Twins of the Hunt - Book 3: The Rescue ✔️

Chapter 5: I Face Another Betrayal (From The Same Person)

2441 words

Raiden P.O.V.

I awoke to the sound of quickly shuffling feet. I sat up in bed, looking in the darkness to see the hurrying figure. Zoë, clad in silver pajamas, and black combat boots, was dashing toward the door. I grabbed my axe from its hanging position on the wall and leapt down from my top bunk.

Strangely, I couldn't hear Ainsley's soft snores or Agro's snorting exhales that made her sound like a pig. I landed catlike on the floor and followed Zoë silently out the door.

"Zoë." I tapped her on the shoulder. "What are you doing?"

The lieutenant whirled around and drew her daggers as she went. I sighed, drew my axe, and knocked her daggers out of her hands.

"Y'know," I said, "I'd really like to keep my head, thanks. So if you could not attempt to skewer me next time, that would be great."

Zoë smiled thinly. "You know fully well that I will always finish the job when skewering someone, Raiden."

"I know, Zoë," I said. "Now, onto the important thing; I saw your dream last night."

Zoë's eyebrows shot upward. "Thou glimpsed my dream?"

"Yes," I said, waving an impatient hand. "And we both know who's behind Artemis's capture: your father and my dear cousin." I knew better than to say the Titan's name aloud. That would attract attention.

Zoë nodded, with her face slightly pale. "I am going to speaketh with Chiron. Art thee coming?"

She was clearly upset because Zoë only slipped into this much Shakespearean English when she was outraged.

"Yes," I said. "Let's go."

We jogged toward the Big House, and Zoë kicked the door open so hard that it bounced off the adjacent.

"Chiron!" she shouted, storming over the threshold. "Waketh up!"

There was a loud crash from the hallway, and the centaur came ambling into the hallway. His eyes were half-open, slightly numb from sleep, and he had pink curlers in his tail.

"Zoë, Raiden," said Chiron, slightly surprised. "What's going on?"

"Lady Artemis is danger," said Zoë, glaring at Chiron. "The Hunters must leave at once."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am stating that I had a dream concerning her, and she was unexpectedly att-"

"Ainsley's gone." I suddenly understood why my best friend's snores were absent, and my heart plummeted. "She's left camp."

"What?" Zoë looked up at me, slightly startled. "What do you mean?"

"Ainsley's gone," I repeated, trying not to be engulfed by misery. "She must've had the dream as well and left. Agro and Zade were gone too, and she'd never go anywhere without them." I looked up worriedly at Chiron. "This is bad. I know my...our father, Chiron. He's planning to trap Ainsley, I know it; he's probably using the goddess as bait. Why he needs to trap her is still unclear to me, but..."

"Who was in the dream other than Artemis?" Chiron asked, frowning.

"My father," said Zoë darkly, "and Ainsley's twin brother, Aidan."

I fidgeted with my axe. "Aidan distracted Artemis long enough for a certain Titan to ambush her and enchain her. They dragged her off to somewhere."

"This is exactly why we must leave," said Zoë impatiently. "The Hunters can find her. Phoebe can track her, and Orion may be able to contact his parents to see if they know anything."