Sin City Goddess Read Free

that the person be punished when mortal law failed to do so. Sometimes the humans handled things well on their own. Sometimes not. My sisters covered lesser crimes—thievery, assault, societal violations, moral codes, falsehoods—while I had the big one. Murder.
    As societies developed, laws became more enforceable, courts became more judicious, and we were needed less and less, until eventually the gods decided it was time to allow humans to police themselves except under the most heinous of circumstances.
    Unfortunately, humans being humans, those circumstances did arise from time to time.
    It was just such a circumstance that had led to my exile.
    “You were found not guilty, Tisi,” Hermes said.
    It was an arduous trial, and the Fates were furious with me, especially Atropos, since it was her mess to clean up. They wanted to bind me to the Underworld forever, and I couldn’t blame them. What I did disrupted the fabric of both worlds, but no punishment could be as severe as my own shame. My own withdrawal from my people. If it weren’t for Hades’s and my sisters’ constant encouragement, I doubt I would ever have left my cavern.
    Hermes said, “Sometimes we are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils.”
    We were approaching Hades’s palace. But instead of the excitement that usually flushed through me at the sheer majesty of the sleek stone walls encrusted with garnet and hematite, I was filled with dread.
    What was this task? Where would I have to go this time? Europe? Asia? America? Africa? Lords, I hoped it wasn’t Alaska. Too damn cold.
    But more importantly, whom would I be there to punish?
    Because, gods help me, if it was another man who had shed the blood of children, I just might kill again.
    I looked down at my hands, the murder weapons, and stepped forward.

Chapter 3

    When we reached the stone steps of Hades’s palace, I looked up at the gaping mouth of the gargoyle that framed the gargantuan gray door and hesitated. What if they wanted me to hunt another serial killer? Would they listen to my protests? Would they accept the fact that I was not up to the challenge? Perhaps they would consider sending one of my sisters, Meg or Alex. Or perhaps they would be too stubborn or prideful to hear my concerns. Wouldn’t be the first time. The highest gods in our pantheon, while often fair, did not like to be questioned about their decisions—although, rumor had it, we were better off than the subjects of the Norse gods. Thor, I’d been told, could be a real hard-ass.
    Hermes asked if I was ready. I took a deep breath and nodded before he swung open the heavy door. I stepped over the threshold, the messenger god floating behind me, both of us expecting to be greeted by Hades and his brothers in the parlor, but the palace was dark and quiet.
    “Where do you suppose they are?” I asked, scanning the hall and the parlor. The rich-indigo walls were lit by firefly sconces, their fluttering wings zigzagging around the crystal glass. The sleek piano that anchored the receiving area beckoned for Apollo’s skilled fingers, while a silver sideboard overflowed with delicate pitchers of wine and glass bowls filled with fresh plums, blackberries, and grapes.
    Hermes said, “Perhaps they’re in the war room.”
    The war room was where the gods met to discuss policy, strategy, and laws. It’d been updated in recent years, thanks to Athena’s inventive mind. The walls were now covered with large screens that transmitted information to the gods about the goings-on of all of Olympus, as well as areas of the human plane. I had no idea how it worked, nor did I care to learn. Technology did not interest me. All those lights, bells, buzzes, and talking machines made my head want to explode. I preferred the dark, the calm, the quiet.
    “I’m sure you’re right.”
    I turned left toward the hall that led to the war room but stopped dead in my tracks when I heard a deep, menacing growl.
    Uh-oh.
    I couldn’t