I roll my eyes.
“This is not an obstacle course.” Hephaestus stares at the two of us sternly.
I do my best to look suitably chastised.
“You will find your way through these woods to a tower,” the god continues. “Inside, on the first level, you will find one of my automatons. You must defeat it to move to the next level, where another automaton will be waiting for you. Each is different. Some, you will fight. Some will require other skills.”
“Sounds like a movie I saw one time,” Boone leans over to whisper to me.
Hephaestus shoots us another admonishing look.
“Shhhh,” I hiss. “Always getting me in trouble.”
“Not me,” he says. “That’s you. Trouble magnet.” He waves his hand, indicating where we are and what we’re doing.
“Do I need to separate you two?” Hephaestus demands, voice all things fed up.
I clear my throat. “He’ll be quiet now.”
“Always blaming me,” Boone whispers. Then straightens at Hephaestus’ stony glare.
The god finally looks away. “When you defeat one level, the door to the next level will automatically open. The best time wins.”
Boone meets my eyes and winks in that confident, cocky way, but I don’t return his smile. There’s more to this. There’s always a twist.
“When a team has progressed sufficiently, the next team will be allowed to start. If you are unable to complete the course within the four hours allotted to each team, you don’t die,” Hephaestus says. “You’re simply disqualified from the Labor.”
Well, at least death isn’t an extra incentive this time. See, I knew I liked this god.
“The levels are deadly enough as it is,” he tacks on.
Never mind. I take it back.
“Two heads are always better than one, of course, but you do have a choice,” Hephaestus adds. “The champion and their guest can collaborate and compete as a team, or the champion can go it alone.”
Every person in the circle shifts on their feet, already turning toward each other, questions in their eyes. The levels are deadly enough as it is.
Hephaestus looks at Dae, expression softening. “You have no choice, Kim Dae-hyeon, I’m afraid. You must compete alone.”
Dae gives a jerking nod.
Murmuring rises among us, but Hephaestus holds up a hand. “You may discuss your choice in a moment. First, a final reminder. All you have to do is make it to the top fastest. How you do that, regardless of the challenge you face at each level, is up to you. But you cannot progress from one level to the next without defeating or outsmarting each level. And as an added challenge, your gifts will not work beyond the course, so you cannot go around it, either.” He lowers his hand. “Now, make your decisions. The first pair will start in five minutes.”
I turn to Boone, mouth already open with points and arguments I’ve been composing in my head, but he puts a finger to my lips. “Don’t even consider going alone.”
74
Two Roads Diverged In A Wood
I scowl over Boone’s finger, tempted to bite it. Instead, I pull away. “We don’t have to both take the risk,” I point out.
“No.”
I glare. “Don’t be stubborn.”
He snorts. “Said the most stubborn pot in existence to the most equally stubborn kettle. Besides, I told you I’ve always wanted to work with you.”
I let out a sharp breath. That was a low blow just to give me warm fuzzies and get me to agree, and he knows it.
“You could save yourself. I’d feel better—”
“If something happened to you, how would that make me feel? Especially when I’m good at shit like this.”
Now he’s appealing to my logical, clerk side. He’s definitely not going to let this go. “Fine. Put your life on the line. See if I care.”
Boone’s slow grin makes my stomach flutter. Just a little. Not like Hades, but still, when Boone chooses to be charming, he’s hard to resist.
Hephaestus holds up a hand, signaling for quiet. “First up is Amir, starting with his guest, Zeenat.”
But Amir and the woman we’ve all learned was his nanny are arguing. She’s small but mighty, and I can tell she still expects Amir to listen to her the way he did as a child.
“Amir?” Hephaestus demands.
“No, ayah,” Amir snaps with a swift glance in the god’s direction. “I will not listen to you. Not this time. I didn’t save you in the last Labor to lose you now. I—” His voice chokes a little, and he looks away, swallowing hard. “I couldn’t take it.”
Zeenat searches the face of the boy she’s known and obviously loved since infancy, then reaches out and pats his hand. “All right. I will wait.”
