Page 123 of Ares' Shield
Jayden slams on the brake and I lurch forward. Flames lick up the fallen tree, burning it to ash as we all get out of the vehicle.
The heat from the flames blasts me in the face the second I get out of the SUV.
“They’re definitely the creatures of Hephaestus.” I wipe the sweat trickling down my brow.
I spin as a huge crack sounds around us. “The trees are going to collapse around us from the fire.”
“We need to hurry before we are suffocated from the heat.” Jayden scans the forest. “Where are the dryads?”
“It is strange that they aren’t around here screaming about their trees or smacking us with their branches.” I pick my way through the forest, keeping an eye on the trees around me.
Popping and crackling sounds are all that can be heard in the forest as we slowly move through the trees.
It’s best to leave the vehicles where they are so no trees fall on them. We need to be able to get out of here and a smashed-up ride won’t help.
“Did the dryads abandon their trees?” Jayden asks. “That’s not like them.”
A roar splits the air and I freeze as fire shoots past us. “Fuck, I think we found the bulls.”
We step from the tree line and into the decimated forest. Trees have fallen everywhere and fires spring up from the ground as a massive bronze bull snorts, smoke billowing from its nostrils.
“Why the hell did Hephaestus make this thing?” I grip my charms around my neck.
Shadows slither across my skin and form a wall around us as the bull stamps its hooves on the ground, about to charge.
My grip tightens around my whip and I crouch into a fighting stance, but something is niggling at the back of my mind. “Where is the other one?”
“Shit,” Raven says and scans the clearing.
“What do you mean?” Adrian asks.
“There are supposed to be two of them. Hephaestus made two bronze bulls and they were always seen together. We need to have each other’s backs in case the other one tries to come at us from behind.”
Raven gets my back, standing behind me with her battle ax in her hand. I glance over my shoulder, raising an eyebrow at her.
“You’ve got the best weapon to lasso that thing. I’ll get your back,” Raven says like it’s the obvious solution.
Jayden backs up and presses his side to mine. Greyson backs up to Jayden as we wait for the bull to charge. Fire spews from its mouth but the wall of shadows stops the fire from burning us alive. It doesn’t stop the heat from enveloping us though.
“That might be worse than the damn volcano,” I mutter.
“They are definitely creatures of Hephaestus.” Jayden brushes his arm against mine.
The heat of his skin against mine envelopes me in an entirely different way.
Stampeding feet rush us from next to Jayden as the bull in front of us charges.
“Jayden, watch out,” I scream.
The bull lowers its head and golden horns rush to gore Jayden’s side. Jayden’s shadow chains snake out, but the bull slashes them with its horn before they can get a hold on it.
“Fuck, my shadows aren’t going to work on these things.” Jayden dives away, rolling on the ground, and the bull sets its sights on me.
Smoke snorts from the bull’s nose as it stalls, its hoof digging it into the dirt, readying itself to charge. The other bull continues to beat against the wall of shadows.
How long before if busts through? Shit. We’re so screwed.
I raise my arm, swinging out at the bull and it bellows as it’s zapped with electricity but the whip doesn’t curl around the neck like I meant for it to. Red eyes blaze into mine as the bull charges me again.
