Neither of us said anything else.
I couldn’t remember who walked away first (he did).
Time got hazier.
More tests were given—we sprinted (hobbled through) the circuit. On the side of the mountain under the dark of night, a bright spot glowed in my vision. There was a light up ahead, and it would be warm.
I just have to get to it.
I never got to it.
Music played frantically in my head.
Three of my toenails turned black after I stubbed my feet into boulders. The River Styx was creepy at night, and I sobbed as Icrawled out of the water onto the muddy bank. Two voices growled, then whispered in the darkness.
I growled back.
The bright light still hovered just outside my reach.
“Congrats, you’ve survived your first two weeks,” someone said, but I didn’t know who.
I was dizzy with nausea.
Bang.People appeared in a cloud of smoke.
“Fucking Kronos, Alex, are you okay?” Moonlight illuminated emerald eyes, which filled with blood as a finger touched my forehead.
I hate that name.
“I h-haven’t b-b-een okay for y-y-years.” My teeth chattered from the cold so hard my jaw ached.
“Interesting, she’s telling the truth.” There was a pause, then the voice scoffed, “But none of us have been.” Foil was wrapped around my shoulders, and the icy pain got a little warmer.
The pretty man with eyes like spooky lights turned to a muzzle.
I grimaced. “G-G-Good d-d-doggy.”
“Did she just call you adog?” He laughed darkly.
Hands wrapped around my arm painfully.
“Let’s go. Domus.”
The world warped.
Darkness smothered me, and the music died.
Permanently.
Chapter 12
Mentor Days
Alexis
“Wake up!” a voice demanded.
I groaned and pulled the warm covers over my head, but the slight movement made my arms burn with pain.
