Read Online Elixir (Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Free Book Online Page A

someone—ahem, like me, a god—is standing right in front of you two.”
    I rolled my eyes, prepared to ignore that comment, but Alex tugged on my shirt. “What does he mean by that?” she whispered.
    How was I supposed to answer? The fact that Alex didn’t remember a lot was key to keeping her away from Seth, but I wasn’t sure how much information to share with her. And she was actually asking a question, which was huge. “I’ll explain it later.”
    Apollo chuckled. “I’d love to hear that conversation.” My eyes narrowed, and he grinned. Sometimes I think his sole purpose was to get under my skin. “There’s been a development I believe you should be aware of.”
    I doubted it was good news. I started to respond, but Alex tugged on my shirt once more and whispered, “My head hurts.”
    “I’ll get you something for that in a few moments. Okay?”
    Casting her eyes down, she nodded.
    I wanted this to hurry up. Shifting to the side, I shielded Alex. “Does it have to do with. the other one?”
    Catching that I meant Seth, he nodded. “He’s not happy about not being able to make contact. Dionysus’ spies have said that both he and the Minister are growing agitated.”
    “I bet.” No one really knew how Seth would react once the bond was broken. I felt Alex peek around me. She was watching Apollo with large eyes. He grinned at her, and she gave him a hesitant smile. “Has he done something?” I asked.
    “Hmm, if you count obliterating two Sentinels who refused to join their cause? Then yes.”
    “Gods,” I murmured, shifting again when Alex moved behind me.
    Apollo craned his neck to the side, following Alex’s nervous movements. “They haven’t moved against the Tennessee Covenant yet, but about fifty of their Sentinels have broken away and appear to be heading toward the New York one. He’s with the Minister still.”
    “And if they make it to New York, what will happen?”
    His expression turned grim. “I’ve let a few things out of Olympus, just in case those Sentinels are up to no good.”
    Dread blossomed. “What few things?”
    “A few of Hephaestus’ most interesting creations—namely the Khalkotauroi.”
    I choked on my breath. I had to have heard him wrong. The Khalkotauroi were automations—bronze bulls that breathed fire—but they weren’t what were known in the myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece. First off, there weren’t just two of them. There were hundreds of them, and they walked on two legs. Like all the creatures that belong to the gods, they had been rounded up and sent to Olympus when the gods had retreated from the mortal world.
    “And what happens if a mortal sees them?”
    Apollo arched a brow. “The Khalkotauroi know how to stay hidden, but if New York—or any of the other Covenants—goes under siege, it will be a moot point. The mortal world will become well aware that some myths are true.”
    There really wasn’t anything else to say to that, and my mind was already occupied with too many concerns to dedicate time to this latest development. Apollo left, but not before trying to talk to an edgy Alex who wanted nothing to do with him, much to his amusement. It amazed me that the whole world was on the brink of war and Apollo was laughing.
    Granted, this probably wasn’t his first time at the rodeo.
    When Apollo left, she stared up at me, expression pinched. “My head… it hurts.”
    “I’ll get you something now.”
    As I left to find her some aspirin, she followed, never straying too far from my side. Taking the two pills without question, I realized then how such trust could be abused—and was with many other halfs—in the wrong hands. A sick and twisted kind of fear rose with that realization.
    The aspirin didn’t seem to work. Alex withdrew further into herself, eyes squeezed shut through most of the movie I’d put on. A dark voice picked up in the back of my head, remaining constant even after she’d fallen asleep and I carried her to