“And you think you’re that elsewhere?” Axel snarled.
I called for my magic to surface again, preparing to give the warden a taste of my power. I was fed up with him deriding my mates.
“I see that you’re trying, Princess,” Tartarus said. “But you can’t use offensive magic in Tartarus. The force field here is like the thickest forest. It’s the most powerful defense force in the universe, considering what kind of residents we have in the prison. We don’t take security lightly.”
I didn’t believe him. All gods lied.
“Are you going to hide your face forever behind the big men?” Paxton sneered.
“Ah, another brat bred on the insignificant Earth,” Tartarus said. “Poseidon couldn’t keep his dick in his pants either. No gods in Olympus can. However, Princess Celeste manages to leash her demigod mates.”
“I don’t put a leash on them, neither do they put one on me,” I snapped. “We stand on equal footing with mutual—multiple—respect!”
“Of course,” Tartarus said. “Of course. I apologize for misspeaking.”
He didn’t sound sorry. Then, he let out a sharp whistle. We tensed, bracing for battle.
“That wasn’t a battle call,” Tartarus sighed. “That was equal to ‘At ease, soldiers’ in Earth language. Very often, I find words are too redundant, so I resort to whistling. We need to adapt if we want to survive in the cutthroat and ever-changing world.”
“He’s even more annoying than you, Paxton,” Axel told the sea demigod.
The giant guards lowered their shields and opened a path, revealing a giant god who wore a black leather biker jacket and red leather pants, with tacky orange boots.
A pair of pitch-black eyes were set wide apart on his pale face, highlighted by his short blond hair standing on end. He must have used a gel to achieve that style, but somehow he got it wrong. All wrong.
I blinked, trying to wrap my mind around the being before us. The warden wasn’t what I expected at all. He looked like an overdressed cartoon villain.
“People often confuse me with Hades, so I have to make a fashion statement to differentiate myself from the Grim Reaper.” He gave Héctor a pointed look, and Héctor shrugged.
Maybe that was why Tartarus carried a large hammer instead of a scythe. But according to myth, Hades was extremely handsome, despite holding a scythe wherever he went. I wouldn’t debunk the myth, considering how gorgeous Héctor—Hades’s heir—was.
“You’re Tartarus,” I said. “But this place is also called Tartarus.”
Tartarus waved his hammer, and my mates glared daggers at him. Paxton and Axel stepped half a pace in front of me, just in case the warden wasn’t careful with his hammer. The whole time my mates watched the guards like hawks, their hands never leaving the hilts of their swords.
“The realm is me, and I’m the realm,” Tartarus said. “Tartarus is aprimordial force alongside entities such as day, night, and time.Perhaps your demigods should educate you on the history of the Titans and me as their superior jailer. Weren’t they your mentors at Half-Blood Academy? I like the name Half-Blood, by the way.”
I’d studied Titans’ history briefly, just not a supporting character like him, who turned out to carry a major role now since he held the keys to the prison. Plus, during my brief time in the Academy as an unwilling initiate, I’d spent a lot of time fending off bullies and the demigods, before warming up to my mates. And then there were three kidnapping attempts on me before I was taken to Hell. So who had time to read thick textbooks?
“Especially Demigod Héctor,” Tartarus continued, then sniffed. “Oops, I stand corrected. The formidable death demigod, Hades’ proud heir, is no longer a half-blood.” He sniffed again and widened his eyes for a dramatic effect. “You’re a mortal, Héctor! What happened? I’d love to hear the firsthand story, if you’ll indulge me.”
He was being a complete ass. He’d already read my mates’ memories.
“You haven’t changed a bit, Tartarus,” Héctor said. “You’re still a dick. No wonder they sent you here.”
“Thanks to your father,” Tartarus said bitterly, then waved a hand. “Let bygones be bygones. Now, where are my manners? Let’s get you all settled.” He gave me another “friendly” once-over, which sent a chill down my spine. “Queen Lilith and I have a truce,” he offered. “I won’t hurt her one and only heir.”
When he mentioned my mother, his voice held fondness, respect, and fear all at once. But the words of “getting settled” didn’t ring well in my ear. Who wanted to settle in the Eternal Prison? It sounded like a trap.
“We’re just passing through, Tartarus,” Héctor said, clearly thinking the same thing. “We have another realm to visit.”
A shrewd smile coiled on Tartarus’s dark lips. “The Field of Forever, isn’t it? Queen Lilith beat everyone and smuggled the princess out of the Void twenty-one years ago, but this time it’ll be different.”
“Are you threatening us, Tartarus?” Zak asked, his calm voice at odds with his lethal stare.
“Of course not,” Tartarus said. “I’m merely saying that the Princess is finally home, so she should stay for a while longer.”
“I can stay for a little longer,” I said before my mates got into another argument with Tartarus. There was too much testosterone around me already, and I didn’t need a fight breaking out while I had a mission. “I need to see my father anyway. I’d appreciate it if you can show us his room, Tartarus.”