Sorry for the late chapter. Things haven't been easy lately. Happy new year. 🎉

I'm kinda late but I'm gonna wish you anyway. 💜

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The Hecatoncheires,

Also known as the Hundred-Handed Ones,

Were three monstrous giants, with fifty heads and one hundred arms.

They were the offspring of Uranus and Gaia.

They helped Zeus overthrow the Titans.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Zion scoffed and crossed his arms. He remained composed; his face completely free of any emotion. But even with all that reserved quality, a hint of anger broke through. "If your 'Mistress' wants me so badly, why doesn't she show herself instead of hiding behind a pack of dogs?"

Alex gritted his teeth in anger. "We aren't dogs. Crocottas are an esteemed race. A fortified army. Led by an unsurpassed superior. Our Mistress has a plan and she'll certainly execute it. You won't stand a chance against--"

"Why does she want Pandora?" Zion cut him off nonchalantly.

"How should I know?" Alex said in frustration as he strained against the ropes. "I don't get why she wants an insignificant human like her!"

Excuse me?

"Insignificant?" I said with a frown. He's saying all this because I'm human.

Alex focused on me; dull grey eyes completely void of any glow. "If I were you I'd stay away from them." He jerked his head at Zion and Pedro. "They'd kill you the moment they regain their senses--"

"You mean ascend." I countered.

Alex ignored my statement. "Your family isn't with them but with another. People who don't plan to kill you. They are your only relief from the huge target on your back. They've probably found you already. Encapsulate, annex, internment. Oh yes, they could. They will. They have. They have..." He trailed off, mumbling to himself.

And we're back to the crazy Alex.

"Speak sentences, Dumbass." Zion retorted. He called out to his brother. "Pedro. Dictionary."

Pedro saluted and walked to a bookshelf stacked at one end of the room. Taking his time, he pulled out the spine of a huge binder and handed it to his brother.

Zion grabbed the heavy book -- which wasn't even a dictionary-- and whacked Alex's bald shiny head. The crocotta cursed repeatedly. His shoulders hunched upwards in an attempt to protect his head while his hands struggled against the bindings around his wrist.

Zion threw the book over his shoulder and sat on his heel. Their eyes met on a neutral level. "Now. You're going to tell me Henry's location and where they're keeping Gwen's dad. Do you understand?"

"I'll never betray my leader. And you don't need to find him, he'll find you. You're already running out of time." Alex shifted his eyes to me. "He loves a good chase."

I shuddered at the words. The exact words Henry said before he left.

Pedro faked a yawn. "Blah. Blah. Blah. We've heard that before. Now, where are you keeping Mr. Hackbarth?"

"A cave."

We turned to the person we had ignored from the very beginning. Hypnos sipped his beer like it was heavenly wine.

He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and clicked his tongue. "I must say that you're all pretty terrible at interrogation. Though I don't blame you for going through all that trouble. You must've forgotten that reading minds are my specialty."

Alex's eyes bugged out like he had been caught doing drugs by the police.

Hypnos played with the manacles around his wrist and continued, "The person you're looking for is chained underground in a cave. A cave filled with an uncountable number of crocottas. The leader you so desperately want to kill and the Mistress you want to strangle reside in the same location.

"It's not too far from Star-Crossed Inc. and it's a perfect place for crocottas to dwell and spy on their target-- which is the whole lot of you." He waved a finger at us.

We all stared at Hypnos and blinked in unison. That's...unexpected. But why will he try to help? He's a prisoner just like Alex.

He's doing this for a reason...

As if reading my mind, Hypnos continued. "I was bored with the interrogation. Face it, you weren't getting answers anyway."

He focused on Zion. "But I did tell you to watch your back, great king. As ruler of the gods, someone might try to overthrow you in your weak and ignorant state."

"I'm not weak." Zion snapped.

"Oh really? From what I see in your memories, you haven't used your abilities to their fullest potential. Zeus didn't earn his title just by shooting lightning."

"You're talking like I'm Zeus."

Hypnos made a sickening smile. "Because at the moment, you are. The other gods will see no difference. You should be prepared for anything." His black eyes went to Pedro. "Others might use your brother to get to you."

