Alexis turned around and shot me a glare, like she could hear my thoughts.
I smiled back.
She frowned. “Stopit,” she said as she looked over at Drex.
“Stop what?” I mouthed with feigned confusion.
Alexis rolled her eyes and turned back around to Drex, her features soft and radiant as she talked animatedly, waving her hands.
I sighed heavily. She clearly enjoyed their friendship and would be upset if something bad were to happen to him.
Mental note: make his shattered elbow look like an accident.
Stone vibrated as the crowd began a chant.
Stomp. Clap.
“Hunter!”
Stomp. Clap.
“Hunter!”
Stomp. Clap.
“Hunter!”
Sunlight glinted off the sand, creating a harsh glare.
Kharon sauntered out in the light, Hell and Hound flanking him on either side.
Gasps echoed and the chant paused, then continued.
Sparta was not used to seeing Kharon’s hellhounds; Olympians had always called him weak, saying he was too feral to have a protector; but he didn’t have just one—he had two, and they were monstrous.
The three of them stalked in tandem, his skeleton tattoos taking on a whole new meaning.
A silver bow flashed where it was slung across his arm. Artemis stiffened in her seat as she realized.
Kharon had chosen her weapon on purpose.
She’d secretly disowned him, called him a disgrace, but the rest of Sparta thought he still represented her House.
Kharon was making a mockery of everything she stood for.
Pride filled me.
As a boy, they’d mutilated his legs and watched him crawl desperately across the sand. Then the Olympians had dragged him back into the arena, branded his chest until he passed out from pain, and left him to crawl out for a second time.
They thought they’d broken him.
But Kharon was now grinning, sauntering without a care in the world, and shoving it back in their faces. Sharp pain streaked up my knee with each of his steps, but he gave nothing away.
The stadium chanted, “House of Artemis!” with growing fervor—none of them could even comprehend the hell he’d endured.
If the House of Ares was all about physical torment, the House of Artemis was a study in psychological games.
Scarlet mist expanded around Artemis as Kharon saluted up at her.
