The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6)(73)
Author: Gena Showalter

He liked the thought of having Scarlet all to himself.

The keeper of Disease puckered up. “In that case, don’t let me stop you. It’s been a while, so I’m desperate. Even you look good at this point.”

Gideon wasn’t sure Torin had ever been kissed, but found himself grinning, as well. “You are—”

“Lies!” a hard voice shouted from outside, echoing from Torin’s speakers. “Lies! I know you’re in there. Come out right now. Come out and face me, you mangy coward!”

Amusement fading, Torin swung around and eyed the computer monitors. Gideon edged in beside him for a closer look and what he saw astonished him. Galen, keeper of Hope, leader of the Hunters, was hovering outside the fortress, white wings flapping frantically.

Usually the warrior wore a pristine white robe. To better match the angels and gods, Gideon suspected. Today, that robe was covered in soot and blood and frayed at the hem.

“You won’t kill me,” the keeper of Hope shouted, arms splayed, blades gleaming in both hands. His pale hair stood on end, and his sky-blue eyes were wild. There was a fanatical glint in his eyes. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Was this a dream? Nothing like this had ever happened before. Galen operated in the shadows, always sending humans to do his dirty work. But the warrior had never, never openly challenged the Lords.

“He’s completely sane, right?” Gideon asked. The guy was batshit crazy.

“I don’t know why he’s singled you out.” Torin typed furiously at his keyboard. “There aren’t any Hunters on the ground that I can see. Still, I wouldn’t trust him not to have backup hiding somewhere.”

“Lies! Either you come out here and fight me or I burn your home to the ground.”

“This has to be a trick,” Torin insisted. “Or he would have already tried to burn us to the ground, rather than simply threatening to do so.”

Trick or not, Gideon couldn’t miss this opportunity. Capturing Galen could end the war with the Hunters. Successfully. And ultimately, that would eliminate one of the threats against Scarlet.

“I can try to shoot him down,” Torin said, “and you can—”

“Yes.” If Torin missed, the bastard might run away. Again. “Don’t let me do it. My aim’s not better.”

“Lies!”

Torin nodded. “Just to be safe, I’m texting Kane and Cameo. I’m telling them to head into the forest and ensure you aren’t ambushed.”

“No, thanks. Now don’t tell our friend I’ll be out in five.”

Torin nodded again and rushed to comply.

Gideon raced to his bedroom. He was already swathed in weapons since a warrior could never be too careful, but he grabbed his RPG and a grenade and grinned. He hadn’t gotten to use this baby in a long, long time, Sabin having deemed it too dangerous to fire off with innocents around.

Today, there were no innocents around.

He sprinted to the side of the fortress that Galen occupied and hunkered down at the highest window, placing him above the Hunter. Galen was watching the ground, expecting him to emerge from the front door. Fool. As quietly as possible, Gideon raised the window-pane and edged the end of the barrel between the slit in the curtains.

“Lies!” the frantic immortal shouted. “Coward! Face me, damn you!”

Coward? No. He was smart. Gideon loaded the grenade in front, rested the heavy launcher on his shoulder, aimed, held steady, held, grinned again as Galen appeared in the crosshairs, and squeezed the trigger.

Boom!

Strong as Gideon was, he was propelled backward with the force of the grenade, but he straightened quickly and surveyed his handiwork through the smoke left behind.

He’d hit his target, tossing Galen several yards, spinning him through the air, and causing an explosion of fire and soot in the sky. That would have killed a mortal. Galen, however, was cut and bruised and now missing a hand—payback was a bitch—but he wasn’t out for the count.

He just looked pissed.

With a roar, the now-flaming warrior propelled himself through the window in the next room over. Glass shattered, and there was a grunt, then pounding footsteps rained. Gideon palmed two daggers and darted into the hall, the portraits and freshly polished tables blurring at his sides.

He met his enemy in the middle of the walkway, flying to the ground in a punching, kicking, stabbing heap. Galen’s wings were broken, and his mangled wrist was gushing blood that soaked into Gideon’s clothes, warm and wet. There was a smoking hole in his shoulder where the rocket must have hit first, yet his strength was undisturbed. Determination would do that.

“You won’t take my head,” the keeper of Hope roared, swinging with his good hand. He’d managed to maintain a hold on his blade and now sliced the side of Gideon’s face. His cheek split open, and his own blood began to gush.

With a roar of his own, Gideon slashed his knives forward. One cut at Galen’s neck, slicing to spine, and the other at his uninjured shoulder. This man had been his friend for many years, yet he’d been Gideon’s enemy for thousands more. No love remained. No fond memories.

They would end this. Here, now.

Galen flailed for breath, clutching at his now-open neck. Gideon disengaged and stood, panting, sweating, bleeding, staring down at the man responsible for so much of his suffering.

Had Galen not existed, he never would have thought to steal and open Pandora’s box. He would have remained in the heavens, a soldier to Zeus. Perhaps he would have finally noticed Scarlet and freed her as she’d dreamed. Perhaps they would have lived happily ever after.

Or perhaps he would have been locked away when the Titans escaped Tartarus. Then again, perhaps the Titans wouldn’t have escaped if he and the other warriors had been there. But that didn’t matter. What was done, was done. Now, he had a chance to make things right.

In the background, Gideon could hear the thump of two pairs of boots and knew Kane and Cameo were running to help him. He laughed. So simple, so easy this seemed. This man had eluded him, caused trouble from afar, but had been taken down in a matter of minutes.

Life just didn’t get any better than that.

He raised his blade. One more strike, and Galen would be out for a long, long time. Time the Lords could use to decide whether or to not kill him and free his demon. Time for Gwen, his daughter, to say goodbye.

Of course, that was when Rhea, the god queen, suddenly appeared in a flash of bright azure light. She was pale and shaky, her face tight with a scowl. Had she been watching the entire time?