Page 122 of Poseidon's Trident
“Agreed. We need to get Thad and find the trident so we can go home.” I sigh.
We trudge across the beach, coming across different trinkets and things in our journey. They litter the sand and rocks.
“This is kind of creepy,” Raven whispers.
“There are so many things here that have been lost, it’s unreal.” I step over a teddy bear that has one eye.
Adrian frowns at the bear. “So many memories here, lost and forgotten. It’s sad, really.”
“It is, but that’s human nature,” Jayden says, placing a hand on my lower back. “Always have to move on, move forward, and do their best to forget the past.”
We shuffle into the forest and the trees blot out the sun. It’s even creepier in here with shoes and stuffed animals hanging from tree branches above our heads like at any second they’re going to come to live and attack us from above.
“This place isn’t in our ancient history book,” Raven whispers.
“No, I never heard of it until the hippocampus said this was where Thad was.” I shake my head.
“How are we supposed to find him, though? This island is a lot bigger than the others we were on and he was basically our compass.” Raven grips her ax tighter.
Is she itching for another fight already or is the unease that’s making my stomach turn affecting her too? There’s something about this place that’s just wrong. I don’t like it. My gut’s telling me I need to leave, that if I stay here too long something terrible will happen.
My skin shimmers with gold as we pick through the trees and underbrush. “Have you guys heard a single animal? A bird or anything?”
“No,” Jayden says. “That’s strange. Other than our footsteps and voices, it’s eerily silent here.”
I turn to Greyson with a raised brow. “What about your enhanced hearing?”
“I hear a stream not far off but no animals or birds. My wolf doesn’t sense anything either.” He sniffs the air and nearly gags. “This doesn’t smell like a tropical island. It smells of rot and decay.”
I straighten my spine at his words. Is that the sense of unease I’m feeling? Is everything here rotting until it’s no longer a part of the world at all? Will that happen to us if we stay too long? Fuck. We need to hurry.
I pick up my pace but stumble over a tree root that I’m sure wasn’t there a second ago. A giggle meets my ears and I turn my glare on Raven.
“You think this is funny?” I ask.
“What? That wasn’t me.” Raven scans the forest. “Fucking dryads.”
“Wait, be nice. If there are dryads here, maybe they can help us,” I say.
“Or they could lead us to our doom,” Raven mumbles.
“I tend to like the second option,” a high-pitched voice says from behind a tree.
“Is that why you tripped me?” I ask.
“Maybe.” The green girl steps out from behind the tree. “Or maybe my mistress just doesn’t want you on her island.”
“Mistress? There’s someone living here?” I ask, shocked.
“Of course there is and she doesn’t like nosy demigods sniffing around her treasures.” The dryad taps her foot impatiently.
“We don’t want her treasures. We’re looking for a friend.” I hold my hands up in surrender.
“The boy? That’s her newest treasure. It’s been a long time since we trapped a sea demigod. A long, long time.” She grins.
What the fuck? Who is this mistress of hers and what does she want with Thad?
“Look.” Jayden takes a step toward the girl. “We just want our friend, and then we’ll leave. We won’t tell anyone what we found here and leave the island in peace.”
