Page 40 of Medusa

Typhon wrenched Jaden’s head painfully back by his hair. “How about you forget about the dice and listen to what we say. In turn, we won’t beat you so badly that your brothers don’t recognize your body.”

“So, what, you want me to throw matches that you tell me to?” Jaden said, his voice a harsh rasp.

“Now you’re getting it!” Typhon let go and Jaden relaxed with a tiny sigh of relief.

“Can I think about it?”

“You need tothink about it?” Typhon ended in a scream. “What part of not getting beaten do you need tothink about?”

“Well, you know, there’s the part where I uphold my honor and dignity,” Jaden said nonchalantly.

Typhon growled and moved closer. “You won’t get those when you’re dead.”

“I wouldn’t get them even if I signed a deal with you,” Jaden replied. “And you won’t get your precious ‘Ruby’ either way.”

“What do you know about Ruby?” Typhon demanded. His eyes looked wild, unhinged.

Jaden bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smirking. This was almost fun, if he could ignore the pain radiating from his body. He counted himself lucky that Typhon hadn’t remembered to give him another dose of the drug.

His gaze darted over the minions; their hands were both visible and empty. Since it was unlikely that they’d have a syringe in their pockets, Jaden relaxed a bit. He could worry about the drug if one of them left the room. “I know a lot of things about her,” he said blithely.

“Tell me everything you know!” Typhon ordered.

“I know that Pollux has sloppy footwork and overreaches when he swings,” Jaden said thoughtfully. “I should have been able to knock him down within a few minutes.”

“So why didn’t you?” Typhon took the bait.

Jaden scoffed. “That would make for a pretty boring fight, don’t you think? People want to be entertained when they come to Valhalla’s. I’m not going to take that experience away from them.”

Typhon rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I get that. But why didn’t youwin?”

“I met ‘Ruby’ that night,” Jaden said, changing topics once again.

Typhon growled impatiently, his mouth opening to say something, but the large door swung open and distracted him.

A pure high note rang out and the two lackeys stopped moving, frozen in place.

“What the fu—” Typhon roared, heading for the door.

Around the metal door stepped the last person Jaden ever thought he’d see here, let alone again.

CHAPTER11

Maddie examinedthe house from the shadows of its neighbor. The blinds were all drawn, but there was light coming from underneath one window in the back of the house. Heart pounding, she wondered how much time she had. Jaden had already been their captive for more than a day.

What could they have done to him in that time?

She shook her head, dispelling the intrusive thoughts. They wouldn’t help her right now.

The light hadn’t flickered at all since she’d started watching the window, meaning the men weren’t walking around. They might be sitting, but that meant they weren’t looking outside.

Heart pounding, she dashed across the unkempt grassy space between the two houses, coming up right underneath the back window. She pressed herself against the house, the red brick rough through the material of her t-shirt and against the back of her arms. Checking first for a basement window—none, thankfully—she grasped the edge of the windowsill. Bracing her feet on the brick, she pulled up until she could peek through the gap in the blinds.

The room was empty. It appeared to be a dining space, with a flimsy card table and folding chairs.

Maddie craned her neck, trying to see more of the room.

A sliver of kitchen off to the right.

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