Captured (Shadow Guild Hades & Persephone #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,52

pointed forward. “That way.”

Poseidon nodded and started forward. I joined him, as did Zeus. We crept through the silent tunnel, keeping to the shadows as the heat grew stronger. Soon, sweat was rolling down my back.

The tunnel deviated, and I gestured to the left passage. We followed it, passing several enormous chambers that seemed…nice. One even contained a forest. Fortunately, we saw none of the Titans. It would only be a matter of time before they realized we’d broken in, and I hoped we’d get out of here before then.

As we passed a strange outcropping of rock to our left, I felt a spark of magic. Zeus and Poseidon stiffened.

“Be wary,” Zeus murmured.

The rocks rumbled, breaking away from the wall and rolling toward us. They shifted and moved, forming figures with arms and legs. A dozen of them advanced on us, dark magic rolling from them.

I had a brief vision of one of the creatures crushing my skull between its rocky arms.

Frantic, I looked around for plants to use in defense, but Zeus was quicker. He called his lightning staff from the ether and directed it at the figures. Lightning struck, a dozen spears piercing the monsters and blowing them apart. Fortunately, there was no corresponding boom of thunder.

“Keep moving,” Zeus said. “There will be more.”

He wasn’t wrong. More rocks rolled off the wall to our left, forming additional monsters. They lumbered toward us, faster, almost as if they’d learned from their comrades’ mistakes.

Poseidon and I hurried on, Zeus bringing up the rear. Directing his lightning bolts toward our attackers, he destroyed them.

We escaped the tunnel without injury, but the next cavern was entirely flooded. At my feet, dark water gleamed in a space the size of a football field. How deep was the water? It rippled and swirled, monsters moving within the depths.

I could feel them circling below, their life forces vibrating.

An enormous green tentacle shot out of the water, and I dove out of reach. The suckered arm closed around Zeus’s waist and lifted him in the air. A huge head emerged from the lake, one enormous eye glued on us. Zeus thrashed and sent a lightning bolt at the creature’s head.

The monster didn’t so much as flinch.

Poseidon threw out his hands, his magic swelling on the air. He cursed. “It won’t obey me.”

I could feel the monster, though, like I’d felt the Night Wolves.

Did I have an affinity for such creatures?

I reached out to the lake monster, trying to connect with the colossal thing like I had the Night Wolves.

The beast thrashed and shook Zeus like a rag doll. I felt the monster’s life force connect with mine and silently commanded it to release Zeus.

The beast complied, dropping him in the water.

Poseidon directed his trident toward the lake, and a column of water deposited Zeus on the platform next to us. Zeus glared at the beast.

Will you let us pass? I directed the thought at the creature with my mind.

Yes. The thought rang loud and clear inside my head.

I looked at the other gods. “It won’t bother us anymore.”

Poseidon nodded. “Well done. I can part the water to let us pass, as long as that beast keeps its end of the bargain not to attack.”

“It won’t.” I could feel it.

“Good.” Poseidon lowered the trident until the prongs touched the water.

“Hurry,” Zeus said. “The Titans are stirring. They know we’re here.”

Poseidon nodded, and golden magic zipped down the staff of the trident and into the water. The lake parted like the Red Sea, revealing the rocky bottom below the surface. The water had been over a hundred feet deep, and it was a sharp drop from where we stood. Weeds clung to the rocks. I called to them, bidding them to rise and lend their assistance.

They obeyed, growing and reaching toward us. They stopped at our feet, forming a ladder to the craggy bottom below.

“Nicely done,” Zeus said.

“Thanks.” I climbed down the ladder to the dry lakebed, and the others followed.

Poseidon kept his trident directed toward the water, holding the liquid walls at bay, and we sprinted across the cavern. I caught sight of creatures swimming within the water on either side of us, tremendous beasts with sharp teeth and hungry eyes. Reaching out, I commanded them not to attack.

They obeyed, thank fates. I shivered and kept moving, focusing on the connection with Hades that grew stronger with every step. “We’re getting closer to him.”

“Good,” Zeus said. “Because we’re running out of time. The Titans are rousing.”

We reached