The Three Kings Trilogy- Lord Of The Sea

Chapter Ten- Prison Once Again

Neoma

I awoke to a dripping on my face. Even without opening my eyes, I knew I was somewhere in a dungeon. The smell of rot and decay nauseated me and the only sound were other various drips hitting the uncomfortable rocky floor.

"Neoma... please wake up." I could hear Aphrodite beg weakly.

Opening my eyes, I could see before Aphrodite barefoot and her dress torn on the ends. Various parts of her legs, arms, and face were bruised and cut with faint gold shimmery stains. We were both alone in the dungeon that barely had enough light to see everything around us. Our hands chained above our heads to a nail in a stone column.

"Aphrodite? Where are we?" I asked, trying to take in our surroundings.

"Cronus has taken us as his prisoners. You'll no doubt be popping out his children in nine months and I will be dead in nine hours now that you're awake." Aphrodite groaned as she spoke, flinching her entire body when she tried to laugh at the end.

"You will not be dead. If the others don't come looking for us, we can find our own way out and-!"

"No Neoma. Not we... you. Don't wait for those three dimwits and the couple to save you. You need to save yourself. When you have the chance- run. Unless you want to be Cronus' pet as well."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I hate to burst your bubble at a time like this but you are not meant to be loved by any immortal forever. You will be thrown out like trash by the time you're in your 40's and it'll be too late to live your life the way you want. So when Cronus lets his guard down, you run as far as you can. Change your name and keep eyes on your surroundings. Do you understand me Neoma?" Aphrodite asked, barely getting the last few sentences out and ending her speech on a harsh cough.

I had to get her out of here. It was my fault she even got dragged back into this mess. She was living her life perfectly and away from the gods until Hestia and Demeter asked her to protect me. She could have left and been on her way to France or some other country  a goddess of love would like but she was kidnapped with me.

"Wait... is Demeter here too? She came to me saying you and Poseidon were fighting. That's the last thing I remember."

"No. That would be me."

A thick, muddy red tail spanning twenty feet began slithering around us, circling the dungeon until a crooked neck rested on its own shoulder. The woman looked like what I would imagine a real demon to appear as. Skin as white as snow with scales running up and down her torso. A smile stretched to her ears with rows of sharp teeth and muddy red hair that appeared greasy barely met at her shoulder. She looked more snake than human.

"Lamia at your presence. Lamia bets you taste delicious... can Lamia have a taste? Or would you rather Lamia look like the true god?" Suddenly the terrifying monster that was in front of me morphed into a shirtless Caleb. No- shirtless Cronus. A fantasy I may have once enjoyed the thought of before recovering my memories. I couldn't help but admire the definition of the torso, wondering if Cronus actually looked like that as well. "Does this do it better for you?"

"That's enough Lamia!" In the doorway boomed Echidna in her human form. Lamia switched back and although I expected a little pushback, it was clear Lamia was afraid of Echidna. I couldn't blame the creature though.

Lamia slipped away, laughing to an unknown abyss with her tail even not being able to be seen or heard any longer. Just how large was this dungeon? Echidna slowly walked down stone steps until approaching the tiny space left between Aphrodite and I. Even from where I sat, I could see Aphrodite shaking. Had Echidna been the one leaving all those bruises on her? Echidna smirked, satisfied with what was in front of her before completely turning her back to Aphrodite and kneeling down before me.

"I told you last time we saw one another. Cronus always gets what he wants."

"What do you want Echidna?" I asked, trying to look as intimidating as she looked at me.

"Three F's. Freedom, food, and fuck obviously." I felt the shackles release my hands from the column. "Now let's go."

Echidna broke the chain of the shackles by yanking it towards her, releasing my hands. I hadn't even realized but they were too sore to barely lift to its natural position. Just how long have we already been here? Couldn't have been more than a few hours.

"What about Aphrodite? Can she join us?"

"No- she betrayed her brothers and sisters before. We aren't giving her that chance again."

I didn't even get a chance to speak on her behalf or negotiate before Echidna gripped the back of my head, pulling me at the scalp and dragging me to the door. Aphrodite began shouting demands but I couldn't make out the words before reaching the steps. No matter how much I tried to fight, Echidna was only that much stronger. Every step until we left the makeshift metal jail cell door, my lower back hit the edge of the stone steps. I had to find a way to get me and Aphrodite out of here.