online

  I gaped at Chronos as a strange tingling filled my body. There were flashes of memories gathering around the edges of my mind; I could feel them, but I couldn't see them yet. I glanced at Persephone and saw tears filling her eyes. So, I took her hand—the one Hades wasn't clasping tightly—and squeezed it reassuringly. Honestly, I don't know who I was comforting; her or myself.

  “Then they tried again,” Chronos went on. “Aion took Nyx back to an even earlier time, and she murdered Persephone again; using Net to disable the Olympian before beheading her.”

  The Greek Gods—most of whom adored Persephone—were becoming more and more inflamed by Chronos' testimony. The mention of the god drug, Net, nearly sent them over the edge, and Athena had to once more call for them to calm themselves.

  “Please, continue, Chronos,” Athena said.

  “After committing the same murder for the second time, Nyx went to the Norse God, Odin, and, under the guise of friendship, gave him news of his beloved Sabine. Nyx told Odin that she had found his wife's soul in Vervain and then reunited the couple.”

  My gaze jerked to Odin, and he stared at me in shock.

  “Odin found Vervain before Thor did and so the Godhunter never joined Thor's group of rebel gods,” Chronos said. “But again, Vervain's lovers were pulled back to her and they joined forces with Hades to avenge his wife's murder.”

  “Is anyone else feeling sick?” Hermes murmured.

  I glanced down the table at him and nodded. “You have no idea.”

  Hermes grimaced at me in commiseration.

  “I watched all of this with a growing fury, but I held back; hoping that Time would repair itself and teach this young god a lesson,” Chronos said sadly. “Unfortunately, neither of those things happened. When Hades and his army returned to Tartarus for the second time, Aion gave in to Nyx's urging and took them back further still.”

  I frowned and blinked as shocking images filled my head. I saw my friends and family, but I also saw people who were supposed to be dead; including Niyarvirezi. I started to think through what Chronos was saying and follow the paths that Nyx and Aion had tried to set me on. What would have happened to my life with those simple changes? Where would I be if I hadn't met Trevor? Or if I'd met Thor too late? I often lamented meeting Thor before Odin, but what would that have done to my life?

  “I knew that this was the end,” Chronos said. “Time was fraying, and if history wasn't fixed, it would snap. But I watched Vervain once more find her way back to her proper path, and I had faith in her.” Chronos stopped to give me a soft smile. “You had some rough changes thrown at you, Godhunter, but you handled them well, and you found your way to the people who helped to make you who you are today. You retained your ability to take god magic, and I hoped that you would use it to take Aion's magic and right his wrongs.”

  “But?” I asked.

  “You did take his magic, but you failed to repair Time,” he said gently. “You tried your best, but Time had been too injured and Aion's magic wasn't enough to repair it. It began to unravel, and that's when I stepped in.”

  A cold shiver coasted down my arms as I saw exactly what Chronos was talking about; Time laid out before me. I saw the spirals of it and the frayed pieces that had been severed too many times.

  “It was scarred,” I whispered. “I had to heal it with Aion's magic and piece it together.”

  “Yes,” Chronos said simply. “It's not your fault; you gave it everything you had, but you simply didn't have the power you needed to succeed.”

  The temple was silent for one brief second before all the Gods began yelling again.

  “Enough!” Athena stood up as she shouted. “We will hear all of it before we condemn our fellow gods.” She looked at Chronos. “You have made your testimony, and we, of course, believe you; especially after hearing Vervain's response. But if we are to dispense justice, we must have more proof than the testimony of a single god; even if that god is you. Do you have anything more to offer us, Chronos? Any evidence or additional witnesses? Your wife, perhaps?”

  “I call upon Macaria, Goddess of Blessed Death, and on Erebus, God of Darkness and Shadows, to give testimony,” Chronos declared.

  We all gaped at Macaria and Erebus as they strode down the aisle and came to stand before the Olympians. Macaria looked at me and nodded grimly and then stared at her father with an apologetic expression. Hades leaned forward as his free hand slid over the table; as if it would reach out to his daughter.

