Did you notice the familiar title? Each book has a title that starts with 'Hell is...'

'War may be violent and the sun might give life, but in the end everything would end with Death...'

Hell is in a Pale Deceit

"Ares."

The room fell deadly quiet.

No one moved an inch; too afraid to respond. Like someone was watching...

Thanatos' expression belonged on a statue. His hand just as cold as marble as it took mine and led me to the table. I sat down next to him, my limbs creaking. An array of emotions were flung from the crown of my head, spilling onto the floor, leaving the room slick with our joint anger and relief.

The rest moved towards us, their lips parted and skin pale.

"Close the doors." I folded my hands on the table, but kept Thanatos' hand locked in mine.

Someone is watching.

It was the only thought in my mind at that stage; plastered right next to the image of Ares scowling in the dark, his sinister eyes shark-like and haunting. Ready.

Barrios did as I asked. He moved swiftly, cracking the air with his cape.

Hypnos spoke up; filling our minds with a voice other than our own- "We have them."

"It's over?" Sonya's innocence didn't fit in the room.

Thanatos was quick to respond; "I'm afraid it's only just begun..."

Hypnos' eyes found mine from across the table. I gritted my teeth and raised my chin; "We have them, but they have us too." My gaze travelled along the table to Trita and Sonya; "Now the chess begins."

"We can't play chess without all the pieces on the board." Barrios at down next to his platinum-haired girlfriend, taking her trembling hand in his. His eyes were sharp and focused on his boss.

Thanatos nodded. "He has a point."

"We don't have a choice." I shook my head and Hypnos agreed; "She's right. Hermes has no idea who the third person is- no one does, except for Ares. He's the only one in contact with the third traitor."

"And how do we know this third traitor isn't the leader? Maybe that's the whole plan? Have Ares as a front?" Trita asked, her bright green eyes focused on Hypnos.

We looked around the room at one another, waiting for a good reason why not. There was none.

"It could be a trick..." Thanatos nodded his head and tapped his chin; "But I believe Hermes was telling the truth, he wouldn't put his son in danger like that, nor did his mind indicate to any form of deception- unless... Unless he's also being fooled?"

"Son?" I voiced the girl's questioning thoughts, but Thanatos and Hypnos ignored it.

It's probably for the best; I don't think we truly want to know how Hermes' son is involved in all of this. What's important is that he cracked. Finally...

"Then again..." Hypnos' eyes followed a pattern in the table's surface; "Ares isn't the type to follow orders either."

"So we don't know for sure if he's the leader, or who the third person is, but we do have Ares- and that's a big fish to fry." I smirked; "He's too brazen to think we'd find out already, so we definitely have the element of surprise."

"For now, but we need help." Thanatos' eyes landed on mine; "If Ares possess a weapon that can kill a god, we can't set a foot wrong. Anyone against him is a liability. The man has no principles. Everything he does is in admiration of war."

"So we tip-toe?" Trita pursed her lips. I didn't like the way she said 'we'. They shouldn't be involved like this. "Why do I have the feeling you two won't like that very much?" She eyed the two brothers with a small grin.

Hypnos and Thanatos shared a look. I knew it well- it was a look of 'blood and flesh'. A look of family over everything. Trust, bonds, brotherly conviction. It was unrelenting and unbreakable.

They weren't used to being the prey.

No, they were the hunters.

Tip-toeing wasn't an option, but then their eyes looked around the table and the anxious realisation of dire collateral damage washed over them.

For once it wasn't just the twins- there were loved ones to protect too.

Hypnos clenched his jaw and shot a questioning look to his brother. Thanatos was looking at the fireplace, the flames soaring in his eyes, glittering with a brilliant red; "Not tip-toeing; dancing, Trita. Dancing." He smirked at the flames.

He looked positively excited.

It started a fire inside me.

Trita gulped.

"Why?" Sonya's voice was almost lost in the thick atmosphere of the room. She spoke up again; "Why would he kill his own father?"

"Ares is ambitious, self-obsessed, violent and most of all- insane." I watched as Thanatos spoke, his clear hatred for the god surfacing. "I wouldn't put it past him to kill the whole Pantheon to get what he wants."

"And what does he want?" Trita asked, but her eyes were on the god of sleep next to her. Barrios answered with a question; "Power? To be the king?"

