Gemini

Chapter 31* Dead Man's Tunnel

Brief recap:

“Who are they?” Sam asks quietly.

“Human pets,” Gemini says. “The ones who weren’t lucky enough to die.”

“God,” Zoey whispers. “That’s horrible.”

“Hey, look! There’s a statue of you, Atermis.” Sam points, and our gazes flick uneasily to the gods. Atermis’s face, if possible, turns even grimmer.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t end like this,” she says, and strikes.

Chapter 31* Dead Man’s Tunnel

I was hoping it wouldn’t end like this.

The words reverberate in my head as Atermis strikes. She goes for me first, knocking me back with a glancing blow to my head. My ears are suddenly ringing and the air becomes harder to suck in and spit out. Whatever little oxygen it provides burns its way down my throat, like fire-hot whisky. I must be hallucinating. This must be a dream. Because Atermis cannot be betraying us.

But I’m not. I can see her whip away from me and lunge at Zoey who has come to my aid. She knocks Zoey back, knocking her out with a similar blow, and then- Sam. His face is filled with unbelievable fury as he pounces on the goddess. The muscles are taut in his arms as he fumbles for one of his blades, but Atermis glows silver like a mirror. Sam convulses once and falls to the ground, unconscious.

“Atermis!” That is Apollo. Relief sparks through me, bright and hot and desperate, at the stunned look on his face. Whatever Atermis is doing, she is doing alone. At the periphery of my vision I see Gemini kneeling to examine Sam and then hurry over to Zoey. He touches her head gently, murmurs a few words.

“Atermis, stop.” Apollo sounds hard and harsh now. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but please stop. You’re not yourself.”

“Not myself,” Atermis muttered. “Not myself.”

“No,” Apollo said. “You have to-” and in the middle of the sentence, he flings a bolt of power at her. It appears as a white-hot streak to my eyes, and it sinks into the goddess. She crumples into the sand. Immediately Gemini snaps his fingers and chains loop around the goddess, binding her unconscious form tightly.

“It’s the air,” Gemini says tightly. “There’s a trigger in it. For the gods and goddesses that belong to Zeus. He’s better prepared than we imagined.”

Suddenly Apollo gasps and doubles over. His eyes glow red, and fade to blue. I groan and try to sit up, pushing off the sandy floor. Apollo fixes his gaze on me, but he is not seeing me. I see him raise an arm, and I know it is to attack. Before he can do anything though, Gemini has blasted him with power of his own. Apollo crashes into the sand beside his sister, blood running down the side of his cheek. It’s golden in color, the ichor of the gods. Gemini quickly binds him in chains.

“Okay, two gods out of commission, and this mission has barely even started. What a great start, eh? Kayla, are you alright?”

“I’m… fine,” I gasp. “S-Sam and Zoey. Are they-?”

“Zoey’s fine, just a blow to the head like you. She’s dizzy but okay. Sam’s a little more serious, but he’s not in any immediate danger.” He cast a wary look around. “We should get out of the open.”

“And what, leave them here?”

He cast a glance at the inanimate bodies of Atermis and Apollo. “They’ll only be a hindrance to us now. We have to leave them behind.”

“They won’t die, will they?”

“I don’t know, Kayla.” His eyes harden. He strides over to Sam and slings him gently over his shoulder. “Help Zoey up.”