  “No!” Nyx screeched as she tried to step forward. “You cannot, Macaria! Please, don't do this. I'm your mother; do not betray me!”

  Several gods came forward to restrain Nyx as Aion hung his head.

  “My mother confided in me,” Macaria said. “She told me of her plans to change the past. I've made more than my fair share of mistakes, but I did it all believing that I was in the right. I knew I could not be a part of Nyx's new plan; it was obviously evil. Persephone is a good woman. She's the best thing that ever happened to my father, and I refused to allow her to be taken from him. Ask Vervain”—she waved a hand at me—“I warned her about my mother and Aion.”

  “You traitorous child!” Nyx screamed. “I curse the day I brought you into this world. I curse the day I let your pathetic father touch me.”

  “Is this true, Vervain?” Athena ignored Nyx's outbursts to ask me. “Did Macaria warn you?”

  “You know that she did,” I said with a frown. “We told you about it; you were trying to find Nyx and Aion for us.”

  Athena rolled her eyes. “Yes, Vervain; I know that, but it needed to be stated now for the benefit of the other gods.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. Then I added in a strong voice, “Macaria did come to see me and warn me of her mother's intentions.”

  “Erebus, do you have something to add?” Athena asked.

  “My wife confided in me as well,” Erebus admitted sadly. “It's as Macaria says; I swear it.”

  “You son of sea slime,” Nyx hissed. “You would betray me? I gave birth to your children.”

  “And I've always loved you, Nyx,” Erebus said. “But I draw the line at changing Time to satisfy your need for vengeance. You were wrong, and you nearly destroyed us all.”

  Nyx shook her head in disgust and hissed, “You're weak! In every altered timeline, you abandoned me when you discovered my plan. I should have killed you before I went back.”

  “Before?” Erebus growled; his eyes gone wide. “Did you kill me too, Nyx?”

  “You're a traitorous cur,” she said venomously. “You deserved it.”

  “You evil bitch,” Erebus whispered as he shook his head in amazement. “Thank you for making this easier on me.”

  Nyx clenched her teeth and lifted her chin.

  “Do you have anything to say in your own defense, Nyx?” Athena asked her.

  “I did as any goddess would do when attacked; I used the magic available to me to bring myself justice,” Nyx declared.

  No one protested this, but no one accepted it as an excuse either.

  “Aion, what say you?” Athena asked.

  Aion shook his head and muttered, “I can still feel her taking my magic. I can still feel mortality coming for me.”

  “Chronos, you have our deepest gratitude,” Athena said. “You have saved us all, and when I announce our verdict to the rest of the God World and send word to the Fey, I shall include a report of your heroism.”

  “It's my responsibility to look after Time,” Chronos said. “I am not a hero, nor do I wish to be regarded as one. You will leave me out of it, Olympian, and that shall be gratitude enough.”

  “An honorable attitude that humbles us all,” Athena bowed her head to Chronos again. “So be it. The Council will discuss this and—”

  “Is that really necessary?” Hermes asked. “I think we are all of one mind here.”

  Hermes looked around the table, and the other gods nodded; including me.

  “Very well,” Athena said. �
�In the matter of Nyx and her crimes against the realms, the Olympians, and the Greek Pantheon, the Olympian Council finds her guilty. I vote for execution. Who agrees?”

  Everyone raised their hands except for me.

  “Vervain?” Athena asked in shock. “She hurt you and Hades the most.”

  “I know; just give me a second to think it over,” I said. “This is going rather quickly for an order of execution.”

  I looked over at my men, and they stared steadily at me. Nyx had tried to take them from me; them and our children. She and Aion had tried to destroy everything that I held dear. But a straight-up execution just wasn't my style. A hunt through the woods; now, that felt right. But beheading someone as they knelt before you? That just didn't feel sporting. I grimaced at my own twisted thoughts.

