Gretchen hesitates, studying me. Well, she won’t find any doubts. I’m confident—or at least confident enough to try.
Finally, she says, “Get your bags.”
Minutes later, Nick and I are standing at the center of the group, each of us carrying a backpack of extra supplies. He doesn’t have to go with me—his allegiance is to Gretchen—so I appreciate his coming to help, especially since he already knows the boss and his prized assassins. That information might come in really handy.
Gretchen stands before me, Sillus sitting at her feet, her hands on my shoulders. “You take care of yourself. Find our mother, get to the safe house, and stay put. We’ll meet you there when we get out.”
“I will,” I promise. “You stay safe too. Find the gorgons and get Euryale to autoport you all out of here.”
She smiles, like she’s a little amused by my concern for her safety. Or maybe she’s uncomfortable having someone worrying about her for a change. Well, she’d better get used to that. I’m brilliant at worrying.
I see her glance at Nick, who gives her a look full of longing. I’m glad she doesn’t doubt his loyalty anymore, because that one exchange tells me how he feels about her. She’s his sun, moon, and stars. As soon as we get through this mess—this war—I’ll make sure she does something about that.
For now, we each have our missions.
Taking Nick’s hand in mine, I suck in a deep breath.
“See you soon,” I say.
Gretchen backs away.
I close my eyes and focus. The times I’ve autoported before have always been in really dangerous situations, when I was fueled by fear. I try to channel those feelings of desperation. Every ounce of my energy, my concentration, my very being is funneled into autoporting us home. Home. Home, home, home.
Bright light penetrates my eyelids, and I sense the world around us shifting. We’re moving, traveling through the portal. It’s working! I’m sending us—
Nick’s arm is around my throat before I can breathe.
“Move an inch and I’ll snap it like a twig.”
The menace in his voice is unmistakable.
“What?” I gasp. How could I have been so wrong about him? Gretchen will never forgive him. She’ll never forgive herself.
CHAPTER 5
GREER
Ready to go?”
Gretchen moves the instant Grace and Nick disappear, slinging a backpack over her shoulder and heading across the cave. All right by me. The less time spent in this wretched place, the better. If I hadn’t truly needed to rest, I would have insisted we proceed sooner. Besides, any longer and I’m sure Gretchen would toss me over her shoulder and push on. Good thing I recover quickly.
“Right as rain,” I say with an ambitiously cheerful smile.
Mother always says if you project the image you wish the world to see, eventually it will become reality. I don’t wish to be miserable and in pain, so I will pretend I’m not.
As I push to my feet, my body no longer feels like it’s melting from the inside out. The hellebore Thane used to counteract the venom was hard on my system, but apparently it worked. I’m not dead, in any case, and that has to be a point in favor of the antidote.
Thane hands me a backpack that feels lighter than before. He doesn’t meet my gaze as he hefts his own pack into place.
“You didn’t need to carry any of my load,” I say.
“I know,” he says, adjusting his straps.
I’m not a wilting flower who needs a boy to carry her gear, but my legs feel like overcooked spaghetti at the moment, so I choose not to argue. “Thank you.”
Gretchen stands at the cave entrance with several of the creatures who brought us here. A few plan to accompany us on our journey, to see us safely to Olympus. No, I am not ready to think about Olympus yet. I’m not ready to worry that far into the future. One step at a time. Stepping out of the cave and into the great vast cavern beyond without tripping over my tennis shoes will be an auspicious start.
I will face the future as it comes.
Gretchen nods as Thane and I approach, then turns and leads the way out through the tunnel. The portal was only the doorway here. This is the real first step of the journey.
The golden maiden follows in second place, along with the little furry monkey who came through the portal with Gretchen the other day and an oceanid named Petraie who looks like she’s made out of water. She’s fascinating. Her skin is dark gray, rippling like the sea beneath a storm. I wonder what it feels like.
As strange as these companions are, they are welcome additions to our group. The idea of the five of us—let alone three now that Grace and Nick are gone—fighting the great monster horde had me somewhat concerned. If there weren’t a vastly bigger saving-the-world picture and a millennia-old legacy at stake, I might have signed up to stay home.
But the gorgons need our help. So does the human world. It’s our destiny, our responsibility, to carry on the tradition. I push the fear aside, put one foot in front of the other, and follow my sister out of the cave.
With Thane at my back, I actually feel safer than I have in weeks, since before I found out about my sisters and the previously hidden world of myths and monsters exploded around me.
Thane is strong, yes, but that’s not why he makes me feel so safe. He’s dedicated. Driven. No, devoted.
That’s the word. He’s devoted—to Grace, to his family, to Gretchen and me.
I get the feeling he would do anything within his power to keep us safe and make sure we succeed. Unlike Nick, who clearly is interested in Gretchen but also believes in the cause, I think Thane couldn’t care less about the cause. His motivation is us—Grace, especially, and, for some reason I don’t quite understand, me.