𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑺 • 𝑃𝐸𝑅𝐶𝑌 𝐽𝐴𝐶𝐾𝑆𝑂𝑁 ²

NINE

CHAPTER NINE
—dumb farms

🗡🗡🗡

  —JUDITH wasn't sure how she felt about all the family reunions that this quest had bestowed on her. Phobos and Deimos — although they had done her a favor in a twisted backward way — were such douchebags with their torment. She never wanted to meet them again ( but that seemed highly unlikely ). And now, she was meeting another half-brother. This one, however oddly dressed in his hillbilly-redneck get up, was turning out to be better company than the others, at least.

And he'd be a solid 10/10 for a great brother if only he hadn't led her and Nico to their captor. At least Eurytion had been nice about it. Even his dog, Orthus, was allowing her to pet it — maybe it sensed her lineage, because it growled at Nico constantly. To be fair, Nico did smell like death and it tended to have a bad effect on animals.

Eurytion had also warned them of a few rules before meeting Geryon. And Judith had managed to break two of the three already, not putting herself in their captors good graces. No fighting — she had managed to heed that one, only because Eurytion had yanked her back by the hood of her jacket before she could. No drawing your weapons — well, obviously the girl had done that, it was a stupid rule! And don't make any comments about the boss's appearance — that was impossible considering the man had three bodies with one head.

"How do you even dress the middle torso?"

His answer had been to place her on house arrest. Judith was restricted to the ranch house on the hill while Nico was still allowed to roam free around the fields, both still trapped at the ranch itself, but that was not the point.

Judith hated the place. It reminded her too much of the Big House at camp, except this one didn't have air conditioning and the smell coming from outside on the southern breeze was horrendous.

Currently, Nico was out getting fresh air — if you could even call it that, with how bad the stench was. He was angry at King Minos for making them come here, and he was also mad at Geryon for not giving him the information they had requested ( demanded ). Frankly, Judith was just all around pissed with the situation as well.

"You know, I have found great use for Eurytion on this ranch," Geryon said offhandedly, swirling a glass of lemonade in the hand that branched from his left most shoulder. He leaned awkwardly against the wall in front of her. "Offspring of Ares are rather ruthless and good animal herders. Your temper is quite entertaining to watch as well."

Judith slumped on the couch opposite him, her own glass of lemonade practically evaporating on the coffee table under the heat. "I don't want to stay on this ranch any longer than I have to."

"That's the thing, Judy Dear," Geryon snickered and Judith wanted to punch him in all three guts. "You have two choices — stay here with me on my beloved ranch where you could become immortal, or I send you off with our Nico di Angelo to Luke Castellan's army."

Judith stood to her feet, her back still aching from earlier. "Neither. You won't be sending Nico anywhere." Gods, she wished Eurytion hadn't taken her double bladed ax. She knew exactly how she would separate his three bodies.

"I'll give you some time to think about it," he said sweetly. Not a chance. "In the meantime, let's greet our newest guests, shall we?"