Hades snapped his fingers, changing my Underworldly black attire into my normal purple toga. "The centaur's name is Nessus. And this will be a tad different than what I've asked you to do before."
I stretched my arms above my head. "How so?"
"I want him for my army. You'll be convincing him."
My face fell. "Your army? For what?"
Hades sighed. "Don't you get bored of asking the same question?"
"The Titans." I frowned, knowing by now it'd do no good to argue with him. It still left an empty pit feeling in my stomach.
"Time's a-wastin', Meg. Do me proud." He waved his hand, and I appeared in a thicket near a river and waterfall.
Rolling my shoulders, I spotted the centaur drinking water from the bank—blue, gray, huge, and ugly. Bile worked its way up my throat. I gulped it down, flicked my hair, and sauntered over to him.
"What's a gal got to do to get her back scrubbed around here?"
Nessus' head shot up, his yellow eyes widening and then softening when his gaze fell on my hip swivel. "Well, hello."
"I'm going to cut straight to the chase, Hooves. Hades wants you for his army." I crossed my arms, hoping, praying this oversized oaf didn't try any funny business.
"His army? Hm. And he sends a mortal woman to do his bidding?" His hooves beat against the dirt as he neared me, a wicked glint in his eye.
"It's a long story. Look, just agree to it, and we can both be on our merry way."
He ran a hand over the long black beard draping over his chest. "Hm. And what do I get in return?"
"Are you kidding?" I cocked a brow. "Did you hear what I said? The god of the Underworld himself wants you to fight for him. Isn't that enough?"
He smiled, showing rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Not by a long shot." He circled me, eyeing me up and down like a piece of meat.
My heart raced. Where in Tartarus was Hades? He normally showed up by now. "Nessus. Don't do anything stupid."
"Oh? Do you belong to someone?" He narrowed his eyes.
I gulped. "You got me there."
Maybe if I screamed, Hades would show up?
I screamed the girliest scream I could muster.
Still nothing.
One of Nessus' hands launched at me, and I dove, tripping into the river water.
"Not so fast, sweetheart," Nessus purred, wrapping his large hand around my torso and lifting me from the ground.
I growled. "I swear, Nessus, put me down or I'll—" Against my better judgment, I kicked him in the chest.
For a mere second, he looked shocked, and then his gaze turned predatory. "Oo, I like 'em fiery."
If Hades weren't death itself, I'd kill him. Positively kill him.
"Let go of me. This is your last warning," I snarled, flailing my arms at him.
He brought me to his face, and I shoved my palms against his nose.
"Halt," a random man's voice called out.
I turned my head with a raised brow.
He had red hair, blue eyes, muscles for days, and dressed like he thought he was a hero or something.
Was he out of his mind?
Nessus' grip tightened around me, making me short of breath. He bent forward, glaring at Wonder Boy here. "Step aside Two Legs."
"Pardon me good uh—" He gave the centaur a once over. "—sir. I'll have to ask you to release that young, uh—"
This kid had no clue what he'd just gotten in the middle of.
"Keep moving, Junior," I urged.
Hades will show up any...minute...now.
"But aren't you a damsel in distress?"
I rolled my eyes, prying at Nessus' fingers. "I'm a damsel." Grunt. "I'm in distress." Double grunt. "I can handle this." I smiled at him. "Have a nice day."
"Ma'am, I'm afraid you may be a little too close to the situation to realize—" He drew a sword, and Nessus backhanded him, sending him flying to the other side of the bank.
Idiot. Absolute idiot.
"A hero is only as good as his weapon," Wonder Boy muttered, searching the water for his sword, only to turn around with a fish in his grasp.
Nessus laughed, and I sulked with a sigh.
If Hades tried to build up the suspense, it was positively working.
Nessus punched him into a boulder, and I winced.
Did this kid ever give up? I had to give him an ounce of credit.
Suddenly Wonder Boy sprinted across the bank, slamming his head into Nessus' gut. Nessus went flying into the rock wall behind the waterfall. I fell in a slump into the river with a frustrated sputter, fairly certain I'd sprained an ankle. I sat up, coughing, my hair falling over my face.
