The lost Auras

Chapter 16

Hydra and I are locked in a stare down. Both of us are unwilling to look away and concede defeat. I find my voice first.
- We're in this together Hydra, I say.
- No, we're not, he says. I really want to stomp on his foot right now.
- You think that's something you can decide. Just like that, I ask. I glare at him, hands on my hips.
- You can't expect me to back down now. Not after everything, I say.
- I told you not to follow me, he says. He stares at me coldly, his expression is the same and indifferent one, from the first time we met. It makes me want to scream.
- You have an out right now, take it, he says. I open my mouth to protest, but Hydra cuts me off before I can say anything else.
- I don't want out of this. I have to be the one to take care of it, he says.
- And I don't want an out, I say in my head. I try to keep my voice as level and firm as possible.
- You, you're just trying to get yourself killed, I shout. Still, my voice rises at the end in a shout.
- Well maybe I am. If that's what it takes, I'll do it, he shouts. A jolt of fear rush through me. I stare at him.
- You can't be serious, I say. Hydra pauses, looking away.
- I've been prepared to make whatever sacrifices are necessary. I've been prepared from the very moment I fought Hercules, he says. He looks back at me, his expression hard.
- I won't let you walk this path with me, he says.
- Then why did you let me in. What did you want from me, I ask. His eyes flash blue at my deliberate wording.
- I knew I shouldn't have let you come with me. But I went against my instinct because, he says but cuts himself off. A part of me really wants him to finish that sentence.
- Because, I ask. He closes his eyes and when he opens them, his glare is like ice.
- Leave, he says.
- But, I say.
- Leave, he shouts. His shouting has me flinching. For a moment, I'm speechless. But then I straighten my shoulders. I give him one last glance. Some emotion flashes across his face, but it's too fast for me to determine what before his wall is pushed back up. Without another word, I turn around and leave his office. I close his door quietly even though I really feel like slamming it instead.

It's not until I'm outside on the streets that my bravado crumbles. I clutch a hand to my chest, pressing down on my heart. This hurts.
- Why won't he just let me help him, I ask in my head. I look up at the clear Manhattan sky. I let the calm blue wash over me, settling my nerves. This is far from over.
- If this is the way he wants it, fine, I say in my head. A plan starts formulating in my head as I hurry down the street.
- I won't give up on you. I'm going to help you no matter what it takes, I say.

I spend the whole day coming up with a plan. When the stock market closes and night falls, I head to Cassandra's office. I loiter around, waiting for the employees to leave before I strike. I use a few tricks I've learned over the past few days to sneak into the building.
- Okay, that went smoothly enough, I say in my head.
- Now to find something useful, I whisper. Already the place has been cleaned up from Hercules's fight with Hydra. I rifle through Cassandra's filing cabinets, but I can't find anything relevant.
- What's my next move here. Come on, Kira, think, I say. I glance around the dark office when the photos on her desk catch my eye. There are plenty of photos of Cassandra and Hercules together, being all couple-y. My gaze roams from photo to photo, but stop when I spot one of Hercules alone. I pull the frame closer to get a better look.
- There's something about this picture, I say in my head. Hercules is at his desk at H.E.R.A. with a small grin on his face. My eyes fall on the object in his hands.
- The crow artifact, I yell. He's holding the ink quill artifact for the Crow Aura.
- But he's not wearing the casket artifact for the Black Maned Lion Aura, I say in my head. I tilt my head to the side as I study the picture. The Jacket artifact, I can't think of a time when Hercules isn't wearing it. It was his first acquired artifact after all.
- Wait. His first, I ask in my head. I look closer at the photograph, searching for the time stamp.
- When did Nemean's artifact get taken again. Come on, I know I read it, I say in my head. I try to remember the dates from the case reports I read at Hydra's apartment. The date comes to me the moment I find the time stamp in the corner of the photo.
- He's not supposed to have had this yet, I say. The revelation momentarily shocks me.
- Hercules took Meg's Aura before he was assigned his tasks, I say.
- He crossed that taboo all on his own. It wasn't sanctioned by the gods at all, I say in my head. I don't have time to celebrate my discovery when the door slams open loudly. At the same time, the lights turn on. I jump and shield my eyes from the sudden brightness in the room. When I lower my hand, I stand up abruptly when I see who's there. Hercules and Cassandra. They both sneer when they see me.
- Well, well, well. If it isn't Hydra's little girlfriend, Cassandra says.
- Did you really think you could sneak in here so easily, Hercules asks. I had chalked it up to luck, but I guess the gods aren't on my side tonight.
- Should've figured that out already, I say in my head. My mind is working on an exit strategy.
- Forget strategy, just move, I shout in my head. I make a dash for the door, but a powerful hand yanks me back.
- Ow, I yell. I scramble a few steps back to put some distance between us.
- I need to get out of here, I say in my head. I glare at Hercules.
- I know what you did, Hercules. If the rest of the gods found out, I say. That was the wrong thing to say. Hercules rushes at me, growling.
- Shut up. You don't know anything, he shouts. I try to doge past him but he snags me by the arm, before I can activate my ring.
- Hey, I yell.
- Shut up, he says. I bite my lip as he twists my arm beyond my back.
- Wait. We can use her, Cassandra says. Hercules doesn't let up on his grip, and I do my best no to let the pain show. I refuse to give him the satisfaction.
- Why should we. Let's just end this now, he says. There's something manic in his eyes that has my blood running cold.
- Hydra will come for her. Let's lure him to us and really finish this, Cassandra says. I tense as Cassandra and Hercules laugh.
- No. I can't let them get to Hydra, I say in my head. Panic starts to set on and I struggle, but Hercules's grip is like iron. I can't escape.

