Page 88 of Artemis' Bow
“Any idea what those few weaknesses might be?” I ask.
“Not a clue. None of the stories about them talk about their weaknesses, if they even have any at all.”
“There has to be something,” I mumble, turning back to watch the giants through the trees.
“Not necessarily. I think Artemis would have done something else if there was another way,” Raven says.
“So we just need to stay between them and draw their own fire at each other?” I ask. “That’s fucking risky.”
“I know but it may be the only way, and if we don’t defeat them, then it’s going to be really bad for supernaturals everywhere,” Thad says.
“Fine. Greyson, go shift but you’re not going to be bait. Jayden and I are going to transport between them once they move closer together. Hopefully that startles them enough that we catch them off guard, then the rest of you come in and try to draw their fire on each other.”
“Wait,” Jayden protests. “You won’t let Greyson be bait, so your solution is to make yourself bait? No. I’ll shadow walk between them and distract them so you all can come in and draw fire.”
“No, fuck no.” I shake my head emphatically. “You promised not to run into anything you couldn’t handle and we can’t handle this. This plan is full of holes at best and at worst a death sentence.”
“I’m not letting you run in to save everyone again, Beth. I’ll be fine.”
My hands shake as I grip Jayden’s shirt. Is this how it happens? If I’m forced to choose him or the world right now, I know I can’t choose the world over him again. It will break me for real.
“Please,” I whisper. “Don’t make me choose.”
Jayden’s eyes widen in understanding. He is putting the pieces together. He doesn’t even have to say the words or intentionally force me to choose to make me do it.
“We’ll go in together.” He turns to Raven. “How good are you at shielding?”
“I have been practicing. It’s fun beating the shit out of my brothers with my indestructible body armor.” She shrugs.
“Indestructible?” I ask. “How indestructible?”
“We have been testing it. Even brought Kira in on it and walked into the forge close to the volcano. Nothing. I couldn’t even feel the heat.” Raven grins.
“You’re going to need to shield for as long as you can and draw their focus. Maybe brute strength will work.” Jayden taps his finger to his lips.
“That could work, especially if they are competitive and want to kill the strongest of us for bragging rights. We could pit them against each other.” I nod.
“All right, we have some semblance of a plan,” Jayden says.
I stare between the trees, waiting for the perfect moment to transport in, when a small figure runs into the clearing, screaming.
“Shit, what is the damned dryad doing?” I ask. “She’s gonna get herself killed.”
“You’re hurting my trees,” she shrieks, and the trees come alive in her anger.
The trees reach out with their spindly branches, lashing at the two giants, but they swat them away like an annoyance rather than them being in any actual pain from the attack.
“All she’s doing is pissing them off,” I hiss.
One giant roars and it rattles the earth beneath our feet. I widen my stance to keep my balance as the giants move farther into the clearing. Jayden’s shadows pulse, waiting for the moment he needs to shadow walk between the two giants.
“Hey, Jayden, can you shape the shadows?” I ask, an idea forming.
“I haven’t tried anything too big. What are you thinking?” Jayden scrunches his brow.
“Can you form a deer in the shadows? Maybe we don’t have to fight them after all,” I ask hopefully.
“I don’t know. That’s pretty big for doing it on the fly without practicing first.” He taps his foot.
