The War God's Woman 3

12. Beneath the Net

Sage leapt to her feet and made a run for it. It was then, that she found out what the monster was hiding beneath his robes. Tentacles. A tentacle snapped out making Sage skid to a stop. More tentacles uncoiled themselves and slithered out from beneath the monster's robes. They were thin tentacles, but hard and able to lash out with speed and precision. One smacked her in the stomach – knocking the air out of her lungs.

Sage gasped and spluttered, struggling to catch her breath back. A tentacle lashed her back and Sage cried out – feeling as if she'd been caned. Sage looked back at the monster; her eyes wide with fear. She'd seen no teeth or claws and assumed that meant he was weaker. She'd badly underestimated him.

She ran. Her legs sprinting but the tentacles were faster. Lashing out, they tripped up her legs and Sage smacked into the ground – biting her tongue. She rolled to the side, to avoid the next strike – spitting out blood as she lifted her head.

A tentacle raced across the ground beside her – mocking her. The sound as it lengthened and stretched made Sage think about the roots of a tree and creaking sound when a person tried and failed to snap them. She got half-way up and her gaze locked on the tentacle that had snaked its way toward her. But she should have tried to focus on all of them.

The smack of a tentacle striking the back of her head made her skull split with pain. Crying out, she fell to her knees – clutching her head in her hands and feeling hot blood gush between her fingers. The tentacles snaked around her. Crawling on her knees, Sage tried desperately to get away from them.

But when she looked up, she realised that they'd been herding her towards the alter. The titan agent laughed – the sound eerie and cold – amused to see the despair seep into Sage's mortal eyes.

The boom of an iron door being blasted to smithereens on the floor above made Sage flinch.

"Ah, our guest is here." The agent purred. Sage's blood went cold. Her heart pounded in her chest as Ares strode imperiously into the chamber – stepping over the bodies of the guards that had fallen in the doorway.

"Ares, stop!" Sage yelled out. "It's a trap!"

His eyes blazed as he saw her. She was clutching her bloody head and Ares bared his teeth in anger.

"No!" Sage screamed. "Stop moving!"

But it was already too late. Ares had walked beneath the net. "It's a mind control spell. It's how they're recruiting to the titan army!"

She looked around frantically. She needed to break the net. Before Ares lost his free will and became a titan slave.

Ares froze suddenly, unable to move any more. He growled at the agent – his glare promising him a long death.

Adonis sighed, his body relaxing, and Sage saw that the whites of his eyes were tinged green.

"Excellent, another servant for the cause." The agent gloated. He held his hand out and blank-faced Adonis leant forward and kissed the agent's hand. Sage's stomach plummeted. "Now, let's see how long the death god can resist me."

The titan agent picked up a fan and used it to waft the green smoke in Ares' direction. Sage took a slow step backwards – edging towards the candle and hoping that the agent wouldn't notice. His greedy gaze was fixed on Ares.