by Linsey Hall
The cool breeze blew the hair back from my face as we ascended. The air grew colder, and I shivered and retreated into my jacket.
Maximus’s magic flared on the air, and a warm hat and gloves appeared in his hands. “Here.”
I took them, smiling gratefully, and put them on. “Ahhh. That’s awesome.”
“Glad to be of service.”
I bumped my shoulder against his just to feel him, then looked over at Prometheus. He looked a bit pale as we climbed higher, and I remembered that we were approaching Zeus’s domain. Prometheus probably didn’t want to see the guy, given their history.
I leaned up toward Arges’s ear. “Are you taking us right to Zeus’s place?”
“To the base. We won’t approach his castle, but we’ll get you as close as we can.”
“Thanks.” I looked over at Prometheus. “Since we’re nearly there, you can bail whenever.”
He glanced at me. “Oh, I plan to.”
We rode higher, jostling along. Snow began to fall, and there was a thick accumulation of it on the ground. We were so high up that the air was thin and cold.
“Winter sucks on Olympus,” Prometheus muttered. “The poets never speak of that.”
I wouldn’t say that it sucked—it was really quite beautiful, with the sparkling white stuff covering the huge trees and boulders—but it was cold. My breath began to puff out as little white clouds.
“Nearly there,” Arges said.
We had almost reached the clouds, and when we entered them, the air was cold and damp. I could barely see more than ten feet in front of my face.
A moment later, we broke through the cloud layer, arising into the bright sunlight. It gleamed off the golden marble castle that crouched on the mountaintop several hundred feet above us.
“That is Zeus’s domain.” Arges pointed at it, then moved his finger to indicate a lower level. “And that is where I am taking you.”
I dragged my gaze from the golden castle and spotted the white settlement down below. It didn’t appear as if anyone lived there, but the white marble columns and platforms made it look like some kind of strange ceremonial center.
Arges climbed right to it, then took us down from his shoulder and set us in the middle of the space below the castle. It was about the size of a football field, with massive columns all around. Six large platforms made of more white marble were situated in a circle around an open area in the middle.
Steropes deposed Prometheus and set him next to us. “Goodbye, new friends, and best of luck.”
With that, the Cyclopes disappeared down the mountainside.
Prometheus shivered and glared around the place, eventually turning his gaze up toward Zeus’s castle, which sat on the rocks about a hundred feet above. His scowl deepened, and when I followed his gaze, I spotted an enormous man standing on the ramparts of the castle.
The man’s beard and long, flowing hair were as white as the marble upon which he stood. Even from this distance, I could see his blue eyes blazing down at us. In his hand, he gripped a crooked golden rod, and I realized it was shaped like a lightning bolt.
Awe filtered through me. “Zeus.”
I didn’t like a lot of the things Zeus had done, but he was still the most powerful Greek god in existence. It was hard not to be a little awed by the magnitude of his power, even as I disagreed with how he used it.
“The bastard himself.” Prometheus turned to us. “Well, I’ve fulfilled my side of the bargain. You’re here. Try not to die.”
A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. “That’s at the top of my to-do list every day.”
Maximus inclined his head in a goodbye.
Prometheus turned back to Zeus and flipped him the bird, waving his hand around so the god was sure to see the middle finger. He grinned widely as he did it, then glanced at me. “This is half the reason I came this far.”
Oh fates, he’s going to piss off the most powerful god there is!
Before Zeus could retaliate, Prometheus moved his hand in a large circle, creating the same terrifyingly windy portal that he’d made back in Istanbul. Without hesitating, he stepped into it and was gone.
Warily, I glanced up at Zeus, who was scowling at the empty space Prometheus had left behind. He didn’t seem to be about to throw a lightning bolt at us, so my shoulders relaxed.
I turned to inspect the space upon which we stood. “I wonder if we should go up to the castle?”
