“Lucifer was my bonded mate,” Mom said. “I can’t sever the bond unless he’s dead. And when he’s dead, I’ll know. However, we can’t access each other through the mating bond, unlike you and your mates. Lucifer and I never fully trusted each other.”
“That was too bad,” I said in sympathy, then corrected myself quickly. “Well, not too bad for you, considering what kind of jackass he is.” I tried not to smile at my own fortune—I landed four hot, loyal, and fun mates.
“Time to end this melodrama, daughter,” Mom said, sweeping her gaze over the battlefield. “Call the monsters and beasts. Time to practice your power as the true Princess of the Void. You rule in this realm. You bend all creatures’ will to yours.”
I frowned at her and wiped the beads of sweat on the tip of my nose. “It takes time for me to learn how to summon the monsters. I’m a quick learner, but I ain’t that quick while holding off three original gods who are hellbent on poaching and siphoning my abominated, unholy power. So pardon me, Mom, if I come across as a disappointment to you.”
While the gods tried to steal my power, I learned all about them through the back door they’d left open. They thought they could take my awesome, covetable power and drain me to an empty shell, but I had a different plan for them.
Mom arched an eyebrow at me, yet there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.
“And second,” I continued, “the beasts reside in the valley, which is miles away.”
Lilith sighed. “When I showed myself in your Dreamscape, I taught you to free your conditioned thinking, which led you lure Ares and Lucifer into your clever trap. You’ve been backsliding ever since. You aren’t human, Belle. You’re a Titan-archangel child.”
“I was raised as a human for twenty-two years,” I protested. “I only learned about my heritage a few months ago. I was dragged to the Academy to get some reeducation, then I was burned by the Blade of Runes in the ritual Hall, and then I was iced in my dorm because I didn’t want to get up so early in the morning, then beaten half to death in the training room, all before I knew who I was.”
I felt tightness, guilt, remorse, and all sorts of emotions from my mates through our mating bond.
“I wasn’t mad at you guys,” I shouted at them. “I was telling Mom where I came from so she’d understand I wasn’t making an excuse. I don’t want anyone to have high expectations of me since it causes me anxiety.” I addressed Lilith again. “So, Mom, listen. I also survived three kidnapping attempts, then I mated Zak because I needed to feed. And he’s incredibly sexy and tender. Then I went through a rough patch with Paxton. And to spare my beloved mates, I stabbed myself in the heart, and Lucifer and Ares still dragged me to Hell and tortured me to within an inch of my life. I survived because of Loki. Then I was tossed in the pit to fight for my life until my brave, loyal mates found me in Hell and got me out. And I haven’t had a break so far in the Void, either. See how I have to duel three old, immature cocksuckers in the bloody battlefield,threeagainst one. I don’t exactly have time to sit down and learn anything.”
“You went through all that crap, my heir?” Dad raged. “All your enemies and tormenters will die a slow, horrible, and shitty death!” His mace slashed across Cronus’s leg and scored.
“No one cares what you went through, demon spawn harlot,” Poseidon snarled.
“This isn’t for your ears, ass sucker,” I said.
Mom arched an elegant eyebrow. “I thought the gods were dick suckers. No? Whatever. I don’t even care. They’re gross either way.” She gave me a stern stare for tough love’s sake and placed her cool hand on my shoulders. “Do not analyze, my brave child. Do not over think. Feel every pulse of life in this realm and narrow it down to where we are. You were born a ruler, Princess of the Void. Now command as is your birthright.”
I took in a deep breath, then I set my mind free. I unshackled my spirit.
I felt my mates, fiercely loving and loyal to me and full of rage toward our enemies. Then Mom and Dad, proud of me.
I felt the original gods’ essence—vicious, arrogant, greedy, powerful, and lacking justice. I felt the Titans, their half-insane and savage nature. I felt the prison sentinels—some were on my side and some were not.
Amid the sea of life in Tartarus, I also felt the beasts and monsters that Mom wanted me to summon. They were full of hunger and blind rage and fear.
They were the test subjects Tartarus mentioned in the red dome.
I reached for their minds, and they answered my call. I now knew that while we were in the valley, the beasts had never meant to hurt me—they were only drawn to me, though they did want to eat my mates. I had let panic blind my judgment. If I had known how to command them back then, they’d have been my army and followed me into this battle.
I had a beast army here as well.
Mom had said every creature would bend to my will.
I extracted a thread of my Flame and directed it toward the red dome. It traced along the warded lock with sparks and sunk inside. Clicks. Many clicks. The trace of my power unlatched the cell doors and banged open the main entrance to the dome.
Tartarus snapped his head toward the red dome, then back to me. “Princess, what have you done?”
“I correct your wrongs and free my beautiful beasts,” I said with an icy threat in my voice. “You’ll never lock them up or experiment on them again.”
A chorus of howls rocked the dome, then hundreds of monsters, all horns and spikes and fangs and claws, charged out the door, surging toward my enemies.
My former hellhound fought beside Mom and yowled fiercely in response.
“Guard my Lamb!”Héctor shouted. He lifted his wings, spreading them to full length to shield me, ready to slay the monsters.
“The beasts are mine,” I told my mates.