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Some stared back in disbelief, others wore masks of fear One of the Sentinels in the back spoke up "Can we even stop Ares?"

No, whispered that voice No one can stop Ares Pressure clanore the now-fa within me

"He defeated you That’s what I heard," said a student "And you’re the Apollyon If you can’t defeat hi?"

"Maybe we can reach sohting is not the only answer"

One of the Guards scoffed loudly "Ares is the God of War, not the God of Treaties"

"He is the God of War," argued the pure "How can we defeat hi?" asked Val fro in battle lead us into surrendering? Is that how a Sentinel or Guard behaves?"

There were several shouts of disagreement, and all were from the Sentinels and Guards--soldiers ould never leave their posts

"I don’t know," I said, and again, the mass quieted "I don’t knoe can stop Ares And you’re right, he did kick my ass every which way from Sunday, but I know that no one is safe if he succeeds I also know that we’re not alone We have Apollo, and Arteods behind us, and e have…"

A strange feeling unfurled within ers all overa sharp pain to crack down my neck I suddenly found it hard to breathe It was like waking up unexpectedly and realizing I was already late for so

"Alex?" Aiden stepped up besideHis eyes searched over ?"

I saw hi was focused on so and so very close The crowd shifted nervously A treh my body Deep insidefrantically Theover my skin My heart hammered as tiny hairs rose all over my body

"He’s here," I said to Aiden, my voice a thready whisper "Seth’s here"

CHAPTER 7

There were no sirens, and I knew there’d be none Seth was too cool for that

"Alex, hold up" Aiden grabbedMarcus was behind hi? You just left in the middle of your speech"

"He’s here I know he is I can feel hi toalong happily, in a way it only did when he was near "Tell Val to o"

"So his hand over an earpiece "I can’t get a definite response fro on"

"You don’t have to go" Aiden’s eyes turned a thunderous shade of gray "We need to take a minute--"

"And what? Give hiht" Marcus stood at our shoulders "What is our plan? Go out there and shake Seth’s hand?"

My eyes narrowed on my uncle "Actually, my plan was more to stab him in the eyeball and then decide what to do"

Marcus’s jaw locked down "I think you’re ains control over you, it is all over We et control over me" My eyes flicked to Aiden’s, and I willed him to understand what I didn’t even really understand myself I didn’t want to face Seth, but I had to see hiht, that he was here and I wasn’t going crazy "We are so beyond that phase"

Aiden shook his head "There have been no sirens, and Val can’t get the Guards at the gate to respond Think about that We could be walking into a trap You could be walking into a trap"

Seth could keep dozens of Guards quiet with a co I pulledaround, I cut through the caates I didn’t even look to see if Val was doing anything Each step hten My skin felt stretched to the point of ripping by the time I passed the courtyard and inhaled the sweet scent of peonies

"I swear to the gods, Alex, I will pick you up and throw you over o out there Think for a second" Aiden was right by"Reht If you’re--"

"I re upto do with this"

"That has everything to do with this!"

I blinked, sort of stunned that he would yell atto keep me--and the baby, if there was one--safe, but if Seth was here, there was no hiding Nothing was safe