Free Ascension by Sable Grace Page B

You choose to give your heart to a bloodthirsty Half-Breed who will never want more from you than your cock. You’re strong, son. But you are a king of fools.
    Ares’s words rang in Ryker’s ears as he slung his bag over his shoulder and followed the women off the beach and into the surrounding jungle. He’d made the mistake of allowing his father to overhear his prayers for peace. That Ares knew of Ryker’s feelings for Kyana had only strengthened their mutual disdain for each other. Another bone of contention between them, because as Ryker envisioned Kyana’s hair spread out upon his pillow, her whispered words of love in his ear, Ares had seen only the Half-Breed in Kyana, a threat to steal his son’s attentions away from his duties. And since Ares wanted nothing more than for Ryker to take his place as the God of War, any distraction from that post had been immediately stomped to death. Most especially women, which Ares considered the most inconsequential beings on the planet.
    Ryker didn’t want or need his father’s approval. Hell, he hadn’t even acknowledged Ares as his father to anyone but himself. He just loathed hearing Ares belittle the connection he knew he had with Kyana. He hated that she belittled it too. He didn’t want just her body. He wanted all of her. All the time.
    A branch smacked him in the chest, pulling him out of the thoughts that were conjuring his temper like a tempest. Kyana led the way through an overgrown trail Ryker had found while she and Haven had rested. Still, the path toward the center of the island was anything but a walk in the park. He felt like he should be in front, knocking the brush from their path to make it easier on Kyana and Haven, but he was pretty sure if he tried to act so gallantly, Kyana would push him off a cliff. Or another damned ferry. His small home Below still stank like death thanks to her little stunt at the river. But that was only one of the many things he liked so much about her. She was the only nongoddess female that he’d ever failed to intimidate.
    As he slashed through an overhanging tree that dusted his hair with moss, he forced himself to focus on the trek ahead. He still wasn’t a hundred percent sure they were even on the right island. Having never been here before, all he’d had to go on was the coordinates Artemis had given him, and it seemed the very vegetation was out to prevent them from finding even the smallest hint that those numbers had been accurate. Branches slapped their faces. Hidden roots reached out with gnarled fingers to trip them. Walls of vines and brambles blocked their path, forcing them to use their daggers to slice a way through.
    By the time they’d pushed through the last barrier and stumbled into a small clearing, the moon had risen high in the sky. A rock-ringed campfire lay cold and unused. By its lack of odor, and the grass that had woven its way between the rocks, threatening to overtake the pit, Ryker guessed it hadn’t been used in ages.
    Haven dropped her backpack. “I’m going to explore.”
    “Don’t go far,” Kyana and Ryker said together.
    “Yes, Mommies.” Haven rolled her eyes. “I’m here to provide puppy power because I don’t need a babysitter.”
    As Haven walked to the edge of the clearing, Ryker shook his head. “That kind of attitude gets people hurt.”
    “Or worse,” Kyana mumbled.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
    Satisfied that Haven wouldn’t let her guard down, Ryker turned back to the fire pit. “You think this is it?”
    “How am I supposed to know? You were the one who drove this crazy train.” Kyana pulled a clump of grass and held it in her hand as if it might speak up and answer the question. “It’s obvious someone had been on this island. And if they’d taken the time to ring their campfire, they were probably here for a long time. But there’s no telling who lit the fire.”
    “Well, I really don’t know,” Ryker said. “I don’t usually have