Page 33 of Bonds of Hercules
Fresh blood dripped from her eyes, ears, and mouth—Augustus was torturing her.
Her dirt-encrusted hair was pink, the color unmistakable. I’d seen the same shade at the top ofThe Falcon Chronicles.
Ceres.
I was standing in front of the muse who’d betrayed me to Theros. The one who’d recently disappeared. The report said there was little concrete evidence, but the circumstantial proof was damning. She was a longtime spy for the House of Zeus.
Myhusbandshad been the ones who’d kidnapped her.
Chains clattered in the far corner as another prisoner groaned in agony.
“Uh—kid,” Nyx hissed. “Whatare you doing?”
I took a shaky step back.
“Help me,” Ceres demanded with a growl. She grunted, chains clanking as she pulled at them frantically. “Help!”
Hades’s advice drifted through my mind.
Ceres tipped her head back and screamed with frustration, the sound of a broken woman.
“Did you … help Theros kill all those children?” I asked softly.
Ceres went still, eyes widening.
“Did you assist Theros?” I repeated. “Yes or no?”
I stood outside the entrance to the dungeon, in the villa’s ornate hall, blocking Ceres from Augustus and Kharon’s view.
We’d barely made it out of the dungeon.
Helen stood beside me in her nightgown with her hands on her hips.
The gilded hall was dark with shadowy candlelight. Decorative marble statues glared down at me.
I was covered in sweat, heart pounding painfully.
I’d decided to free Ceres from the dungeon without anyone knowing.
The releasing part went smoothly, the secrecy partnotso much.
Helen had heard me slip out of bed and had followed me. She’d confronted me in the dungeon.
When I’dfinallyconvinced Helen not to tell anyone—just when we’d crept out of the darkness into the hall—Kharon and Augustus had appeared.
Apparently, I’d set off one of the villa’s alarm systems.
Now Augustus scowled down at a pager device for the tenth time. “Itsaysthe security perimeter was breached and that two Spartans leapt into the villa.”
I opened my mouth—my voice cracked, throat closing over with fear. No words emerged.
“It’s wrong,” Helen stated calmly beside me. “I told you, no one left. I followed Alexis out of bed, and then she freed Ceres. That’sallthat happened.”
Kharon made a choking sound, eyes narrowed with fury like he didn’t know what the truth was. His hellhounds stood at his feet.
Poco was perched on Augustus’s shoulder, his fluffy arms crossed indignantly.
Make them believe you.
