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I frowned in confusion "What did you do to on curse, but left you with its power"

Stunned, I sat back on"Why would you do that?" Why would she leave a god-killer in existence?

"Because even the gods need checks and balances And we ht have need of you when the Blood Wars co in Truly, unbelievably setting in I was free It was over And I still had power to protect lanced at Sebastian and he joined h as he reached down and helped ht, still reeling "It’s gone," I said against his neck "The one"

Over his shoulder, my father smiled broadly, soone I hugged him, too He squeezed me hard "Your mother would be so proud of you I a to be more insufferable than ever," Menai coer She laughed and shot one right back

Apollo returned as Bran, Michel, and s beyond the cathedral walls Artemis handed Apollo the child He looked panicked for a ging his lips apart as he walked off, cooing Seeing a big, powerful Greek god taken with a tiny baby made me smile

Horus and Artemis moved to the back wall to talk in private

"So what’s that all about?" I asked Menai

She observed her mother and Horus It struck oddess She had two heavyweights for parents "He’s livid with her for staying with Athena For rejecting hi her over hied "When o h I was born seven hundred years after her child, my mother was afraid for o with ed her to stay, to let theether, to help heal the loss of her own child through erous, for my mother and me So she promised Athena she’d stay Athena wanted proof of her promise, so aveBut it holds a lot of power over that person"

"So the hold over Artemis was you"

Menai nodded "It didn’t help that Athena hated ods she hadn’t been able to overthrow during the War of the Pantheons And my father was so pissed he couldn’t stand it Apparently, he wanted to punishwith Athena, so he removed himself not only from our life, but frorets He’ll want her now There’s nothing in their way anyo?"

"I don’t know She loves him She’s loved him all this tihts Sebastian had gone over to talk with his father Michel glanced at the baby Bran was now holding, disbelief passing through his eyes Now he knew The child was half Arnaud Part of Sebastian’s family Fated to start the Blood Wars

Arte my attention

Horus’s hands were on his hips, and he appeared as angry and frustrated as Artemis was "Fine!" he shot back

Theyto be a faypt"

"What about ht they were leaving her

Horus frowned "What about you? You’re co with us whether you like it or not We have a couple hundred years to make up for" He rubbed his shoulder where she’d shot hiround rules"

Menai sed, but I saw the flash of surprise in her eyes But she was her e "I want hi hi to a very astonished Henri

Arterin as Horus’s face paled and went a little confounded--he was in territory he probably hadn’t been in for a very long tiht soround rules of our own, eh?"

Henri sed "Yes, sir"

"That leaves us with the child," Apollo said "Asfor six ypt"

"You won’t have to," Artemis said "We’ll take Archer with us"