Page 34 of Hades' Shadow
“This book should not exist. It has secrets and the weaknesses of the gods. It even speculates where they hid their items of power.”
“That’s a good thing for us, though, right?” Jayden frowns, confused. “It will be easier to map things out if we have a general location.”
“Yeah, it is really helpful, but it can never get in the wrong hands or we are all toast. It tells how to permanently weaken each individual god.” I flip a few more pages, in complete shock over what I have in my hands.
“Shit,” Jayden curses, his eyes going wide as he stomps to my other side to look over my shoulder.
The heat of his breath on my bare shoulder has a shiver racing down my spine. How can I dislike him so much and still react to him like this? It’s unhealthy.
“This could be good for more than just mapping out the items of power. If there is going to be a war, at least we have it and not the person or people who are trying to take over Olympus,” Jayden says and his breath tickles my ear.
Raven shifts uncomfortably. “You don’t think the other gods are trying to take over, do you?”
“I don’t know. If there is a civil war among the gods, that would be disastrous.” I shake my head, flipping the page. The name Hera is emblazoned across the top.
“The queen of the gods is notoriously jealous and tortures the offspring of her husband, especially his demigod children. As the goddess of marriage, she takes Zeus’ infidelity as a personal insult.”
“You don’t think the evil stepmother is behind this, do you?” Raven asks with a frown.
“I mean, anything is possible, but I’m not going to accuse the queen of the gods of starting a damn war.” I flip the page, reading about her a little more.
“Sacred cows.” Raven giggles and I can’t stifle my own laugh.
We are taught about the gods’ sacred animals in ancient history, but every time I hear about sacred cows, laughter bubbles up inside me.
Adrian shifts in his seat. “I would be careful what you say about Hera and her cows. I’ve heard she’s tortured people with cows for disrespecting her. The gods can be vengeful.”
Jayden shifts beside me. “Okay, let’s get back on track. We know Apollo’s item of power. His lyre is most likely at Delphi.”
I flip through the book, finding Apollo and nodding my agreement, but I cringe at the thought of going anywhere near that place again.
Raven pats my shoulder with a giggle. “The fountain disappeared when we broke the spell, remember?”
“Still, anywhere associated with Apollo is suspect to me now—no offense, Adrian.” I shake my head.
“None taken. I think I would be the same if I was forced to fight a giant snake while rhyming and being unable to stop.” He chuckles.
“It was fucking torture,” I growl.
“Just wait,” Raven says. “You’re going with us this time so whatever crazy we encounter, you will be susceptible to it also.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t be so quick to laugh at our pain.” I grin, raising my hand up to Raven and she smacks it much harder than I’m prepared for. I hiss.
“Sorry.”
Jayden sighs. “Focus. Who all are we expecting to have lost their items of power?”
“I would think it would be all of the big twelve, right?” I turn a page in the book, finding Artemis, and I grin.
She is certifiable but actually pretty cool when it comes down to it.
“We already got Zeus’ lightning bolt so we can take him off the list.” Raven grabs a notebook and a pen from the end of the bed, and starts writing things down on the first blank page.
“We won’t find Hades’ item here. If he has lost it, it will be in the underworld, I’m sure,” Jayden says, and Raven continues to scribble.
We continue to work until my eyes are drooping and a glance at the clock tells me it’s well after one in the morning.
“I think we have done as much as we can for tonight, guys.” I yawn.
