Page 44 of Zeus' Spark
“Yeah, I got the same vibes off her. I don’t think she’s a monster though. I just don’t get monster vibes off her.” Raven taps her finger against her chin in thought.
“Wait,” Jayden cuts in. “Did you say Thia? As in Erytheia?”
“I don’t know what her full name is,” Raven groans. “Why is that name significant?”
“Erytheia is one of the Hesperides. They know we’re here. We need to go.”
“Hold on,” I say. “Let’s not get carried away. I didn’t sense any malice from her, just confusion. She might not even be our enemy. Maybe as long as we stay away from their garden, then they will let us pass through.”
But even I’m not optimistic that it will be that easy.
“I say we stay the night and see what happens.” Raven crosses her arms over her chest.
The movement draws Greyson’s eyes down to her chest with a hungry look, and a pang of guilt hits me.
Tomorrow when we stop for the night, I promise I will room with Jayden so my friend can have some time alone with her boyfriend, but tonight…I just can’t.
A knock on the door stiffens us all. We don’t know anyone, and the only person who knows what room we’re in is Thia.
Shit. What does she want?
I open the door a crack, looking out warily. The girl from the desk is there scanning the hall like she’s checking for any enemies.
“Can I come in, please?” she asks. “I am risking much coming here, daughter of…”
I cut her off, opening the door wider and waving her into the room.
“Why have you come, Thia?” I ask, folding my arms over my chest and leaning back against the closed door.
“Why areyouhere, daughter of Zeus? You risk much being this close to the queen’s garden.”
“It’s like we said. We took a wrong turn and are just passing through.” I shrug casually, even though I’m wound like a fucking top having one of the Hesperides in close quarters.
“Heroes don’t just pass through Hesperia, daughter of…”
“Beth. Call me Beth. No more daughter of Zeus stuff. It’s kind of annoying,” I say, waving my hand in the air.
“Heroes only come here for the apples or the other treasures the gods hide here. I don’t believe you.” She stomps her foot like a child.
Raven smirks, and I have no idea what is so funny to her. “Look, I don’t care if you believe us or not. We are trying to save the academy and are headed east. That’s it. We don’t want the gods’ treasures.”
The girl deflates before my eyes. “Halfling Academy is in trouble? Truly?”
“Yes,” Jayden assures her. “Hermes’s descendants are being kidnapped, and the wards are failing. We were sent to find the missing students and took a wrong turn. That’s all. We apologize for putting you in danger. We are tired and just need to rest before we’re on our way.”
“They are taking students who help keep the wards up? Oh, this is not good. Not good at all. I need to think on this. I will keep you a secret for now, heroes, but if you go to the garden instead of leaving, then I will have no choice but to summon Ladon.”
“Ladon?” Greyson asks in confusion, and Raven elbows him in the gut.
Jayden rolls his eyes at the shifter. “He’s the guardian of the grove. He has one hundred heads and never sleeps. We want no part of that.”
“Don’t worry. As long as you are truly not a threat to the garden, then you won’t have to worry about Ladon,” she says.
I breathe out relieved. Just a second too soon.
“My sisters, on the other hand, may tell the queen and ask questions later. Do not cross paths with them on your way out of town. I will see you in the morning before you leave. I may have something that will help you on your journey.” She’s standing there one second, and the next, she’s gone.
“What the fuck? If she could teleport or whatever, why did she knock on the door?” Raven plants her hands in her hips.
