Warriors of Poseidon 05 - Atlantis Redeemed

life for hers. My existence is nothing without her, so if you must punish me, do so by taking my life, my lord.”
    Poseidon grabbed marble grapes from a marble plate and hurled them at Brennan. DO YOU
    GIVE ME COMMANDS, WARRIOR?
    Brennan stood, unflinching, as the grapes whizzed past, missing his head by inches, and hit the tree behind them so hard that they burrowed into the trunk.
    “I apologize for my insolence, my lord, but I repeat my request. Spare this woman, please.”
    Tiernan jumped up and stood next to Brennan, planting her fists on her hips and trying to ignore the pounding of her heart in her chest. “He has served you and protected humanity for longer than anybody else. This is so unfair. We fulfilled the curse. I died. Isn’t that enough for you?”
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    Poseidon leaned down, far down, until his enormous head was almost on a level with hers, intimidating the heck out of her, but the expression on his marble features seemed to be more amused than angry.
    WILL YOU STAND FOR HIM AND WITH HIM, FOR ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE? It sounded like a vow. Tiernan didn’t hesitate for even a heartbeat. “Yes, for as long as I live, even though my life is nothing but a drop in your ocean compared to his.”
    Poseidon turned his marble head from her to Brennan and then back, then he straightened to the statue’s full height and pointed his trident at her. A bolt of pure shimmering silver light streamed out of the tip of the trident and smashed into her, knocking her into the ground and shattering her with pain worse than anything she’d ever felt in her life. She screamed, writhing on the ground, and Brennan pulled her into his arms, tears streaming down his face.
    “No,” he shouted. “Not her. Me. Take me.”
    But Poseidon merely smiled and, finally, after what felt like years to Tiernan, lowered his trident. The pain vanished instantly, and Tiernan raised her head to look around, her vision blurred by tears.
    She tested her various limbs, grateful to find them whole and in working order. “I’m okay,” she said, reassuring Brennan. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
    Poseidon slammed the shaft of the trident against the stone base of the fountain three times.
    SO BE IT. JUSTICE DECREES THAT BRENNAN SHOULD KNOW JOY FOR AS LONG AS HE HAS BEEN
    DEPRIVED OF IT.
    The sea god flashed a bizarre smile filled with shiny marble teeth.
    OF COURSE, IF YOU ARE LIKE MOST OF YOUR FAIR SEX, YOU WILL SOON CAUSE HIM TO WISH
    THAT ETERNITY WERE MUCH SHORTER.
    Tiernan laughed. She couldn’t help it. A god had just fried her with his mythical trident and then cracked a lame joke. Talk about down the rabbit hole.
    Poseidon nodded.
    YOU WILL DO, HUMAN. I ADMIRE YOUR COURAGE, AND IT SAYS MUCH, TO BE ADMIRED BY A GOD. YOUR CHILDREN, TOO, WILL BECOME PART OF THE PROPHECY.
    Brennan’s arms tightened around Tiernan. “Children?”
    NOT YET. SOME YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN YOUR SONS ARE NEEDED.
    “Sons?” Tiernan repeated. “How many sons?”
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    TWINS, I THINK. PERHAPS TRIPLETS. STRAPPING BOYS.
    Tiernan swallowed, hard. “But—”
    I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS. Poseidon pointed a finger at Brennan. DO NOT MAKE ME REGRET
    MY GENEROSITY.
    Brennan bowed deeply. “My lord, I am yours, and I thank you with everything that I am.”
    OF COURSE YOU DO. DON’T SCREW THIS UP.
    Tiernan’s mouth dropped open at the sound of slang coming from an ancient god, but before she could find any words, Poseidon and the nymphs were gone in a burst of fireworks and cascading water.
    Silently, she and Brennan stared at the fountain, empty now of statues and all but a few drops of water.
    “I . . . I . . .” Tiernan stopped, unable to think of what to say. “We’re going to have a hard time explaining this to Conlan and the gang.” She pointed at the fountain-less fountain.
    Brennan sighed. “Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens around here a lot more than you might think.”
    Tiernan suddenly lost interest in the fountain. “I’m going to have twins? Or triplets?” Her legs lost their strength, and she collapsed down on the edge of the empty fountain.
    “Perhaps we could begin at the beginning,” Brennan said, kneeling before her. “Tiernan Butler, will you wed me and live out the rest of eternity as my bride and the mother of my children?”
    She stared at him, stunned.
    He took her hand and smiled at her, but his