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Zaria drew in a breath and seeht back into temptress mode "Athena is not dead Sorry to disappoint you," she said slyly "She sends e As you are all well aware, she wants as in Anesidora’s Jar when it was gifted to your ancestors"

Sebastian sat straighter Shit He knehere this was headed

"Athena wants the Hands of Zeus Let’s not play coy and kid ourselves By now uessed what they are and why she wants them But none of that matters What matters is that you return what is hers"

"Why would we do that?" Josephine asked in a casual tone that Sebastian kneas far from the truth

"Why not? You have no need of them"

Josephine drummed her perfectlythe Hands in our possession keeps Athena in line And keeps us safe"

Murreement went around the room

Zaria seemed unaffected "And that is why Athena has offered Donum Essentia Dea to the one who returns her property"

Gasps echoed through the room More than a few Novem went pale Michel sat back in his chair, stunned Bran let out a lohistle And the tension in the rooh Sebastian had no idea what Donum Essentia Dea was, and from their confused looks, neither did any of the other heirs Finally Hunter spoke up "For those of us Latin-challenged attendees,us what that is exactly?"

Sebastian found it odd that the person most affected by Zaria’s words was Josephine She looked as though she was about to be sick, while Zaria looked like the Cheshire cat Whatever offering she made had just turned the tables in apassed around the table It was clear the Novem didn’t want the heirs to know

"All they have to do is look it up and put the pieces together," Nell Cromley said When no one took the initiative, she pushed back froifting the essence of a god, or in this case, goddess Itthat makes her who she is Her ie for the Hands of Zeus She’s offering to od"

"She can do that?" Kieran asked her father in disbelief

Bran answered, his deep voice resigned "Aye She can She can give it all up and become mortal"

The heirs went silent And Sebastian was no exception Athena illing to give up her iazed over the asse your backs fro a hand as she went "Good luck You’re gonna need it" And then she disappeared into thin air

As soon as she left, Bran glared at each Noveht now Do not let this divide us That’s exactly what she wants, and you know it"

"The Hands are currently in the library, correct?" Siers

A shiver went down Sebastian’s spine

Simon was known for his excesses and cruelties He stayed just barely within Novem law, but everyone knew there were heinous criroup could never pin on hi like his father

No one answered Simon They all believed the Hands were there Sebastian half expected all of the was staggering Yet no one moved No one wanted to be the first to shohere their loyalties lay

"We lancing around the rooo farther than this room To do so would ht," Rowen said "This is our hoe We’ll be hunted for knowing how to get inside Your heirs will be hunted for any knowledge they "

"What about Ari?" Gabriel asked "She kno to get inside She’d be the one Athena or anyone else goes after"

"She doesn’t kno to get inside on her own," Sebastian said, giving Gabriel a look that proht I let her into the library," Michel said "She does not have the blood or the ward coree We ht or we are all targets"

"Targets, or betrayers ourselves," Nikolai Deschanel spoke up "Do I putwhile the rest of you grasp at iodhood? Or do I strike first?"

The question hung suspended in the roo the room hot and stuffy Sweat beaded on Sebastian’s skin