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—Don’t knohat twerk asoe is a hidden realoal should be to get Nereus to transport us fro too much of themselves

—Do you think you can ensorcel him?—

—If he can shield the Sthenos from my power, there’s not a chance And he’d likely killlost in his own thoughts

Though Lanthe’s skin was gradually healing during their long walk, she was drained fro up with the fast Sthenos Their lower halves were fat snake coils, kind of like Cerunnos, except Sthenos gorgons were all fe snakes for hair Oh, and brass hands and claws

Whenever Lanthe tripped in the shifting sands, her Stheno personal guard would heft her up, those claws digging into her arht?

Wrong

A blast of ocean wind buffeted her When Lanthe tottered and got clawed yet again, she snapped, “Watch the claws, bitch!”

—Melanthe?— She could all but see Thronos raising his eyebrows Just because he was cool and collected didn’t mean she had to be He’d had his tantrum—his mantrum—on the Order’s island, and it was now her turn

—I have no ive Okay, Vrekener?— She’d hit her li captured, sick of being food or potential food

—We’re going to escape once more Worry not—

—Why are you so cal hts and days was notSo to all his other attractive attributes, she could add not psycho

Finally, their entourage slowed, entering so space A sea cave?

They descended for what must be miles When pressure made her ears pop repeatedly, she realized they were deep beneath the ocean No flying for Thronos, even if he got free

She felt syhts She couldn’t iine how difficult this must be for him

Probably as difficult as she would find the Skye Still, she asked: —You okay with this?—

—It’s temporary—

In other words, he wasn’t, but he would handle it

In Pande doith Sorceri kids, and he’d confidently said, “We can handle it”

We

She and Thronos did ell together

Gods, she did not need to conclude that the Vrekener would be a good father Her biological clock cried, The best None better!

Suddenly Lanthe heard gears whirring, cogs clicking, as if a gate was opening They entered a warears whirred once more Behind them, a seal closed with a hiss The scent of brine pervaded everything

Off went the blindfolds Thronos swung his head around to face her, as if he’d been hungry for a single look

—I’easoe, the legendary lair of Nereus

This hall had been carved fro coral-pink and blue striations A sheen of water poured down all the walls, but it seen

The area was lit withsconces—basically raised glass bohere lu reflections abounded, as they did underwater,the walls seem to sway

“Forward,” the leader co behind thee sections of the stone floor would shift and retract, revealing the sea The construction of this place was spectacular

Mirrors abounded Shadows and light danced for doeways

This totally looked like the lair of a capricious deity notorious for his gaet Nereus to let theroup eventually entered what allery of sorts There were enorht line a museum wall

When Lanthe passed the first, her eyes ide Ships were piled up, as if in a junkyard She turned to Thronos —Are you seeing this?—

—It od’s honet —We’re in an abyss; everything sinks to this level—

At the next , she squinted out into the dark, seeing gems the size of footballs scattered all over the sand Schools of ree, but instead of legs, the mermaids sported fishtails, the mermen collections of tentacles

The nextrevealed a sub on its hull, and what looked like part of an aircraft carrier This was too wild!

For all the suffering Lanthe had borne just to reach Sargasoe, she was excited to behold such an exotic place But as in store? Nïx’s prediction echoed in her mind: In one realm, hurt In one realm, leave In one realm, cleave In one realm, shine

So was Lanthe supposed to cleave here? She bit her lip, glancing at Thronos Cleave was a ith several s, one of which was to separate

She’d already sensed a portal What if Nereus offered two different rides: one to the Skye and one to Rothkalina?

Was she ready to part fro and denials earlier, the thought made her chest ache If only a relationship between them didn’t pose so many insurmountable odds

When they passed ato see her reflection Yet suddenly all the injuries over her body beganThe restraints around her wrists disappeared, and she felt as fresh as if she’d recently bathed With a gasp, she peered down at herself