Hunter: Fate & Fury

Chapter 10

I had never been good at waiting, and while I had every intention of sitting this one out, that plan might not actually work with Apollo. His anxiety was becoming mine as he paced back and forth in front of me. This had to end.

"Let's go." I decided.

"What? No."

"I'm good. Honest." I patted my stomach. "I've eaten, had a break, pretty much good as new, so let's go."

"You said-" Apollo started.

"Yeah, and it's been like half an hour. I'm good." I start to walk only he pulls me back.

"Just sit your ass back down. We're not going anywhere."

"Okay, we're not. I'll go."

"As if I'm letting that happen." He groans.

"So we are going?" I sigh. "You're being even more infuriating than normal. Make up your mind."

"You will listen to me, I will decide what we do next." Apollo decides.

I try not to but fail terribly as I roll my eyes. "Sounds like you just did."

He starts to walk away without another word and I do manage to keep my mouth shut as we go. Following his lead we sneak around long-abandoned buildings, most have partially collapsed or for those we first pass have started to be reclaimed by the forest. The music was louder now and the food smells made my mouth water. Reaching back, I took his hand as he offered it and we kept low and quiet as we kept moving.

"Where is everyone?" I whispered.

By now we should have seen someone or something. He stops to think about this, looking around as he expected the answer to just appear before he gave a tiny shrug.

"The plan was to go around and meet on the other side. Let's just focus on doing that." Opening my mouth he shook his head. "My decision, remember? Or I take you back that way and you keep sitting it out."

"I know you're worried about Art, and the plan would have changed by now as we are taking too long to find them," I tell him. "And I dunno, can you feel your powers around like I do? I will put good money on Cain and Deimos being just up ahead that way. A little more to the left and that' where we'll find Kara, Art and I'm going to assume, Dionysus."

I point down the alley we're beside and it's hard to know what's on the other end without actually looking out there.

Apollo frowned. "No, I can't do that. Art can though."

"Well, that's helpful. Come on, let's take a peek?" I ask hopefully and reluctantly his shoulders droop as he gives in.

"I'll go first."

"Of course. You are the boss, boss!" I smirk as he looks like he might just have a breakdown in about thirty seconds. "Too much?"

Apollo creeps down against the side of the building, sending two birds flying up in the sky from their little nest in the vines that decorate the wall. I wait until he's at the end before following and I get waved over anyway. There's nothing here, just more old buildings but at the end of this street, the buildings have been replaced with tents, and lanterns have been lit around them. We keep going, and I see Deimos before Apollo does. Grabbing his arm, I tug him back down between two buildings which makes him stumble and nearly fall into me.

"Careful, a bit of warning would be nice!" He scolds. "What is it?"

"Deimos is up ahead." Apollo looks and watches for what feels like an eternity. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, maybe. He's just standing there," Conflicted is an understatement as he stares at me. "Okay, I'm going closer. Stay here."

"But-"