Alexis of Troy (Book I)

λγ′ - Trianda Tria

"Talking to it or Poseidon isn't going to help," Hector hissed. It might not help the situation, but it helped me. The serpent roared and squeezed the boat. Wood splintered, and a large crack spread down the middle of the boat. We were seconds from capsizing. "We need to go. Now."

"Yup, exactly what I was thinking."

Poseidon smiled. "Where will you run to? The sea? There's no possible way you can outswim me in my own domain."

I winced as a loud crack echoed through the air. We ran towards the other side of the boat, dodging debris and trying to stay upright as the serpent shook us.

"Looks like we're going to put that theory to the test."

The serpent lunged, catching the floor beside me. It was so close its scaly head grazed my arm. Yelping, I staggered away and followed Hector to the edge of the boat, hardly hesitating as we leapt into the water.

We were still far enough away from the shore that, as I sank into the crystalline blue sea, a dreadful fear threatened to pull me deeper. The boat had been our best shot, and we couldn't outrun the serpent on it. There was no way we would outswim it, but maybe it was occupied destroying our ride.

I kicked to the surface, gasping for air and swallowing gulps of salty water as a sickening crack, followed by a surging wave washed over me. I tumbled through the water, limbs flailing—debris from the wreckage washed by, a broken plank smacking into my arm. The impact and the shocking pain pulled a scream from my lips, allowing a gush of water into my mouth and my lungs.

The boat capsized, and the leviathan bellowed triumphantly, which was horrifying to hear underwater. A thundering bellow that pushed into the depths of the sea. No doubt Hector was already swimming away, dragging a barely conscious Paris along with him. I felt a twinge of irritation at being abandoned but whatever. At least he was saving Paris at the same time, and he'd made it pretty clear that I wasn't important to him. If I drowned here, would he even say anything to Paris? Would Paris remember me?

A sharp question pushed through my blurring thoughts. If I died there, in the ancient world, would I die for real and never be able to return home?

All the kicking and flailing and struggling to breathe had taken its toll. The stabbing pain in my shoulder made it difficult to tread water, and I sank deeper into the sea. My chest hurt, my body screamed for air it would never receive. A deadly game, that's what it was. I was nothing but an insignificant flea that they wanted to toy with before squishing. There were 7 billion other people in the world. One less wouldn't make a difference. As Athena had said, more could be made.

At least Paris's story would be alright. I couldn't do any more damage if I died. The worst part was that I was going to die here, in a mythological world. My parents probably would never know what happened to me. Mom. Dad. My siblings...

My vision narrowed, dark unconscious clutching my mind. Dark hair and a flurry of bubbles approached me. Cool hands clutched my cheeks.

"I know there's more fight in you," Poseidon said. His voice was smoothed over by the water, but still so clear. It would be soothing, if not for the fact that the man it belonged to was trying to kill me. "Giving up so easily like this is pathetic. Find that warrior spirit and use it."

Fight, please. You put me in this mess. I wanted to say it, but nothing came out except bubbles and precious air. He sighed and looked up. I was slipping further and further into darkness.

"Looks like you've been spared," he said, "remember what I said. It's not time to go home yet."

Suddenly, he was gone and I was being dragged upwards. My body was limp as it raced towards the surface, and I should have wondered how this was possible, but maybe this was a hallucination as well.