The Crown of Kronos: Chapter 32

Zarana's POV
"Nice speech, Stheno." I said kindly. "Now if you please, put us down and let us continue our search for the poisoned goddess."

Stheno laughed. "Ha! More than one puny god, now, daughter of Zeus. Eros had been poisoned too. In a matter of days, love will be no more in this filthy place!"

Charlie made a rumbling sound in her throat. Her hand was clasped together, around her scissor. She gave a look of loathing at Stheno. "You guys will never win." She growled.

"We are already winning, daughter of Athena. Your father is half-dead from fright at the Stonehenge. You will lose hope. Athena is next in line to taste this lovely poison." She took out an ornate diamond bottle and shook its contents. The violet liquid flowed.

"Stop it, Stheno." I spoke, calmly, although my hands were shivering. I shifted my position. "If you try a little fairness, maybe you'll win."

Victoria closed her eyes and began whispering unaudibly. She was surrounded with a faint golden light.

I need to keep the gorgon talking. I avoided her eyes and hair as if anytime she'll whip off her shades and hood and reveal her terrifying form.

"So how did you do it? It seems hard to poison a god." I said, managing a tiny fake smile to look like I'm interested.

"It is not so difficult, fool. With Khione on our side-"

"Like, the goddess of snow?" Charlie said from the next net.

Stheno hissed. "Yes. Now if you excuse me, it's awfully hot. Would you mind if I take off my shades and hood?" She poised to remove her disguise.

"Yes," I answered sarcastically. "I mind."

The monster grinned.

My lightning bolt appeared in my hands.

"You don't know who you're facing, Stheno." Alex said, pointing a finger at the gorgon, ready to unleash lava. Victoria was still praying to Nike.

Stheno first removed her hood. I closed my eyes. "Vic!" I shouted. "Don't open your eyes!" There was the sound of a thousand snakes hissing.

I unleashed a lightning bolt that sliced off the net. Alex shot lava. Charlie struck the net with a ball of energy. We dropped lightly on the ground.

The monster roared and charged us. I opened one eye, and saw a horrible sight.

Stheno's face turned into a faint shade of green, like someone who smelled something real bad. Her eyes were menacingly yellow, and her pupils were slits, like snakes. Her body was entangled with pythons hissing and spitting venom. Her hair was made of brown snakes. The monster smiled at me cruelly and a set of fangs glinted.

"Did you look, Zarana?" Alex said from nowhere. Charlie had her eyes closed too, walking carefully, pricking up her ears.

I didn't turn to stone. Instead, a shiver of electricity ran upwards my spine. I felt a burning pain in my arms, but I shook it off and kept on moving.

The monster spat with anger. "Bah! How come? You should have been slowly burning to your death, daughter of.... of....." Her eyes widened with realization. A jet of lava whistled past her ear and a serpent, who was stretching far out, got splattered with lava.

"Zeus," I confirmed and charged her. Before I got there, (ninja vanish, ^poof^)