Was this how a drowned rat felt?
"Gee, miss, I'm really sorry. That was dumb," Wonder Boy said, picking me up like I weighed nothing more than a feather and setting me on a tree branch.
I parted my hair and smirked at him. "Yeah."
As I wrung out my hair, I watched Wonder Boy continue to beat Nessus to a bloody pulp.
Was this guy for real?
After Nessus was sufficiently defeated and humiliated, Wonder Boy walked over to me, shyly rubbing the back of his neck. So innocent. So sweet. So naïve. It should've been traits in a man I paid attention to.
"Are you alright, miss—"
I flicked my hair in his face. "Megara. Friends call me Meg. At least they would if I had any friends. So, did they give you a name to go along with all those rippling pectorals?"
"Uh, I'm uh—"
I made him forget how to speak. It was borderline adorable. "Are you always this articulate?"
"Uh, Hercules." He cleared his throat. "My name's Hercules."
Bingo.
"Well, Herc, it's been a real sl—"
In a flash, I was back in the Underworld, back in the midnight ensemble. Hades sat on his throne, eating from a bowl that Panic held up. Pain was behind him, rubbing Hades' temples.
I clenched my fists at my sides. "Where were you? Have you ever been manhandled by a centaur? It's not ideal."
"What exactly happened up there? I thought you were supposed to convince the River Guardian to join Team Hades." A curl of smoke, emanating from his arm, wisped under my chin, floating me toward him. "I appear to be River Guardianless."
"I gave it my best shot. He made me an offer I had to refuse."
"Mm. I could add more time to your sentencing. How about giving that your best shot?" He grinned at me, his gaze burning.
I growled and swatted him away, turning my back on him. "Look, it wasn't my fault. It was this Wonder Boy, Hercules."
Panic yelped, sending the bowl flying.
Hades appeared in front of me, stalking forward until he had me pinned against the cave wall. Leaning one arm above my head, he sunk his face into mine. "What was that name...again?"
"Hercules."
Hades' blue hair ignited in a fit of orange, snarling, and turning to look at Pain and Panic.
"Wasn't that the name of the—" Pain started.
The two demons looked at each other and slapped their hands on their heads.
"Oh, my Zeus!" They both bellowed.
Hades' chest pumped up and down, and he dragged the two demons toward him. "Didn't you both tell me over a decade ago that you took care of him?"
I narrowed my eyes and rested a hand on Hades' forearm, stopping him from dragging the demons the rest of the way. "What's so important about this guy?"
"He, my dear Meg, is the son of my dearest brother, Zeus. And not of Hera's. Get my drift?"
I cocked an eyebrow. "An illegitimate half god?"
"I'm about to rearrange the cosmos, and the one being who could putz it all up is schlepping around very much alive?" Hades roared, flames igniting from his head and arms shooting in every direction.
I ducked with a grimace as one blazed over my head. Frightening how commonplace raging infernos were to me now.
"What's the big deal? The kid seemed like a pushover. Sweet. Innocent." I turned my back on him, a wicked grin pulling at my lips. "Burly." I peeked at Hades over my shoulder.
He narrowed his eyes and floated closer. "Do you actually like this guy?"
"Why not?" I whirled around with my hands on my hips. "He seems genuinely nice. His heart was in the right place."
Hades shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's everything you don't need."
I stepped forward, raising to the balls of my feet. "Are you trying to tell me you know what I need, Hades?"
His hand fell away from his face, and he peered down at me, bringing our lips closer together. He froze. His nose so close to mine, I could feel his breath over my cheek. "What you need, Meg is to help me get rid of him."
I smirked. "Suit yourself."
"I'm gonna sleep on it. But be prepared, because come tomorrow, we're putting an end to Wonder Boy."
I bit down on my lip, watching Hades float away. Hercules was the key to stopping the unleashing of the Titans. But something told me it had nothing to do with his strength.
A/N: This was so much fine to describe that scene in detail, give her some internal beats geared towards my OWN agenda and switch it up a tad. What do you think Meg has in mind? ;) Please don't forget to vote!