Hunter: The Reckoning

Chapter 6

There was nothing like waking up to an argument. Thankfully, it wasn't directed at me and it also wasn't Circe and Artemis, so that was a win as far as I was concerned. Hugging my pillow that little bit tighter, the reality of the situation came to me just as I nearly got back to sleep. From the lounge area, I could practically see Apollo in full righteous mode, while Cain sat on the sofa looking very unimpressed, and seconds away from reigniting their old feud. Silence greeted me as I sat up, making me wonder if I'd dreamt it, but nope, Apollo was definitely on a tirade right now.

"Shit." I got up as quickly as I could, ignoring the head spin and bed hair as I left the bedroom.

Cain stood the second I opened the door, the scene much like I imagined only with a hell of a lot more tension.

"Is it a full moon or something? Everyone is going mad." I groaned, running my hand through my hair in an attempt to brush it as I joined them. "What is going on?"

"It's nothing. Go back to bed." Cain attempted to turn me back around.

"Sure sounded like nothing?"

"Sorry." Apollo mumbled.

I look between the pair of them, both wearing similar masks of guilt as they avoided eye contact. "This is ridiculous. What's going on?"

"Apollo had a lot to say about our adventure this morning, and I disagreed with him on, well, everything he said." Cain summarised. "You've barely had an hour's nap, go back to sleep."

"He's right. You still look exhausted." Oh, now they get along.

But they had a point. "Fine. But not because either of you told me to."

"Of course not." Apollo smiled, turning to sit where Cain had just been on the sofa.

I was led back into the bedroom, and once we were out of sight, I stop yet his arm is around my shoulders and he tugs me closer.

"It's fine. I can deal with him. I thought we were being quieter than we were."

"Before I passed out, I was going to ask if you knew Gaia was there?" I ask him.

He hesitates before kissing my forehead. "Makes sense now you've said that. I knew it wasn't Eirene but couldn't get enough of a read on them to work it out."

Cain guides me back into bed, frowning at the body pillow as I give in and wrap myself around it. I close my eyes for barely a second, turning to look back to find him gone and the deep orange light of dusk creeping in around the window frames.

And a lion.

On my bed.

As I get up, he does too. We yawn, stretch and look at each other in some kind of acknowledgement. Then Cain's reminder came back to me from earlier and it got weird as I tried to imagine the animal as some long-forgotten warrior.

"Just so you know, I hate sleeping alone. I get these, nightmares, and it's like, a whole thing, so don't get the wrong idea or think you're special, or anything. You're like a friend. That I trust. I mean, the number of times my friend Eric woke up with me in his bed, or even Zane. Between us, Hades even laid, well sat with me once." I stopped talking, as whoever this was just stared at me. "If I ever meet you, in person, just, don't make it weird."

More staring.

"I have a therapist." The lion walked out. "Good chat."

Going into the bathroom, I run a bath and once I'm comfortable, don't even care about the burger and waffle fries that appear in front of me. The fries are gone, and I'm nearly finished with my burger when Cain walks in.