“The alternative is too heinous to imagine,” Raven whispers.
I hand the bottle to Adrian with a nod. “Do it. Three drops only.”
I wrap an arm around Raven and pull her into my side as we watch Adrian carefully drop three small red drops in the wolf’s parted lips.
The thudding of the rock hitting Argus’ head is rhythmic and almost soothing. That’s disturbing but I’m not unpacking that whole mess right now.
“Now, we wait,” Adrian says.
Jayden sits on my other side and grips my hand as we obsessively watch the wolf for long minutes.
“Why is it taking so long?” Raven sniffles.
“I don’t know. Did you see exactly where he was hurt?” I ask gently.
“No, the idiot shoved me out of the way.” She glares at the still form. “Why the fuck would you shove me out of the way?”
Raven breaks down in heaving sobs and I release Jayden’s hand to hug my friend through her tears. We can’t lose him like this. We can’t. The elixir has to work. What am I even fighting for if I lose my friends in the process?
They’re getting injured and possibly dying because of me. Because I was born and that made Hera go insane. She will end the madness and all their suffering if I just give in to her.
A whimper sounds like a gunshot in the stillness and I glance down, finding intelligent eyes staring back—not at me, but the woman in my arms.
“Raven, look,” I whisper.
A whine escapes the wolf and Raven turns so fast she practically gives me whiplash.
“Greyson, oh my gods. You scared the shit out of me.” She buries her face in his fur.
Jayden stands and reaches for my hand to help me off the ground. I take it, then dust myself off, turning to the others to give Raven privacy.
“That was too close for comfort.” I lean into Jayden’s side.
“I got his clothes so he can shift back.” Thad hands them to Adrian.
“Thanks. We probably need to give them a few minutes. I’ve never seen Raven like that before.” I glance at my friend still clutching Greyson’s fur.
“No, I have never seen her like that either,” Dax whispers.
He’s covered in blood and ash but thankfully the giant didn’t have ichor in his veins like others we’ve encountered.
“I figured the only way to kill him was to hit him with a rock,” I say. “That’s what Hermes did.”
“What happened to the cow?” Jayden asks.
Kira shrugs. “I untied her and she ran off. I didn’t think it was worth trying to follow her.”
“That is what happened in the myth too—lo took off. Probably tired of my father’s games.” I shake my head.
“Is she going to be okay?” Kira asks, nodding to Raven.
“Yeah, Greyson’s going to be okay so she should be too.” I glance over at them.
Raven is still hugging the wolf. Adrian is leaning over her, rubbing her back and whispering something to her. He hands her Greyson’s clothes and she finally sits up. Greyson’s wolf leans forward and licks her cheeks where she’s been crying and whimpers.
“She might have nightmares for a while. He rushed in to save her from getting hit and got launched himself. Bones cracked. It was terrifying,” I whisper and glance at Jayden.
He wraps an arm around me. “We had a few close calls. It doesn’t get easier.”