  Then Kirill caught my gaze and gave me a look that conveyed the faith he had in me. I couldn't betray that faith, or the love I shared with my men. This was not the time for mercy. I had tried to be merciful with Demeter once, and she had killed Odin and nearly killed Trevor. No; I had to protect my family and my friends. I was an Olympian—standing judge in an Olympian trial—and I had to do things their way. Honestly, a quick beheading was far more merciful than being torn apart by the Wild Hunt. The thought left me a little unsatisfied and prompted my next words.

  “I vote yes, but I would like to conduct the execution,” I finally said.

  The crowd cheered approvingly as Nyx went pale.

  “Does anyone dispute this request?” Athena asked when the Gods settled.

  “I do,” Hades growled as he stood.

  I looked over at him in surprise.

  “I'm sorry, Vervain, but I believe that I have the greater grievance with Nyx,” Hades said. “I claim the right to kill her; you can have Aion.”

  “Hold on now,” Athena huffed. “I haven't even called for a vote on Aion yet.”

  “Who thinks that we should execute Aion?” Hermes asked.

  All of us raised our hands. Athena did so last, but I think that was more out of irritation at having her leadership undermined than anything else.

  “There. Now, can we agree to let Hades execute Nyx, and Vervain execute Aion?” Hermes asked.

  The Olympians nodded.

  “There you go.” Hermes spread his arms. “That wasn't so hard, was it?”

  “Bring the criminals forward,” Athena said with a stern tone as she cast an annoyed look at Hermes.

  The gods who were restraining Nyx and Aion shoved them forward. Erebus held Macaria as she wept, and Nyx lashed out at them with horrible curses that would no doubt haunt them. I wasn't looking forward to rethinking my opinion of Macaria, but I knew it needed to be done. She'd redeemed herself in a way that most people didn't have had the spine for, and I had to respect that. So did Hades; he went to his daughter and hugged her tightly before he firmly turned her away from her mother.

  “Erebus,” Hades said as he laid a grateful hand on the god's shoulder, “don't let her watch this. Please, take her out of here.”

  Erebus nodded and stumbled from the room with Macaria. As soon as they were gone, Hades accepted an ax from Hephaestus. Nyx was pushed to her knees as Hades went to stand at her side.

  “I only wish that I could claim your soul so I could torture you forever,” Hades snarled at her. “But this will have to do. For Persephone!” He shouted as he brought the ax down.

  Hades' shout echoed in my mind; laid over the memory of the battle cry of hundreds of other gods. I shivered as the blade sliced through Nyx's neck as well as the tops of her wings. Her head fell in a rain of feathers, and then her body crumpled. Aion was whimpering, but the rest of the gods watched silently as Nyx's body became a dark mist and then dispersed into the air. Hades took a deep breath and then hung his head respectfully.

  Then Aion was brought forward.

  I went to stand to the left of the bawling god, and as I did, my men came forward to stand behind me. I wished that Arach was there to share this with me; he would have appreciated this the most. No; that's not true. Arach would have pressed for a hunt and would have been unsatisfied with this civilized execution.

  I stared down at Aion and felt as if this were an unending cycle; Greek gods coming after me for killing someone they loved. And could I really fault them for wanting to avenge their family members? No; I couldn't. But despite the issues this may cause me, or the understanding I had for Aion's actions, I knew it had to be done.

  Hades offered me the ax, but I shook my head.

  “No, thank you,” I said. “I prefer to do this my way.”

  If I couldn't have a hunt, I could at least have the kill. I lifted a hand as I shifted my fingers into dragon claws. Aion glanced up at me and went calm. He lifted his head, met my gaze steadily, and exhaled as he closed his eyes. But then I hesitated; another memory surfaced.

  “Vervain?” Odin asked.

  “I can't betray his magic again,” I whispered.

  Aion opened his eyes and frowned at me in confusion.

  “I understand,” Chronos said kindly as he laid a hand on my shoulder. “I will gladly give Cyclical Time a home if you will do me the honor of transferring it to me, Godhunter.”

  I lowered my hand and shifted the claws back to fingers.

