Terror flooded Hera's face.
She hadn't panicked when Apollo stripped her divinity and claimed the throne—she was still Queen Hera, and her centuries of status made her confident that no mortal could truly harm her.
But Jack Kadere was different.
Back when she'd still held her full power, she'd watched him kill Eris in an instant and crush Ares like an insect. Minutes ago, she'd witnessed the Firstborn—prophesied destroyer of gods—beaten senseless without landing a single blow in return.
If Jack wanted her dead, she would die. That simple. He didn't respect gods. He didn't respect anything.
"Didn't I promise to restore Paradise Island?" Jack turned to Diana, still smiling. "Become Queen of Heaven and you'll be able to do everything Hera can—plus everything she can't. You could save the Amazons. Maybe even defeat the Firstborn and rescue what's left of Olympus."
He gestured dismissively toward the sky. "Apollo brought this on himself. Dragging Firstborn to the mountain where the gods are gathered? Every kill makes him stronger. Apollo handed him a buffet."
His smile sharpened. "Kill Hera. Take her throne. That's your only chance."
"No."
Diana's refusal was immediate.
"Why not?"
"I won't sacrifice one life to save others." Her voice hardened. "And I don't trust your motives. You want me on that throne for your own reasons."
Jack chuckled. She wasn't wrong—if Diana became Queen of Heaven, the value of his collection would increase considerably.
"You're starting to understand me. Almost as well as Lilah does."
"Enemies often understand each other best," Diana said flatly. She turned to Hera. "I'll make him release you and return your power. In exchange, you restore Paradise Island. Everyone. Agreed?"
"Yes! I promise!" Hera nodded frantically.
Jack looked at Diana for a long moment. "Do you know why people dare to cross you?"
She waited.
"Because you're simple. Pure. No schemes, no angles, no cruelty. Righteous to your core." He shrugged. "Offending someone like you carries no consequences. No guilt. No fear of retaliation."
He released Hera.
She crumpled to the ground, and golden light streamed out of Diana's body—divine power flowing back to its original owner. It burrowed into Hera like liquid fire.
Thunder cracked across the sky.
Lightning split the darkness, bolt after bolt striking down around them. In the strobing light, Hera rose to her feet. The mortal dress vanished, replaced by a cloak of iridescent peacock feathers that swept the ground behind her. Beneath it, strips of deep green cloth wound across her body, covering her breasts and hips and little else.
"Every god on Olympus is either a pervert or a bitch," Jack muttered, turning toward the Aerie.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Thunder gathered around Hera's hands. Her voice carried the weight of restored godhood.
Jack stopped. Turned his head. Looked at her.
Then slowly raised his fist.
"With a single punch like this," he said quietly, "you might die."
The thunder vanished. Hera's hands dropped to her sides.
The woman in the button-down shirt burst out laughing. "Queen of Heaven, scared silent by one sentence? Some goddess."
"What did you call me?" Hera's head whipped toward her. "You little—"
"Enough."
Diana's voice cut through them both. She looked up at the darkened sky, jaw tight.
If what Jack said about the Firstborn was true, they had very little time.
---
Everyone boarded the Aerie. The ship lifted off and banked toward Paradise Island.
When they descended into the central square, the first thing they saw was the statue.
Hippolyta. Kneeling. Stone-gray and motionless.
Around her, dozens of snakes writhed across the marble—agitated, coiling over each other, scales gleaming in the torchlight. The transformed Amazons.
"Hera." Diana's voice was steel.
Hera looked reluctant but raised her hands. Divine light pulsed outward.
The snakes twisted, stretched, changed. In seconds, the square was filled with confused Amazon warriors, stumbling upright, clutching their heads, staring at their own hands.
Diana rushed forward to embrace her sisters. Voices overlapped—questions, relief, alarm.
"Princess! The Queen—why hasn't the Queen changed back?"
Diana spun around.
Hippolyta remained stone.
"Hera." Diana stalked toward her, fury building. "You promised."
"It wasn't me!" Hera stepped back, hands raised. "I cast the same spell I always do. The warriors transformed. Why wouldn't she—" She faltered, genuinely confused. "I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I have no reason to lie." Hera glanced sideways at Jack. "Not with him standing there."
Diana stared at her mother's frozen form, helpless. She'd thought restoring Hera's power would fix everything. Now even the Queen of Heaven couldn't undo this?
She turned instinctively toward Jack.
Before she could speak, every Amazon in the square dropped to their knees.
"Master!"
Hera straightened, preening. "A wise choice. Though your loyalty won't save your Queen—this truly isn't my doing."
Silence.
No one responded to her.
A lazy voice drifted from beside her: "Get up."
The Amazons rose as one.
Hera's expression curdled. She'd forgotten—Jack had conquered Paradise Island once before. They weren't kneeling to her.
Fear and humiliation warred across her face.
"What do we do now?" Diana asked Jack, desperation bleeding through.
"Have you noticed someone's missing?"
Diana looked around the square, counting faces. Her stomach dropped.
"Donna Troy."
She'd assumed Donna was among the snakes when she'd returned to find Paradise Island cursed. But none of these women were Donna. She wasn't here.
"Paradise Island has enemies besides Hera," Jack said. "The Firstborn will likely attack here—it's connected to Olympus, and he needs to kill gods to grow stronger. Your mother's still stone, and you're the princess. That makes you acting queen until this is resolved." He started walking toward the Aerie. "Get your defenses ready. And give me the location of Hephaestus."
"The forge god? Why?"
"The Aerie needs upgrades. This last fight exposed some weaknesses." He glanced back. "Hephaestus built half the weapons on Olympus. He can improve my ship."
Diana gave him the coordinates. Then hesitated.
"Go quickly," she said. "And come back soon. Paradise Island... we need you here."