Page 232 of Bonds of Hercules
My world turned upside down.
Everything slowed as I stumble-crawled toward her. Shoving the boys aside, I pulled down her toga, inspecting her sternum for wounds.
There was nothing.
No.
Her eyes were glazed over, face tight with excruciating pain.
“You …” My voice sounded garbled, like it had come from someone else, far, far away. “Itcan’tbe.”
I blinked—I was partially lying beside Alexis in a collapsed heap. I didn’t remember moving.
Her lashes fluttered, face full of agony.
“You … feel it … too?”
In slow motion, Alexis nodded, curling in on herself.
“FUCK.”
Someone tried to pull me away from her, and I threw a blind punch, agony strumming, hot lava dripping down my front.
“KHARON …HELP!” I bellowed, trying to get him to understand as she twitched with torture beside me.
Hades smacked me across the face.
I didn’t feel a thing.
The pain across my sternum was too great.
His expression was frantic as he pulled me close. “What’s happening to her? Explain what’s …”
His voice warped in and out as I sank toward unconsciousness, then clawed out:Help Alexis, help Alexis, help Alexis. The repeating thought was the only thing keeping me awake.
“Augustus, explain what’s …” Hades shook me back and forth.
Poco climbed up and rubbed at our hearts like he was trying to help.
“EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW WHY MY DAUGHTER IS IN PAIN!” Hades bellowed straight into my face, his words piercing through the haze.
“Kharon—” I gasped. “Our bond … feel … his pain … him …help.”
Hades’s eyes widened with panic, and his edges blurred—Crack—he leapt away.
He’ll fix it.
That was what I needed to be doing, but I could barely move.
I heaved onto my side—Alexis’s face hovered near mine.
We rasped together.
Suffering.
Crimson splattered on her forehead as it dripped from my eyes.
“I love you,” I mouthed, unable to speak, the edges of my vision turning pitch-black.
