Page 75 of Artemis' Bow
“Do you believe what just happened?” I ask my friends.
“Who knew the gods watched human TV?” Raven says.
“That was all you got from that conversation?” I groan.
“Wait,” Adrian speaks up, cutting off Raven’s retort. “Did you hear what he said?”
A roar breaks through the stillness and the ground rumbles beneath our feet, sending me stumbling into Jayden.
“Whoa, what pissed it off?” Jayden asks.
“I think it’s either our presence here or a certain shifter with a god complex.”
“It’s the Calydonian Boar. That one isn’t indestructible. It was killed but it is massive and kind of resembles a giant warthog,” Adrian calls out.
“They need me to kill Pumba on steroids?” I ask, aghast.
“Basically, but this beast at least can be killed. He was slain by a female warrior, Atalanta, with an arrow.”
“It looks like you’re up this time, Adrian. I don’t know anyone who’s a better shot than you.” I nod to the son of Apollo. “We’ll keep it distracted while you continuously pelt it with arrows.”
The ground shakes again, faster this time, as if the creature is charging. The leaves around the clearing rustle just before a gigantic black warthog stampedes out of the forest, barreling straight for us.
“Thad, protect Adrian with everything you have. Greyson, sit this one out.” I bark bracing myself for the charging creature. “We will distract it.”
“I can help,” Greyson mutters. “My wolf can dodge and weave between its legs.”
“That puts you in the splash zone for ichor. We have no idea what you will become if that happens again,” I remind him.
“Fine, but if one of you gets in trouble, I’m jumping in,” he says just as Adrian lets an arrow fly.
The warthog screams as the first arrow sinks into its side. We all fan out, but Adrian is scanning the area for something.
“I need higher ground and cover,” he says.
I glance up at the house. There is a large window on the second floor that looks down over the front yard.
“There.” I point to the house.
A tusk comes too close to skewering me, but I blink out a second before it touches my shoulder and reappear behind the boar. I call my whip and swing it around the hind leg, pulling the boar back. It’s massive and barely moves but it’s enough for the boar to stumble. It crashes to the pavement, the impact so jarring we are all blown off our feet.
“Adrian, move your ass,” I scream as I jump back to my feet.
I dust myself off and retract my whip. Jayden’s shadows come out to play, surrounding the animal, but it barely holds him.
“It’s too strong to hold even with my new golden chains,” Jayden says. “It’s already breaking free. Shit. That hurts.”
Jayden doubles over as the chains break one by one and I scream. “Jayden, let it go. We just need to distract until Adrian is in place. Don’t risk yourself. You fucking promised.”
The boar roars a second later as it climbs to its feet, Jayden’s death in its beady black eyes. Jayden’s still breathing heavily, his hands planted firmly on his knees.
“Jayden, move. Now,” I say.
He glances up and grimaces, then shadow walks next to me. “Remind me not to try that again.”
“It’s too big to chain. Even bigger than the other bacon asshole. What is the deal with gigantic fucking boars?” I throw up my hands.
The boar spins in a circle, searching until beady eyes land on Jayden. I glance up at the window and find Adrian and Thad doing their best to open it but it’s not opening.
