From Apollo’s Betrayed Bride to Hades’ Queen

Leaving the bags by the courtyard gates, I walked away from the estate.

With the sun on my face, I felt lighter than I had in years. The toxic shackles of my "family" were finally left in the dirt.

When I returned to the Temple of Light, a servant handed me a letter.

From Cassandra, of course.

Even through the ink, I could practically hear her gloating.

“Sister, did you know Lord Apollo blessed me with the Gift of Eternal Youth? He risked being punished by the Pantheon just for me. He said he’d never let me have less than you. Are you jealous?”

Maybe because I'd already seen the depths of his favoritism, my heart didn't even ache this time.

I walked over to the vanity and looked at the laurel crown I was supposed to wear for the ceremony.

It used to be my greatest pride. Now, it was just a gilded cage.

I dropped it into a box and pinned a note to it: [Since you love everything of mine so much, you can have the crown, too. May your love never wither.]

For the next few days, Apollo remained a ghost, busy playing house with Cassandra. He just had servants drop off gifts and letters at my door.

I stared at the mountain of presents, feeling absolutely nothing. I knew they were just leftovers Cassandra didn't want, tossed my way out of convenience.

"Throw it all out," I ordered the servants.

As for the letters filled with his pretty lies? I tossed them straight into the fire without breaking the seals.

Two days before the wedding, Apollo finally showed up.

He took my hand, his voice dripping with affection. "Lyra, I'm so sorry. I've been drowning in work. But today, I'm taking you to the Soul Cleansing. It's the final step before you become my consort."

The Soul Cleansing required submerging my mortal body into three sacred pools representing Greed, Wrath, and Ignorance.

It was agonizing. Like having your soul ripped apart and stitched back together. Without a god channeling their magic to protect you, a mortal would likely go mad from the pain.

"Don't be scared, Lyra," Apollo cupped my cheek. "I'll be right beside you. I'll wrap you in my magic so you won't feel the worst of it. Trust me, okay?"

I stayed quiet, then nodded.

I knew I was never going to be his wife, but the cleansing would make me stronger, closer to the divine. There was no reason to say no.

We arrived at the sanctuary pools. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the first water—Greed.

Instantly, a bone-crushing cold spiked through my skull. Apollo immediately reached out, and a warm, golden barrier wrapped around me, siphoning away most of the agony.

But just as I stepped into the second pool—Wrath—where the pain doubled, Apollo’s face suddenly drained of color.

"Cassandra? What's wrong?" he blurted out to thin air.

Panic seized his features. He hurriedly turned to me. "Lyra, Cassandra is calling for help! She's hurt, I have to go to her!"

"Just wait for me here, okay?!"

Before I could even agree, he ripped his protective magic away from me and vanished.

Leaving me to drown in the excruciating pain.