“I have no idea.” Maximus frowned up at Zeus. “He doesn’t look particularly welcoming.”
“But he’s not firing lightning bolts at us, so I’ll take that as a good thing.”
Maximus wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tugged me to him in a quick hug. “I like how you think.”
“This place feels powerful, doesn’t it?” I could feel the magic vibrating through my body, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t all coming from Zeus. “It feels as if it’s imbued with ancient magic.”
“It does.” Maximus released my shoulders and strode into the middle of the space. “There’s definitely something special here.”
I followed him, entering the open area that sat in the middle of the large stone platforms. Each looked like they were big enough to hold a rock band.
“This has to be something ceremonial.” Was I supposed to do something here? At this point, I was pretty much out of ideas.
A shriek sounded from above, and I jumped, nearly coming out of my skin. Heart pounding, I looked upward.
A massive bird flew in the pure blue sky. It had wings so big that I could barely conceive of it.
“Holy fates.” I staggered backward. “That’s not a bird.”
“It’s a dragon.” Awe echoed in Maximus’s voice.
I blinked up at the massive creature, barely able to process it. Dragons were incredibly rare creatures. The only one that I’d ever seen was Ladon, the Greek dragon I’d met in the Garden of the Hesperides, and Arach, the dragon spirit who presided over the Protectorate castle. Arach was usually in her ghostly human form, though, so that didn’t quite count.
This dragon had glittering black scales and enormous wings. Its long neck was graceful and its tail powerful. Spikes protruded from its back, each streaked through with red.
“That looks like Ladon,” I said.
“It does.” Maximus pointed right. “There’s another.”
I looked over, joy jumping in my chest as I saw another dragon. This one was bigger and stockier, with a wider body and a much shorter neck. The scales were a brilliant green, and the horns were enormous. “It’s a totally different kind of dragon.”
“That one, too.” Maximus pointed again, and I followed the gesture, spotting a red dragon.
Movement to the right caught my eye. “And another!”
This one was blue. Within seconds, we saw two more. The six of them circled the sky, flying overhead.
“I think they’re checking us out,” Maximus said.
Delight warred with fear inside my body. Dragons were an unknown. Ladon had helped us once, but would these dragons? Or would they want to eat us?
A tiny part of me wanted to run and hide—heck, I was no moron—but it was a terrible idea. We needed to stand our ground.
Actually, maybe only I needed to stand my ground. I didn’t want to risk Maximus’s life on my hunch. “Go hide.”
His head swiveled on his neck, and he shot me an incredulous look. “You’re going to stand out here, and you expect me to go hide?”
“Fine.” I realized what a dumb idea it was. With him giving me that look, it was hard not to. “I just wanted to protect you.”
His expression softened. “I know. But I’m not hiding while you wait to meet a bunch of dragons. One, I want to meet them, too. And two, if they decide to eat you, I’m not going to watch from a hiding place.”
“Good point.” I smiled at him, glad to have him at my back.
He grinned, and the feeling that bloomed in my chest was so warm and bright that
it felt like my heart was turning into the sun and rising. I gasped, stunned by the feeling.
The dragons shrieked again, all six in unison, and my gaze was dragged upward.
They descended gracefully toward the ground, flying in a clockwise circle as they approached. One by one, each landed on a stone platform.
Awed, I spun in a circle to take them all in. Their magic rolled over me in an intense wave, making me feel lightheaded and powerful all at the same time.
They were all remarkably different up close, each a different species. Perhaps even a different culture. The blue one looked a lot like a Chinese dragon from illustrations that I’d seen, while the red one looked like the dragon that decorated the Welsh flag. There was also a gold dragon, a green one with three heads, and one that appeared to be made of ice. Since Ladon was definitely the Greek dragon, these ones must’ve been from other places.
I’m meeting the Council of Dragons.
I didn’t know if that was what they formally called themselves, but that was what they appeared to be.
