“Now that’s more like it!” Telamon shouted and launched into the fray.
Danae looked down at the axe in her hand. It was so heavy. She’d never held a weapon like this before.
A cascade of screams rang out from the Hunters Hall.
“You’ll be fine,” Hylas said quickly. “Just keep your stance strong and aim for the head. Come on.” He sprinted after Telamon.
Danae gripped the axe shaft so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Strong stance,” she muttered, then ran after him.
As she raced toward the Hunters Hall, she saw Dolos was making quick work of reviving the Argonauts. Ancaeus roared as two hunters rushed him, breaking one’s arm with his bare hands and gutting the next with her own sword. Behind him, Pollux and Castor fought like twin hurricanes, their bloody fists dripping in Lemnian blood. On the far side of the clearing, Danae caught sight of Atalanta staggering away from Dolos. The warrior stared about, wild-eyed, then sprinted toward the armory.
“Daeira!”
Danae spun around and saw Sofia running toward her. She raised her axe between them as the girl skidded to a halt.
“Get away from me.”
“Daeira, please—” Sofia stretched out her hand “—come with me, it’s not safe.”
“You killed the men, didn’t you?”
Sofia’s eyes widened.
“I’ve seen the cave.”
Tears ran down the girl’s cheeks. “It wasn’t us, Artemis killed them.”
Danae’s fists tightened on her weapon. “Don’t lie to me.”
“We drugged them, but Artemisdrained their lives—I swear.”
Danae faltered. “Drained?” She thought of the panther, of the life-threads she had sucked from its dying body.
Sofia’s lips parted, but instead of words, blood oozed from her mouth. She fell to the ground, an arrow protruding through her abdomen. Atalanta stood behind her, bow raised.
“You’re welcome!” the warrior shouted before launching back into the fray.
Danae sank down beside Sofia, her limbs trembling. Alea’s body surged violently into her mind, her misted eyes, the seaweed tangled in her curls, her bloodless lips.
Danae felt herself fragmenting, but she forced her shaking hand to Sofia’s face and nudged the girl’s eyelids closed. Then she picked up her axe and ran after Atalanta.
She spotted the warrior, sending arrows flying into the crowd, felling hunters and islanders alike.
“Atalanta!”
The warrior ignored her and latched another arrow. Danae dodged round Orpheus as he and a hunter clashed blades across her path.
“Atalanta!” Danae shouted again, grabbing the warrior’s arm. Atalanta snapped around, the tip of an arrow barely a hair’s breadth from Danae’s face.
“You can’t just massacre the islanders.”
Not even a flicker of emotion cracked the warrior’s gaze.
“We don’t know if they were all involved. And those that were might have valuable information.”
Disdain spread across Atalanta’s face. “They lied. All liars deserve to die.” She turned and continued to send arrows into the throng with deadly accuracy.
