Sentinel

CHAPTER 6

Aiden left in the morning to scrounge up some breakfast. I offered to go with him, but he insisted I stay in bed and get some more rest. Nightmares had plagued me most of the night. Daimons breaking through the walls. Ares finding a way in past the wards. Loved ones dying all around me. My constant tossing and turning had kept Aiden up most of the night, but it was more than that. In the back of my head, I knew why Aiden had wanted me to stay. There was still a part of him that believed I could be pregnant. Hell, there was a small part of me that wondered the same thing.

Every time I thought there might be a chance, my stomach dropped and my heart jumped. I couldn’t focus on that today, but it was the only thing I really thought of as I took a quick shower and got changed.

I caught sight of my reflection in the foggy mirror and winced. Even wet, my hair hung in way too many lengths. I needed to do something about it. Heading into the small kitchen and living room area joining the two dorm rooms together, I found a pair of scissors. Immediately, I remembered holding them before, after Caleb had died.

You should cut your hair.

Romvi/Ares had said that to me, and in my despair over losing my best friend, I had tried to cut my hair. Weird reaction then, but now?

I stared at the scissors, feeling a lump grow in my throat. Seth had stopped me. He’d been there for me the whole time after Caleb’s death, and even when I’d taken all my hurt and anger out on him, he’d remained by my side. We’d been two sides of the same coin, and if it hadn’t been for him, the depression and self-loathing would’ve dragged me down.

What happened to you, Seth? I asked, but there was no answer through our connection. Nothing but the soft hum of the cord, and it really didn’t matter what had happened. Everything that he’d done overshadowed the good things. And he was on Team Ares, and after what Ares had done to me I couldn’t forgive Seth for that choice.

Sighing heavily, I left my room and headed across the hall to knock on Olivia’s door. “Hey,” she said as she opened the door, but her smile faded a bit when she glanced down and saw the sharp instrument in my hand. She didn’t take a step back, but the look on her face said she wanted to. “What’s up?”

“I was hoping you could do something with my hair before the meeting today.” I started to wave the scissors but decided I’d look pretty psychotic doing so. “I kind of don’t want to look like a weed whacker got hold of my head before meeting a bunch of people.”

Her smile returned, lighting up her brown eyes. “Sure! I can do something.” She took the scissors with deft fingers. “I’m actually glad you came to me because I wanted to offer, but I figured that would be kind of rude.”

“It wouldn’t have been. I know my hair is jacked up.” I followed her into her dorm. “Thank you, though.”

“No biggie. Come into the bathroom.” Olivia had me sit on the rim of the bathtub, feet inside. She draped a towel around my shoulders and then picked up a comb. We were silent as she combed the tangles out, and then she finally said, “Yesterday was crazy, wasn’t it? I’ve never seen anything like those birds. And all of those daimons?”

“I know. You and Luke were awesome, though.” I stared at a bottle of shampoo as Olivia made a couple more soothing strokes with the comb. “Artemis said they’d been led there by Ares.”

“I cannot believe a god would stoop to using daimons. There is something so inherently wrong with that.” She picked up the scissors. “Keep still, okay?”

Sitting still was not my forte, but I tried. “Seth and Lucian were doing the same thing.”

Olivia’s hand stilled over my head. “I remember you saying that. I…I just don’t understand any of this. I get that Ares wants war. Duh, he’s the god of war. He thrives on this stuff. And Lucian? Power-hungry pure-blood? Check. But Seth? I don’t get it. I don’t know what they could be offering him that would make him do this stuff.”

“Everything. He thinks he’s going to get everything.”

Scissors snipped. “You?”

“I don’t think it has anything to do with me, not like that.” I wanted to move, but I also didn’t want my hair to end up being more uneven. “I’m just a…means to an end.”

Olivia was quiet for a few moments as she maneuvered the scissors above my shoulder blades. “You know him better than I do. Seth always freaked me out, but I just never thought we would end up here. I never could have imagined any of this.”

I don’t think any of us ever thought this would be where we’d be sitting with the entire world on the verge of collapse.

“Are you nervous about today?” she asked, running the comb through my hair again.

“Yeah, a little. I mean, I have no idea what to say. I’m not the rah-rah kind of leader, and I’m not…very motivational.”

“Just tell the truth.” The scissors were back, and I sighed. “If Ares gets control of the God Killer and goes after Olympus, the gods will destroy everything in their path to stop him, including every pure and half out there.”

“And if he manages to enslave mankind, pures will be next on his list.” I frowned. “The whole thing sucks.”

Olivia laughed softly. “That would be the understatement of the year.”

“True.”

