Page 256 of Blood of Hercules
I sat up straighter.
Herculeswas the eight-letter word engraved on the fabric I’d been found in as a baby. It was a name, not a label.
The hairs on my arms stood up.
A bad feeling rolled through me.
Everything was happening in slow motion, like I was in the middle of a car crash.
Vyco raised his head.
“There was a Titan attack at the House of Zeus during a federation meeting,” he said. “The Spartans were all meeting in the other room, and I’d just arrived and was in the hall. Hercules’s nurses died in front of me. In the chaos, I grabbed the baby and leaped. I ended up in a rural wasteland—then there was blood everywhere, and I was convulsing—I passed out... when I woke up, I was alone, and the baby was gone. I assumed it had been killed by Titans or a wild creature.”
Patro looked up, eyes blazing red. “He’s telling the truth.”
“You said you saw the baby die!” Zeus bellowed as he rounded on Vyco.
Vyco shook his head. “I thought I did. It was anunprotectedbaby—there was blood and monsters attacking. It’s what I thought happened.”
“That’s the truth,” Patro announced, eyes still bloodred.
Zeus turned to Hades, who had fog pouringoff him.
They shared a long look.
At that moment, the scar on my sternum prickled, and I rubbed at it. My hand stilled. I’d had the mark since I was a baby.
It’s a perfectly straight line.
Someone tried to stab me.
Shivers traveled down my spine, and my gut told me that Vyco’s story wasn’t the entire truth.
Something else was going on here.
Something bigger than what was being said.
Zeus’s voice rang out, his gaze still locked on Hades. “Vyco—you withheld information about the kidnapping of my goddaughter. You will be dealt with later.”
Wait, if he’s my godfather, then who’s my...
Hades walked toward me. His midnight-black eyes and tall, lean build were uncannily familiar. Snow swirled around him.
He stopped in front of where I was sitting, then fell to his knees.
“Daughter—it’s really you?” Tears shone in his eyes, and long pale fingers shook as they reached slowly for a curl that had escaped. “You look so much like your mother.”
“Hercules!” Persephone flung herself to her knees before me. Her dark-gold skin was a familiar shade.
Her mane of blonde curls matched mine; it was just lighter. Wide-blue eyes stared at me as she clutched my face, then she burst into sobs.
“They made my baby do the crucible,” she wailed as she clutched at me. “You poor darling angel.” She brushed curls back off my forehead. “You must have been so scared.”
I stared back at her.
Frozen.
Unable to find any words.
