Free Awakened (Eternal Guardians Book 8) by Elisabeth Naughton Page B

belly. Of course it could be a trap. Athena was recruiting more than one female for the Sirens, which meant there were probably multiple amulets on this island. If another recruit had already found one, Damon and Elysia could be the prey instead of the hunters.
    Fear lanced through her. Not just for herself, but for Damon as well. She slowed her steps and pulled on Damon’s hand. “Maybe we should go back.”
    “Oh, thank the gods,” a voice said somewhere close.
    Elysia squinted in the darkness and felt her heart drop when she realized it was too late to turn around. A blonde Siren recruit, wearing the same ridiculous getup as Elysia, sat in the sand only feet away, leaning against the base of a palm. No amulet hung from her neck.
    “I didn’t think anyone would come,” the female said. “Please help me.”
    Elysia’s gaze fell to the recruit’s calf, covered in blood.
    “What happened?” Damon asked.
    “A harpy.” The recruit braced her hands against the sand and shifted with a grimace. “It came out of nowhere. I injured it, but before I could get away, it grabbed my leg. I thought I was going to die.”
    Damon handed Elysia the spear, then lowered to his knees to check the recruit’s wound.
    The recruit jerked back before he could touch her, and wide, fear-filled eyes stared into his face. “No, don’t. It’s still out there. Harpies can track blood. You have to kill it before it comes after me.”
    Damon glanced up at Elysia, and she read the question in his eyes. She would never have an easier chance to finish the seventh labor than she had right now.
    Sickness rolled through Elysia’s belly, and she quickly shook her head.
    Damon sighed, leaned back, and ripped his remaining pant leg at the knee. Pushing to his feet, he handed the black scrap of fabric to Elysia and took the spear from her hand. “Use this. I’ll go see if the harpy’s still close.”
    Elysia grasped his arm. “But—”
    “I’ll be fine. I know how to take care of myself.”
    He did. She knew that. He was a warrior, not a nobody like her. But she didn’t want him stalking off when he was upset with her. She knew he wanted her to go to Olympus with him, and she knew this was her best shot to do that. But couldn’t he see that by doing what Athena wanted—by killing an innocent—Elysia would be altering that person he’d just claimed he felt so connected to? “Damon.”
    His eyes met hers, but when she looked into their chocolate depths, she realized they weren’t filled with anger or frustration. They brimmed with sadness.
    “I get it,” he said softly. Then, closing his hand over hers against his arm, he squeezed. “See what you can do to help her. I’ll be right back.”
    Relief and confusion warred inside Elysia as she watched him disappear into the jungle. What was this crazy connection between them? Why did she feel so drawn to him when she barely knew him? The sound of brush rustling slowly faded until all she could hear was the whoosh of waves rolling against the shore.
    The recruit grimaced. “Who is he?”
    Elysia’s chest pinched as she knelt and slid the cloth under the recruit’s calf. “I’m not sure.”
    “What’s he doing here?”
    “I’m not sure about that either.”
    “Seems like you’re not sure about much.”
    Elysia frowned because, at the moment, she wasn’t sure about anything. Especially Damon.
    The recruit moved her hand against the sand, near her thigh. And from the corner of her vision, Elysia spotted the silver chain wrapped several times around the recruit’s palm. A silver chain that was oddly similar to the silver chain around Elysia’s neck.
    Slowly, Elysia’s gaze lifted to the recruit’s. Only this time the recruit’s eyes weren’t frightened or pained. They were cold. Cold and hard and dangerous.
    “I’m sure about something.” The recruit pulled a dagger from behind her back. “I’m sure you’re my ticket to Olympus.”

CHAPTER SIX

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