Page 164 of Bonds of Hercules

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It took me a second to remember—that was me.

I walked quickly toward the altar—Zeus’s gray-eyed stare was intense—Ceres’s warning washed over me.

I bumped against the edge of the altar and stumbled back.

The weight of everyone’s stares was suffocating; the quiet was oppressive.

Zeus cleared his throat.

“Expose your sternum.” A voice growled to my left and I jumped as Ajax appeared in my blind spot.

It was strange being slightly taller than a man, since I was used to looking up at Chthonics; I’d forgotten that I was a large woman.

It was a nice reminder.

Stepping away from Ajax, I pulled at the high neck of my toga. Right. I just needed to show my clavicle.Easy.

The fabric didn’t budge.

“Fuck.” Swearing under my breath, I tugged, but my clammy hands slipped across the silk, which was surprisingly durable.

Of course I’d get the toga made with exquisite craftsmanship.

Dear God, why do you keep doing this to me?

“You can do it,” Nyx hissed encouragingly. “Just tense your core and rip.”

Face flaming with heat, I pulled harder and nothing happened. Panic and embarrassment were an inferno inside my sternum.

This was hell.

I stared down at the layers of my toga and started to pull my arm from a sleeve. I just needed to get a different angle.

RIPPPPP.

It took me a second to process that hands were violently holding the top of my toga open.

Air blew across my stomach.

Ajax held the torn fabric, exposing the lacy pink bra I’d borrowed from Helen all the way down to the bow on the top of my underwear.

His knuckles were pressed against my exposed chest.

“Release me,” I said.

Ajax snarled something in my face, but I couldn’t hear it over the rushing in my ears—I grabbed at the silk, roughly pulling it from his hands.

The dice clattered across the altar.Wait, why are they sparking with electricity?

“THREE ROUNDS—TWELVE LABORS!”

Zeus’s voice was like a gunshot in the too-quiet coliseum.

What?

Ajax said something and stepped toward me, but I couldn’t hear him over the whooshing in my ears.

He reached for me.

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