Page 118 of Blood of Hercules
Prayers for whatever cursed soul must marry him this year.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Augustus cleared his throat and turned to the rest of the class. “We’re going to start with a demonstration,” he said, gesturing at the door.
A man walked in.
The newcomer flashed an attractive smile.
It was Drex’s mentor, Theros, heir to the House of Zeus. A gold laurel wreath sat atop his head, and it matched the golden feathers of the vulture, which sat perched on his shoulder.
I waited to feel something as I stared at the person who could potentially be my blood relation. I felt nothing.
He wasn’t Charlie.
Weeks ago, the doctor had said that he was the only heir Zeus had had in centuries.
He was important.
Augustus gestured to Theros. “As an heir from the House of Zeus,” he said, “Theros’s Olympian power is one of the moreusefulones—he’s going to demonstrate how he feels when he engages his abilities so you all can have a reference forwhywe’re meditating so much.”
From Augustus’s disgusted expression as he looked at us, he did not have faith in our rumination abilities.
His smoldering dark eyes locked on mine accusingly.
He can’t know I spent the last meditation imagining Carl Gauss whispering sweet nothings to me while he proved the existence of algebra... right?
He kept staring.
I struggled to swallow.
What if he’s reading my mind right now? What if he’s Chthonic and his power is mind control? What if he’s going to kill me for picturing Carl Gauss naked? What if he knows I’m imagining him in a dress because he’s a racoon mother?—
He arched his brow.
Can you . . . uh . . . hear me?I thought tentatively.
He didn’t look away.
I wanted to throw up; that was definitely a yes.
Squinting with concentration, I thought loudly,PLEASE DO NOT TAKE OVER MY MIND.
The parameters of reality were bleeding around me.
I continued my mental screaming,BLINK ONCE IF YOU CAN UNDER?—
He looked away, and I deflated with relief.
Thank God he didn’t blink. I’m in the clear.
Then the shame hit. I’d officially lost the plot. Just because we’d made eye contact didn’t mean Augustus couldreadmy mind.
Nyx mumbled something in her sleep and tightened around my neck.
I blamed asphyxiation.
“The floor is yours.” Professor Augustus—who I was 90 percent surecouldn’tread minds (maybe, I still had some suspicions)—walked to the left corner of the room.
He disappeared in my blind spot, and I was grateful I couldn’t see him.
