Page 134 of Hades' Shadow
“No, I’m his daughter, though. I would like to be friends.” I smile at the cyclops as I step forward.
“No friends,” he roars and slams his fist into the rocky ground.
“What’s your name?” I ask as I steady myself.
“I have no name,” he says sadly.
I turn to Jayden and shrug. What the hell are we supposed to do? The cyclops is like a child. I can’t fight a monster that is childlike.
“What would you like us to call you?” Jayden asks.
His shadows pulse angrily on his arms but he’s trying to be nonthreatening.
Raven sends her ax back to the ether. “How about we call you Claud?”
The cyclops tilts his head to the side before nodding. “I like Claud.”
“Okay, Claud, I’m Beth. Remember what you said about bad men being in the pit?” I ask softly.
Claud nods his head solemnly. “Bad men.”
“We need your help, Claud, because those bad men are about to get out of their prison unless we help Hades,” I say.
“No Hades.” He kicks his foot angrily.
“Hades isn’t here,” I say, holding my hands up. “We just need to find something he’s lost.”
“Lost? I am lost,” Claud sniffles.
“You’re lost?” I ask. “Maybe we can help you find where you belong.”
Jayden’s gaze snaps to mine and a frown pinches his features.
“Beth,” he whispers. “That may not be possible.”
“We will do it, Jayden. He doesn’t deserve to be here.” I place my hands on my hips.
“You would risk the mission to save a cyclops that has been in Tartarus for millennia. Even older than the gods themselves?” Jayden asks, frustration clear in his tone.
“It won’t risk our mission. I think Claud can help us just like we can help him,” I say angrily.
“Claud isn’t the only one sent to Tartarus for no other reason than being too powerful, Beth. Are you going to rescue them all?” Jayden crosses his arms over his chest.
“No, I don’t know how to get them out without releasing the Titans and the other beasties in there, but Claud is here and we can help him,” I say, throwing my hands up in the air.
“No help,” Claud says and thrusts his fist into the ground.
“You don’t want to help us or you don’t want our help?” Jayden asks.
The smug grin on his face makes me want to punch him in his too pretty face.
“You can’t help us,” Claud growls.
“We can try. Who else is down there?” I ask.
“Hands, lots of hands,” Claud says.
“Lots of hands?” I ask, glancing between my friends.
