Page 93 of Crown of Serpents

The god’s low rumble of a laugh reverberated through the room when he saw the terror in her eyes. “It’s a pity that it had to come to this, Medusa, but I must bring an end to you ravaging the seas. I can’t have you interfere in my domain any longer.”

Then, Poseidon hurled his trident with full force, a wave surging with it. Even as the glint of the celestial bronze called her name, Medusa remained paralysed by panic. She closed her eyes, accepting that her next breaths would be her last, yet unable to suppress the anguish cursing through her because she had been unable to fight back when it had counted most. She was powerless once more.

At least she would be granted a swift death, she thought when a body barrelled into her, sending her flying toward the marble floor. Medusa crashed to the ground, forgetting to shield herselfin surprise. With a throbbing head, she opened her eyes to realise Poseidon had missed.

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, and Medusa whirled toward Danae, who crouched over a limp figure on the ground. Perseus lay on the ground, choking blood. The trident was buried deep into his chest. Danae's sobs echoed through the hall as she desperately tried to stem the flow with her gown.

Medusa’s heart splintered into a million pieces. A guttural roar tore from her throat, shattering the shackles of fear that had held her captive. Her serpent hair writhed and hissed, urging her to strike, to unleash her fury upon the god who had taken everything from her: her sanctuary in Athena’s temple, her only family among the priestesses, and now Perseus.

She charged at Poseidon, who stood tall and menacing, waiting for her to strike. Medusa raised her sword and slashed, but Poseidon caught her blade with one hand, crushing it in his palm.

“Come now, Medusa, it’s not fair for you to attack me with a sword when I seem to have misplaced my weapon,” he chided, motioning with his head toward the trident still impaled in Perseus’s chest.

For a brief moment, Medusa glanced at Perseus, her heart throbbing in grief. The distraction cost her. Poseidon landed a punch in her gut that sent her flying on her back. She slammed against the stone floor, a dizzying pain exploding in her head. But she refused to yield.

With a snarl of defiance, she launched herself at him once more, her talons aiming for his face. The sea god moved with the grace and power of the ocean itself, his defenses impenetrable, as he evaded every attack. Medusa was hopelessly outmatched.

Yet, she fought on, driven by a primal rage that burned hotter than any fire. She feinted left, aiming a strike at his exposed ribs. Poseidon anticipated her move, effortlessly capturing her wrist.

He lifted her into the air, his grip tightening around her throat. Medusa choked, her struggles futile against his immense strength.

“I did enjoy that feistiness in you,” he murmured, a cruel smile twisting his lips.

He hurled her body against a broad column, marble cracking from the impact. Medusa gasped, clutching her broken ribs. She tried to get back on her feet but sank to the floor, toppling over. The world spun around her, Poseidon’s laughter echoing. Perseus had sacrificed himself for nothing. She would not survive this fight. At least, they would go into Hades together — he, a hero bound for Elysium; she, condemned to the abyss of Tartarus.

Suddenly, she heard Perseus cough, and her vision cleared. Perseus still clung to life, a fragile thread tethering him to the mortal realm. Beside him, Danae cradled Perseus’s head, refusing to leave her son’s side even as he pleaded with his fading strength.

Medusa wiped the blood from her temple and stood on shaky legs.

Poseidon lingered on the dais, his grin a cruel mockery.

“Danae!” Medusa cried, “Perseus needs a healer! Andromeda, on our ship. Go! She’s his only hope!”

Slowly, Medusa prowled forward, her eyes pinned on her opponent, praying Danae would listen to reason. However, the woman was physically incapable of separating from Perseus, cradling her son’s fading body and rocking back and forth as if to soothe a babe to sleep.

Poseidon gestured for Medusa to approach, but she kept circling him, her eyes scanning his form for any sign of vulnerability.

Poseidon arched a brow: “Are we gonna do this or not, little titan?”

With a sudden movement, Poseidon lunged toward Perseus and Danae as if to retrieve his trident from his chest. Medusa fell for his trick. Without thinking, she threw herself on his back, her claws raking at his flesh. Poseidon seized her, flinging her to the ground with brutal force. The air was driven from her lungs, and she writhed beneath his crushing grip, her struggles futile.

Panic closed her throat, threatening to drown her in a tide of despair “Please, Danae, it’s the only way you can save him,” she rasped. She could only pray that Danae had heeded her plea.

Poseidon's gaze bore into her as he leaned in closer,whispering in her ear: “This brings back old memories, doesn’t it? Almost makes me want to take you for another ride.”

He pressed her against the cold, unyielding floor at her back, and Medusa could feel him harden against her. Medusa closed her eyes, bracing herself for the horrors she was about to endure for a second time. Her body slackened, too weak to fight the current any longer.

“Good girl,” Poseidon chuckled, making her stomach turn. “Now, if you behave, I might even take you with me to the bottom of the sea and make you my mistress. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”

It did. It sounded like her worst nightmare. She would rather spend an eternity in Tartarus.

Something stirred deep within her, a spark of defiance refusing to die. Medusa forced herself to open her eyes to withstand Poseidon’s stare.

She reached deep inside herself, knowing she would find the core of her lethal power there. It took only a kernel of her power to kill a man. For Cetus, she had needed considerably more.

Medusa met Poseidon's gaze, her cursed eyes burning with green fire against his icy blue. Fire coursed through her blood, but she pushed harder. Her serpents hissed in unision. Shewouldmake him pay.

Suddenly, the sea god’s face contorted in shock, then fear. He glanced down at himself, but Medusa already felt — the slow creep of petrification, spreading like a plague from his crotch to his legs and abdomen.

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