Retribution

Prologue

Lawson has vanished and Unya is a husk of herself. It has been eight months since Unya’s birthday, and nothing has worked to bring her back. Hades was unconcerned at first, convinced that she would soon be back with us, stronger and better than before. But the more days that pass, the more agitated he is becoming. He is threatening many of his minions to find a way to rouse her or lose their life should they fail.

If she comes back to us, then she will not know who or what she is, so she will also not remember who we are.

Hades has given me his orders, and no matter how much I wish I could, I cannot break them. But that does not stop me from trying to think of a way to warn her, she will be unprepared and will have no idea who she can trust.

Although I wish I could be that confidante, I know that is not a possibility, not when I must lie to her.

If that isn’t bad enough, the lock to Olympus has broken. The skies roar with thunder and torrential rain across the earth, and the oceans have been merciless, dragging more boats down beneath the water and sending tsunamis onto our shores. Along with volcanoes erupting all over the god forsaken place.

Many countries have suffered and there is nothing we can do to help them; Hades is revelling in all the deaths that have happened because of his siblings’ anger. He cares not for the human lives that are being thrown away. The Gods have yet to show themselves and have since gone quiet. But I can only imagine the carnage that will occur when they do. And if Unya does not awaken, then we will be doomed for eternity.

1

Marcus

I hadn’t heard a single thing from Unya since she left to confront Hades. It had only been six weeks since she vanished, but lack of communications had filled me with a sick dread. All I discovered was the Gods were free and angry. The human population had yet to learn of their existence, but, they would. Why the Gods had gone quiet raised a lot of suspicions among the supernatural community and no one could fathom why they would wreak havoc, only to stop.

If that hadn’t been bad enough, it wasn’t only Unya’s presence in this world that had changed. The rebels had been split into two factions, those who were still loyal to Nyakesh and those who weren’t. Somehow, I had again become a leader, it hadn’t been what I wanted but I had been looking to distract myself from everything else and I had known that they needed me.

I had tried to keep an eye out for Addy, amongst all the other responsibilities that had been thrust upon my shoulders, but she was doing her best to avoid anything that could remind her of what had happened to her departed sister.

Besides I had known that Ackley would still protect her, whether she knew that or not. He did it because he loved her, it had been hard to recognise at first. Knowing that he was a Satyr, but it was plain to see, and she couldn’t have asked for a better protector than someone who would die to keep her alive.

As for Malachi and Lawson, well that had been impossible to explain. With Ackley asking too many questions regarding Malachi, it had raised a few concerns amongst my people. An incubus didn’t just disappear without a trace, especially one who had such an aversion to killing, he had been memorable.

A connection to Unya hadn’t been made, as he had been missing for longer. But as for Lawson, well that guess was anyone’s game. Lilianna had shown concern in the beginning, but everyone knew that Lawson was a stubborn Bastard and pretty much invincible. Some had joked at first, that he and Unya had run off together, to hide from the Gods’ impending arrival.

Kat and myself had been the only ones who could contest that, but I hadn’t even seen her since that day in the cabin and I had gone beyond even wanting to lay eyes on her.

My days of hanging around outside her home, to just catch a glimpse had been left in the past. I guess looking back on it now, I had simply been existing in a state of denial.

A part of me should have known that Kat wouldn’t have stayed gone, but even I couldn’t have predicted what would happen the moment our paths crossed. It would destroy me, but I couldn’t go back in time and warn myself just how painful my life would become.

I had been gently interrogating the water nymphs, as none had chosen to leave us, to decipher just who had lured Unya into the trap that Nyakesh had set for her. None had been willing to talk, not wanting to get one of their own into trouble. I had already explained that was not the purpose of my questioning, I just needed to know if I had any spies in my midst.

I hadn’t wanted to view Nyakesh as an enemy, it had just become obvious that I couldn’t trust her anymore. How was I to know what side she laid on now, after the lengths she went too, trying to force Unya to her cause. That hadn’t screamed that she was still one of the good guys.

She may have wanted the Gods gone, but at what co

st and for what reason. I realised that I could no longer just assume that she wanted them gone for the benefit of others.

No, she had a different plan in motion and I needed to know just what that was.

It was the arrival of Ishira that had the water nymphs talking, it turned out that it had been one named Pearl who had done the deed. As for why would remain a mystery at that point, seeing as she had disappeared and none of the other water dwellers had seen fit to warn me.

I could have been angry, sure, but what would have been the point. They had already known how suspicious it seemed and hadn’t wanted to throw anymore doubt onto their kind. I had promised them I would not treat them any differently, just because of Pearl’s actions. But that didn’t mean that I hadn’t started to re-evaluate and unfortunately suspect everyone else’s motives for deciding to stay with us. Was it out of loyalty, beliefs or something more sinister?

2

Unya

I opened my eyes and was free from pain. But I knew that I wasn’t awake, it felt different here, there was no pain or confusion. There was also no death, seeing as Lawson was standing mere feet in front of me, with a sheepish look upon his face.

I raced up to him, throwing my arms around his neck. Not even caring that it was all make believe, I hadn’t forgotten that I had witnessed his death but I didn’t want to think about that. Denial is never good to lose yourself in, but it can be bittersweet even just for a little while.

“I know you’re not real Lawson, that you are just a figment of my imagination, but I think I needed this. I needed you.”

He placed his hands on either side of my face and then began to talk, but I found it hard to believe what he was saying to me.