They charged with axes held high in their powerful arms.
Gasps echoed.
It was anextremelyaggressive first round, and labors usually didn’t repeat. Achilles had already faced Minotaurs. This didn’t make any sense.
The leaders must have agreed with my assessment, because all of them stood up.
Hades bellowed something at Zeus, but I couldn’t hear what, because Alexis’s thumb was slowly stroking the top of my hand.
Augustus didn’t move; he just stared at the beasts.
Chthonic blood filled his eyes—droplets spilled over like tears.
“KNEEL.” His voice, warped and deep, not his own, exploded through the stadium.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
All four Minotaurs fell to the sand, their hairy bodies limp.
Beastly eyes glazed over.
The crowd got to its feet, unable to believe what they were seeing. Everyone leaned forward, jockeying to get a better view.
Augustus took a step toward them. “DIE!” His voice was unforgiving.
Pop—Minotaur eyeballs exploded from their skulls. Brains poured out of their oversized ears.
There was a moment of dead silence, then the stadium erupted. “BEHOLD THE HEIR … BEHOLD THE HEIR … BEHOLD THE HEIR!” Sparta screamed wildly, losing their minds at the display of sheer power.
Zeus scowled. “Second round!” Sparks fell from his lips, his lion growling at his side.
The gate lifted.
More of them?
Two monstrous Minotaurs appeared in the dark—taller than the others, they towered above the sands, both the size of a Cyclops—they were fully shifted.
The axes gripped in their hands were larger than Augustus’s body.
Hooves touched onto sand as they stepped forward and—
Augustus gently covered Poco’s eyes.
THUD.
Both Minotaurs lay dead.
The crowd gasped again with shock, but this time, they fell silent and stayed that way.
What is he doing?
Augustus always held back the strength of his true power. If the Olympians knew how strong he was, it would put a target on his back.
