Read Online Olympic Cove 2-Breaker Zone by Nicola Cameron - Free Book Online Page B

everyone getting on my
case about it? It’s just a walking stick that looks like–”
    “—the Rod of Asclepius,” Chiron
finished.
    “Yeah. I mean, it’s a
pretty good copy, but I still don’t understand—”
    Chiron turned, glaring at him. “It’s not
a copy of the rod of Asclepius, you moron,” he growled. “It is the rod of Asclepius. I’d know that
damned thing anywhere.”
    That was the last straw. “Okay, you want
to cut me some slack here?” Nick snapped. “I’ve have a really tough couple of
days, plus I just found out that not only do mers exist, but so do the Greek
gods.” He waved a hand at Chiron’s misty midsection. “And
whatever you are.”
    The blue gaze turned chilly. “I’m a
centaur. The centaur, if you like. The first one.”
    “Fine, you’re the centaur. But you can’t expect me to believe that I found the
actual Rod of Asclepius in a junk shop in a Florida beach town.”
    Chiron folded his arms across his chest. “Why not?”
    “Because real
life doesn’t work like that!” Nick barely stopped himself from
shouting the words. “This shit doesn’t even happen in movies! It’s totally
ridiculous.”
    The centaur tsked at him. “You’re
disturbing your patient, doctor.”
    Flushing, Nick glanced at the bed. Aidan
had rolled onto his back, giving him a wary look. “Shit. I’m sorry, Aidan. Try
to go back to sleep. You,” he turned back to Chiron. “Follow me.”
    “By all means.” Chiron nodded
at the walking staff. “Just bring that with.”
    “Why?”
    “Humor me.”
    Cursing under his breath, Nick grabbed
the staff and started to slam the closet door closed, catching himself at the
last moment. “Outside. Now.”
    He stomped back into the living room,
Chiron on his heels. Ian, Bythos, and Aphros were on the couch, heads close
together. “Guys, could we have some privacy?”
    Ian straightened up. “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing, except that Mr. ‘I’m the first
centaur’ thinks that this,” Nick brandished the staff, “is the Rod of
Asclepius. The real one.”
    He almost dropped it when the snake’s
head rose and turned to him.
    I don’t understand why that surprises
you so much, physician. And don’t drop me. You do and I swear to Gaia I will
give you such a bite.
    Nick could feel his eyes bulging as he
stared at the now-living snake wrapped around the staff. “W-what?”
    The snake ignored him, head tilting to
the side as it looked at the centaur. Chiron.
    “Pythia,” Chiron said, nodding
respectfully. “Didn’t expect to see you again.”
    You either, old
friend. I didn’t think you were allowed to get involved in
mortal matters anymore.
    “Technically, I’m not. But someone,” he
glared balefully at the sea gods on the couch, “keeps pulling me back in.”
    Hm. Well, I for one
am pleased to see you again. The snake now considered Nick. So,
you’re my new pupil. Well, needs must, I suppose.
    The words sounded in Nick’s head, soft
but perfectly clear. Somehow, he made his jaw work. “Why do you sound like Judi
Dench?”
    I have no idea. Your mind is choosing my
voice. Why are we wasting time discussing this? Chiron, have you set up a
lesson plan yet?
    “Whoa, what?” The centaur held
up his hands. “I’m just here to check on a punctured merman.”
    The snake snorted, undulating higher on
the staff. You know perfectly well that you’re to be the mentor to the Bearer.
Don’t try to wiggle out of the agreement just because you’re technically dead.
    Nick’s head spun back. “Technically dead? How can you be technically dead?”
    Chiron spread his sparkling,
semi-transparent hands. “Do I look alive to you?”
    The snake’s tongue flickered out,
touching Nick’s hand. Chiron was accidentally wounded by Hercules
when the hero was forced to fight off a band of maddened wild centaurs, she
said. His foreleg was pierced with an arrow poisoned with the blood of the
Hydra, which burned ceaselessly. As he was immortal, he couldn’t