The Sixth Life of Medusa

6. It Kills Children

It happened on an uneventful afternoon on the island of Seriphos.

Dictys—Perseus' uncle and the Island head—had left his smallest blacksmith shop in Perseus' care just after dawn. He was visiting the neighbouring Island of Suda to purchase more red iron ore and to hire a new blacksmith to man the shop.

The last blacksmith had quit to train for the Fate of Heroes games, hoping to catch the eye of a deity. Dictys had called Heber a muscle-brained idiot, certain he'd die the moment the arena horns blared.

Perseus wasn't so sure. Despite not being a blood carrier, Heber was already impressively strong, with muscles to match his fierce eyes. Once, he fought off eight men outside the Singing Sailors tavern—even intoxicated, his strength and coordination were remarkable. If a deity notices him and makes him a blood carrier, his power won't be something to scoff at.

"At least two javelins before I return," Dictys had instructed with a pat on Perseus' shoulder. "Work on your breathing while at it."

Several horai after and just past noon, a shrill scream ripped Perseus from his hammering trance.

Perseus froze up, leather-gloved hand tightening around the javelin. The only other person in the shop with him was Linos, his ten-year-old brother. He had sent him to the store to count coals when he wouldn't shut up about wanting to help in some way.

And that scream. It sounded like it came from the store—the only other room in the cramped shop that barely spanned fifteen ankona wide.

Annoyance mixed with Perseus' rising panic as he lifted the javelin. The problem wasn't the weight of the weapon but the fact that its red-hot tip was losing heat. He would have to melt the javelin and start over after this. Dictys had no tolerance for less-than-perfect products.

"Linos?" Perseus approached the store door.

There was a strange silence about—not just in the shop but outside as well.

"Linos," Perseus called again as he pushed the store door open.

Panic spiked to horror when Perseus took in Linos' state. He was sitting on the floor, back against the wall with deep gashes across his left leg.

Something had gotten Linos—something wicked enough to leave wounds that exposed bones.

There was a trail of blood that led to—

"No." Perseus took an instinctive step back, mind rejecting what his eyes were seeing.

A replica of Linos, but this... this apparition had an abnormally long arm tipped with sharp blood-stained claws.

The creature blinked up at Perseus and grinned. Lethal fangs flashed.

"Impossible," Perseus muttered as his thoughts turned sluggish.

How had a mormo found its way into the store? The only window in the space was barred and tiny.

"Brother, I cannot move."

Linos' words jolted Perseus from his shock.

Snatching Linos by the neck of his tunic, Perseus ripped him from the store and into the main shop.

Before Perseus could conceive a next move, the mormo stumbled after them on fast feet. Its spindly arm dragged along as its transformation began. Human disguise rippled away and in its place was a pinkish hunched creature that stood erect.

It screeched at Perseus, lips peeling away and exposing even more rows of venom-laced teeth.

"Stay back!" Perseus swung the javelin at the lanky beast.