She finished up the impromptu haircut, and I took a deep breath before I stood and checked myself out. “Wow.” I leaned back, surprised. “It actually looks good.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Did you think I would do badly?”

I shrugged.

“And you still came to me?” She shook her head as she backed out of the bathroom. “You’ve must’ve been desperate. Luckily, the shortest lengths were in the front, so it kind of blends in with the cut. You’ll be able to pull it back and whatnot.”

While my hair used to reach the middle of my back, it now rested on my shoulders, and without all the weight it was wavier than before. I actually felt sort of normal again. I smiled tentatively as I left the bathroom. “You did a really great job. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad I could do something.” She patted the spot beside her on the bed. “Chill with me.”

I shuffled over to her, sitting down. I thought about how Caleb had asked me not to tell Olivia anything about him and his life in the Underworld. It wasn’t fair, because I knew Olivia still cared for him deeply, but Caleb wanted her to move on. It made it difficult, though, not being honest with her.

Olivia reached over, running her fingers over the back of my knuckles. “Does it still hurt?” she asked, looking up.

I fought the urge to pull my hand away. “It doesn’t really ache today.”

She sucked her lower lip between her teeth and slowly pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry.”

My brows shot up. “For what?”

“For what happened to you,” she said, clasping her slim hands together. “I didn’t see you. Not until Apollo brought you back, but the way Aiden and your uncle were afterward. They were so…” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”

I didn’t know what to say at first, but then the words sort of blurted out. “I look that bad, don’t I?”

“What?” Her eyes widened as she twisted toward me. “I didn’t mean it like that! Oh my gods, I’m such a douche. I didn’t even think before I said that. You don’t look bad, Alex. The scars are so faint and I’m sure—”

“It’s okay, Olivia. Honestly, it’s the last thing I should even be thinking about.” Especially considering what Aiden and I discussed last night and what might lie ahead. The urge to tell her about what could be a possibility hit me hard, but I really didn’t know how to branch out into that conversation. “And I hate thinking about it because it makes me feel so shallow. Like, not even the acceptable level of shallowness.”

“It’s not shallow.” She nudged me with her knee. “You’re a girl. We’re going to worry about stupid stuff like this. And if anyone says you’re shallow for worrying about it, let’s cut up their face and see what they think afterward.”

I coughed out a dry laugh. “Wow.”

“I’m serious.” She winked. “So—” A knock on the door cut her off. She jumped up. “If it’s Deacon, I’m going to body-slam him. He woke me up in the middle of the night because he couldn’t sleep and Luke was out on the wall.” She stopped at the door, twisting to me. “He made me put his hair into braids. And I mean those little tiny braids, and then he made me take them out.”

A laugh bubbled up my throat. “Deacon is so bizarre.”

“No joke.” She reached for the door. “I swear to the gods, I could—oh! Not the annoying brother.”

I looked up, spying a confused-looking Aiden, and I grinned.

“I’m looking for Alex,” he said, carrying a plastic bag. “But I’m curious to know what my brother did now.”

“You don’t even want to know.” Olivia stepped aside. “She’s here.”

“I see.” Aiden lingered at the door, a slight smile on his full lips. “Like the hair.”

I picked up a few strands. “Olivia did a kick-ass job.”

“She did.” He turned that half-smile on Olivia, and her cheeks deepened with color. “I brought some breakfast.”

Hopping up from the bed, I headed toward the door. “Food is calling.” I stopped in front of Olivia. “Thank you again.”

“No problem.” She sprang forward and hugged me. At first, I sort of froze. It felt weird, but good. I hugged her back, and for some reason, that felt like a huge step to me.

Aiden shoved about half a pig’s worth of bacon at me. I mean, I could eat someone out of house and town on a normal day, but he watched like a hawk until I finished it all off.

“I really do like the hair,” he said, after I returned from washing the greasy goodness off my fingers. He tucked a strand back behind my ear. “But you could be bald and I’d still think you were hot.”

I made a face. “My ears are huge. That would not be attractive.”

Aiden chuckled and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Mmm, you taste like bacon.”

“That’s hot.”

His hands settled lightly on my hips, and I leaned forward, resting my cheek against his chest. “Do you want anything else to eat?”

“Oh gods, no. I’m stuffed.”

“Sure?”

I turned into his chest, rubbing my cheek against him much like a cat might when it wants to be petted. “I’m sure.” I closed my eyes, knowing why he was suddenly all about stuffing my face. “Aiden…”

“I know.” He circled his arms around me, dropping his chin to the top of my head. “I know what you’re going to say, and I know what we talked about last night, but I think, before we completely rule out anything, we should be careful. You need to get checked out.”

