Page 51 of Artemis' Bow
We round the corner to the back, and I spot the immortal idiot standing close to the door to the portal. It’s open. Wide fucking open. Is he insane?
“Why wouldn’t this be your first choice?” he asks, offended.
“You’re seriously asking me that when you’re standing next to the wide-open portal? Are you stupid? Close the door before something escapes,” I shout.
I touch the lightning bolt charm, and my whip unfurls in my hand, crackling with my magic already as I scan the room. Nothing appears out of place and there are no demons lurking in the shadows as far as I can tell.
“Relax, nothing is getting out of the portal unless I allow it. Hades is back in control and the demons are safely locked away in the underworld.” Orpheus shakes his head.
“Why in Hades would you want to let something out of the portal?” I shout.
Jayden yanks me against him and plants his chin on my shoulder. “Remember what Hermes said? What he has to give us can only be sent through the portal.”
“Sorry. I have had verbal whiplash from all the bullshit and posturing that’s happened just since we left the academy maybe an hour ago.” My shoulders slump.
“Right,” Jayden mumbles.
He is included in that statement. He knows as well as I do that he is partially to blame for the idiots.
“What is this gift from Hades?” I ask, changing the subject.
Jayden and I can have a chat later about his caveman behavior when there are less eyes on us. Orpheus works for his father and I don’t want anything getting back to Hades orPersephone. Hades would probably congratulate him on staking his claim.
Again, men are idiots, no matter the species.
Orpheus tosses a small object at us and before I can react, Jayden snatches it from the air with a tendril of shadow.
“You’re getting better at controlling those.” Orpheus grins. “Good job.”
“That’s what you shut down the entire club for?” I ask.
The small cylinder is black with something edged on the side. It looks like an ancient Greek symbol.
“Of course not. That’s just a handy carrying case.” Orpheus chuckles.
“You’re completely out of your mind, you know that, right?” I eye the immortal.
“When you live as long as I have, you find entertainment where you can.” He shrugs. “If you find an immortal being as old as I am that doesn’t have at least a few screws loose, then I want to meet them.”
That’s fair. I think most of the gods have at least a couple loose screws, but they may have been created that way for all I know.
“How is something that Hermes said was too big for him to carry going to fit in this tiny thing?” Jayden asks.
“Magic, of course,” Orpheus says.
“Of course,” I scoff.
“How do I open it?” Jayden asks, examining the markings.
“Do not open that here,” Orpheus warns, pointing at Jayden. “Follow me to the courtyard.”
“We really need to get moving,” I say. “Saving the world again, remember?”
“The world will still be in peril in an hour. I don’t think it likes being cooped up in that cylinder, but Hades ordered it.” Orpheus waves dismissively.
Another reason I can’t stand this place. Orpheus is an asshole and acts like we’re annoying children who don’t know anything or worry over nothing. I would zap him but I’m afraid I would fry more of his brain and do permanent damage.
We walk through winding halls in every direction, and I keep to the very middle of the hall so I don’t touch anything. I don’t know when this place was last disinfected or what kind of strip club this is. Anything could be on the walls.
