Chapter 22 #2
“What the fuck is up with obstacles in the middle of the highway today?” Jayden growls.
“What?” I turn to the road to find a woman dressed in Grecian robes in the middle of the highway.
“Go around her. She could be some kind of monster in disguise or something,” Raven says, pulling a short sword from the ether.
Jayden swerves to go around her but at the last second she steps in our path again. He slams on the brakes, jolting me in my seat and pain lances through my neck as the seat belt rubs against my skin.
“This bitch,” I growl and slam my finger down on the button to release my seat belt. “This is bullshit.”
I throw open my door but Jayden shadow walks to my side of the vehicle. He puts a soothing hand on my shoulder but I glare at him. This isn’t fucking funny. I grip my neck where the seat belt burn still stings and his gaze tracks my movement.
“Fair enough.” He holds up his hands and steps back.
“That’s right. Exactly what I thought,” I seethe as I stalk around him to the woman in the road. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Easy there, daughter of Zeus.” A man materializes next to the woman.
“You obviously didn’t get the memo. I don’t appreciate being called that. I have a name. Learn it or don’t, but don’t address me that way.” I fold my arms over my chest.
“Bethany, please, we are asking for your assistance on a critical matter,” the man says, bowing his head.
“Are you really? Because it sounds like you’re making excuses for bad behavior. Either that or you’re willfully ignorant about the way to ask for help. I haven’t even been given introductions before I was cut from a damn seat belt.”
“My apologies, Beth,” the man says. “This is Pandora and I am Prometheus.”
Jayden stiffens at my side at the name. “The titan who gave fire to humans?”
The others file out of the car and I call my sword and whip to me with my shield and lightning bolt charms. This is about to be a fight. Prometheus should be in Tartarus with the other titans. What the hell is he doing on a highway in South Georgia?
“Yes, that would be correct.” Prometheus nods.
“So that would make her the Pandora with the box?” I ask.
“It was a plinth, but yes,” she says almost meekly.
“How in Hades did you get out of Tartarus?” Jayden asks.
His shadows are a pulsing swirling mass around him and fear collides with desire in my belly. He’s about to lose control. I place a palm on his back in an effort to calm him but he stiffens and turns eyes swirling with black my direction.
“The plinth is gone,” Pandora yells. “He…”
I cut her off. “Do not say that name in my presence. She is hunting me.”
“That’s fair.” She nods. “The queen stole the plinth and restarted the Olympian games of ancient times. The winner of the chariot race wins the plinth. If it’s open, all the hope in the world will be lost and it will plunge humanity into darkness.”
“You.” Jayden points to Prometheus. “Still have not explained how the fuck you’re out of Tartarus. My father would have told me this.”
Jayden is absolutely right to be wary of the titan. We fought several when we were in the underworld retrieving the helm for his father.
“I capitalized on an opportunity some months back and slipped out unnoticed during the chaos in the underworld. I’m not the enemy here,” Prometheus says.
“You got out when the helm was gone.” I narrow my gaze on him. “Why should we help you get the plinth?”
“Do you remember the story of Pandora’s box?” Prometheus asks. “She was given the plinth in her dowry, told to never open it, but curiosity got the better of her. She opened it, unleashing untold horrors on humanity.”
“Not a glowing recommendation for trusting either of you,” I say.
“She closed it back up but the damage was done. The only thing left inside the plinth was hope and if it’s ever opened again, hope will flee humanity too,” Prometheus says.
“How do we know that you don’t wish to open it and doom the world yourselves?” Raven speaks up. “You capitalized on the queen’s crimes to gain freedom. I don’t trust it.”
“Either way, we have to get the plinth before someone else does,” I say with sigh.
“I still don’t trust them,” Jayden says.
“Agreed but we can’t let hope be released from the box.” I cross my arms. “If you’re betraying us, then I will find a way to end you both. Painfully.”
“Noted.” Prometheus smirks. “You can try. I’ve endured torture for millennia.”
“Still don’t recommend trusting this guy,” Jayden says, shaking his head.
“I know but the concern is valid and we have no proof they are working with the queen so I guess we're going on a chariot race.” I frown.
Raven bounces on her toes in excitement for this turn of events.
When Sara was talking about doing a chariot race at the academy, Raven was disappointed we wouldn’t be competing, but with Hermes also an athletic god among other things, it makes sense they would bring back the brutal and bloody Olympic games of Ancient Greece.
This could turn into a terrible decision, but what choice do we really have? Humanity is always in peril and if we don’t try to stop it, no one will.
It’s going to be brutal and bloody battle. I just hope we all survive.