The Iron Queen (Daughters of Zeus) - By Kaitlin Bevis Page 0,51

was using him to get through the circle and to get Poseidon’s help. Triton seemed to relish the adventure, but putting him in danger made me sick. We’d only been in the circle for a few days, and I’d already met more frightening creatures than I ever cared to encounter again.

Guess I really am a goddess now, I thought. Manipulating people like pawns.

And what other choice did you have? Hades asked.

Shaking my head, I refused to even consider that line of logic. I couldn’t think like that. If I put enough thought into it, I could justify anything, but that wouldn’t make it right. Triton didn’t deserve this.

A woman’s scream echoed in the distance, and Triton winced. “Get ready to move.”

I got up, dusting the dirt off my dingy gray skirt. The skirt was in tatters, not exactly ideal for running through the forest.

Another scream. This one closer.

“Who is that? Is someone in trouble?”

Triton shushed me and stared up at the sky, finger to his lips. A black shadow burst through the canopy of leaves above us with a shriek. I caught a glimpse of wings, claws, and a flash of red hair before Triton grabbed my hand. We ran, tripping over branches.

“Harpies!” Triton yelled. “They eat—”

“People?” I guessed. Most things in the circle seemed to. “Your realm sucks!”

“My realm?” He grinned at me. “You have bears, lions, and dinosaurs, and my realm sucks?”

I started to explain that dinosaurs weren’t really a thing anymore, but the harpy dove again. Oh gods, instead of the claws of a bird it had hands with razor sharp nails. Catching hold of my hair, it yanked me toward the tree line. Quick as a thought, Triton grabbed a branch and swung it at the harpy. It shrieked and flew backward, and I was running again.

“This wa— WHOA!” Triton yelped, dropping out of sight.

Suddenly the ground dropped from below my feet. The harpy shrieked. I slid over Triton, and together we tumbled to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

For a second neither one of us moved, just lay there catching our breath, then Triton lifted his head, looking down at me with an impish grin on his face.

“That’s one way to lose a harpy.”

I laughed despite myself and swatted at him. “Get off!”

Triton looked down, realized he was sprawled out on top of me, and turned bright red. “Sorry!”

He looked at me for a moment, gaze dropping to my mouth.

“Triton—” I shifted underneath him and tried to wriggle free. “Move.”

“Right, right, sorry!” He got up and looked up the hill. “Looks like we lost her.”

Nodding, I climbed to my feet with a mental groan. I’d seen that look before.

He liked me. That made this whole thing even more complicated. Not only was I using him, but in his mind I was probably stringing him along. I needed a nice way to say, “not happening, kid.” Even without Hades in the picture, Triton was way too young.

Oh, I don’t know, Hades teased. I keep hearing age isn’t that important.

Shut up. I glanced at Triton, and he looked away. The tips of his ears turned red.

Feels awkward, huh?

This isn’t funny, Hades.

Not to you, he agreed.

I ignored him. “You okay?” I asked Triton.

He nodded. “Just trying to get my bearings. I think if we walk west we should hit the end of the circle soon.”

“Let’s find a place to sleep and get back to walking tomorrow,” I suggested. Poseidon would find us soon, and then this whole ordeal would be over, but Triton didn’t have to know his dad was looking for us yet. Backup, just in case Poseidon found a way to weasel out of the deal.

I closed my eyes against the wave of guilt that washed over me. I was just as bad as the rest of the gods.

Chapter XXXIV

Aphrodite

“That could have gone better.” I squeezed the ocean water, slimy with seaweed, out of my hair, letting it puddle onto the wooden floor in Persephone’s room.

“How were we supposed to know Persephone already got him on board,” Melissa grumbled. She kicked off her shoes and poured water out of them. “I need a shower.”

“We’re lucky he didn’t do worse than drench us. I heard she really pissed him off.” I stepped in front of the mirror, closed my eyes, and concentrated. When I opened them, I was in a new outfit with perfect hair. “Much better.”

“That’s so unfair.”

I tapped her shoulder. When she turned around she wore a designer outfit and makeup. “Better,” I