Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Medora threw her at me. I made no attempt to catch the traitor, looking on with a raised brow as she crumpled at my feet.
“Alexander and his men will take her into custody. You four have ridden with us long enough.”
My guards fell in around me. I joined the watchers solo and somehow picked up three hangers-on along the way. Father said I wasn’t to travel Olympia without guards. He was used to his orders being obeyed.
“Say goodbye, ladies,” Medora gruffed. “You had your fun using these boys as stress relief, but now it’s back to the real work.”
“Stress relief? Is that what you call what me, Larisa, Katherine, and Hali got up to last night?” I mockingly bowed. “If that’s the case, ladies, you may use me shamelessly whenever the mood strikes you.”
Larisa laughed—far from embarrassed. Joining the watchers was no easy decision, seeing as it came with a vow to never marry, never have children, and never leave. They patrolled for eleven months out of the year with only women for company. There was a reason I preferred to spend my summers with the watchers. Uncomplicated sex was all they served, and my table was fit for a buffet.
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Larisa teased. “Have fun with that.” The that in question being my new charge. “Tell the council we recommend execution. She dove right into the typhons’ storm for a reason. She was hoping the beasts would kill us so she could make her escape.” Larisa spat on her cheek. The woman had excellent aim. “Filthy traitor.”
The watchers cleared out, leaving us with the new unwelcome member of our team.
Castor stepped forward. “Alex, we’re low on food and water too. Why should we bother carting her back to the palace when we know the sentence? She’ll be executed for even making it this far.” A hard, scarred face peered at me from under his hood. “I say we kill her now and be done with it.”
I didn’t spare a glance at the woman at my feet. Turning my back, I said, “Fine with me.”
Heat warmed my neck as the son of Hephaestus summoned his flames. I wondered if she would wake in time to burn to death.
“Stop,” Jason barked. “It is not our place to hand down sentences. Besides, are we pretending we didn’t hear what that creature insinuated? If she is Marcus’s assassin, his family deserves to look in her eyes when the jury orders her death.”
I didn’t slow my stride. “Bring her or don’t. What difference does it make to me?”
I hopped on my horse, clicking my tongue to spur him on. The cloudless, clear sky bared no trace of the tragedy. No, the evidence of it remained in the exploded entrails marring the clearing, and the once-prosperous forest that would be yellowing grass and rotted fruit in a few days’ time.
But wasn’t that always the way? The gods ripped the heavens open and spewed their messes for us to clean up. What did a man care about stepping on an anthill? The ruin of their home was just another stroll through town for him.
I sneered at my maudlin thoughts. My father was right. Bringing mind-healers into the Deucalion Army to “discuss our mental wounds” was a soppy, feeble waste of time. How would whining and wailing help? There would always be another monster, another battle, another death, another wound. Better to get the fuck up and rebuild that anthill. The next boot that comes won’t stop to hear your feelings.
Rolling my neck, I glanced back at what remained of the typhons. What was worth discussing was how quickly I took down five beasts of their size. All of the usual lectures waiting for me at home would falter. My time with the watchers—tracking down traitors and killing every monster we came across—improved my abilities in every way. No one could say my summer would’ve been better spent behind the gilded gates of Trono City, practicing dull drills in the training room.
Maybe we’ll cut close to the Asphodel Mountain villages and check out the flock of griffins that moved in close by. With focus I’ll shave minutes off my time. Bring down the beasts faster. I flicked to Jason as he hitched the girl over his horse’s back like a saddlebag. Or maybe she’ll give me an excuse—talk back, disobey, or snore in her sleep—and I’ll finish what I should’ve at that cliff.
Smirking, I tapped my heel in her side, pushing Sofi on.
Whichever was fine with me. Practice was practice.
Aella
One hundred and fifteen. One hundred and sixteen. Ooh, a whole bunch, I thought, attention lighting on the patch. Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, and one hundred and twenty-one.
I craned my neck, looking for more dandelions. Counting weeds along the path wasn’t the most exciting way to pass the time, but what else was I supposed to do other than that... and dodge their suspicious looks.