We all shook our head, but as I turned my eyes to peer up at the god of death beside me, I found his eyes snapped open and filled with concentration. He looked shocked. I immediately tugged at his arm; "What is it?"

He'd thought of something. Hypnos noticed his twin's expression too- knowing it all too well- and leaned forward; "Thanatos; what did you remember?"

Everyone at the table turned their heads to Thanatos, our eyes filled with interest and hope. The handsome god's eyes dropped down to the table's surface and a familiar crease formed between his eyes; leaving him even more alluring than when he looked completely composed.

And then those ruby souls snapped up.

My breath hitched; his voice cold; "Cronus."

Hypnos was the first to recover from the unexpected word; "What about him?"

"Do you remember I went to visit him a while back, to ask about the sickle that can kill a god?"

Hypnos, barrios and I nodded. The girls just eyed each other and I shrugged silently.

"He tried to get information out of me- to test me, but I ignored it. He spoke about the Titan war, bringing up his offer." Thanatos eyed his brother. Hypnos's eyes widened.

I raised a brow; "What offer?"

"During the Titan war, there were two sides. Zeus' side and Cronus' side. Our family- the 'old' family- wasn't aligned to any side yet. Nyx made us fight with Zeus, in case he would reward us with bigger domains, but during the battle Cronus offered me the Underworld if I fought with him. If I joined his side."

I nodded, slightly surprised Thanatos hadn't told me this yet. I definitely understood why though. Thanatos is the most skilled fighter and right after Hecate, he's the most proficient in magic too. He's a killing machine- just like Nyx had wanted.

But he's also loyal, especially to his brother; and Cronus didn't take that into account...

"I refused. But then he said something else that was quite strange... He asked me why I wanted to know about the sickle- if I wanted it for myself, to overthrow Zeus." Thanatos smiled suddenly, the image almost fearful; "He said; 'I could help you'. I asked him how he would be able to do that from Tartarus; locked away for all eternity. He just... laughed and said 'You seem genuinely unfazed'. You..." Thanatos emphasised the word; "He gave Ares the sickle; and I'll bet my last breath that his part of the deal involves an early parole. I might not have been fazed by the offer, but Ares..."

"Ares was." I finished his hanging sentence.

"So that son of a bitch Cronus knew all along..." Hypnos swore under his breath and clenched his fists. "Cronus can't escape. If he gets loose, we're all dead."

Trita and Sonya shared a look of shock and nervousness. Barrios tried to explain to them; "He's like the godfather of Greek gods. The ultimate manic tyrant."

They nodded and cringed; "He sounds nice..." Trita said sarcastically and I couldn't help but laugh.

Thanatos scoffed; "Hmm... He'll have three thousand years of hurt to dish out if he gets loose." His red gaze landed on two orange eyes, watching him; "We need to make sure that doesn't happen. Ever. He's weak now, but time is all around us. He'll be able to regenerate quickly."

Hypnos nodded; "Perhaps Cronus knows who the third person is? Do you think?"

Thanatos sighed; "Possibly." He eyed his twin; "Do you want to go find out?"

Hypnos bit his lip. The prospect of seeing an old, evil god like that gave me the creeps too. The god of sleep nodded with conviction; "Yes. We don't have time to waste."

Thanatos nodded; he didn't seem to thrilled either. I remember the bitter mood he was in the last time he returned from his visit with Cronus. Th man was clearly something else.

"What about Ares? Or Hermes?" Barrios asked as the twins stood up from the table their faces sombre.

"Hermes is to be kept here till this is all over. His son too. As for Ares; we'll take it step by step. First, Cronus."

I knew he was lying. Thanatos is incapable of taking something step by step. He's a natural born planner- he already had a plan and the mere fact that he didn't want to share it, made me nervous.

That meant it was a plan I wouldn't like.

"Watch over the girls." Hypnos said to Barrios. The young man nodded and placed a hand on Sonya's back. Trita gave Hypnos a small smile of encouragement.

I followed the twins until Thanatos turned around with a questioning look.

"I'm coming too."

"Over my dead body." Thanatos glared. I crossed my arms over my chest; "I'm coming whether you like it or not."

