Page 15 of Poseidon's Trident
Raven shudders. “I hope that whatever we have to do to get the trident back doesn’t involve those crazy monsters.”
“A whirlpool with teeth doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time,” I agree.
“Do you think that the sea monsters are coming back too but we haven’t seen them because we haven’t gone to the actual oceans yet?” Raven asks.
“I don’t think anyone has ever killed those monsters,” I say as I flip through the pages of my book.
“Then how do we defeat them if we do have to encounter them?”
“I don’t know. I guess we just have to hope that we don’t encounter them.” I shrug.
“Why are you so sure you’re going on another mission?” Dax asks.
“You have noticed the freak storms, right?” I ask, turning to him.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you guys will be the ones going.” He taps his pen on his desk.
“Are you sure about that?” Raven asks and throws a wadded-up piece of paper at his forehead.
I tune out the two of them bickering as I stare down at the pages of the book. The lights flicker just before the ground rumbles. I hold on to my desk as the entire building shakes beneath me and the windows rattle.
Are we under attack? Did something get inside the wards? Jumping to my feet, I race out the door with Raven hot on my heels. Students are pouring out the doors of the academic building in waves and blocking my path.
“Move! I think we’re under attack.” I push several guys out of my way.
We race down the steps to the quad, but there are no monsters in sight. The ground rolls beneath my feet and then opens up directly in front of me. Someone grabs my arm, pulling me back, and Jayden’s blue eyes stare at me in horror.
“Not a monster. It’s an earthquake.” I turn to Thad. “Your dad is known as the earth shaker, right?”
“Yeah, this is some seriously bad news.” Thad steps closer to the crack.
“What are we going to do? We can’t have earthquakes destroying everything. Do you all remember the tsunami a few years back that took out Japan? That’s what happens with huge earthquakes.” I rub a hand down my face.
The ground has stopped rumbling, but the evidence of it still remains. Cracks in the earth aren’t a huge concern, but the bad omens they represent are.
“Everyone, back up,” Cross barks at us.
I scan the quad but it’s only the four of us close to the huge gaping hole in the ground. I’m not surprised. It’s always us investigating the scene of an attack and anything dangerous. I’m not getting the warm fuzzies about the impending war we have to fight.
“Cross, what’s happening? Do you know something?” I ask.
“No, but I need you all to back up before someone falls in the giant hole in the ground.” Cross crosses his arms over his chest.
“But you’re married to a nereid. Surely, she’s heard something?” I press.
“It was just an earthquake, Beth. Not the end of the world. We are in California. They happen all the time here,” Cross says.
“You don’t actually believe that.” I glare at the teacher.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe. You all need to get to your training class.” Cross points to the clearing.
“What the hell is going on?” I ask as I stomp to the training yard.
“Why is he always like that when we ask questions?” Raven frowns.
The ground rumbles beneath my feet again. I stumble to the side, holding my arms out so I don’t fall. Jayden grips my hips, steadying me, but he’s wobbly too.
“Those definitely aren’t normal earthquakes,” Thad says as he crouched to the ground.
