Read Online The Cult of Kronos by Amy Leigh Strickland - Free Book Online Page B

asked.
    “ Because they're a slimy
traitor,” Nick said. “Whoever they are, joke is on them. They got
shoved into Tartarus, too.”
    The room fell silent again.
Zach trained his eyes on Nick, and each present member of The
Pantheon looked at their allies, wondering who could be trusted.
    “ Menoetius said something,”
Peter said, “on the roof that night. About a traitor.”
    “ I heard it,” Frank
grunted.
    “ Tends to lend credibility
to what Zach remembers,” Astin said. “Doesn't it?”
    They all nodded.
    “ Well,” Lewis said,
springing to his feet and snatching the water skin up from the floor.
“Let's all take turns drinking and see who remembers being a rat
fink, eh?”
    Jason waved his hand and
turned toward the hall. “Yep. I'll be in my room. Someone get me
when the shiny awakenings are over. ”
    Zach nodded, “Yeah. That
could get messy.”
    “ Why?” Penny asked, “What
happens?”
    “ Let's just say I—well,
Zeus—blew up Dionysus' mother by showing her my true form. We don’t
want to do that to Jason.”
    “ Blew up?” Teddy asked.
    Zach nodded. “Mortals can't
see what we really look like. It's too much for their minds.”
    “ Yeah, Doc,” Teddy said,
nodding in vigorous agreement. “Get out of here. We'll call you
when we're done.”

“ It
is easy to be brave at a safe distance.”
    -Aesop

    X.

    Zach felt energized as he made
the drive back to Gainesville. He had spent the night in Olympia
Heights, going to an end-of-summer party with Lewis and checking in
with June before bed. He couldn't tell her anything that had happened
at the meeting. Paranoia was growing. Nobody wanted to risk exposing
the group of gods to a government wiretap or a private snoop like
Julius Spade. Instead he told her that he had news to share when he
made it back the next day. Until then, she would just have to trust
that the news was mostly good.
    Zach didn't drink at the
party. He had to keep a clean record for the football team, and he
didn't want to be caught off guard if Kronos decided to pick up where
he left off with Celene. He wouldn't let Lewis, drink, either. “We
have to be on guard,” Zach had murmured as he'd taken the red Solo
cup from Lewis' hand.
    “ I'll be fine. My metabolism
is through the roof.”
    “ No,” Zach said. “I need
you at a hundred percent if something goes down.”
    “ Here? In front of all of
these witnesses?” Lewis asked.
    Lewis had been right after
all. Nothing eventful had happened at the party. A drunk junior girl
had tried to pounce Zach, but Zach was trying fidelity now and wanted
no part of it. A couple of guys from the football team, bros who had
just been promoted from JV, had gotten into a fight that had ended
pretty quickly. After the fight, Zach went home, called June, and
went to bed. He had to set out early.
    Now Zach drove the turnpike
between Miami and Gainesville, but he had to make a stop. His father
hadn't sent the check to pay for Zach's schoolbooks, and he couldn't
wait on the money. Zach suffered through the Disney traffic to make a
stop in Orlando where his father lived and worked.
    The glass tower caught the
blues and greens of palm trees and sunny skies. Zach hurried to cross
six lanes of traffic before the blinking white walk sign turned into
an orange stop. His polarized aviator sunglasses blocked the
reflected light from the building and warped the colors of his iPhone
screen as he checked to make sure he had the correct address.
    The
last time Zach had visited his father at work, Zach had been in
elementary school. His teacher had gotten the idea to assign a paper
for Take Your Daughter to Work Day: all of the students, boys and
girls, were required to visit a parent at work and write a one-page
essay on the experience. Zach's mother had been between jobs, so Zach
had gone to visit his father back when Mr. Jacobs still lived and
worked in Miami. The day had started great; Zach's father had gifted
him with a brand new Game Boy