Page 12 of Ares' Shield
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Jayden leans forward with his elbows on his knees as he patiently waits for me to explain.
“What is it, Beth?” Raven asks.
I forgot that I didn’t tell her anything yet. She’s my ride or die and just came along without question. That’s Raven.
“We have a problem. Somehow, someone got out of the wards today.” I stare at Rebecca.
Her expression doesn’t change at all from the news, but Raven gasps.
“How?” Raven asks.
“I don’t know. He just walked right out of the wards without an issue. I tried to touch them and got shocked. I felt them buzz too so they were working just fine.”
I haven’t told them the worst part yet. That’s the terrifying thing.
“That shouldn’t be possible,” Raven mumbles.
“I’ve come to learn nothing’s impossible.” I grimace. “It gets worse.”
“Worse?” Raven parrots my words.
“I don’t think he did it on his own. I think he was coerced.” I rub my fingers over my forehead.
“Coerced?” Rebecca asks.
Finally, that got her attention. Nothing else seems to be news to her.
“You already knew people were leaving,” I accuse.
Why am I not surprised that she’s already aware of the situation? She’s the headmistress; she should know what’s happening.
I’m just a little irritated that I wasn’t told about it until I found someone leaving.
“I did know, but not how or why,” Rebecca says with a sigh.
“He wasn’t right, Rebecca. His eyes were unfocused and glassy. A nereid sprayed him in the face with pond water and he didn’t react; he just kept moving.” I hang my head.
People are clearly being mind-controlled to leave the academy, but why?
“Who are the students that have left already?” I ask, chewing my lip.
Is this another Hermes situation? Are the students being kidnapped to affect the wards?
“I had the same thought, but there is no connection between any of the students who’ve left.” Rebecca leans back in her chair.
“None at all? Were any of them children of Hermes?” I ask, confused.
“No, an Ares student, an Apollo student, and an Athena student have disappeared in the last week.”
“Ares, Apollo, and Athena? You don’t see a connection there?” I ask with a frown.
“They’re all warrior gods,” Raven says, shaking her head.
“I’m pretty sure the guy I followed was Ares. I recall seeing him in the common room,” I say, glancing at Raven.
“Shit. How many of my brothers have left? Am I terrible for not noticing?” She flops back in her chair.