Once more, the idea of skipping down to the infirmary and asking for a pregnancy test was tantamount to sunbathing nude in front of a pack of daimons, but Aiden was right. Lifting my head, I met his gaze. “I will. I promise.”

“Good.” He lowered his head, kissing me to the point where I almost forgot about what I had to do. “You ready? Marcus will be waiting for us at the Council.”

I wasn’t ready, but I said yes. I quickly changed into a Sentinel uniform. The thrill I normally got from donning the all-black uniform was gone.

Completely gone.

You’re not a Sentinel anymore.

Had I ever really been a Sentinel? The first time I’d put the uniform on and left to face my mom, I’d felt like one. The badass rush had filled me when I’d donned one after I broke the connection to Seth and prepared to enter the Underworld with Aiden.

I shouldn’t be wearing this uniform now. The inner-annoying-Alex voice agreed.

But I kept it on, because I needed to look the part even if I didn’t feel it. Strapping the daggers onto my thighs, I slipped the Glock Aiden handed me into the side holster. He patted my rear as I walked past him and, well, that made me feel a little better about the uniform.

My uncle was with Diana, waiting in one of the side rooms. There was a decent crowd out there, and the bacon I’d eaten was doing funny things in my stomach. Standing in the wings of the raised dais reminded me of when Lucian and Seth had turned on the Council.

Marcus still looked rough, but like all pures, he healed quickly. The bruises were fainter, and the swelling had gone down. “How are you feeling, Alexandria?”

One of these days, he would consistently call me Alex, and people would also stop asking how I was. “Okay. You?”

He gave me a tight smile. “Better.”

Solos entered, and Aiden immediately started questioning him about the walls. The gate was holding. There’d been no more attacks, and scouts had been sent out, like the party that had met us at the wall before we entered the University. Luke was among them.

Deacon had been chatting with Olivia, but he’d quieted at that and sat up straight on the bench. His gaze shifted from his brother to Solos, and I was grateful Deacon hadn’t seen the two Sentinels who’d been down by the burnt-out wreckage. His eyes, the only feature he shared with Aiden, were a bright silver. Worry etched into his features.

I made my way over to him. “Luke will be okay. He’s an awesome Sentinel.”

His lips tipped up in an uneven smile. “I know. It’s just…”

No one, no matter how good they were, was truly safe, especially not a Sentinel. I wished there was something more I could say, but if Deacon and Luke were serious about each other, he was going to have to get used to the dangers Luke faced. It was a harsh reality.

“He’ll be okay,” I reassured him, and Deacon nodded, exhaling softly.

Val entered from the main room, a hand on the hilt of his dagger. His blue eyes were extraordinarily bright against his swarthy complexion. “Everyone’s ready if you are.”

My uncle turned to me and nodded. Full of nervous energy, I stepped forward, relieved when he and Aiden followed.

Walking onto the Council dais was freaky. After all, Head Minister Telly, the leader of all the Councils, had once tried to place me under the Elixir and commit me to servitude during a Council session. So, yeah, I wasn’t a big fan of walking before the twelve thrones. All I could think, as I stopped in the center, flanked by two pure-bloods, was that I wished I had prepared a speech or something.

A lot of people were staring at me—well over three hundred, if I had to hazard a guess. In the back were all the Guards and Sentinels not on patrol, and the numbers were disheartening—maybe a hundred to a hundred and fifty. And most of them had to be from the University, meaning most of the others didn’t make it here…or they had sided with the other side.

So not good.

Council members who resided at the University were easy to pick out. They were in their ceremonial robes: red, blue, white and green, representing the different houses of power. Fire. Water. Air. Earth. Council members who had taken refuge here weren’t dressed in their finery, but the cool disdain of seeing a half-blood standing where they belonged was written all over their faces, as well as on the faces of many students and staff members.

One would think in a time of war that prejudice wouldn’t be strengthened, but it seemed to only fortify the age-old beliefs that halfs were less than pures.

A Council member in the front curled her lips as she leaned over to another member, whispering what was probably a very flattering observation.

And then, before I could even open my mouth and say a single, embarrassingly inept attempt of joining the masses, a Council member in red robes stood and the real fun began.

“She should not be standing before the thrones of Ministers,” he said, his hands forming fists against his robes. “This is not what the Council chambers should be used for. And a traitorous pure-blood stands there, too! One who used compulsion on his own kind. It’s a disgrace.”

Aiden arched a brow, looking wholly unrepentant.

I sighed and folded my arms.

