more time before striding my way towards Spyridon, who has awfully kept his mouth shut the whole time. He hadn't said a word besides his comment about the Chiron. He had been observing everyone with those dark calculating eyes, listening to the story, and watching everyone's expression. I had to say, if he was going to play the head of CG again, I would totally approve. Not that my approval mattered but he truly embodied a CG in and out.

"Hey." I stood beside him on the other side of the room while Zeus, Hades, Persephone, and Queen Rhea were having a discussion across the room. "Spyridon." He didn't budge so I tried to recall his real name. What was it again? "Err, Dion?"

He turned and looked down at me from his lofty height, making me aware of how truly a midget I was. "Yes?"

"How's Vlad?"

Spyridon frowned. "Vlad?"

"Vladimir. My boyfriend." How could he not know that Vlad was the short version of Vladimir?

Still looking at me with confusion, he shook his head.

I groaned. "You know, dark-haired dude that we've been camping with. He's slightly taller than you, green-eyed. Geez, are you seriously going to make me describe him in detail? You've been spending time with him for three days."

"Oh, you mean Lord Ambrosia."

Shrugging my shoulders, I gave him a duh look. "Where's he? Is he hiding somewhere safe with Klas?"

Spyridon shook his head and said in an oddly flat voice, "I don't know."

I practically yelled as I put both hands on my waist. "What do you mean you don't know?" My eyes widened in fear, my heart thumping so loud as if I was doing a marathon. "Where is he?"

"I—I..."

I'd never seen a god stutter in front of me, in some other time, I would've laughed at the possibility. But right now, with Vladimir involved, I lifted my hands and gripped his shoulders tightly, shaking him so hard without care. "Where is he?! What do you mean you don't know? Did you leave him in the forest with the faction people around?!"

One hand fell on my shoulder and I slid my gaze to my left. "Avery, what's wrong?" asked my father, worried.

I was in so much rage that I couldn't form a word. Instead, I shook my head and slid my gaze back to Spyridon.

"He asked me to follow you," answered Spyridon at last. "So I did. I went to find you and brought you here."

"Then what?" I shove him away. "You didn't think you should get back to Vlad and Klas? You're a god, they're just humans. Don't you think you can at least help them fight gods know how many faction people there are in the woods?!"

Spyridon's jaw clenched until I would swear I could hear his teeth grinding. My brain reminded me that I should've known better not to pick a fight with a god. Even though he was just a wine god but he was a god nonetheless and he was more powerful than someone like me. Yet at this point in time, I decided that I didn't care. I didn't give a damn if he was going to flick his hand and send me to the abyss.

Letting out a deep breath, Spyridon closed his eyes for a brief moment. "You and Cassandrhea are my priority. Once I made sure you were safe, I went back to the Palace and rescued Cassandrhea."

My mind was reeling from the worst possibilities, playing the worst scenarios inside my head. What if they captured him? What if he got hurt? Was he still alive? I shook my head frantically. No, Vlad was still alive! He must be! Or else he would've been here in the Underworld and father would've told me.

Feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me, I cocked my head up and made sure my voice remain orotund when I said, "I want you to take me to Vlad."

Queen Rhea took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Sienna, we have to retrieve your memory first."

I knew she wanted me to get my memory back and be the sister I'd been once but right now, that was the least of my worries. This might sound heartless and selfish but I really didn't care if I had to lose the memory forever, as long as I didn't have to lose Vlad. Looking her in the eye, even if it made my heart ache to say the word, I said it anyway, "no."

Queen Rhea opened her mouth but my father put one hand on her shoulder and shook his head, warning her not to argue.

"Let's get you to Vlad." Hades smiled.

My jaw dropped. "You're coming?"

He replied with a deep chuckle. "How can I miss such a lovely reunion?"

"But you can't go to earth!" When his smile turned into a full-fledged grin, I blinked twice. "I mean, can you?"

Hades laughed. "I'll take a human form."

"I'm coming!" exclaimed Persephone right away, shocking us with her surprisingly loud voice. "There's no way I let you take human form and go without me."

"My dear Seffie," said my father, shaking shook his head exasperatedly but a twitch at one corner of his lips told me he was actually happy with her reaction or at least found it amusing, "always worries even when you know for sure that you own the key to my heart."

"Some thirsty girls might make some fake or duplicate keys!" Persephone folds her arms in front of her chest.

As much as I loved them being all cutesy and all, I had my own boyfriend to worry about. "Y'all can come with as long as we go now," I said, ending their debate.

My father nodded. A door suddenly came out of thin air and swung open. One by one, we went through the door. I was the first to step in, eager to be with Vlad.

At first, it was all blurry, as if there was a thin layer of mist in front of me. Slowly but surely they dispersed until none left. I frowned as my vision became clear and my nose was inches away from a white wall. I walked to the left, following the wall, and paused when I heard someone calling my name.

"Montgomery!"

I turned to see Adrian watching me with his jaw practically on the floor. "Adrian!" I cut the greetings and straight to the point. "Where's Vlad?"

Adrian finally recovered from his shock, and let out a deep sigh. "He's inside."

I frowned. "Inside where?"

He lifted his hand and pointed at the door a few feet away on his left. "The operation room. They just found him this morning."

I stumbled backward and nearly fell if it wasn't for my father's strong arms holding me steady.

* * *