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“Ahhh!” She jerked to a halt so suddenly, she flew off her feet. Sliding across the limestone, her screams echoed through the academy.
Alexander dropped his hand—the torment over as soon as it started, but Proficient Catherine lay there in a sweaty pile, her chest heaving and breaths ragged.
“Amazing, Xander.” Sirena draped herself on him, trying to blink up into eyes that were once again watching me. She actually tried to tip his chin, then she slid between us when that didn’t work. “You’re next, Galanis,” she barked. “If you haven’t figured out how to beat her by now, then watching Rue, Sofia, and Hyacinth put you to shame won’t make much of a difference.”
Biting my tongue, I crossed to Catherine. I was starting to get real tired of this random woman barking orders at me while the stinging cuts throbbed on my cheek. There was nothing more important than freeing myself from the goddess’s clutches. I could guess why she was bound and determined to be a distraction, but that didn’t make it any less irritating.
Catherine slapped away my outstretched hand. “I don’t need your help,” she snapped. “Take your place, novice.”
After just being dropped on her backside by another novice, I let the hostility pass. I took my place across from her and ran through my options.
How do I defeat someone with such incredible speed? The lamia was fast, but nowhere near as fast as Proficient Catherine.
“Ready?”
The only way is to be clever in the millisecond I have before she’s upon me.Hunching down, I nodded. “Ready.”
I flung out my arms as she disappeared.Be clev—
A hand seized my wrist. There was barely a chance to scream before Catherine sent me flying over her shoulder. I bounced off the limestone and landed smack on my back—dazed.
Sirena and her crew laughed uproariously. “What did you think you were doing, Sisyphean? Trying to swat her away like a buzzing fly?”
I pushed myself up and a blur streaked across my vision. I was flying through the air again to the tune of Sirena’s delicate, snotty laugh.
Catherine waited for me to be ready once, but all mercy was rescinded once she left her mark. I skidded across the limestone, tearing the sleeve off my shirt and groaning as a layer of skin went with it.
Clutching my shoulder, I imagined how it’d go over if I asked for a minute to get on my feet—think of a new plan.
“A monster wouldn’t give you a minute. Suck it up, novice.”
You wouldn’t think it’d take me a week to figure out what all my friends did.
This place was horrible.
Come on, Aella. Think of something clever. Think of something!
Flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. Clenching my teeth, I swung my aching body around—sweeping my legs. Catherine appeared five feet from me, stumbling to a stop in front of Alexander.
“Almost, novice,” she said, flashing a grin. “You didn’t trip me, but you forced me to veer off course. A point in your favor that you can carry with you to Asphodel Meadows.”
Sirena’s giggling grated on my ears. Asphodel Meadows was the realm of Hades dedicated to ordinary people who lived ordinary lives. There were worse places she could’ve sent me so I didn’t take it personally.
“You’re done for the day,” Catherine continued. “We’ll pick this up tomorrow. But just know, that trick won’t work twice.”
I scraped myself off the ground, hugging my chest tight. My unwanted limestone back-scrubbing tore holes all throughout my tunic. I felt as exposed as Sirena after a shift.
And I’ll have to do this all over again tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that until I defeat a woman who runs faster than I breathe.
“Gods, you’re pathetic.” Sirena crashed into my musing. “Why that beast didn’t rip out your throat and do the world a favor, not even the Moirai can answer.”
My cheeks flushed under the pressing heat, popping pinpricks of sweat on my aching body. It invaded the cuts on my skin and cheek, stinging worse than ever. Alexander tracked my approach—expression revealing neither pity nor anger. Was he hoping I’d get close enough to make it hurt?
“Do everyone a favor and volunteer for hard labor before they have to drag your worthless ass out of here.” She knocked my shoulder shoving past. “It’s the kindest sentence you deserve for daring to live when Galen died.”
“Enough.”
Sirena halted, muscles in her back tightening. I noticed this out of the corner of my eye. Alexander brought me back to him with that scorching, intense stare.