Thanatos didn't waste any time. He grabbed my upper arm and dragged me closer to the door, away from everyone else's prying ears. His tone was desperate and firm all at once; "Do you really think having a young, beautiful mortal in the same room as a depraved god, who hasn't had any female interaction for over three thousand years, is a good idea?"

I opened my mouth to reason with him, but suddenly my throat grew dry. I wasn't so sure it was a good idea any more.

"Precisely." Thanatos raised a thick, black eyebrow; "Stay here. Practise our lesson for the day. I'll be back soon."

I didn't bother arguing. I knew he was right. I nodded my head. Thanatos kissed my forehead and squeezed my hand with his; "Remember what I said; blood stains my hands, not yours..."

"Let's do this quickly; I don't want to spend any more time with that man than necessary."

I nodded my head as my brother closed his gold flecked portal. Bronze dust floated down to the ground and my hard, black boots tramped over it in a rush. We raced forward towards the entrance of the darkest, deepest pit of Tartarus.

Hypnos was the first to greet the guard. The soldier was standing with his back to us and turned slightly at the sound of a calm voice; "Good day, we're here to see Cronus."

The guard locked his eyes with Hypnos' and was just about to refuse our entry when his gaze shifted slightly more left, towards me.

It was the same guard from the last time I was here- I could tell, because the fear in his eyes was exactly the same. He stammered; "M-my lords. I apologise, but I cannot let you p-pass."

Hypnos rolled his eyes; "Do you know who we are, you imbecile?"

I stared lazily at the guard, my glare fixed on his sweaty face. I'm surprised he still wouldn't let me pass, even after the last time when I made it very clear to him that I'll gladly develop new ways of torture just for him.

"No, no! I mean- yes, of course I know who you are, m-my lords, but-"

"Speak." I wasn't in the mood for his rambling.

The guard gulped; his spear shaking in his hand; "I can't let you through; Cronus already has visitors and it's against orders for more than-"

"Visitors?" Hypnos asked, but his eyes shifted to mine.

I furrowed my brows. A sunken feeling travelled up my throat, leaving my voice hoarse and my tongue dry. Just as I opened my mouth to enquire some more, a familiar voice cut through the cold wind; "My, my... What a lovely surprise."

My teeth clenched.

Hypnos was the first one to respond as I struggled to push back my protruding fangs; "Apollo."

The young prince's smile was full of wicked glee, his white cape and golden crown contrasting vividly against my black attire and Hypnos' dark grey cloak. He looked completely out of place here. Like the sun had stumbled through into the night, amongst the moon.

"What are you two doing all the way down here? Finally checking yourself in?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but the words were sliced in half as another figure appeared beside Apollo, dressed in dark blue armour and scowling as if we'd killed his father.

No, he'd managed that all by himself...

Ares smirked; "You'd fit right in, Thanatos- with all the mad people."

I clenched my fist. So this is the man who tried to kill Aurora. My Aurora. Oh, I so badly wanted to return the favour.

I tried to grin normally and not give anything away, but it was hard. Very hard; "Look who's talking."

Hypnos' jaw was clenched shut. I could feel our hostile tension in the air; even the guard backed away, his eyes dodging from one god to the next. He looked petrified.

Well, who wouldn't be?

"In all seriousness, why are you two here?" Apollo asked, his green-blue eyes filled with suspicion.

"I was just about to ask you the same question." I narrowed my eyes and watched as Apollo and Ares shared a quick look.

Could it be that easy?

Was Apollo the missing link?

"We made sure Cronus wasn't behind our father's death. That's all."

"Oh, good." Hypnos smiled, but it was laced with hatred; "We we're just about to do the same."

"And?" I asked. My eyes shifted from one god to the next.

This was an odd little game of cat and mouse. Who was the cat? Who was the mouse?

Ares smiled back; it looked even more forced than mine or Hypnos'. "He's a tough nut to crack. We'll try again later."

"Half of the time he's not even making any sense." Apollo rolled his eyes and turned his head to the guard; "You- don't let anyone pass; do you understand?"

The poor soul nodded with haste, nearly cracking his own neck in two. I kept my eyes on Apollo. A bitter taste filled my mouth; "We need to speak to him. Now."

Apollo, shocked by my words, suddenly smiled like a snake. "Oh, no, that won't do. We can speak to him together, but later. I have a party to plan. We'll come back afterwards, when I'm available to join you."

