Page 244 of Bonds of Hercules
YOWL.
I turned—Fluffy Jr. had ripped out the throat of the lion and was standing over its dead carcass, his maw dripping blood. He pranced with glee atop it, pulverizing it to pieces. The hump on his back was also glowing.Is it … moving?
Another roar echoed.
Scales slithered around my ankle as Nyx returned to my side.
“Two down, six to go,” she hissed. “Easy.”
As if they heard her, three lions charged forward together. “I call the left one!” Nyx shouted, sounding excited. I turned to the middle one and Fluffy Jr. sprinted at the one to my right.
This time, the lion didn’t leap.
It came to a stop in front of my spear and roared.
Internally, I was screaming in horror. Externally, I lunged forward at the beast. The lion stumbled back, fangs flashing.
In my peripheral vision, a lion dropped dead, convulsing.Nyx.There was a murmur of confusion from the crowd.
Roars and grunts sounded from across the sand as Fluffy Jr. fought.
Movement flashed and I scurried backward, waving my spear. A buzzing sensation scoured my hands. It was hard to grip my spear.
Oh god.The four remaining lions stalked forward, sensing the weakest prey—me. Golden coats gleaming, their maws were open and ready.
Backing away, I kept waving the spear back and forth.
They followed, playing with their kill, waiting for an opening.
This was how I died.
“Your power!” Hades shouted from somewhere nearby, the rest of his message drowned out by the shrieking crowd.
Right.
The power I don’t know how to use!
Fuck me.
My palms burned.
The lions were approaching.
A split second of lost focus, and I’d be mauled to death. If I got close enough to bleed on them, I’d already be dead.
Movement flashed in my blind spot.
In slow motion, I turned my head to the side.
A lion was leaping straight toward me, paws and claws distended, jaw open wide—I hadn’t seen it coming, there was no time to stab.
I grabbed my spear with two hands and held the bar up defensively, eyes closing.
Hundreds of pounds of beast slammed into my body—something slammed against my skull—I saw stars—teeth snapped at my neck—I held the bar up to its open jaw—teeth clacked around titanium—I barely held it back—drool dripped onto me—claws streaked across my side—I screamed—its breath was hot—teeth snapped closer, my arms giving out.
Weight slammed down and I was crushed into the sand.
Breath knocked from my limbs.
