Page 159 of Ares' Shield
“Yeah,” he says, picking up the sword he dropped.
“We need to take out the monsters and try to get the students in range for Draven.”
“Fuck, that hurts,” Jayden swears.
I fall into a crouch next to him, still scanning for threats. “How is it?”
“It’s bad but I’ll be okay as soon as he’s done healing it.”
“There’s too many of them and Draven’s having to fight in between his magic. I don’t know what to do.” I bounce on the balls of my feet.
“We should all get back into position around Draven and protect him while the students and monsters come at us,” Jayden says, moving to stand.
“You can’t fight right now. It got your sword arm.” I put a hand on his good shoulder and push him back down on the ground.
“I can’t just stay here with you guarding me, and I can swing a sword with both hands,” Jayden argues.
Raven roars, “Greyson.”
The wolf is thrown into a tree and slumps to the ground. Shit. Is everyone just going to be beat up today?
“I have a better plan. Halfling Academy students,” I shout over the chaos. “Protect Draven.”
The students who’ve already been saved swarm to Draven and surround him, weapons at the ready.
“Save the rest of the students so we can turn the tables on these fuckers, Draven.” I nod to him and turn back just as an Empusa lunges for me.
I scream in her face, and she leaps back in terror. That’s the best way to deal with the ugly she demons. Scare them.
Adrian stares off to where Greyson is lying on the ground.
“Go,” I tell him. “I’ll cover Jayden.”
He glances at me, unsure, and I stare at him pointedly. “Okay, fine.”
“I don’t need you to cover me, Beth.” Jayden pushes up from the ground again.
The clang of metal vibrates through me and I lurch forward when someone strikes me in the back. I spin to the son of Apollo who just tried to stab me in the back.
“It’s not nice to stab people in the back.” I block the next blow aiming for my throat and shove the guy back two steps. “Draven, a little help here.”
Violet magic shoots past me, hitting him in the head, but nothing happens. He slashes at me again and again. What the fuck is going on? This guy clearly isn’t a monster, so why is he doing this?
“Why isn’t it working?” I ask.
The boy laughs and it’s an evil sound that grates on me. “I’m not being controlled like the rest of the idiots. Medea promised great wealth and power if I helped her with her plan.”
“Medea isn’t strong enough to take on the gods. She’s a glorified witch.” I swing my blade, blocking his next blow.
“Not by herself, no.” The boy cackles gleefully.
So, whoever is behind this is using Medea as well. She thinks she can give wealth and power after nuclear bombs decimate the world.
“How the hell do you expect to get anything if the humans go to war and destroy the world? Who’s the idiot now?” I shake my head.
The boy lunges at me with a knife in one hand and a blade in the other, but chains made of shadow wrap him up tight before he can get to me. I bring up the hilt of my sword and slam into his head, knocking him unconscious.
“Thanks.” I blow out a breath.
