Guards escorted Drex back out into the arena.
Zeus walked toward the boy with Vulcan metal in his hand.
People shouted that it wasn’t necessary as boos echoed all around. Apparently, Sparta felt bad for the Olympian mutt; he didn’t deserve to suffer, not like us.
“Two labors lost,” Zeus announced with a sigh.
He waited patiently as the boy pulled open the top of his toga.
Zeus stepped back and pointed the circular metal over his exposed chest—his outstretched arm brightened with sparks, metal turning yellow in his fingers—he placed the brands on his skin in quick succession.
Drex screamed in agony.
The crowd winced in sympathy.
Zeus put his hand on the boy’s shoulder as he whispered something to him with an encouraging smile, like he was trying to make amends.
Drex sneered back at him, his expression openly hostile.
Maybe we’ll make a Chthonic of him after all.
Zeus gestured for Drex to walk forward, then followed behind him out of the stadium.
Everyone stood to leave.
As our section exited, I gave Helen a big hug.
I mouthed silently over her shoulder at Charlie, “Youbetterbe sleeping on the floor.”
He nodded vigorously, looking aghast at the insinuation of impropriety.
Relief coursed through me as I reluctantly released Helen.
I would never admit it aloud, but I was grateful she had Charlie; I saw the way he looked after her. He was a good kid.
The way he grew up was criminal.
Alexis leaned into me as I escorted her to the symposium.
They deserved so much better.
Drex arrived a few minutes after us, looking mostly unharmed. Bandages peeked out from beneath his toga. They’d clearly just given him medical treatment, then released him.
“Drex!” Alexis called when she saw him, releasing my arm and running over to him.
The boy smiled when he saw her, and they fell into conversation at the edge of the room.
Kharon started to stalk after her, but I held him back.
“He’s just her friend,” I reminded him (and myself) calmly.
“I fucking hate him.”
“I know.”
That night in bed, the three of us didn’t say anything as Kharon and I held Alexis between us.
The unspoken reality hung in the air.
