“You missed,” I grit through clenched teeth.
“Not the only time he missed.” Draven’s voice sounds behind me.
I spin toward Draven, who is heavily leaning on Kira as she has her weird sword pointed at Pelops on the ground. “Missed the heart by inches. Still would have killed me but bought me some time.”
“No,” Pelops roars, lunging with his sword for my heart, but Kira gets there first, swiping at the center of his throat and his body explodes to ash.
His spirit slowly sinks into the ground. Hades must want this one back much more than the rest.
The world spins as I stumble to the side. My pulse beats erratically in my chest as the throbbing ache in my shoulder intensifies.
“Gotta pull it out,” I mumble, flopping to the ground.
I reach up to pull the damn spear from my body but my vision blurs and Kira slaps my hands away.
“You are not pulling that spear out of your own damn chest,” Kira says. “Adrian.”
My vision turns dark around the edges as Adrian jogs toward us. “What do you need?”
His voice is distorted and far away.
“Something’s wrong.” My tongue is too thick in my mouth and my words slur.
What is happening to me? I blink the black spots out of my vision and shake my head to clear the fog.
“We have to get it out. I think it’s poisoned,” someone says.
Adrian maybe? I don’t know. I can’t think past the pain and the fog in my brain.
“Jayden,” Kira screams.
Strong arms materialize around me and a hard chest presses to my back. Jayden. He threads his fingers through mine in my lap, whispering unintelligible words in my ear as searing hot pain tears through my chest, ripping my body open.
“Shhh, baby, wake up.” Jayden’s words startle me awake.
“What?” I ask, glancing around the battlefield. “I passed out?”
“The spear was poisoned,” Jayden says. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“Hey, guys, kind of not out of the woods yet,” Raven grunts.
Glancing up, my eyes widen. All my friends are standing in a protective circle around us, still fighting off demons.
“They’re still attacking? That’s not their usual MO,” I say, standing on wobbly legs.
“She’s here,” Raven says between clenched teeth.
My stomach sinks, dread twisting in my gut with those words. She can’t be talking about who I think she is, right?
“Who?” I ask.
“Do you think your friends would have you in a protective circle if it were Artemis?” The shrill laugh scrapes at my eardrums.
“Fuck.” I glance at Jayden, but he shakes his head.
“No matter what, you can’t give her what she wants, baby. Not ever.”
“She has us all exactly where she wants us, Jayden. I won’t sacrifice your lives for mine.” I shake my head.
