Hunter: Fate & Fury

Chapter 13

Apollo didn't move as I sat beside him on the bed. He was pale almost to the point of being grey and I was taken back to the last time I'd seen him like this. He'd nearly died then, and at the prospect of that being the same now, I couldn't stop my tears. Apollo's lips were blue, and where the claws had sliced at him, bandages now covered the area so I had no idea how bad it actually was. I wasn't sure I wanted to know either. I should have kept using my sword, if I cut off her leg she wouldn't have been able to tear him up like this.

"The damage was already done," Cain told me as if he could read my thoughts. His hand squeezed my shoulder and leaned into him.

I wish I could believe that.

Hades tossed what looked like a claw beside me on the bed. "What's this?"

"This was found in his shoulder." Picking it up, I expected it to be hard as a nail, only it was soft= like rubber. "It contained gold powder and it came free as soon as the nail would have cut the skin."

My stomach sank at what that would mean. "Deimos?"

"Deimos is fine. That one either didn't have this, or he was extremely lucky and it didn't work as intended." Hades confirmed.

"So, is Apollo going to be fine?" I looked up in time to see the pair share a look that told me I wasn't going to like what they had to say. "Just say it."

"They thought it was poison, which is why they came to me," Hades explained as I wiped my eyes. "But as soon as the powder was detected and that was found, Artemis left to find someone who might be able to help. I don't know why the metal is so toxic to us, if anyone ever works it out, well, no one has yet. We have to hope Artemis will find what she needs otherwise, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say."

"I think most people would struggle with a wound like this full of powder." I suddenly remembered the last time he had encountered gold powder. "Valkyries make the powder. Artemis's arrows have it in them. You two fixed him last time."

Hades frowned as it took him a minute to remember. "That was a small dose, not this and she used the last of her remedy for it then too. Artemis and Hermes have gone to her old source. Hopefully with the truce in place between our countries now, they will be much more willing to help."

I nodded along, until his words sunk in.

"Willing to help?" I repeated. "You think they won't?"

Hades nodded. "It's an old practice, forbidden. If they don't make it anymore, they won't be making the antidote."

Kara chose then to appear, her face grim as she looked at us before her focus settled on Apollo.

"Any improvement?"

"Go and tell the Valkyrie to help," I demanded.

"What?" She frowned.

"Elise-" Cain started and I shook my head, standing up.

"He's dying because of a gold powder the Valkyrie used to make. You were one of them, do you know how to fix this?"

"No, it was outlawed before even my time. Elise, I'll do whatever I can, but-"

"Then do it." Kara hesitated, looking at the others for help she wasn't going to get. "Go! Now!"

She did and turning back to Apollo, I held his hand. Guilt was eating away inside. We knew we were going into a trap, and I still led the way. This was my fault. I watched Apollo's face, waiting for him to open his eyes, to smile, and tell us he was going to be fine. I followed the deep, slow movements of his chest and as Cain placed a cold cloth on his forehead, Apollo's hand squeezed mine; faint but it was something.