  “No!” Aion screamed as he lurched away from me. “Kill me, but not like that.”

  “Restrain him,” Athena commanded.

  The guards came forward and took hold of Aion again.

  “Can't you even do this one honorable thing?” I asked him. “Your magic has a chance to live, but you'd prefer to let it die with you? Can't you see how selfish that is? Your magic has been tainted by your fury, but Chronos could heal it and give it a home.”

  “But it hurts so much,” Aion cried.

  “Only if you resist,” I said softly.

  Part of me wanted to make Aion suffer, but I owed it to his magic to make this transfer as painless as possible. It had trusted me, and I had sacrificed it. I had to make things right.

  “So be it,” Aion whispered.

  I closed my eyes and reached out for Aion's magic. I would have said that it was fortunate that I'd worn my emerald to the meeting, but I had a feeling that it was my subconscious at work. And that made me even more certain that I was doing the right thing. I found the time magic easily, and it came to me as trusting as it had been before. Magic didn't hold a grudge. It rushed into me, and I directed it into the thick band of gold around my emerald pendant. As the energy drained from Aion, I heard him sigh, and then came the soft sound of his body falling back; lifeless.

  I opened my eyes and looked at Chronos. “Are you ready?”

  Chronos nodded as he opened his arms. I called the time magic out of the gold and sent it through me once more; into Chronos. I felt its happiness as it surged into its new home, and I hoped that Chronos would treat it better than Aion had. From what I'd seen of the god so far, I had faith that he would.

  When the time magic was completely in its new host, I let go of it and opened my eyes. Chronos was staring at me with a glowing blue stare and a brilliant smile. His wings unfurled as he leaned forward and embraced me.

  “I knew you'd do the honorable thing, Vervain,” he whispered in my ear.

  “And what if I had just killed Aion?” I asked as he released me.

  “I would have been disappointed,” he said, “in both my judgment and yours.”

  “Fair enough,” I said with a soft smile. “Thanks for having faith in me, Chronos, but next time, feel free to step in before Time is altered.”

  Chronos chuckled. “As you like.”

  “It's done,” Athena declared. “A copy of these proceedings shall be sent to the other Pantheons and to the Faerie Realm. May all bear witness to the justice we have delivered today, and know that the Olympian Council will not tolerate crimes of this nature.”

  The Greek Gods cheered, and I went into the arms of my lovers; knowing that we were safe at last. For now.

&n
bsp; Chapter Fifty

  The God Squad returned to Pride Palace with us for a celebration/commiseration lunch. I had to explain everything to the Intare, and then I was going to head to Faerie to let Arach know that we were safe. I wasn't in a rush to leave since I'd be returning to the last time I'd left Faerie anyway; it wasn't as if I were keeping Arach waiting. In fact, he probably already knew. But I couldn't think about it like that; this whole situation had blown my mind, and I couldn't add another time bomb to the mix.

  “Vervain, can I speak with you?”

  I was in the kitchen; grabbing more drinks. I turned around and saw Blue standing by the closed door.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Somewhere more private?” He glanced at the door nervously.

  I followed Blue's gaze; both of our spouses were on the other side of that door, and I was pretty sure that they were the ones he didn't want hearing whatever it was that he had to say. I began to wonder what it could be, and as soon as I did, an image of Blue and me in an intimate—very intimate—situation flared up in my mind. I inhaled sharply and jerked back against the counter.

  Blue rushed forward and took my arm supportively. “Are you all right?”

  His touch brought even more visions—no; they were memories—of him and me together. I felt my cheeks heat as scenes rolled through my mind—very erotic scenes. But then it all culminated in a battle where Blue took an ax to the chest; and ax that had been thrown at me. It felt like Odin all over again, and an overwhelming heartache consumed me. I could feel Blue in my arms; see him bleeding out as he whispered his last words to me... words of love.

  “Oh, fuck,” I exclaimed as I looked up at him—present him.

  “You've seen it too?” Blue asked with widened eyes. “Our... relationship and my death?”