Zion's hands twitch at his side. A minor movement that spoke volumes. Pedro made a cute pout.

"The Big Three are rulers in their domain. And they are powerful. That's why they rule." Hypnos spoke like a royal advisor. "Like Zeus, Poseidon possesses an air of authority and so does Hades. Kings must fight for their throne. But here you are; running after dogs to save one mortal--"

"Hey!" Alex yelled.

"You don't know anything." I stepped up, having enough of this stupid bullshit against humans. "You think mortals are rats that don't deserve your concern, but you're wrong. Pandora was a mortal. A pawn. But she managed to cause so much damage. Enough to make the gods panic the moment she came back. For all we know, Gwen's dad could be the person to end your era."

Hypnos smiled in understanding. "We sometimes underestimate humans -- and still do to this very day. It's in our nature."

"I need to go," Zion said stiffly and strode out the door. His actions caught me by surprise.

Did Hypnos flip a switch with his words?

Pedro leaned flat against the wall with a knee propped forward. He jammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans while fixing a hot gaze on Hypnos. The god of sleep stared just the same but with a sick grin.

I need to talk with Zion but I'm not leaving Pedro with this psycho.

"Come on," I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.

I stepped over the threshold when Hypnos spoke up. "I always keep my deals."

His departing words plucked a chord and I tensed. With a huff, I continued onwards.

"Slow down, Chips." Pedro stumbled to keep up with my strides. It was surprising because he had long limbs. I reached an open window when something caught my attention for a brief moment.

I acted fast.

Pedro grunted when I shoved him against the wall; away from the opening.

"Pancakes, what are you--"

I pressed a finger to his lips and hushed him before peeking out the window with one eye.

I was right.

On the roof of a low building across the street, a lone figure crouched still. It was easy to overlook since he was partially concealed in the shadows like a freaking statue.

The moonlight illuminated just a hint of his outline and face. The toned muscles and long braid gave everything away. I recognized him immediately. The stranger from before. The one that had a good view of Liam and I kissing.

Is he spying on us? Tracking my friends?

Well, one thing was certain, he hadn't noticed Pedro and I wanted it to stay that way. With one last gesture for Pedro to remain hidden, I walked fully into view. The stranger stared back without making a single move.

According to Liam, he is one of the seven demons Gwen spoke about. Does he know the red-eyed creature in my dreams?

I squinted, getting a good look at him. I observed the outline of black combat boots, biker jeans, and a sleeveless jacket.

Won't he feel cold?

Why am I suddenly caring?

The stranger tilted his head and made a half-wave. The action was hesitant like he was unsure if I would return his friendly move. It was weird considering he transforms into a bat-like monster.

I waved back with uncertainty. He smirked, glad I noticed him. After a long moment of unnecessary staring, Braid-guy rose to his feet and stepped towards the edge of the roof. With one last glance, he leaped off, disappearing into the darkness below.

I guess he wasn't afraid of heights.

"Um...Pickles?" Pedro called out, catching my attention. "I think we have a problem.

He removed his hands from the pockets of his jeans. There were shaking vigorously like he had a seizure.

I sidled closer, my eyebrows creased in worry. "What's happening? Is it the Pendant?"

He shook his head and grunted. "This feels different."

I knew what he meant and glanced at the bracelet on his wrist. It looked dull but with every second, it brightened by a hitch.

I caught his cheeks and steered his concentration to me. "As long as you stay conscious, he won't push through."

Pedro nodded and shut his eyes, taking deep breaths. After what felt like a whole minute, his hand stilled and the bracelet shifted to its numb state. He hesitantly looked at me and managed a soft smile.

I smiled back. "Let's find Zion."

He rose an eyebrow and glanced at my outfit. "You need to change first."

I stilled and tugged at my red dress. He was right. It looked dirty and rough like I had practically stayed in the woods. The better portion of my thighs was exposed because of the rift I caused and my cleavage was still on display.

I was walking around with this the whole time!

I squeaked and covered my chest. "Good point."

Pedro chuckled and interlaced our hands. He led me down the corridor. The sound of his blue Nike shoes ricocheted through the vacant hallway. "After cleaning up, we'll find Zion. Besides, I think he deserves some time alone to cool down."

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