Dungeon of Torment

40. King of the Gods

"Why did you burn them?" Larent asked, his nostrils flared in disgust as he looked down at the massacre below. He'd watched, realising too late what Rhea intended, as she poured fire down the pyramid. "Some of those men were your own." 

"They knew too much." Rhea replied, her tone cold. Zeus could never know how she'd manipulated him. Those men had served their purpose – they'd lured out the guards and bought advantage to Zeus so that he could fly in unseen. She didn't need them anymore.

Rhea clutched onto the balcony rail, the flames and smoke reflecting in her dazzling diamond tiara.

"I always hated this palace." She told him, her lips curling up into a vicious smile. "A pyramid," she laughed without humour, "a fucking tomb. That Kronos meant to be the resting place for us Titans." Smoke rose high, blocking out the sky and Rhea gazed hungrily at its black rippling ribbons. "I will see it burn."

*

Zeus held a terrified courtier by the throat.

"Kronos' harem – where is it? Where!?" He roared, his spit spraying over the man's purpling face. The courtier shook his head, spluttering for words. "WHERE!?"

"No-" The man rasped, still shaking his head. "I don't-" There was no royal harem, how could he answer? The ceiling creaked and groaned above them, as the fire raged on the higher level.

"I'll take you," a voice offered. Zeus turned, seeing the attendant. She looked wide-eyed and frantic. "Just please," she held up her hands in surrender. "Don't kill me."

"You have my word." Zeus replied, his voice gruff. Without looking, he snapped the courtier's neck. The attendant flinched, seeing the courtier crumple to the floor. "Lead the way."

The attendant scampered off, checking that he was following her. Zeus was on the alert, his lightening bolt ready in his grasp - in case this was a trap.

"Almost there," she assured him as they came to a side stairwell.

"What's your name?" Zeus asked, checking behind to ensure that they weren't being followed.

"Hera," she replied – a little out of breath. "I'm a niece of the queens. She said you'd come for us."

Hera showed him her arm and branding burnt upon it. If Zeus hadn't been distracted, he might have noticed how fresh the branding looked – almost like it had been done merely hours ago.

"Niece? You're my cousin then?"

She nodded. "And Kronos branded you too?" Zeus was horrified. Was it not enough that Kronos had killed Rhea's children – did he have to bed her niece too? Zeus clenched his thunder bolt in a tighter grip, sparks shooting up his muscular arm.

"He's a monster." Hera replied, turning her face away so that Zeus wouldn't see her supressed smile. For years she'd served the queen as an attendant, and if she fulfilled this final part she had to play – Rhea had promised her that she would one day be Zeus' queen. "It's through there." She told him, pointing to the bolted door at the end of the corridor.

Finally, Mariam! Zeus charged at the door – swinging back his arm. His thunderbolt struck the wood – smashing it to smithereens. Hera ducked down, shielding her face to protect her eyes from exploding splinters. Zeus raced forward, his gaze wild with hope.