Page 144 of Ares' Shield
I raise an eyebrow at him. He knows I have him there but won’t give up his cocky attitude.
“Those ropes were magic blocking. Where would you get rope like that?”
“Maybe we don’t need rope, B,” Raven says. “Maybe I can punch him hard enough that I’ll just knock him out for a few hours so we have some peace.”
“You wouldn’t dare. My father…”
“Your father would probably thank us for not killing your whiny ass,” I talk over him.
“No, he wouldn’t.”
“You forget, we know your father. I watched him smack you upside the head for treating me and Jayden like shit. So, grow the fuck up and stop being a whiny asshole.” I clutch the armrest, ready to launch myself at him.
Jayden turns to me. “Just ignore him. Turn the radio up super loud and drown him out or something.”
“What is that?” I point out the windshield. “Jayden, watch out.”
Jayden pulls the wheel too hard to avoid hitting the thing in the road and slams on his brakes before the car skids to a stop on the side of the road.
“What is that?” Jayden asks, panting.
“It’s a centaur,” I breathe.
I squint into the dark at the huge horse body with a torso of a man. He glances around as if lost or confused. I gasp as I recognize him.
“That’s the centaur who helped me when the monsters were attacking at the cave in the wilds.” I grasp the door handle, ready to jump out and talk to him, but Jayden’s hand on my thigh squeezes me.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“I’m going to talk to him.”
“That’s a terrible idea.” Jayden shakes his head.
“He helped me before and he looks lost, Jayden. I owe him at least a conversation.” I pat his hand on my thigh.
Raven sighs. “I agree with Jayden this time, B. You remember the stories about the centauromachy.”
“Look, I’ll be okay. I think he’s just lost.” I open the door and slip out of the seat.
The crisp night air blows my hair in my face and the centaur turns, sniffing the air.
“Hello?” I call tentatively, my hands raised to show him I’m not armed.
“You’re the girl. The one in the wilds,” he says.
“Yes, that was me. You helped me.” I take another step closer.
Jayden is out of the car and next to me in an instant. “I think this is a bad idea, Beth.”
“Son of Hades, why am I here?” the centaur asks.
“What do you mean?” Jayden asks, frowning.
“Why am I on Earth again? I should be in the underworld.”
“Hades isn’t in charge of the monsters’ afterlives,” Jayden mumbles.
“How dare you lump me with the beasts I hunt.” The centaur roars and stamps his hooves indignantly.
