Page 26 of Bonds of Hercules
Poco repositioned himself into a fuzzy lump on my chest.
“Did you see Hermos?” Agatha asked as she stood up from where she was sitting on the floor. She stalked across the room and got in my face.
Poco hissed and tried to bite her.
She jumped back out of his reach.
“Hermos is in a … coma,” I croaked, fighting through nausea. “Head all wrapped.”
“Screw you,” Agatha said as she whirled around and pointed a finger accusingly at Kharon. “You just had to fuckingshoothim.”
“He’s lucky he’s still alive,” he said dismissively.
Agatha snarled.
Kharon pushed past her. “How is Alexis? Is she … okay?” he asked me softly.
I shook my head no.
“Of course she’s not okay,” Patro sneered from where he was still leaning against the far wall. “She’s married toyou.”
Grunts echoed as Kharon threw himself at Patro and they wrestled.
Tiny black fingers covered my ears.
At the end of the couch, Drex muttered what sounded like a prayer to Jesus?He’s not going to help you here. This is Sparta.
Poco forgot what he was doing and started playing with my earlobe. He stuck a tiny finger deep into my ear.
Crack.
I peeked open my eyes.
Achilles materialized in the middle of the room in a cloud of smoke, with Poppae and Nero crouched at his feet.
Kharon and Patro had pulled apart, both looking guilty, like they were trying to hide the fact that they were fighting from Achilles.
Achilles signed something rapidly to Patro and handed him a scroll.
As Patro read it, Achilles threw himself down on the couch beside me, rubbing at his temples like he was exhausted.
An unlit cigarette hung between the grates of his muzzle.
Drex whimpered with fear on the other side of the couch, and we rolled our eyes, sharing a long-suffering look—this new Olympian boy isn’t going to last a week in the Assembly of Death.
I stiffened.
“Stay away from Alexis,” I whispered. As my half brother who also grew up in the House of Ares, I’d always considered him my closest family next to Helen.
Red eyes flashed as Achilles arched a brow mockingly.
I reached for my gun holster.
He mimicked the gesture.
He’s not family anymore.
Poco hissed at Achilles, then he pointed his tiny finger and mimed shooting at him. Kharon had spent the last months teaching him the gesture.
