Page 98 of Bonds of Hercules
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but a sharp zap coursed through our marriage bond.
Both Augustus and Kharon straightened to their full height, shoulders pulled back as they spread their legs wide—faces cruel.
Dread washed over me.
“You’re … okay, thank Kronos—we were so fucking worried, we were about to go get …” Patro’s voice sounded behind me, his words echoing off the marble atrium.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as understanding coursed through me. I froze, rooted to the spot. I didn’t turn around.
Augustus stared over my shoulder at the newcomers, his mask of civility disappearing; Kharon never wore one to begin with.
They were both ready for war.
Hell and Hound bristled. Poco stood up on Fluffy Jr.’s back, flashing a mouth of razor-sharp teeth, and chittered viciously.
Poppae hissed behind me, and Nero growled.
Patro cleared his throat. “Alexis—I’m so sorry. I told Achilles he shouldn’t have left you. I can’t believe—” His voice lowered. “It’s my fault.”
I wanted to turn around.
If Patro was here, then so was Achilles.
I wanted to confront him, but right now, my mentors were the lesser threat.
DANGER DETECTED.
Sirens wailed inside my skull.
The House of Artemis and the House of Ares had never looked so volatile.
The heartless Chthonics were back.
The killers.
I held up both my hands pleadingly to my husbands. “Wait—let’s talk about this. There’s no need to overreact.”
Neither acted like they’d heard me.
Their gazes were laser focused on the men standing behind me.
“Oh shit … it’s about to go down,” Nyx hissed with excitement, nudging against my chin as she poked her head out the top of my sweatshirt to get a better view.
I wanted to glance behind, but I was certain if I took my eyes off my husbands for even a split second, there would be unholy carnage.
My mind raced. I needed to defuse the tension.
“I f-forgive them.” I looked at Kharon imploringly. It wasn’t true. Not really. But I needed to do something. “It’s okay—I’mfine. It all worked out in the end.”
Nothing worked out.
Augustus’s eyes darted to my ear, then back to the men behind me, and a vein in Kharon’s forehead pulsed.
That was my only warning.
Air whistled against my cheeks as my curls lifted and whipped across my face—in complete silence, too quickly for my eyes to track, Kharon and Augustus moved across the marble.
I turned in slow motion.
