Chapter 14
WOLFE
"That's Zeus’s wife, Hera. You've probably seen her on television," Hades muttered under her breath.
A scowl tugged at my lips. I had seen her once. Not over a television—Zeus kept his alluring wife tucked away from the screens. No, I had met her before.
I tugged my arm from Hades so I could approach the desk. Hera’s gaze darted around the room, desperation sloughing from her frantic movements. Though she tried to maintain a calm, polite smile, there was tension in her shoulders and jerkiness in her movements.
The world slowed to a sluggish crawl. A ragged gasp ripped from my chest, and in an instant, I was racing toward the front desk. "I remember you!" I shouted.
Her eyes bulged from her head, mortification warping her dainty features.
She lunged from behind the desk and sprinted toward the elevators.
I raised my hand and shot a spike of ice at her, but she narrowly dodged the attack by ducking.
She turned to us as the elevator opened.
Her brown eyes were the size of saucers, and her lips were parted in terror.
She jutted her hand outward and spread her fingers.
Just as the gilded elevator doors started to close between us, a torrent of flames erupted from her palm.
Shit. I forgot Hera was the goddess of the hearth as well.
I dropped to my knees, terror clutching at my throat.
The heat radiating from her fire embraced me in its damning talons, and my mind returned to the familiar scent of burning hair and agony blossoming across my flesh.
I choked back the scream that threatened to escape.
The inferno kept me frozen in place until the elevator doors dinged shut, protecting her from my retaliation.
I flopped onto my hands and knees, doing my best not to throw up.
"What the hell, Wolfe?" Hades barked, her tone somewhere between shock and irritation.
"I knew—I knew I had met her before," I heaved. Ice pulsated from my palms, and a cold sweat had broken over my forehead and nape. A wraith afraid of fire was pathetic; I needed to get ahold of myself. I groaned and swallowed the terror that had built in my throat before crawling to my feet.
"She was the one who hired my cabal to kill you."