Hunter: Gods & Monsters

Chapter 25

I had never been one to be afraid of the dark. It made sneaking around easier when I was younger, hiding whatever mischief I had been up to or was planning on doing. Now as I crept around a castle under attack, with a psycho possibly waiting for her chance to kill me; if no one else got a chance to do it first, I understood why people didn't like it. My mind played tricks on me as I kept close to the wall. Shadows of furniture and statues constantly making my heart jump as I was positive they moved.

This part of the building was unknown to me, but in one last effort to sort things out with Cain, when I had tried to find him, I had come here. Lightning flashed and I froze, quickly surveying the room as I planned my next move and was assured I was still alone. Closing my eyes I felt near, but he wasn't exactly here. I made it the door and slowly opened it, thankful it made no noise. Light leaked into the room in the form a thin white glow, and looking out, Ares and Hermes were there. They moved, talking and pacing - their words lost as thunder cracked above us. I couldn't see Cain yet I could sense his presence close by, and daring to open the door a little wider, the sitting room was a mess. Chairs had been knocked over, a table sat in two pieces while smashed glass sparkled like crystals on the floor in the candlelight.

Ares stopped, looking right at me and shook his head making me close the door a fraction, but not completely so that I could still peek out.

"It makes no sense." He said a second later.

"Does anything?" Hermes growled back.

"I'll ready the troops. If they want a fight, we'll give it to them." Ares glanced my way before vanishing.

"I tried, I did. If the twins are back, and Hades-"

"Then they will be shown no mercy." Cain snapped at him. "Go. Come back when Ares is ready."

Hermes disappeared and I hesitated, only I didn't have to wait too long.

"Come out. I know you're here." He sighed, so I did. "Just once. Once in your life, will you do as I say?"

"Unlikely, but keep trying. I might surprise you one day."

"Why are you here? To gloat, to see if I am intimidated? I am not going to stop this. Let your people do their worst." Cain shouted. He stopped, glaring at me. "Brave or stupid? I could just end this now."

In his hand, a golden dagger similar to Apollo's appeared and I understood what he was implying. It was an empty threat, we both knew it and I managed not to roll my eyes. Playing the part, I hesitated for a moment, as if I was actually thinking it over. I'd never truly felt the weight of someone's gaze as I did in then and despite the effort to try and scare me away - intimidate, it had the opposite effect.

"But you won't," I closed the door behind me and walked into the room, trying not to look around at the mess, and failing terribly. "I'm not here to fight, Cain. Please just-"

"No? Then explain them. Is that not your army?" He pointed outside and glancing that way a dark shadow hovered over the town, clearly coming this way. "You don't want to fight, yet send-"

"That's not me, I came to offer a truce!"

He hesitated. "I'm expected to believe that? Apollo is probably hiding back there waiting for me to turn my back."

"No one is with me and he never even came back to this world with us. I'm really not here to start another war," I walked past him and out to the balcony, shivering as the wind whipped by or maybe because I should be worried by turning my back to him. "They are not my people. For starters, what even are those horse things and where do you get them from?"

"Apollo isn't here?" That cold edge in his voice eased ever so slightly.

"No. I think he got the banishment message when your soldiers nearly killed him." I glanced over my shoulder, looking back to where he stood. The dagger is gone. "Artemis is though, despite what happened to her. Hades has left the Underworld too. I promise you, they have nothing to do with what's coming either."