Chapter 41 The Eldest Heir #2
As a boy, they’d mutilated his legs and watched him crawl desperately across the sand. Then the Olympians had dragged him back into the arena, branded his chest until he passed out from pain, and left him to crawl out for a second time.
They thought they’d broken him.
But Kharon was now grinning, sauntering without a care in the world, and shoving it back in their faces. Sharp pain streaked up my knee with each of his steps, but he gave nothing away.
The stadium chanted, “House of Artemis!” with growing fervor—none of them could even comprehend the hell he’d endured.
If the House of Ares was all about physical torment, the House of Artemis was a study in psychological games.
Scarlet mist expanded around Artemis as Kharon saluted up at her.
He stopped in the middle of the arena, pulled a silver arrow from his back holster, and cocked his bow.
“House of Artemis … Hunter … House of Artemis …” The chant increased in decibel as all of Sparta joined in.
The gate slowly opened.
Squakkkkkkkk.
Leathery black and green scales slithered through the sand.
Someone shrieked.
Cracks echoed around the arena, people disappearing in clouds of smoke, as cowardly Olympians leapt away to safety.
Not again.
Hades fisted his hands with rage and shouted, “What in Kronos is this?” All the leaders stood up. Aphrodite pointed down at Zeus—“EXPLAIN YOURSELF.”
Zeus didn’t take his eyes off Kharon.
Three Typhons slithered across the sand.
The twenty-foot-long, thick-bellied serpentine beasts had monstrous beaks on their wide humanesque faces. Clap. Clap. Clap. Short leathery black wings flapped uselessly as they moved.
Class seven beasts.
Designation: kill on sight.
They lived on abandoned islands in the Adriatic Sea. At night, they infamously slithered into the water, hunting sharks that lived in underwater caves. Highly territorial and dangerous—their saliva boiled flesh.
The ultimate monsters of Sparta.
Zeus smiled, electricity zapping across his teeth as he watched them advance on Kharon.
Yes, this was war.
Squakkkkkkkk.
Kharon loosed an arrow—with perfect accuracy, it burrowed deep into one of the Typhon’s open beaks.
Green blood sprayed.
The creature gagged as it choked, tail thrashing wildly beneath it. An arrow slammed into one eye, then the other. The beast crashed down onto the sand, twitching as it choked on the weapon.
But the other two Typhons were heading directly for Kharon.
One of the Typhons spit—Kharon and both hellhounds rolled at the same time. They dodged the sizzling pile of goop melting the sand where he’d just stood.
They ran, circling around the remaining two Typhons.
Squakkkkkkkk.
Kharon unleashed another arrow straight into an open beak—a second beast choked, flailing about. Hell and Hound jumped from behind—teeth sinking deep into the creature’s serpentine neck as they mauled it.
The last standing Typhon whirled in a circle, its eye remaining on Kharon, who was stalking around it with his bow cocked, waiting.
It didn’t squawk.
Time stretched, but the beast never opened its beak wide.
It was smarter than the others—it had learned.
Instead, it flung its head to the side, caustic spit shooting from the crack of its beak.
Kharon jumped—the crowd screamed as he narrowly avoided the danger.
Hell and Hound climbed off the second Typhon and crouched low, positioning themselves at the last creature’s back. Kharon tensed in front of it.
All three of them were waiting, cornering the giant beast.
Kharon slowly reached back for another arrow.
The Typhon spit again as it exploded forward, and Kharon jumped straight upward to meet it. With a mighty heave, he slammed the arrow down through the top of the beast’s skull.
Agonizing pain boiled across my chest, and I saw stars.
Someone gasped nearby.
But I could barely see through a haze of pain and squinted lashes. Thud. The beast collapsed to the sand, and Kharon rolled away. His hounds jumped up on the carcass, green blood splattering as they finished it for good.
Everything blurred.
The crowd gasped. I couldn’t see why.
I squinted at the sand, focusing through the throbbing agony.
Kharon staggered up to his feet, clutching the side of his pink chest—his toga had burned away, revealing boiling, blistering skin—the saliva dripping from his chest.
Fuck, he needs to get medical attention.
My uninjured chest throbbed in tandem.
We needed medical attention.
The crowd quieted, waiting to see if he’d fall.
Kharon raised his silver bow with his good arm—and pointed it at Artemis.
He took a bow.
Cheers erupted as those who had remained to watch the fight applauded and stomped, loving the theatrics of it all.
I leaned forward and tried not to pass out.
Run and get help, you fucker. Hurry.
Casually, like his skin wasn’t melting to the bone, Kharon took his time sauntering out of the arena.
I was going to kill him.
Skin boiling, I staggered to my feet. I needed to make sure he got help.
Movement flashed in my peripheral vision, and I tried not to vomit as I clutched my chest.
Drex and Charlie were motioning frantically as they bent over … Alexis?
My wife was slumped back in her seat, clutching at her chest, face pale, mouth open wide as she struggled to breathe.
No.
My world turned upside down.
Everything slowed as I stumble-crawled toward her. Shoving the boys aside, I pulled down her toga, inspecting her sternum for wounds.
There was nothing.
No.
Her eyes were glazed over, face tight with excruciating pain.
“You …” My voice sounded garbled, like it had come from someone else, far, far away. “It can’t be.”
I blinked—I was partially lying beside Alexis in a collapsed heap. I didn’t remember moving.
Her lashes fluttered, face full of agony.
“You … feel it … too?”
In slow motion, Alexis nodded, curling in on herself.
“FUCK.”
Someone tried to pull me away from her, and I threw a blind punch, agony strumming, hot lava dripping down my front.
“KHARON … HELP!” I bellowed, trying to get him to understand as she twitched with torture beside me.
Hades smacked me across the face.
I didn’t feel a thing.
The pain across my sternum was too great.
His expression was frantic as he pulled me close. “What’s happening to her? Explain what’s …”
His voice warped in and out as I sank toward unconsciousness, then clawed out: Help Alexis, help Alexis, help Alexis. The repeating thought was the only thing keeping me awake.
“Augustus, explain what’s …” Hades shook me back and forth.
Poco climbed up and rubbed at our hearts like he was trying to help.
“EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW WHY MY DAUGHTER IS IN PAIN!” Hades bellowed straight into my face, his words piercing through the haze.
“Kharon—” I gasped. “Our bond … feel … his pain … him … help.”
Hades’s eyes widened with panic, and his edges blurred—Crack—he leapt away.
He’ll fix it.
That was what I needed to be doing, but I could barely move.
I heaved onto my side—Alexis’s face hovered near mine.
We rasped together.
Suffering.
Crimson splattered on her forehead as it dripped from my eyes.
“I love you,” I mouthed, unable to speak, the edges of my vision turning pitch-black.
She grunted in agony. “Love you … too.”
Nails digging into stone, I reached for her face.
I couldn’t stop, I needed to fix this, I needed to help her.
Alexis was counting on me.
I would save my wife, or I would die trying.
Kronos save us both.