There was no need to beat around the bush since the warden knew exactly who I was even before I arrived in his domain.
“Anything for the Princess of the Void,” he said with a shark-like smile, exposing a row of sharp fangs. He waved at us, ignoring my mates’ glowers. “Come, my honored guests, let me be a gracious host and show you the insides of the Eternal Prison no one has seen before.”
CHAPTER12
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We followed the warden toward the compound domes as he swung his hammer over his shoulder. The prison guards spread out and melted into the gray background.
Tartarus gestured dramatically at the domes ahead. “We have three types of residents. The once-great Titans have lived in the silver dome ever since they lost the war to their Olympian sons. These days, children are a formidable force.”
He slanted me a meaningful look that I didn’t reciprocate.
“The black dome hosts the criminals who sinned against the gods. Our famous inhabitants include King Sisyphus, who killed all guests to his castle, seduced his teenage niece, and reported one of Zeus's sexual conquests, which was unforgivable.”
I rolled my eyes as we came closer to the domes. The gods’ double standards never ceased to disgust me.
Tartarus continued, ticking off a finger with each name. “King Tantalus cut up his son, boiled him, and served him as food to the gods. Ixion tried to sleep with Zeus’s queen. And Tityos, the giant, tried to rape Leto while she had a sexual relationship with Zeus.”
“We don’t care much about your residents’ history and crimes,”Héctor said. “We just want to have a quick word with Hyperion and get out of your hair.”
“Don’t be a stranger, Héctor. No one’s in a rush. I’m not in a rush.” Tartarus glanced at Héctor sideways. “And you might care. The gods have the pit of the black dome reserved for any ‘present and future threats,’ in their own words. They’re very strict with laws.”
My pulse spiked. Right from the beginning, Septum, the ancient elemental who hid in the Ever realm, had warned me that if the gods knew about my origin, they’d hunt me to the end of the universe. Ares had uncovered my heritage and wanted me for himself. When he realized that I would never be his, he tried to murder me. And now Tartarus also knew. I must make sure the secret of my origin never leaked out of this realm.
My mates’ expressions turned murderous as they shared my inner turmoil.
Tartarus smirked at us, especially at Héctor. He thought he had an advantage and that none of us could bring him down.
I pointed at the red dome. “What about that one?”
Tartarus shrugged. “It holds my experimental subjects.”
A chill crawled across my skin, but I didn’t ask more. The warden wouldn’t tell us all his dark secrets anyway.
Tartarus stopped at the metal door of the silver dome, and we halted too, with my mates between him and me.
Tartarus lifted the hammer from his shoulder.
“Now, watch. This is fun,” he said and rammed his hammer into the door. “Whenever I bang the door, the Titans inside all get a kick out of it. They look forward to my presence, as it’s the only highlight of their day.” He flashed his shark-tooth grin. I preferred his straight face, which was less unnerving.
The door swung open from the inside after an ear-piercing gong.
“All the domes are warded by the most ancient, powerful magic. Only my hammer can open and close the doors.” Tartarus scanned my mates and twitched his lips to a lopsided smile, pleased with himself. “Don’t get any funny ideas. I am the sole keeper of my hammer. I sleep with it, sit with it, and eat with it. And even if you steal it, you won’t be able to open the dome. The ward only responds to the exact weight and pressure of my swing. If you miscalculate by an ounce, you’ll end up in a locked cell all by yourself, after the flame of the Void eats one of your organs. It’s an impeccable way to prevent any sinners from breaking out. There’s no escape from the Eternal Prison. Cool, right?”
I wondered how Mom had gotten into the prison, then slipped out. But then, she was Lilith, the former Queen of Hell, the present Queen of the Ivory Tower, the fairyland of the Void.
Tartarus entered the dome, and we followed. As soon as we were all inside, the platform where we stood flew to the center. Bleak, black walls surrounded us, and an empty abyss yawned below.
“The ninth level,” Tartarus ordered.
The platform plunged downward. My mates held me tightly as if afraid they’d lose their treasure, and Tartarus chuckled.
“If this is a trap, you’ll have my blade kissing your throat,” Héctor hissed.
“I like the kissing part, mortal Héctor,” Tartarus sneered. “But you’re in no position to issue threats. Not anymore.”
“You might underestimate his strength, Tartarus,” I said. “But my mates always have my back, as I have theirs. Though I was raised somewhere else, I’m still the child of the Void, and the Void sides with its own. So I say we’d better get along.”