“Where the fuck have you been?” he yelled up at the god as another of Hermes’s men rushed toward them. As if swatting away a gnat, Melanos scowled at the soldier and batted him away with one meaty arm. Turning back to Rydon, the god grinned down at him.
“Eudaemon!”
“What happened to you? I thought you were with Hermes.” Rydon spread his arms, baffled but still very glad to see him.
“I am never with Hermes,” he replied. He turned, grabbing hold of two soldiers who rushed at them, cracking their heads together. They dropped at their feet, and Melanos pulled Rydon away. “After we took the city, I went back for Bethana. When I returned, I heard of Hermes’s actions. Fucking snake.”
“I’m glad you’re with us,” Rydon said clapping the god on his broad shoulder.
Melanos looked back at him with a frown. “Only because our interests align at the moment. I am here for Terena and Sonah only.”
“Then our interests indeed align,” Rydon said, motioning with his head as he led the way through the fighting. Melanos followed him warily. “Who’s with you? I saw wolves destroying Hermes’s army. Where’s Bethana?”
Melanos winked at him and pointed. Rydon narrowed his eyes and frowned. A mass of water moved in a cyclone, engulfing a soldier while his screams filled the air.
“Where? I see nothing but water… where the fuck did water come from?”
“You are looking at my bride.Sheis the water. Bethana is a naiad. A water nymph. And one of the wolves is Leander. The rest are my Relics. Remember Sonah’s plan to get you and the commander inside the palace before we took the city?”
“Aye,” Rydon said. She’d wanted Melanos to use his Relics to distract Hermes and his men while Daris and Rydon snuck away. Instead, she’d come running back to them after meeting with Hermes to tell them Daris wasn’t going. That didn’t go over too well with the commander.
“My Relics are causing havoc out here. And with Bethana and Leander’s help, hopefully the distraction will buy you and Sonah time to get Terena out of the palace.”
Turning back to the god, Rydon held out his hand. “Terena’s down in the dungeons. I can get in, but I need you to help distract the guards inside while I get her out. I’ve already told Sonah to go to Daris’s tent. Once we get Terena released, we’ll go get Sonah and get the fuck out of here.”
They reached the entrance to the dungeons and made their way down. He worried Melanos might be too big to fit inside the narrow corridor but the god kept up just fine.
As they reached the cells, Rydon ducked back behind cover. It was too quiet. There should be guards down here.
Rydon turned to look back at Melanos. Frowning, the god moved past him. Moving to catch up, Rydon stopped short at the sight before them.
Half a dozen guards lay dead at Ren’s feet. Melanos chuckled and reached out to embrace her.
When she pulled away, Ren turned to Rydon with a grin.
“What fucking took you so long?”
“Can you walk?”Rydon asked.
Terena lifted her head, still feeling the affects of the adamantine, the metal ore used to weaken the gods.
“Aye, I’m fine,” she said, but the pallor of her cheeks put the lie to her words.
“How’d you break out?”
“Long story.”
“We have horses outside,” Rydon said. “I’ll get Daris and Sonah and meet you?—”
“I’m not going anywhere without Sonah,” Terena said firmly, her words garbled. She hocked and spat out blood, lifting weary eyes to look between her friends. Rydon watched her in stoic silence but Melanos’s face was nothing but violence.
“We’re all going together,” he responded.
They exited the dungeons and walked toward the horses tethered a few feet away. As Rydon pulled Nyx’s reins free,rustling sounded behind them. A shout at their backs made Terena lurch forward, her hands grabbing onto her saddlebags.
“They’re here!”
Terena’s heart stuttered. Rydon shouted, blocking her from view as Hermes and his men rushed forth. The sound of metal hitting metal rang out as Hermes’s men engaged Melanos.
