Olympian VIP

Chapter XXXIII

    Clio nodded along as Vik spoke, but Angie only found her nerves worsening, an almost electric energy building inside of her veins: dry and itchy and uncomfortable. Clio reached for her hand. "Angie?"

    "I don't like it," she said, finally. "It's too many maybes."

    "Angie," Alex managed, trying to stand, but failing, his knees buckling beneath his weight. Vik cried out in alarm, catching him just before he hit the floor. "Angie, it's all we have, okay? Con has a point; we can't just sit here. We have to go after Esme, even if it's without me."

    The words formed in Angie's throat, but never made it past her tongue: But what if it's a mistake? What if I walk out that door and I never see you again?

    Alex read it on her face, because he forced his mouth into a weak smile. "I'll be okay. We'll be okay, Angie."

    Conny bit down on his lip. "Well, I'm staying here, then. You guys can go ahead."

    "Conny, you know that doesn't make sense," Alex said, resting back against the wall, breaths shallow and skin clammy. He blinked, slowly, as if fighting to remember where he was, and Angie tried not to panic. "Vik is too new to all of this...all of this pantheon stuff. It doesn't make sense for him to go after Esme."

    Vik nodded his head, insistent. "I can stay here with Alex until you guys get back. I'll take good care of him, I promise."

    Alex's eyes flickered over to Vik. "I'm not entirely pleased with the idea of you staying here either, to be honest. What if I..."

    "You wouldn't," Vik said. "You wouldn't hurt me, Alex. Bottom line is someone needs to stay with you to make sure you're alright, and that's it. I'm staying."

    He said it with such conviction, without even a modicum of hesitation, that no one could have questioned him if they tried. Not, Angie thought, that they had many options left at this point. There was no more time.

    "Alex, you—" Conny cursed under his breath, his hand curling into a fist, all of his body tense like a cord pulled taut. Angie thought for a moment he was going to strike the wall, but he didn't, just tore an anxious hand back through his hair. "Promise you'll hang on, okay? I won't take long; I'll be back before you know it. So just don't—I need you to—"

    "You're wasting time, Conny," Alex interrupted, the last of the words swallowed in a hacking cough. He leaned into Vik, heavily, as if he couldn't keep himself upright otherwise. "Go already. I'll be okay."

    "I'm gonna make sure he's okay," Vik said. "Trust me, Conny."

    Angie watched Conny's face: the severe twist to his mouth, as if he was choking back all the words he really wanted to say, the disbelief and the rage and the sorrow somehow all locked away in just his eyes. She wanted to say something, to comfort him, but she was just as terrified as he was.

    "It's just...both of us have to make it out of here, or...or our mom would be sad," Conny said after a moment, and though he hesitated, he nodded at Vik. "I'm leaving him to you, then."

    Vik smiled at him, returning his nod.

    Pleased, Conny turned swiftly around, lifting his gaze to Angie. "Any ideas as to how we blow this fucking popsicle stand?"

    Angie let her eyes fall to Artemis's bow once again. Moving towards it, she answered, "Sure. I've got at least one."

Angie lifted the bow. Conny waited, trembling, for the worst—but there was only stillness, and the subtle look of awe crossing Angie's face. Clio looked at her, expectant, and only then did Angie take a bow from its quiver.