Page 195 of Bonds of Hercules
Grimacing at Drex, I mouthed, “Sorry,” and took it. Rolling the stolen feather between my fingers, it accidentally snapped in two.
“That will be my spine,” Drex said.
I covered my mouth to hide my laugh. It wasn’t funny, but in a veryrealsense, it was hilarious.
Zeus banged his scepter down and the stone podium sparked. “We welcome our first competitor … Agatha. Kronos has given her two rounds and five labors to prove her worth!”
“We serve you, Kronos!” the stadium chorused back.
Whenever Father John would shout, “Montana heretics burn in the fires of Hell for all of eternity,” we’d respond with “Burn in Hell, sinners!”
This had the same energy.
“Kronos … Kronos … Kronos!” Zeus joined the crowd as all of Sparta was chanting his name.
Agatha walked out.
Everyone stomped, the force field sputtering.
Agatha’s long ruby-colored hair hung straight down her back, her pale creature skin almost translucent. She wasn’t wearing any armor, but a longsword blade glinted as she spun and raised it up.
She was all alone.
Now that I thought about it, I’d never seen her with a protector.Is it because she’s part Empusa?
Steel rattled as the gate rolled up.
Four Olympian guards stepped out in full battle armor—golden helmets concealed their faces—each of them held two swords.
She’s fighting Olympians?
Thunder boomed, closer than before.
A shocked murmur rumbled through the stadium as they realized some of their own were down there. From the growing sounds of outrage, this wasnota normal occurrence.
My stomach twisted as the guards approached, twirling their two swords with practiced ease.
Agatha threw her sword down into the sand as she tipped back her head and laughed with giddiness.What the heck?
Her laughter turned into a screeching cackle as her features morphed—pale skin peeled away, revealing a skeletal monstrous face—her jaw unhinged down to her chest.
Sharp jagged teeth protruded.
A disturbing clicking noise came from Agatha’s distended jaw—it grew in intensity, a metronome of insidious clacks.
The Olympian guards stopped approaching.
They stood up straighter like they were possessed, dropped their weapons, and didn’t move.Are they paralyzed?
Ruby hair floating in the air behind her, Agatha kept clicking as she sauntered toward the Olympian men.
“She’s amazing,” Drex sighed dreamily, like he had a crush.Oh nice, we’re both attracted to lunatics.
Charlie and Helen turned away.
Wait, what do they know?I racked my brain, trying to remember what Empusa did to their prey.
Ten minutes later, I blinked in shock, my mouth gaping as I could do nothing but stare down at the arena.