I turned toward Ladon, since he was the only one I knew. I drifted my hand toward my pocket, where I still kept the magical scale he’d given me. It turned into a boat upon command, and it was still one of the best gifts I’d ever received.
Instinct made me bow low, and Maximus did the same. I stayed that way for a few moments, then rose.
“Hello, Ladon.” I spun in a circle again, my gaze landing on each dragon in turn. “Hello.”
I wished I had something cleverer to say, but apparently six enormous dragons were enough to strike one dumb.
“Rowan Blackwood. Dragon God.” Before, the dragon had spoken in my mind. This time, he spoke out loud. Was it the magic of Olympus that made that possible? Ladon turned his clever gaze to Maximus. “Maximus Valerius, gladiator.”
“I was sent to you by the Great One of the Amazons,” I said.
“Yes, we’ve been waiting.” Ladon gestured to the dragon nearest him, the one who looked like he could lead a Chinese New Year’s parade. “This is Lóng, my Chinese compatriot.”
Ladon went around the circle, introducing me to the golden Indian dragon named Nāga, the green Slavic dragon named Zmiy, the red Welsh dragon named Y Ddraig Goch, and an Arctic dragon named Siku. Each nodded at me in turn, and the enormity of the situation made it nearly impossible for me to do anything more than nod in response.
It felt like my insides were full of butterflies—so many that I might lift off into the air at any moment.
“You are here to complete your transformation into a Dragon God so that you may defeat the Titans,” Ladon said.
I nodded. “Complete my transformation into what?”
Please say dragon. Oh fates, I was about to pass out from excitement. If he said dragon, I probably would.
“That is yet to be determined,” Ladon said.
Dang. But that didn’t mean no dragon.
“What must I do?” I asked.
“I have seen you and believe in your strength.” Ladon gestured to his companions. “But they have not. You must go on a journey to prove yourself.”
I nodded. “Anything.”
“You must go to the forest where Medusa dwells and return with her heads. You will find her by following the whistle.”
Crap. Medusa? She was the dangerous one who turned people to stone. That was going to be tough. I glanced at Maximus, and he looked concerned as well.
“Is there anything else I need to do?” I asked.
Ladon shook his head. “Do it quickly. And here.” He climbed down off of his platform, his massive body graceful despite its bulk. He walked toward me, then handed me a sharp, curved object.
“A dragon’s claw.” Awe shot through me. The claw was about six inches long and gleamed like opals. I looked over toward Siku, the Arctic dragon. The claw matched the ones that tipped her toes, and she inclined her head.
“It will help you with Medusa,” she said.
Was I supposed to stab her with it?
“Go now. And be quick.” Ladon’s words dragged me away from my question, and before I could voice it, the ether sucked me in and spun me through space.
When it spat me out in a shady forest, I gasped and stumbled, barely managing to keep my feet. Maximus appeared next to me.
“Did you get all of that?” I asked him.
He nodded. “But there was something strange that he said. We are supposed to retrieve Medusa’s heads. Plural. But she only has one head.”
“He didn’t speak out loud before, in the Garden of the Hesperides. Maybe he’s not used to it.”
Maximus frowned. “Perhaps.”
The forest shifted around us, the trees almost seeming to move. I stiffened, going on the alert, and spun in a circle to inspect our surroundings. Massive white trees surrounded us in the woods, their branches devoid of leaves. The forest floor was clear of underbrush, and the whole place vibrated with magic.
“She must live in this forest,” I said.
“Hiding, perhaps.”
I tilted my head, listening for the whistle that Ladon had mentioned. After a moment, I heard it, faintly. I pointed in the proper direction. “I hear the whistle from over there.”
“So do I.”
“We’ll need a mirror to defeat her,” I said. “We can’t look directly upon her, but if we see her through a mirror, we may be all right.”
Maximus nodded, conjuring two mirrors in plastic frames. “Since we don’t know where she’ll be, we should navigate using the mirror.”
