Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
It’s only as we’re jumping out of the car and hurrying toward the docks that I think to wonder if Asterion knows what boat we’re trying to steal. I’ve never stolen a vehicle before. It looks easy in the movies, but I’m not foolish enough to think that’s reality. It’s too late for questions, though.
Full darkness has descended, and I can’t stop myself from huddling close to Asterion’s broad back. The soft creak of the dock moving in the water feels upsettingly loud in my ears. It could be covering up all manner of sins. There could be dozens of people waiting for us to step onto the docks, intent on our murder.
I’m trying to watch all the shadows at once, so I shouldn’t be surprised when one detaches from a nearby building and starts for us. And yet somehow I am. That surprise quickly turns to horror when I recognize the shape of the shoulders, the height, and the angry cadence of the footsteps.
“Father,” I breathe.
The word is barely more than whisper, but Asterion hears me anyway. He moves in an instant, one arm sweeping me and Icarus behind him as he twists to face the new threat. “Minos.”
My father steps into the light, and I’ve never seen him as angry as he is now. The veins stand out against his temples, and he’s practically shaking with rage. “You’ve ruined it. You’ve ruined everything. And now you’re going to fucking pay.” He moves his right hand, and I go cold.
He’s got a gun.
33
The Minotaur
I don’t know how the fuck Minos knew that we were coming here, but the how matters less than the fact that he’s here. Threatening us. Threatening Ariadne. She and her brother try to stop, but I keep them moving, inching us backward toward the middle dock. During one of my and Theseus’s recon missions, we cataloged every single vessel in the marina. Minos had been playing with the idea of sinking them all before ultimately realizing the same thing we did—no one uses or cares about these ships. They’re jewels in a crown that no one wears. Polished and perfect and useless.
My goal is the sailboat near the end of the row. The Daedalus. It’s owned by Apollo, a gift from the last Zeus when he took the title ten years ago. It looks brand-new, and knowing what kind of man Apollo is, I’m certain it’s kept in the best working condition, even if it’s never used.
But none of that is going to help us unless we can fucking get there.
I keep a wary eye on Minos as I back his children away from him. “You got what you wanted. The barrier will come down in less than thirty minutes. You don’t need us anymore.”
I can’t see his eyes in the low light, but his movements are jerky with rage. “You don’t get to walk away from me, boy. Theseus must’ve given you the wrong idea. Just because I couldn’t touch him doesn’t mean I’m going to watch you leave with my traitorous bitch of a daughter and my pathetic excuse for a son. Better you’re dead than betraying me.”
That’s what I was afraid he would say.
The boat we’re aiming for is positioned at the end of the dock, perfect for a smooth getaway, but there’s too much open space between our current position and the cover it offers. Even if Minos doesn’t have another clip, he has more than enough bullets to put all three of us in the ground.
I keep inching Ariadne and Icarus backward. “When I say run, you run. You don’t look back. You don’t hesitate.”
“Okay.”
Ariadne grabs a fistful of my shirt. “No, Icarus, not okay. We’re not leaving you to get shot again, Asterion.”
I don’t see how we have another choice. The barrier is close to coming down, which means our window of escape is rapidly shrinking. “For once in your fucking life, listen to me and obey.”
A gunshot makes us all flinch. Minos stalks toward us, his expression falling into cold lines. “Even now, you’re not taking me seriously. That’s fine. I’ll ensure you take me seriously after this.” He aims the gun right at the center of my chest. “Get on the ground.”
Absolutely fucking not. He’s liable to execute me on the spot. The fact that he hasn’t started shooting at us yet… I look over his shoulder. “Shooting a gun in Poseidon’s territory? You really don’t want to get out of here alive, do you?”
“What’s that big ginger bastard going to do? Scowl and wring his hands? Don’t make me laugh. And don’t make me ask again. Get on the ground.”
Ariadne’s grip on the back of my shirt shifts. I tense, but twisting to face her will leave her exposed. I’m fucking trapped, and I know down to my very soul that she’s about to do something reckless. I have to end this and do it now.