A low murmur started from the back of the room. A student shot to her feet. She was a pure-blood, a beautiful redhead who reminded me of Dawn, Lea’s sister. “People are dying outside these walls, mortals and pures and halfs alike, and the first thing you have to comment on is the fact that there’s a half-blood standing on the Council stage?”

The Council member whipped around. “As a pure-blood, you should respect the laws of our society!”

“Laws of our society?” The girl’s eyes widened as she laughed. “Are you insane? I heard that daimons almost broke through the walls yesterday, and that a god was controlling them. Who gives a shit about our laws right now?”

I kind of really liked this girl.

Marcus stepped forward, clearing his throat as he tipped his chin up. “You may not agree with the use of the Council chambers, Minister Castillo, but that is not the point of this meeting.”

As the Minister clearly stated why he felt this was the perfect moment to discuss his opinions, my gaze met Laadan’s. I immediately thought of what she’d told me about my father while we were in Illinois. I’d hoped I’d find him here, but deep down, I knew he wouldn’t be. He’d most likely stayed in the Catskills with the other half servants, protecting and leading them. Head Minister Telly had enslaved him, placed him on the Elixir, and even cut out his tongue, but my father…he was a leader.

And I was his daughter.

“This is stupid,” I said, loud enough that it shut up the over-talkative Council member. All eyes were on me. I took a step forward. “We’re arguing over whether or not I belong on this stage—this stupid stage. That’s all this is. And these thrones? They’re just chairs. Who cares? They mean nothing to me or to the rest of the world. They only mean something to you because you made them so.”

The minister turned the color of his robes. “How dare you?”

“Oh, I dare.” Tapping into some of the anger that simmered in my stomach like a poison, I pulled it to the surface. “Yes, I am a half-blood. I am one of many trained to give their lives so you can sit in your precious chairs. So how about you show the halfs a little bit of respect?”

“Alexandria,” Marcus said in a low voice, stepping up beside me.

I was on a roll, and there was going to be no stopping me. “But I am also the Apollyon. If I wanted to, I could blast your asses into next week, or use compulsion to gain everyone’s agreement here, but I don’t believe in forcing people to do things they don’t want to. You could learn from that.”

Several heads turned to one another. Whispers grew. The Minister tipped his chin up defiantly. “I see what you’re getting at, but that does not change the blatant rape of our laws!”

“Rape of our laws? Whoa. That isn’t insulting or anything.” I shook my head at all of those nodding. “You people are insane. You don’t get it. When Ares gets through the wards, which he will, he will be sitting on one of your precious thrones. None of you will be. And he will do with you as he pleases.”

“He is a god,” another Minister argued, a women in her late forties. “We are their servants. If he—”

“Oh, yeah, you’ll definitely be his slaves. Maybe we should stop right here and invite him in. Karma is a big, fat—”

“Alex,” Aiden said, shaking his head slightly.

I rolled my eyes, but took a deep breath and forced my gaze away from the Minister before I made him start squawking like a chicken. Honestly, that would make just as much sense as the words he was saying. I scanned the crowd. “I watched Ares kill people without lifting a finger. I heard his plans. He doesn’t care about any of you. He sees pures just as you see the halfs. He will enslave you along with the mortals. He believes the gods should rule over the mortal realm once more, and that’s a dangerous desire. He will make war on the mortals, on you, and any god who stands in his way. There will be no Council to argue over. There will be new rules and new laws to follow, and all of us will still be on the same level. I can promise you that. And if he succeeds in turning the First into a God Killer, then the other gods will rip this world apart to stop him. They’ve already begun.”

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 clamped down on my chest. Swallowing hard, I struggled to ignore the now-familiar anxiety rising within me.

“He defeated you. That’s what I heard,” said a student. “And you’re the Apollyon. If you can’t defeat him, how can any of our Sentinels or Guards do anything?”

“Maybe we can reach some sort of agreement with him,” suggested an older pure. “Fighting 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 him?”

“So we do nothing?” asked Val from the side of the dais. “We let the fear of falling 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 who would never leave their posts.

“I don’t know,” I said, and again, the mass quieted. “I don’t know if we 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 Artemis, and other gods behind us, and we…we have…”

A strange feeling unfurled within me, sending a series of shivers like icy fingers all over my skin. I shook my head, causing a 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 something.

“Alex?” Aiden stepped up beside me, his brows knitting. His eyes searched over my face. He placed a hand on my arm. “What’s wrong?”

I saw him and Marcus, but every fiber of being was focused on someone else, outside this building and so very close. The crowd shifted nervously. A tremor coursed through my body. Deep inside my core, the cord snapped alive, thrumming frantically. The marks of the Apollyon bled to the surface, swirling over 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.”