Page 44 of Salt & Blood

“HowcouldI have known?” Pandora asked, voice rising. “I’ve lived in the Underworld my whole life.”

“Yes, but… you studied Apollo. You knew him well because you wanted to take your revenge on him. I would think…”

Pandora’s expression crumpled into a pained grimace. “Gods, you’re right. You’re right. I should have known. I just—” She heaved a sigh and ran a hand through her dark red hair. “I didn’t want to know. I liked to think my father was Jupiter or Hermes or some other god who had passed long ago. The idea that my father was out there somewhere and didn’t want me was… too painful to consider. It was already too much for me to think of my mother abandoning me.”

“She didn’t abandon you,” Mona said at once.

Pandora shot her an incredulous look. “You don’t know that.”

“I knowher.And she didn’t abandon you. Apollo was the one to place the curse inside you. I know Gaia would have done everything in her power to try and stop him.”

Pandora’s eyebrows lowered. “You may think that. But I don’t. From my experience, the gods wear many different faces. I believe Gaia wore the face of a doting and loving mother while she raised you. But it was only a mask and nothing more. None of us can know her true nature.”

Mona wanted to argue this, but the protest died in her throat. Because hadn’t Gaia lied to her for years, making her believe she was nothing more than an ordinary earth witch? Gaiahadworn different masks. The mask Mona was accustomed to was the mask of the Mother of their coven in Krenia. And she was still coming to terms with the fact that that wasnother mother. At least, not entirely.

The ground trembled, the walls shook, and more dust and dirt rained down from the ceiling.

“Sentries!” Midas bellowed. Several soldiers hurried toward the tunnel where Mona and the others had come from. “I need to know what we’re dealing with and how close they are.”

“It’s a hydra,” Evander said. His voice was so quiet that for a moment, Mona wasn’t certain he’d spoken at all. But his eyes were distant and unfocused, his expression hard.

Mona’s skin tingled with awareness as she gaped at Evander. How did he know that, if he had no magic?

Midas faltered, glancing warily at Evander. “Come again?”

Evander’s eyes cleared, and he stepped closer to Midas. “It’s a hydra. It must have escaped from Tartarus when the Underworld fell.”

Mona’s heart dropped like a stone. “A hydra?” she repeated.

Another deafening boom shook the ground, this one so violent that Mona toppled over, barely stopping herself from falling on her face. Palms out, she landed on the soft earth, then scrambled to her feet, trying to quell the quivering fear that wracked her body. Her mind flitted through every book she’d read about hydras. Multiple heads. Two heads would grow back if one was cut off. Serpent-like body. Often frequented marshes before it was captured and thrown in Tartarus.

Marshes.Mona shook her head in confusion. If it preferred the water, why was it here in a coven of earth witches?

Right,she thought, her stomach sinking with dread.Because of me.

A soldier rushed into the room, stopping to bow quickly to King Midas. “It’s a hydra. My men caught sight of it less than a mile from here. Our blades do nothing to its flesh, and we were careful not to remove any of its heads.”

Midas nodded, expression grave. He was gazing at his own hands in contemplation.

“Your Highness, if you get too close to it…” The soldier trailed off.

Mona knew what he’d been about to say.If you get too close to it, it could tear you apart.A hydra was known for its sharp teeth, which were strong enough to tear through flesh.

Mona was grabbing Pandora’s hand before she knew what was happening. Pandora yelped in surprise but allowed Mona to tug her forward until the two sisters stood before the king.

Mona lifted her chin, trying to project more confidence than she felt. “We can provide a distraction so you can get close enough to touch the hydra.”

Pandora shot a bewildered look toward Mona.

Midas glanced between them, eyes narrowing. “You just told me you were no warrior. Do you really expect me to believe you can get close to this beast without faltering?”

“We don’t need to get close to it,” Mona said. “All I need is enough power to trap it with my vines.”

Midas frowned, considering this.

“Your men can flank it on the opposite side,” Mona said. “Attack it on both fronts, while you slip into its blind spot, undetected.”

Midas’s dark eyes took on a hungry gleam. “You know, for a woman who doesn’t know battle, you certainly strategize like a captain.”

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