Though inadequate for the circumstance, a smile stretched across my lips as I followed the right pathway.
Let’s see how Draven can catch up with me now.
Surely I was well ahead of everyone, but what would happen when I reached the finish line without my assigned weapon? Would they strike me down? Or would it matter as long as I passed the maze?
It occurred to me I had no idea who held Eros’s bow and arrows, thanks to Draven, who had me in a blind panic before I could even collect my thoughts.
My thoughts came to a halt. The crunch of footsteps made my heart leap into my throat. I listened. Soft, even steps. Draven was either taking his sweet time getting to me or the nearest contestant was a girl.
“Ooop!” The voice—a woman’s—squealed right behind me.
I turned around, my long braid slapping on my back. “Verena?”
She bent over, placing her hands on her knees. Verena gasped for air, and it was then that my eyes caught the glint of steel on her back. Hades’ bident. Was the God of the Underworld her god? It made sense. But how did she acquire it so quickly?
When Verena straightened her back, she must’ve sensed the question or perhaps it was written all over my face. “Adam gave it to me.” She shrugged. “He said there was no use for him to have it as he’ll . . . you know . . . die. We’d better get going or he’ll find you eventually.”
I nodded, and we started off.
A plan began to form in my head. Though the gods never revealed the consequences of appearing without a weapon, I wasn’t willing to take that risk—even if Draven was on my tail, urging me to do so.
I had to face him one way or another. But it had to be on my terms. Not his.
Verena trailed behind me. “What’s between you and Draven?”
“Ask him, but if you ask me, he’s too much like his creator. The bastard.” I stole a glance at Verena, the huff dying on my tongue, as I realized the previously loud sounds had become a distant hum.
Could it . . .
“You’re certain you’re Hades’ error?”
“Oh, yeah. Trust me, the riddle wasveryspecific.”
“How do you feel about harpies?” I expected to find horror lurking in her eyes at the mention of the evil animals, but instead, they softened.
“They are just creatures. I bet they never feed them just for the sake of this game. Wouldn’t you want to tear me apart if you were starving?”
As I winced, I thought the serious expression on Verena’s face was worse than her words. “No. That’s cannibalism.”
“The harpiesarehalf women.”
Of course I knew that, but the knowledge only made my body shake even harder. “Look,” I began, trying to push the image that crawled into my mind aside. “I need your help, and I know it won’t come for free, but I don’t care. I promise I’ll owe you a favor in the next game if we make it out alive.”
Verena watched me with squinted eyes. “What do you need me to do?”
My plan was merely based on an unfounded theory, but when Verena extended her palm toward a harpy at a crossroads and instead of snarling or biting her hand off, it pushed—pushed—its head into her fingers, I knew I had been right.
The creatures originated from the Underworld—Hades’ kingdom—and since Verena was a creation of his own and a part of his magic lived within her, there was a small probability that they’d yield under her touch.
I wanted to fly home and kiss my mother for what she had taught me.
“How did you know?” Verena whispered, patting the head of a beast. It made a sound that resembled . . . purring?
I shook my head. “I didn’t. It was just a guess.”
Verena’s eyes snapped to me. “What if they had bit me?”
“I would’ve known.”
