LAUREL’s POV It’s very quiet here in the Forbidden Forest. The air is cold but I keep warm under a blanket of twigs and dry leaves as I lie near the entrance of a cave that I stumbled upon after what felt like an eternity of running away from Helios. Pinpricks of stars dull the lightening sky, signalling the dawn of yet another day. Carefully, I brush away the leaves and check on the wounds on my hands, thigh and face. They are not healing as fast as they should but at least I am not losing any more blood. Jamie won’t be getting her energy drink from me today. I try calling Daphne again as I did many times the night before but no surprise there, she does not answer. I don’t think I have ever felt so alone in my life. A sudden growl from my stomach reminds me that I haven’t had anything to eat in three days. I am hungry, very much so. But there isn’t a single animal here in the forest for me to catch, and neither are there any mushrooms or fruits that I can pick. I let out a pent-

LAUREL’s POV The hand tightens around mine and lifts me off the ground, dragging me out of the hut. I stumble and fall, all the while gasping and wheezing for air that eludes my lungs but I am given no respite for the hand that drags me yanks me along brutally as if I am a criminal; a prisoner of war. The fabric that wraps around my face loosens and though I desperately want to cover up my face, I am unable to do so. Poisoned fumes fill my every being, my eyes moisten as tears spring out and I almost black out. It is the intense danger and the impending doom of death that keeps me conscious. The owner of the hand lets out a strangled hiss and curses. His breathing is heavy and laboured but he does not let go of me. Then his body spasms as he hauls me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and with the fog confusing everything, I cannot tell who it is. But I do know one thing, he is bringing us to safety. He morphs into his wolf form and thick fur takes over his human skin. On

LAUREL’s POV Every step is torture. The fog is getting thicker by the second as both Ares and I thread deeper and deeper into the Dark Forest, trying to find the source of this poisonous vapour. My limbs feel heavy, as if a massive hand is pressed down on my body and the soles of my feet sting with every move, as if the hands of the undead have broken through the soil and are clawing at me, trying to pull me down into the earth with them. A groan slips through my lips. Ares quickly slides an arm underneath my shoulder blades to support me. “You’re dumb to have even thought of this,” Ares complains. “You’re dumber for agreeing to come with me.” “We should turn back,” he says, his voice void of any humor. “No, we’re almost there.” And sure enough, the fog around us thickens even more, clouding our already blurred vision. I feel as if I am seeing things underwater. I do not know what lies ahead, but I do know one thing. We are getting closer and closer to ground zero. I take bu

ONE HOUR BEFORE HELIOS AND LAUREL ENTER THE HUTHELIOS’ POVThey say that the eyes are the windows to our soul.And as I stare at Laurel who stands next to me at Morningstar Square, I cannot help but feel something is off. Like always, her hair is tied up in a tight no-nonsense ponytail and she is wearing her usual dull brown vest and black leather pants. But there is something different about her. Something is missing.I notice how red her lips are and how shifty her usually bright blue eyes look. Then, her beautiful face contorts into an ugly scowl as if a pungent smell has just hit her nostrils. It is not a pleasant sight to behold. “Mate,” Laurel suddenly whispers. Her tone is incredulous as if she herself has trouble believing what she just said. And from the side, Nox slaps Marty on his back.“Goddess! You two are mates!” he roars, palming his stomach and throwing his head back in laughter.I close my eyes and suck in a deep breath. Laurel and Marty are mates?!This is ridicu

LAUREL’s POVHelios stares at Diego and for the longest time, no one breathes a word.Stifling silence fills the air and we all stay unmoving like statues in a wax museum. Then all of a sudden, Helios throws his head back and roars with laughter. But there is not a single trace of humour in his voice.The hair at the back of my neck stands up and I feel goosebumps all over my skin. It is never a good thing when Helios laughs like that.Diego looks on in confusion before he starts to smile nervously and lets out a chuckle of his own. Soon, he too joins in the chorus of laughter.I stand rooted in my position and stare at them both incredulously, feeling as if I am watching some sort of satirical dark comedy unfold in front of me.Then just as suddenly as Helios starts to laugh, he stops abruptly. And without warning, he reaches out and grabs Diego by his scrawny neck, cutting off the elderly man’s cackle and pulls him close. This time, Helios’ nails dig deep into Diego’s pasty skin and