Page 263 of Bonds of Hercules
Skulls were stacked all around.
I’m in a crypt beneath the coliseum.
Marvelous.Not.
Nyx slowly slithered up to my shoulders, her invisible weight comforting. “Are you okay, kid?” she hissed, her tongue flicking against my cheek.
I coughed aggressively. “Hard … no.” My face and side were still throbbing. “How about you?” I whispered under my breath.
“Your power,” Nyx hissed with awe. “It healed me. There’s no pain anymore—I feel amazing.”
Not relatable.
Wiggling my shoulders back and forth, I dug my hand into the pocket of my toga and clutched my calculator with all my might.
“Alexis Hert,” Zeus said from behind me.
I flinched, then sat up as straight as I could. “Call meHercules,” I said, cuts on my lips splitting open.
Zeus walked around the table, light crackling across his skin.
He stopped when he stood across from me, hands resting on the metal.
His scepter was gone.
The two of us were alone.
Perfect.
“What… do you know?” Zeus enunciated each word slowly.
I smiled. “Everything.”
Zeus slapped his hands and leaned forward. “You’re bluffing.” Electricity warmed the stale air.
I held his gaze, face throbbing.
“Vyco,” I said.
Zeus narrowed his eyes. “What … about him?”
“He was working for you.”
“So … what?” Zeus asked slowly.
“At the crucible graduation ceremony.” I cleared my dry throat, projecting my voice and reciting the facts that we both knew. “Vyco said there was a Titan attack at the House of Zeus during the federation meeting, and that he grabbed a baby and leapt away, there was blood everywhere and he passed out. When he woke up, the baby was gone.”
Zeus leaned closer. “And …?”
I inhaled deeply. Everything from this point on was my own speculation.
“He lied.”
Zeus laughed, relief on his face. “Is that what this is all about—isthatthe secret you know?” He laughed louder, skulls rattling as his voice rang.
“There was an attack becauseyouplanned it!” I shouted my suspicions, gasping for air.
Zeus clutched his stomach as he laughed harder.
