Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #2)(30)

Faded maroon handprints streaked across doors, bones poked out from beneath piles of bricks. Human teeth dotted the path as we moved through the ruins.

Death had visited.

You could taste the tragedy in the air.

“If Titans are within this p-protected zone,” I whispered to Patro as we stopped at the end of yet another alley and Achilles looked around the corner, “shouldn’t we be able to locate them? Aren’t they … loud?”

Patro shrugged, looking completely unconcerned.

“Titans haven’t been inside a protected zone in years,” he said. “I’m not convinced that Artemis didn’t have faulty intel.”

I rubbed at the golden cuff that covered my scarred wrist. “And if she was r-right?”

Patro waved his hand in the air. “Don’t worry so much—we’ve done this thousands of times.” His tone was patronizing and dismissive.

Hot rage filled my chest.

Patro paused when he saw my face. “Sometimes Titans don’t always announce themselves,” he sighed. “Some of them move quietly. Every Titan is not the same—it’s not that deep. Stop panicking.”

My jaw hurt from how tightly I was clenching my teeth.

I’m not.

Achilles turned his head, watching us with an inscrutable expression.

Another burning stick protruded from the grates of his muzzle, and the veins in his neck popped, like he was clenching his jaw.

Patro smacked me on the back, and I jumped.

He laughed. “Buck up, Alex. We’re not gonna let anything happen to you. Just follow our lead and relax.”

I turned to him. “Don’t call me that.”

Patro didn’t respond as we followed Achilles through the city’s side streets toward the Roman Colosseum, the ancient Spartan structure towering over the ruins of modernity.

Crash.

I stumbled over a pile of bricks and … I blanched—human bones.

Patro reached out and steadied me, his hand wrapping around my forearm. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he said quietly as we stood, eye to eye. “I’ve been wanting to discuss it with you.”

Achilles turned around and shook his head at him.

Ice wafted off Patro while Achilles reeked of fire. The two dichotomous scents created a toxic combination.

“Why are they acting so weird?” Nyx hissed as she slithered around my neck.

Did they bring me out here to kill me?

Were the Titans all a ploy?

I yanked my arm out of Patro’s grip and took a step back.

Nyx tensed like she was getting ready to strike.

Patro sighed heavily, his cocky demeanor gone as he reached into Achilles’s pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Exhaling a cloud of smoke, he looked at me expectantly. “Aren’t you going to lecture us on the dangers of smoking?”

I held his gaze. “No.”

These were dark times. If he wanted lung cancer, then that was his prerogative.

“We wanted to tell you.” Patro cleared his throat again, smoke streaming out of his nose. “Both of us … wanted to tell you this for a while now—but we’ve had to wait to get you alone so …”

He trailed off, glancing at Achilles.

We’re going to harvest your spleen and trade it on the black market, I mentally finished.

The first thing they taught us in high school was to always be wary of people who tried to befriend you.

Every year we had an assembly on S.O.R.E., Snatching Organ Resistance Education. We all signed a pledge to not sell our body parts to anyone but the government.

It was a tad confusing what their message was.

A bird (government drone) screeched above while Achilles glared at Patro like he was trying to set him on fire with his eyes.

Patro pushed his shoulders back and turned to me.

“Penance,” he blurted. “As your mentors.”

What?

Achilles shook his head like he was angry.

“We want to make it up to you—how we acted during the crucible,” Patro said slowly. “We think the best way to help you is to …”

Achilles stepped toward him like he was going to physically intervene.

“Help sever your marriage bond,” Patro finished in a rush.

Nyx gasped, and Fluffy Jr. moved in front of me.

I took a shaky step back. This is about Augustus and Kharon?

Fluffy Jr. moved in front of me, crouching low and hackles raised.

Patro stared at me—the man who’d spent the past year laughing with Kharon as he called me spoiled and pathetic. He narrowed his eyes. “Your marriage is making you miserable.”

No, my entire life is making me miserable.

There was a difference.

He rubbed roughly at his jaw. “We’ve been researching marriage bonds for you.” He looked at Achilles as he spoke. “We think there’s a way you can break the Spartan oath and effectively … divorce them.”

The morning haze swirled, leaving a dense fog along the ruined streets.

“What?” I croaked. My mouth was dry, tongue heavy, heart full of lead.

Patro stared harder at Achilles. “From what we understand, if you use your … blood powers, then you can …”

He trailed off like he was physically unable to say the words.