Hercules and Cassandra take me to their mansion. Once inside the gaudily decorated surroundings, Hercules throws me into a chair.
- You can't keep me here, I yell.
- No one's going to stop me, Hercules says. He binds my arms and legs to the chair, tugging on the ropes until they bite skin. I wince in pain and Hercules smirks.
- Not too tight, I hope, he asks. I glare, but press my lips together in a thin line.
- So you do know when to shut your mouth, he says.
- Cassandra, keep your eye on the little rat while I check things with the guards, Hercules says. Hercules leaves soon after while Cassandra stays behind with me.
- Ugh. Perfect, I say in my head. I was hoping they would leave me alone, but it seems they won't take any chances.
- You won't get away with this, I yell. I struggle against my bonds, but I only succeed in rubbing the ropes against my skin.
- Be quiet, would you. You are going to give me a headache, Cassandra says. She looks at me with disdain.
- Oh, we can't forget about this, now can we, she asks. She goes to take my ring but I curl my hand into a fist.
- No, I yell. I try to concentrate, but my ring won't respond.
- You're only going to make this, she says. Cassandra's perfectly manicured nails dig into my hand, breaking skin. I wince, my curled fist loosening.
- More painful for yourself, she says. She forcefully takes my ring and slips it into her pocket.
- I bet you think you've won already. But you haven't. This isn't over, I say.
- Of course it is. Look at you, all scared and whimpering. Pathetic. Just like your boyfriend, Cassandra says. I try to kick out at her, forgetting that my legs are bound too. She laughs at the attempt. I glare daggers at Cassandra.
- What are you going to do with me. I know the truth, I say. Before I can say anything more, Cassandra slaps me hard across the face. For a moment, I'm stunned, unable to move. Then I feel the pain blooming across my cheek. I fight to keep my eyes from watering.
- You're lucky you didn't make me break a nail, she says. She examines her fingers nonchalantly as if she hadn't just struck out at me.
- Ugh, I bet the side of my face is growing red, I say in my head. I look back at her, my eyes narrowing.
- Don't get cocky. You think you're the first person to ever figure it out, she asks. The admission strikes fear in my heart as implications fill my head.
- Who else have done this with. What are they going to do to me, I ask in my head. Cassandra sits back, confidently, when a figure sails through the air, crashing through the far wall of the room. A very familiar figure.
- Hydra, I shout. I want to say something, but I stop when I see Hercules looming in the new hole in the wall. The energy surrounding him nearly suffocates the room with its heat. I'm almost blinded as the colors and shapes shift between each Aura.
- It's not even four like last time. Now it's five, I say in my head. Hercules's eyes glow menacingly as he glares at Hdra's crumpled form. The pure, unadulterated hate in his expression has me flinching. He looks terrifying. And I know, without a doubt.
- He's going to kill Hydra, I say in my head.