Page 22 of Bonds of Hercules
The ancient symbol of life and death was splattered with unnaturally vibrant blood, which meant a Spartan was hemorrhaging, excessively.
My stomach sank.
The doctor bowed shakily to Hades. “I’m going to contact my colleagues and get her the newest Olympian paste,” she said in a rush. “For the damage.”
Hades nodded, and she leapt away.
Olympian research laboratories produced lifesaving medical products.
I stared down at the WSDL engraving on my gun.
Ares started the weapons company, formerly called Death Tools. He specialized in spiky spears nicknamedlizard killers; the slain flopped around on them before they died.
Ares refused to manufacture anything else, even though they didn’t perform well in modern times, so the other Chthonic leaders gave the business to me.
He’d never forgiven me for taking it over and renaming it WSDL, even though the inheritance laws were written in the company’s bylaws.
I rubbed at my facial scar, the one he gave me.
There was a loud creaking as the door to the sterile white medical room swung back and forth. Inside, two figures were hooked up to beeping machines.
Fuck.
Hermos had a thick cast wrapped around his head (Kharon’s handiwork).
Alexis was across from him lying on a gurney, covered head to toe in bandages—half of her face was swollen and bruised, a sickly shade of purple under the neon lights. Her strange protector lay with its head on its paws on the floor beside her bed.
She was shot and leapt three times. It’s all your fault.
I should have acted sooner. I should have stopped her, but I’d wanted to respect her autonomy.
No woman should ever be so heavily bandaged, and certainly notmywoman.
She should be always guarded. Coddled. Pampered.
Your wife is injured under your fucking watch. You’re a Kronos damned disgrace of a man.
The pounding in my skull escalated as the door swung.
“What are you doing?” Hades’s voice echoed like a gunshot and Cerberus growled. “Only leaders are allowed here. You were told to wait in the rec room.”
Ares looked at me with disgust, then turned and left, leaving me alone with the other leader.
Fuck you, Father.
Hades stepped in front of the door, blocking me from entering the medical room.
I didn’t remember moving forward.
“Why does she look like …that?” My voice shook as I tried to look over his shoulder through the small glass window.
There was a loud sputtering. Everything went dark as the lights all went out at once.
The hall was pitch-black except for Cerberus’s six yellow eyes.
Hades took a step closer.
The generator groaned noisily and there was a whirring—sickly green lights flickered back on weakly, dimmer than before.
