Page 112 of Crown of Olympus
“I yield,” he breathed, backing away slowly.
Nodding once, I turned to Tychon, offering him the samechance. He shook his head, despite being unable to lift a finger in defence. With a scowl, I brought my hilt down on the side of his head.
He was out cold.
Down to three.
Velira hummed her approval down the bond, along with a smaller flicker of something else… Pride?
It didn’t feel like her usual sharp devotion. Not wild and demanding, but sweeter — like a layer of honey coating the back of my tongue. But I had no time to dwell, three gods still remained, each demanding my head before the crown could rest upon it.
“Who’s next?” I taunted, twirling Nightbreaker menacingly.
Leander and Diana wasted no time, launching simultaneous attacks I feared would hold more weight than those of Thallo and Tychon.
Leander’s trident flashed towards my torso, his eyes gleaming with sick delight. I parried on instinct, my body moving before my mind could fully process the attack.
He swung again and I ducked, loose strands of hair fluttering across my face as the air above my head rippled with his tridents passing.
I rose just in time to witness Athena’s strike.
Instead of slicing me open with her deadly-sharp sword, the goddess of warfare moved past me, swiftly knocking aside the arrow Diana had fired at my head.
I faltered, my brows crashing together.
Why didn’t she let the arrow strike true?
Did she want the glory of taking me out herself?
Leander took advantage of my momentary lapse in concentration. The piercing prongs of his own metallic dick-stick dug deeply into the muscle of my thigh. A grunt escaped me as he yanked it free with a wet squelch, warm blood flowing down to pool in my boot.
Barnacle boy had just made a huge mistake.
Fury burned through me like fire. Like the lightning scorching the earth metres from where we stood.
I spun, aiming a blow at Leander’s snide face, but he diverted the strike at the last second. The blade bit into his shoulder instead.
Steel clashed against steel. It took me a few heartbeats to realise it wasn’t just my sword and his trident making the sound. Diana and Athena were also locked in a melee to my right.
What in Tartarus is she doing?!
Reducing your opponents by one,Vel replied.Don’t question it — MOVE!
Leander’s trident struck at me like viper fangs — quick and lethal. We matched each other blow for blow. Nick for gouge. We were a collection of bleeding skin and bared teeth. A quick glance showed me Diana fared only slightly better.
And then Athena struck true. She was victorious, proving to all why she was the legendary goddess of warfare. I watched as she disarmed Artemis’ champion with one perfectly executed manoeuvre, Diana’s sword clattering to the ground.
She kicked Diana squarely in the chest with a force greater than any regular god was capable of, sending her careening back into the arena wall, where she crumpled to the ground.
The crowd erupted, having no idea what was going on, but salivating for every drop of blood shed anyway. They thirsted for it. Begged for it. And still, they wanted more.
My eyes darted to the stands, narrowing in on the council. Ares was a seething mass of flaming red hair. Hera skewered Athena with her gaze. Artemis roared, reaching for her shiny bow and nocked an arrow with murderous intent — but the goddess was interrupted by her own brother.
Apollo stepped in front of the arrow’s path, staring his sister down as her arm trembled with the burden of holding thebowstring taut. He placed a hand atop the weapon, her face rippling with contradictory emotion, until eventually she relented and dropped her bow.
Athena was spared.
Hera shrieked her frustration, her furious gaze swinging to where Leander and I still slashed, ducked, and stabbed at each other. Her golden brows narrowed as she met Leander’s savage grin.
