A mocking grin tipped the corner of the god's lips. "You won't win against him. Not yet."
The fuck he wouldn't. "Uh, are you clairvoyant now?" If so, that was definitely new.
"Hardly." Dionysus laughed. "But I had a dream about the Fates. That dragon is only beginning its destruction. If it goes unchecked, he will lay waste to any and all who dare to challenge him. He's already grown to full adulthood in a few short months. You need a specific weapon to kill it, forged by a specific blacksmith."
Because, naturally, killing a dragon wouldn't be simple when the gods were involved in making it. Echidna's children were often damn near unkillable monsters. "Hephaestus?"
Dionysus nodded. "I have him working on the weapon now. However, it will take a year to complete."
"A year!"
"It's very specific."
Ugh. Either Dionysus was pulling his chain or this was all some weird fever dream and Chrys was back in the hole in the ground, asleep. "Whatever. I need to go." Was that smoke he smelled? He sniffed the air. Something was burning.
"Of course, of course. Go impress the beautiful warrior queen, but when next you see Destroyer after this, a quest will be delivered unto you. Either you can take the work yourself, or pick a satyr to do so in your stead."
Bizarre, but who was he to judge? "Why a satyr?"
"It must be a satyr." He rubbed his cleft chin. "That's very important."
"Right…" Chrysander had dallied far too long. "And why should I believe you?"
"Because…" Dionysus waved a hand in front of him, summing a thyrsus that was the length of a staff, with a pinecone shaped ornament at the top and carved vines that wrapped around the length. His old one had been the size of a scepter. This one was almost as tall as he was. "I'm more powerful than I ever was, and the satyr that slays that dragon will become a god in my new pantheon, such as the way of heroes of old."
Chrys busted out laughing. "Oh, wait, you're for real."
Dionysus rolled his eyes and flashed away without another comment. That was the strangest conversation he could have had at the absolute worst time ever. As though to accentuate how poorly timed it was, another roar shook the trees and ground around him. Chrys ran in its direction, trying to push Dionysus' offer from his head.
Even if he wanted a godhood, which he didn't, immortality sucked. And he didn't have any aspiration of becoming a god in Dionysus' new pantheon, whatever that was going to be. If Zeus knew, he'd have twenty-five-hundred cows about it. Oh, Hades down in the Underworld, Zeus couldn't possibly know about it yet.
Should he tell Pan and send that information to him? Gods, why put him in this situation?
He broke through the trees and into a hellscape. The ground was scorched and vrykolakas zipped back and too quicker than he could fully process until they stopped for a few moments to assess their target. Destroyer roared at them from the sky, flying over where he'd burned through the canopy of trees. Spears were thrown but couldn't quite reach him. The dragon was black as pitch, with leathery wings. His tail whipped around in fury as he spotted Chrys entering the clearing.
"Satyr!" the voice boomed in his head. "You will pay for my mother's life in your blood."
Well, shit.
16
Adonis lunged at Theron while Ariston unleashed a long string of profanity that would make a sailor blush. "Go back and tell the others I have him," he ordered as he and Theron hit the ground hard and proceeded struggling to pin the other down. The bastard was a lot stronger than he looked. Apparently, pure aggression and being a sick fuck had fueled his strength.
"We don't know where the other two are," Ariston countered and attempted to pull Theron off him as he wrapped his hands around Adonis' throat.
Theron punched Ariston square in the face, giving Adonis a chance to take in a wheezing breath. Ariston then released him, stepping back to touch a hand to his jaw. Blood welled at the corner of his mouth. The Boeotian cackled and said, "Maron and Elek aren't the ones you should be worried about. Hell, I'm not the one you should be worried about right now."
Adonis kneed him in the gut and clocked him in the nose. Something crunched, which satisfied him almost as much as the grimace on the other satyr's face. "Fuck you, Theron. We aren't going to listen to your little mind games."
"I'm dead serious, you dumbass." Theron reared back and then slammed his forehead into Adonis'. With a groan, he stumbled, and Theron staggered to his feet, holding his nose. He glared at Ariston when he took a step toward him and his brother stayed planted firmly. "You should listen to your brother and run off to tell the others, Ariston. Wouldn't want to die now that you're a mortal. Not that it will matter if the lot of you don't back off and hand over Calix."
"Calix isn't even here, which you have got to be aware of by now." Ariston shook his head. "Even you aren't that stupid as to think he's here and not looking for you." Much to Adonis' shock, his brother held out a hand to him to help him up. Adonis stared at the hand like it might leap off his arm and attack him. Warily, he took it and his brother pulled him to his feet.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Theron dropped his hand to his side and when he smiled, his teeth were stained with the blood that had been dripping from his broken nose. "How sweet. Did you two kiss and make up?" He cupped his hands over his heart and puckered up his face. "Aww."
"Can we just kill him already?" Ariston growled and started forward, but stopped a few feet away.
"I don't think anyone would miss him," Adonis added.
"You
