The Guardian Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Yes.”
    Fascinating. What could make a god want to die to keep another safe? “Do you think she’d do the same
    for you?”
    “She came for me.”
    Those words stung him. Solin was right. She’d risked everything to try and rescue the dream god. “You
    love her?”
    Solin didn’t answer. Rather he did the one thing he’d never done throughout any of his torture.
    He begged. “Please, please don’t hurt her. I swear if you keep her safe, I wil bring the key to you and put
    it in your hands.”
    Relief coursed through him as he final y heard the words that would save his ass and spare him more
    degradation.
    Provided Solin wasn’t lying to him. Did Lydia real y mean so much?
    Trust was not in his nature. Whenever he’d made that mistake, the repercussions had been shoved down
    his throat and stomped into his stomach. The only thing he had faith in was other people’s wil ingness to lie
    and screw him over.
    But in this, he had no choice. He had to have that damn key. Sooner rather than later.
    He glared at Solin. “You have three days to return. If I don’t have the key then, I’l send you her remains.”
    Stepping back, Seth snapped his fingers.
    The chains melted away.
    Solin lay there, panting and weak. Just like he’d done when Noir had final y freed him. A part of him was
    remorseful for his part in it. He hated to see someone else in pain. But better it be Solin than him. At least
    he hadn’t bolted Solin’s mouth shut. He rubbed the back of his hand under his chin as a phantom pain
    reminded him of how much that had hurt. Nor had he violated the private parts of Solin’s body. The stupid
    bastard thought he knew what torture was. He had no idea how gentle Seth had been compared to the
    others who cal ed this hel home.
    Solin should be down on his knees in gratitude.
    Seth held his hand out and returned Solin’s clothes to him. “Three days, Olympian. Do not fail me.” Then
    he used his powers to send Solin back to the mortal realm he’d stolen him from.
    How he wished he could go with him. But Noir had taken his ability to leave the moment he first brought
    him here. He could only pul others out of the human realm or return them.
    Never himself.
    But right now, that didn’t matter.
    Seth let out a relieved breath at the thought of handing the key of Olympus to Noir. It would make his
    overlord happy. Or at least as happy as the miserable son of a bitch could be.
    Maybe then he’d be forgiven and al owed to remain without chains.
    And with luck, Solin would be back in a few hours.
    In the meantime, he wanted to understand what about the woman was so special that a god like Solin
    would give his life for her.
    Was Solin out of his mind for putting her safety above his own? People lied and they betrayed. Especial y
    where love was involved. It was only a tool the strong used against the weak.
    He knew that better than anyone.
    I love you. He sneered at the thought. Cheap, meaningless words bandied about by selfish asses
    incapable of understanding the meaning of it.
    Lydia was just like al the others. She would turn on Solin.
    And he would do the god a favor.
    He would prove it.

CHAPTER 3
    When he returned to his room, Seth expected to find the woman alert and crouched, ready to tear into him
    again. Instead, she sat in the corner with her arms crossed over her knees and her head lying atop her
    forearms. The soft, gentle snore let him know that she was sound asleep.
    How could that be?
    He hadn’t been able to do more than nap since he’d been freed. And even those came in very short
    spurts. Spurts where he jerked awake at the slightest sound or merest stirring in the air. Real or imagined.
    Yet here she was in the middle of enemy territory, and …
    She slept.
    Deeply.
    You’re such a fool .
    Most of al , she was a curiosity wrapped by enigma and contradiction. Why? Why would she risk her life
    and body for someone else? Why would she come here?
    Real y?
    Before he even realized what he