Page 113 of The Unseen Hour

Orion grimaced, clutching his jaw like he was trying to pry it open.

My fists closed around Orion’s sleeves. Charon would pay. For Orion, his brothers, my family, and so many others.

Orion let out a breath, running his hands through his hair.

“He knows the other gods have been here?”

Ry gave a quick, tense nod.

“And he knows you’ve been helping them?”

His head jerked to the side.

“Suspects you? Suspects they might approach you? He’s worried about your interference, at the very least?”

Another terse nod.

“He’s angry.”

Orion reached down to lift his shirt. I gasped, stepping back to find several red bruises on his side. I walked a circle and saw more on his back.

“He hurts you. Has he been hurting you this whole time? Ever since you arrived?” For a hundred years.

He dropped his shirt.

“Charon looks for ways to express his anger, and that’s often by punching or throwing things. Breaking things. Including his Head Shade.”

I clenched my fists, trembling.

“He’s going to die for this,” I hissed through clenched teeth.

“I know we need to find the other item, but he’s going to be on high alert right now. Should we wait until he drops his guard?” Orion asked.

I filled him in on Death’s visit and her promise to keep him preoccupied, potentially by working with at least one of the other deities.

“Then we go now.”

“But you’re hurt! At least use some more of the water.”

Orion shook his head.

“No. It’s good to know that Charon will be gone, but I’m still worried about his grounds. I know what Death promised, but I want to make sure you’re safely inside before we waste any more.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

“No. Listen, please. If we make it inside and nothing happens to you, I’ll take some then. Deal?”

I knew arguing with him when he thought my safety might be on the line would be a wasted endeavor.

“How long will it take us on foot?” I asked instead.

“I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never walked the entire distance,” he admitted. “The fog takes me from where I am to his gates and then returns me, typically to the Meadow.”

“Then we’d better get started.”

We made our way past the increasingly restless Shades.

If we succeeded, soon they would all be free.