DIVINE » l. valdez

vi

❝oh, things couldn't be worse, when your parents run the universe ❞

Medea stepped forward, putting her weight on a red mosaic tile. The building shook. Jason moved stabbing towards Medea with his sword, but she vanished, reappearing at the base of the escalator.

"You're slow, hero!" She laughed. "Take your frustration out on my pets!"

Before anyone could move, the twin sundials swung open. Two snarling golden dragons crawled out, stretching their wings. They were real, full flesh and blood dragons. Compared to Festus the dragons were small, but still big enough to make Hina's heart stop.

"So that's what's in the kennels," Leo said meekly.

The dragons spread their wings and hissed in response. The room filled with the heat radiating from their scales. One turned his angry orange eyes on Piper.

"Don't look them in the eye!" Jason warned. "They'll paralyze you."

"Indeed!" Medea was leisurely riding the escalator up, leaning against the handrail as she watched the fun. "These two dears have been with me a long time—sun dragons, you know, gifts from my grandfather Helios. They pulled my chariot when I left Corinth, and now they will be your destruction. Ta-ta!"

On command, the dragons lunged forward. Without a word spoken, Hina, Jason, and Leo jumped into action. Working as a team, the three intercepted the dragon's charge.

Leo began blowing his safety whistle to alert Festus while Jason and Hina shouted to keep the dragons distracted.

Hina's hands emitted bright light, grabbing their attention and dragging them away from her friends.

She sent an arrow towards the closest dragon's face. The animal hissed, retreating and leaving Hina facing the remaining dragon.

Hina's attention was drawn away from the dragon as Leo yelled, "Jason, help!"

She turned just in time to see Leo pinned to the ground with the second dragon looming over his face, snarling. Hina chocked back a sob, as she screamed.

Jason sprinted from the opposite side of the room towards Leo. The light from Hina's hands shot out, distracting the dragon she fought as she rushed to where Leo was pinned.

Medea screeched, but it fell deaf to Hina as she realized she was too far away to save Leo.

A loud crash sounded throughout the department store. Colour mosaic glass showered down on the demigods as Festus crashed through the ceiling. 

Festus swiftly threw himself into the fight, snatching both dragons in his talons. 

"That's my boy!" Leo yelled.

Festus flew halfway up the atrium, then hurled the sun dragons into the pits they'd come from. Leo raced to the fountain and pressed the marble tile, closing the sundials. They shuddered as the dragons banged against them, trying to get out, but for the moment they were contained.

Hina scrambled towards Leo, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards Festus. Jason met them at the dragon, swiftly throwing himself onto the bronze dragon.

Before mounting Festus, Hina stopped Leo, placing a hand on his arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes meeting his.

Leo smiled, placing a hand on top of hers. "I'm okay," he promised. 

He jumped onto the dragon, pulling Hina onto Festus behind him.

The bronze dragon flapped his mighty wings, snatched the two cages with the satyr and the storm spirits in his claws, and began to ascend.

The flames curled up the walls of the building. The air was acidic, burning at Hina's eyes as the railings began to melt.