“The Rise of Zeus – Chapter V (Pt 5)”
Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!
ZEUS (cont.)
My first instinct is to snap back, ‘Like kindergarteners,’ but Hera doesn’t give me the chance to say anything because she spins around with a powerful kick. My hand flashes down to block her, but the force still sends me a step back.
“It’s rude not to wait for an answer when you ask a question,” I mutter.
She sticks her tongue out at me in response before sheathing her sword and launching a series of punches at my face. I dodge the first two, but on the third try, she gets lucky. Her fist connects with my cheekbone, making my brain rattle inside my skull.
“Come on,” I growl, ducking under her fourth punch and rubbing my cheek. “That hurt!”
“It was supposed to hurt,” she shoots back, coming in for another kick.
Okay, let me just say that I may hate Hera for everything she’s done to me, but I can’t deny that she’s an incredible fighter. Honestly, if she’d still had her sword drawn, she probably would’ve skewered me by now. In retrospect, that’s probably why she put her sword away. Wow, that’s actually quite embarrassing.
“Can’t we just talk about this?” I ask, finally throwing a punch of my own.
She gracefully weaves out of the way before bringing her fist down on my outstretched arm. My elbow crumples and my arm falls back to my side. In her brief moment of distraction, I bring my leg up, hook my foot around her calf, and pull. She lets out a small yelp as her knee buckles and she stumbles forward. I catch her as she passes me and wrap my arms around her upper arms, holding her tight against me.
“You know,” I hiss into her ear, “I don’t think you ever even apologized to me.”
“For what?” she growls back. “For saving your life? Yeah, I’m sure regretting that decision now.”
Final Comments: I feel like I’m going to need to really refine Zeus’s and Hera’s backstory at some point… Right now I’m just making it up as I go and I’m not sure if that’s going to be sustainable.
Overall Rating: 😵
