Page 278 of Bonds of Hercules
They rattled and hid under long tresses of black hair, shaking with fear.
I grabbed the tube of the mask, and yanked it off her face.
The machine beeped, its green lights flickering off. The screen went blank, and the whirring sound stopped as it powered down.
Medusa took a deep breath, her chest rising.
Long dark lashes fluttered open, pastel lavender eyes met mine, and her mouth opened—she slumped back, unconscious.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I put my arm under her shoulders and hauled her off the table.
Grunting, I staggered, carrying her out of the cell, down the stone hall.
She was just skin and bones in my arms, but my legs still wobbled. I could barely support myself.
“Follow me,” Nyx hissed as she led the way through the infamous prison.
We turned a corner, and strange beasts flung themselves at titanium bars, roaring at us.
I barely heard them.
Each step sent agony shooting through my bullet wound; I dragged us both forward.
Clawed hands stuck out between the bars. Gruesome fangs flashed as creatures bellowed.
We were causing a commotion.
Crack.
Smoke filled the hall.
“Who’s down here?” a male voice echoed, bouncing off the rocks. He sounded furious.
Mentally screaming, I looked around hopelessly.
There were prisoners reaching on either side.
Nowhere to go.
Nowhere to hide.
A spiky silver crown, glinting with rubies, came into view.
“Daughter—what… are you doing?” Hades stepped out of the shadows, eyes widening as he looked from me to the woman hanging limp with her arm draped across my shoulders. “Is that—”
“Medusa.” I nodded jerkily, struggling to keep my balance.
The name hung explosively in the air.
We both waited for the detonation.
Hades tilted his head to the side, as if sizing up something he’d never seen before.
“She’s the property of the federation,” he said slowly. “She’s held in their section of the prison. I have no jurisdiction over her. There’s nothing I can do to—”
“I don’t expect you to help.” I cut him off, arm straining as I held her up. “This is all me. I’mmakinga choice.”
I stared down at the floor, waiting for his censure.
