Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore Book 1) by Jasmine Mas

Author:Jasmine Mas [Mas, Jasmine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Haunted

Alexis

“Why is your nose hanging off your face?” Patro asked accusingly, like I wanted it to be detached.

Stumbling, I tried to regain consciousness, but after hours of studying in the library (sleeping at a desk with my eyes open and blood dripping from my nose), it was difficult.

The smoke from leaping cleared around us and revealed a familiar woodstove kitchen, covered in golden streaks of light.

Outside the bay window, water glittered a dark shade of blue as the sun dipped over the horizon.

A wolf and jaguar growled at me, and I waved at them in greeting.

We were back in Corfu.

Thank you, God.

I coughed miserably, pain and exhaustion radiating through every cell in my sleep-deprived body.

Patro yanked me upright by my wrists.

Forearms burning with phantom aches, I ripped away from his touch, slammed into the wall, then staggered into a partially standing position.

He said something derogatory, but I missed it over the high-pitched ringing in my left ear.

Also, the morbid despair was loud. Life sucks.

My face still throbbed from the library incident, where I may or may not have had a violent mental breakdown and assaulted two men (I had no regrets; someone had to do it).

Then, after I’d tutored Drex in math, while mouth breathing because my nasal passage was smushed, and fell asleep, General Cleandro announced we’d survived four weeks straight at the Spartan War Academy and could leave with our mentors.

Yay, not.

Personally, I wished I was dead.

Now Patro’s expression was somewhere between disgust and hatred as he watched me lean against the wall and struggle to stand. Achilles loomed behind him with a muzzle taut across his face.

Achilles cracked his knuckles, “DEATH” was spelled out across them. The tattoo ink was faded, which was why I hadn’t noticed it before.

Since our kind neighbor at the trailer park was covered head to toe in satanic symbols, I was not intimidated. I hope he’s still taking care of Charlie.

Heartsickness made me nauseous.

“Explain,” Patro demanded as he gestured to my ruined nose. “You look like shit.”

I started to speak, but rattling coughs exploded from my chest, and blood spattered onto the kitchen floor. I keeled over, gasping.

With my hands on my knees, Nyx’s scales vibrated against my neck as she slept peacefully. Must be freakin’ nice.

Patro sat down at the kitchen table with a huff of annoyance.

“Oh my fucking Kronos.” He glared at me. “Can you pull it together, for once in your life? It’s like you make an effort to be pathetic.”

Between coughs, I gave him a death glare.

I’d just spent four weeks being tortured without food and water. Another initiate had died during the experience; you’d think he’d have a little compassion.

Patro leaned forward and snapped his fingers in front of my face. “I don’t have all day.”

I purposefully coughed on them.

“Ew!” He snatched his hand back. “Did you just hack on me like a filthy, gross commoner⁠—”

BOOM.

More smoke filled the room.

Please God, don’t do this to me.

Not again.

I coughed harder.

“Honeys, I’m home,” taunted a deep, scratchy voice straight from my nightmares.

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