“Into the forge. We won’t outrun the lava, but my father has rooms in his forge that will protect us.” Kira waves us to go up to the cave entrance.
“We need to get him the hammer or we failed. For some reason the volcano is still actively erupting even though we retrieved it.” I point the opposite direction down the mountain.
“You’re gonna have to trust me, Beth. I know volcanoes. We won’t outrun this, and my father has to be inside. I can feel his presence.” Kira grips my arm.
“Listen to her, B. Remember when we met him. He had tunnel vision, and we were almost eaten by a golden Chimera.” Raven raises a brow at me.
“I still don’t understand why he would make an automaton like that.” I glance at Kira’s pleading eyes and then to Raven who nods. “Okay, let’s go inside the erupting volcano. This should be fun.”
“I promise it will be fine. It’s gonna be hot in there but at least you won’t be burned alive.”
“That is a bright side.” Draven chuckles.
We follow Kira into the cave entrance and sweat drips down the back of my neck almost instantly. “You said there was a safespace for us to ride this out? I desperately need to refuel before we encounter anything else.”
Greyson rummages in his pack and pulls out one of the prepackaged sandwiches from a cooler compartment in his pack and grins at me. I shake my head with a smile as I take the sandwich from him.
“Thanks, snack mom.” I unwrap the sandwich and bite into it, immediately feeling slightly better. “Do you have like three more of those?”
“I have a few more in there. If you need more. That’s what being the snack mom is.”
“Where did you even get a cooler for your pack?” Raven asks.
“I got it from Pan’s shop.” Greyson shrugs. “We needed protein and carbs, not just granola bars and chips.”
“Protein bars are just that, protein, but I appreciate the gesture. This is much more filling than a protein bar.” I take another bite.
“Gods, when you said it was going to be hot, I was thinking sauna hot, not inferno.” Draven wipes the sweat beading down his forehead. “Can I stick my head in that cooler, Greyson?”
“You’re not getting your sweaty hair all over the sandwiches the girls need to refuel after they saved our asses again,” Greyson growls, clutching his pack to his chest.
“Fine,” Draven whines. “I helped save our asses by the way, wolf boy.”
“Yeah, yeah, you were in a net with me most of the time.” Greyson shrugs.
“I pissed her off enough that she let Raven go to come after me.”
“She threw her, asshole,” Greyson snarls.
“Hey, cool it, guys.” I step between them. “Yes, we’re all insanely hot right now but let’s not fight among ourselves or say things we can’t ever take back. We’re on the same team.”
“She’s right. Stop being idiots. Draven, thank you for your help. It’s nice to see you used your talent of pissing people off for good instead of evil for once.” Raven turns Greyson away from the argument.
Draven turns his sadistic smile on me and says loudly, “Beth almost surrendered herself to the goddess to get her to let you go.”
“Traitor,” I shout at him.
“You almost what?” Kira and Raven whirl on me.
“Don’t you ever martyr yourself for me,” Raven growls. “I’ll assist Jayden in bringing your ass back from Elysium kicking and screaming if I have to. Then once you’re back, I’ll kick your ass. No. Fuck no.”
“I can’t believe you thought it would be a good idea to give yourself up. We would all feel guilty for not being strong enough to protect you if you did that.” Kira pushes a door open, frowning at me.
“If I can save one of you, I’m going to do it.” I stomp past Kira.
“For what?” Raven throws her hands up. “Just so we can all die anyway when the queen wins and destroys the world?”
“We can’t win this war without you.” Kira wrings her hands together. “If you’re captured, everyone dies.”
