Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
My brother lets out a breathless laugh. “Never a dull fucking moment.”
Asterion glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Are you okay?”
It’s such a strange question given everything going on. I’m not okay. I don’t know if I’ll ever really be okay again. There’s something about being hunted by people who intend to kill you that shifts a person’s perspective. Maybe permanently. I guess time will tell, but it feels too hard to contemplate the future when we’re in such a crisis currently.
Instead of answering his question, I ask a question of my own. “What happened with you?”
He curses under his breath. “Let’s just say that Hermes isn’t someone I want to cross. She set a bomb that will go off in…about thirty minutes from now. We have to get to the marina and get to a boat as quickly as possible.”
I have a dozen follow-up questions, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. The barrier will come down or it won’t. If it doesn’t, there’s a good chance we’ll end up trapped at the marina. But at this point, we’re trapped no matter where we go. The barrier has made sure of that.
So I sit back and try to regain my breath. Traffic thins out as we head north toward the shipyard and marina. It’s the one part of Olympus I haven’t spent any time in whatsoever. It reminds me a little of the lower city. The buildings get smaller and older, but they’re all in decent repair as best I can tell.
No one seems to come up here except for those who deal directly with Poseidon, or I guess those who plan to use the marina for a day trip. We’ve been in Olympus for several months now, and I’ve never heard about anyone doing that, though.
I twist to look out the back window, but I don’t see anything. “Are they following us?”
“No.” Asterion doesn’t sound happy about it. “They never even pulled away from the curb.”
I don’t ask why they wouldn’t follow us. It’s not for any benign reason; it’s because they don’t need to. Which means either someone else is… Or they think they know where we’re going.
It’s everything I can do not to huddle in the back seat as Asterion carves our way through the city to the north. The marina stands out against the rest of the buildings in the area, shiny and polished in a way that feels brand-new, not like it’s been standing here for years. Half a dozen docks stretch out into the bay, holding space for entirely too many sailboats and yachts.
As Asterion pulls into the parking lot, dread weighs me down. “Do you even know how to work a boat? I’m not even talking about just a sailboat.”
“I can sail.”
Icarus scoffs. “Just because you think you can do something doesn’t mean it’s true. I know you’re formidable and all that shit, but that doesn’t mean you can do anything.”
“I’m aware.” Asterion doesn’t sound irritated. “In this case, I know what I’m talking about. Your father gave us a small amount of downtime over the years. I used mine to learn to sail.”
Shock steals my breath. “I had no idea.” I thought I knew everything about him. I certainly watched him closely enough over the years. But there were times when he’d disappear without a word, only to reappear hours later. Back then, I assumed he was meeting up with a lover, so I didn’t pry. It would hurt too much to know for sure. After the revelation that he hadn’t been with anyone since meeting me, I should’ve stopped to wonder what he was actually doing during those mystery absences.
“I find it relaxing. But that’s not why I started learning.” He glances over his shoulder at me. “We lived on an island, sweetheart. It pays to have an exit strategy in place.”
Next to me, Icarus rolls his eyes. “Why not learn to fly a plane, then? It’s a faster getaway.”
“Because I didn’t want anyone to realize I was planning a getaway. Lots of people sail recreationally.” He clears his throat. “They shouldn’t have been able to beat us here, but we’re going to act like they did. I’m parking, and we’re getting the fuck out of here. Stay close and do as I say.”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
I smack my brother lightly. “This is serious. He already got shot for you once. Let’s not make a habit of it.”
My brother instantly sobers. “I didn’t forget.” He rubs the back of his hand over his mouth. “Thank you, Min—Asterion. You didn’t have to protect me, and you didn’t hesitate. So, uh, thank you.”
Asterion’s shoulders hunch, just a little. “If you died, it would make Ariadne sad.”
“Good to know where I stand. Won’t forget it again.”
I don’t curse them both out, but it’s a near thing. “Let’s stay focused.”