“Good plan.” I didn’t like the idea of becoming a statue by mistake because I unintentionally looked at her when she stepped out from behind a tree. If I did something that dumb, I’d probably end up in a museum with a sign that said Statue of a Moron.
I took the mirror from Maximus and held it so it showed the forest in front of me. It was a crappy way to travel, but if I used my animal hearing, it’d give me an advantage.
“Let’s go,” Maximus said.
As we crept through the woods, my heart started to pound in my chest. Looking through the mirror majorly upped the tension. The tiny window made it hard to see, and enemies could be lurking anywhere. Medusa might not be a giant monster with claws and fangs, but she was more dangerous. One mistaken look and…done.
Fear shivered over my spine. Would I be conscious if I were still a statue, trapped inside the stone forever?
Oh fates, that sounded awful.
In fact, it sounded a lot like my time in captivity with the Rebel Gods. I’d been under a spell most of the time. Sometimes I’d been totally unaware of my environment and actions, but other times I’d been trapped in my body, dreadfully aware of what was going on but unable to do anything to stop it.
The spells had made me the perfect captive and perfect tool for their evil deeds. But they’d also made me so miserable that I’d almost gone insane.
Medusa could do that to me.
A nightmare come true.
Fighting and killing one monster didn’t sound that hard. But Medusa?
She was the worst monster of them all—at least for me.
I tried to shake away my fear and focus on the forest around me. We made slow progress through the trees, using the mirrors to guide us as we followed the faint whistling sound. My hearing picked up no sense of life around us. Not even the noise of wind through the trees.
“This place is eerie,” Maximus whispered.
“I’ve no idea where we are.” The forest felt like it was so far from civilization that it might as well have been on the moon. Why would Medusa choose to live here?
The thought was my last.
Something gripped me around my ankle and yanked me upward. My stomach lurched into my throat, and panic tightened my chest.
Oh shit!
I spun in the air, the world upside down.
“Hang on. I’ve got you.” Maximus moved fast, conjuring a sword and slicing through the rope that suspended me.
&
nbsp; I plummeted, and he caught me then spun me upright.
“What the hell was that?” I looked up, spotting the snare. “A booby trap?”
Maximus nodded. “We need to get out of here before the hunter comes.”
I nodded. There might be no hunter—maybe we were supposed to dangle there till we died—but I didn’t want to wait and find out.
“Hang on.” Maximus’s magic flared, and he handed me a stick with a heavy wheel on the end. “Roll that in front of you. Hopefully it will trigger the snare if there are any more.”
Man, he was clever. “Thanks.”
He conjured one for himself, and we got the heck out of there, each of us navigating by mirror and rolling the sticks in front of us. It was a weird, slow way to travel, but it worked.
I kept my ears perked as we walked, hoping to hear the sound of the hunter coming to find us after the snare had been triggered. Maybe it was Medusa, trying to catch her prey.
My rolly-stick caught on two more snares as I walked, and each time, my heart jumped into my chest. Maximus also caught two snares, but after a while, they seemed to clear out.
Part of me was tempted to stop with the rolly-stick, but that was probably a bad idea. We kept going, moving as quickly as we could through the trees.
Eventually, we reached an area where massive twiggy bushes sat in the forest. Like the trees, they were devoid of leaves, but their branches were thick and strong. We stepped between two, and magic flared in the air.
I had barely a moment to process what was happening before sharp pain pierced my arms and legs. “Watch out!”
But it was too late. Thorns were flying at me from the bushes, striking my jacket and jeans like bullets, piercing my skin and sending pain through me.
Maximus grunted.
He was being hit, too.
We dropped to the ground, huddling together, and he conjured two massive shields that we used to cover ourselves. The thorns continued to fly, pinging off the shield.
Agony streaked through me from the thorns that had pierced me, and my head began to grow woozy.
“Poison.” Maximus’s voice was rough with pain.
