Page 33 of Artemis' Bow
I glance warily at Jayden and Raven when I notice that Draven also has his hand raised. Why would he want to go on another mission? He didn’t really help when he came with us to retrieve Ares’ shield.
“He’s going to get someone killed,” Raven says under her breath.
“The thing is that Chiron doesn’t know these students the way we do. He’s getting the best volunteers, though,” I whisper back.
“Dax is second only to me in Ares and Kira is a badass,” Raven says. “Draven is head of the Hermes students after sacrificing himself to help rescue them even if he was a waste of space on the mission for the shield.”
“Look,” Jayden hisses. “Olly and the other bullied Apollo kid volunteered as well. I think they have a couple decent groups.”
“If nothing else, they will be a good distraction to keep some of the heat off us,” I say.
Jayden grimaces at the group to my left and I turn my gaze, finding someone raising their hand that has no business being on a team to save Artemis.
“Fuck no. No, just no. She can’t be serious, right? She does realize they aren’t coming with us, right? Or is she really that fucking stupid?”
“She’s really that stupid, B.” Raven snickers.
Fucking Mia has a smug smirk on her face and her hand raised to be on one of the teams to go to a different temple to try and save Artemis. What the fuck is she thinking? She can barely lift a sword, let alone wield one.
“She can’t possibly go. She will get her entire team killed,” I growl.
“All of our volunteers step forward. The rest of you are dismissed.” Chiron stamps his hooves.
There are eight students left and a good mix of the two groups who drew a line at being around each other.
“Beth and her group are the main mission, which will be kept quiet,” Chiron announces. “They will split the teams and decide who’s going where, but their success will be determined by yours as well, as you all will be going to different locations to throw the enemy off their trail and make them think you are the ones going to retrieve the goddess and her bow.”
“I thought we would be going with them,” Mia pouts.
“Seriously? It’s dangerous enough that we have five demigods in our group with the monsters out there.” I roll my eyes at the idiot.
I knew she only wanted to come to get to Jayden. The idiot really can never take a hint. Jayden is mine and she will never get him. When will she realize that her obsession is stupid and pointless? Probably never.
“Your team should be split among the rest of us,” Draven calls out. “To make it even since most of you aregods touched.”
Draven’s gaze never leaves me as he says the odds and a shudder of revulsion drips down my spine. Jayden stepsforward, his hands clenched at his sides. He caught the same look from Draven that I had.
“Our team is set and will never be broken up. You are a distraction and make no mistake, we argued against any other teams being included in this,” Jayden says.
“Beth and team are in charge. They will decide the teams and you will go to your assigned destinations. Remember you volunteered for this. Whether you had ulterior motives for volunteering is beside the point. You volunteered and you will do as you’re told.” Chiron crosses his arms over his chest.
I step forward so I can diffuse the situation. “Dax and Kira, you will be leading the team going to Sparta. That’s the secondary location we believe the bow and Artemis may be.”
“What’s the most likely location?” Mia asks with a sneer.
“That’s not for you to know. The primary location is secret, and our team will be headed there.” I glare at her.
“If we’re to be a distraction, I think I should know where I am supposed to be distracting the enemy from,” she argues.
“No, you don’t. You volunteered knowing that we weren’t giving that information.” Jayden shakes his head.
“You’d probably abandon your team to follow us so you can get close to Jayden, psycho,” Raven snarls.
Mia stomps her foot like a child and glares at Raven, but the menace in her gaze doesn’t match the usual hatred. What the hell is that calculating look? That’s not like the airhead at all. She’s planning something and I have a feeling no good can come from that. I glance at Raven, and she nods almost imperceptibly.
She sees the same thing as me. Good. We won’t be able to keep an eye on Mia, but we can warn her team to watch her just in case.
“We need to stay on track.” I sigh. “Dax and Kira, you have Draven and Olly on your team. Zeke and Jake, can I trust you to be soldiers and not bullies?”