"And why will your presence be necessary?" Hypnos scoffed.

Apollo began to laugh, his eyes finding his half-brothers with delight. Ares grinned too, but there was a sense of impatience in his eyes. He wasn't one for show, like Apollo. Hypnos and I shared a look, the unease building.

"Oh, I tend to forget you two aren't all that involved with Olympian news. There was a conclave yesterday, on Mouth Olympus, for the Pantheon. A decision was made."

My heart stopped. I felt Hypnos swallow, his stiff posture mimicking mine.

This is bad.

This is very bad.

Why weren't we informed?

"You're looking at your new king, gentlemen."

And just like that- our whole operation was struck down again, with sheer force.

Apollo grinned; "I was chosen by the gods to lead them, in my father's stead. No surprise really, I am the obvious choice."

Ares looked like he was about to throw a tantrum, but he kept it at bay; his scowl deepening. This was strange- since when did Ares allow Apollo to win? And just like that? Their rivalry for the throne was as well-known as Zeus' promiscuous ways.

Obviously Ares wouldn't be chosen by the primary gods to be king. Not many gods liked him, and he was deeply feared. Apollo, unfortunately, was the obvious choice- the golden boy. The prodigy.

But did this mean they were in cahoots? Did Ares pretended to be the leader so that Apollo could snatch the title? Or was Ares planning on killing another king?

"You're... king?" Hypnos sounded genuinely surprised. Neither of us thought a proper replacement would be elected so soon.

Apollo smirked; "No need to kneel just yet. My coronation is still a few days away."

I felt my eye twitch.

Bastard. Who does he think he is? He can barely screw a whore right; how does he expect to screw us over too?

Son of a-

"Of course, and when will it be?" Hypnos interrupted my nasty thoughts, his voice filled with false civility. I shot him a look.

"I'll send you the invitations; obviously you both are on the top of my guest list." And we all knew why- he wanted to brag and flaunt his power in front of our faces. His eyes found mine; "And Aurora is an honoured guest as well! As our new goddess of magic, I plan on involving her in most functions, just to make her feel welcome."

"I doubt she'll be able to make it with all her training-"

"Nonsense. It's the dawn of a new era." Apollo's smile turned menacing; "I insist."

I was about to refuse the offer again, but Apollo saw it coming; "As your king, I demand it."

If my eyes could shoot flames, Apollo would be roasted black by now. I wanted to rip his tongue out and make him eat it. No- I wanted to rip his tongue out, piss on it and then make him eat it.

Hypnos quickly interrupted before Apollo and I could slaughter each other with our glowers. "Of course. We'll be more than happy to attend."

Ares and I both looked like we were about to kill our bothers.

I slowly turned my questioning gaze towards Hypnos, but he ignored it. He was smiling like he meant it, but if you knew Hypnos well enough, you'd know he didn't smile; "And after you're crowned, we'll continue the investigation into your father's unfortunate passing."

It's a good thing Hypnos was better at being the docile type than I was. I'd have thrown a massive tantrum by now, and it looks like Ares was close to one himself.

Good.

"Excellent." Apollo grinned like the cat who caught the canary; "I'll send through the invitations. Let me know if Aurora requires a dress; I'll be more than happy to get hold of one for her."

"That won't be necessary." My voice was colder than ice, "I have everything she'll ever need."

Apollo glared at me. I matched his deep loathing.

Ares smirked for the first time since he appeared; "Now, now, I'm sure there's enough of her to go around. Right, Thanatos?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, an explosion of anger ripped through my body. My fist clenched and my jaw locked shut. I didn't stop my fangs from popping out, nearly scrapping my own lip open. A volcano blew up inside me, but on the outside I looked stone cold.

I shifted my eyes slowly to the god of war, my voice dropping so low it sounded like a growl from a hungry lion. It sent a shiver through the room and the guard, who'd been watching us talk, carefully turned around and left around the corner; not caring if he might lose his job.

Right now his head was more important.

"No, there isn't."

And for the first time, I saw Ares and Apollo flinch.

War may be violent and the sun might give life, but in the end everything would end with Death.

Let me hear your theories- is Cronus involved? Is Apollo? Who's the traitor and what is Ares up to next?

Let's crank up the heat...

NEXT UPDATE- 13th of December