Hera’s magic shoots out at Jayden’s back, but he dodges right in time. Greyson rushes to me, facing Hera so she can’t shoot him in the back.
“Jayden, cover us,” Greyson says, pulling something out of his pack. “Open your mouth, Beth.”
He unstops the dropper, but I shake my head. “It’s only been a few days. It could make things worse.”
“You’re a sitting duck right here, Beth. You need this to defeat her.” He glares at me.
“Fine.” I open my mouth as another blast of magic hits the walls, shaking everything. “Hurry.”
Greyson puts three drops on my tongue and hands me a sandwich.
“Seriously?” I ask him.
“You were using a lot of magic. Eat it.” Greyson shoves the sandwich into my hand.
The magic from the elixir tingles through my system, healing all the injuries in my back and head as I scarf down the sandwich in just a couple bites.
“Thanks, snack mom. I’m feeling better already.” I clasp his elbow, and he helps me off the ground. “Let’s end this.”
Calling my whip, I square my shoulders and blast Hera with as much power as I dare to use. She’s distracted in her firefight with Jayden, so it hits her in the side. Hera flies across the room but vanishes before she can slam into the throne.
“Dammit,” I yell.
I spin in a circle, searching for any sign of her, but she’s either invisible again or she fled. If she fled, we’re in serious trouble.
“Where did she go?” Raven scans the room as well.
The music box stops and then starts again, even louder than before. What game is she playing with that damn thing?
“Don’t.” I grab Jayden’s wrist. “I think she wants us to touch it. There’s something wrong with that thing.”
“The music is inside my head at this point. I just want it to stop.” Jayden shakes his head.
“That’s what she wants us to do. We can’t touch the damn thing.” I spin around again. “Show yourself, coward.”
“She realized that she may not be able to get out of this and she’s running scared,” Raven says with a scoff.
“She won’t actually leave until one of us touches that box and triggers whatever nasty trap is attached to it.”
“You infuriating girl. Why won’t you just die?” Hera yells, her voice reverberating off the walls.
“Why won’t you just sit on your pretty throne and stop your bullshit?” I ask, flipping my hair over my shoulder.
“You cannot defeat me.” She pops in front of me, ten feet away. “I am the queen of the gods and you are nothing.”
Hera shoots a blast of magic at me, and I roll to the side, preparing my own magic to fire at her, but she pops out of my sight again.
“Where is she?” I scan the room again but she’s nowhere to be seen. “You’re really acting like I’m nothing and can’t defeat you, aren’t you? You won’t even face me head-on without using your invisibility.”
“In war you use whatever is available to you,” she says.
I turn in the direction her voice echoes from and fire off a shot of magic at her. Something hits the wall with a crack and a shriek roars over the music still playing loudly in my ears.
Hera pops into existence, her eyes glowing with rage and her pantsuit smoking. “You will never leave this room alive, little bitch.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Hera. The only way you’re getting out of here is with your ass in that chair.” I shoot another blast of power at her, and she stumbles back.
Hera screams and our magic connects again but this time Jayden’s shadows wrap around me, holding me in place before the magic reverberates against me again.
