Page 17 of Monster Whisperer
Porphyrion swung his club at me, and it was a kill shot. I knew what game he was playing, and I played it every time I fought in this arena. I couldn’t stop them from coming and betting on one of us to die. But I’d be damned if I dragged out killing one of my friends just to give them an entertaining show. The problem was, there was no quick way to kill a giant, especially when it was him or me that would die tonight. Porphyrion needed to stay alive for his people, and I needed to stay alive.
I ducked under his club and slid between his leg. The critical thing to know about fighting giants is that they are large and robust. They aren’t stupid like some literature would have you believe. They are quite cunning. I needed to end this quickly, but I would also have to outsmart him. But I knew his weakness. Because of a giant’s size, they could be on the slow side. I’d have to use that to my advantage.
As I slid between his legs, I turned my body. I fought with two blades, and my swords needed to be polished and sharpened. Baby bird said she would relay that message to Hades, and I already knew he would make it happen. Still, they were sharp enough for what I had to do now.
I slashed out and severed his Achilles tendon. Porphyrion roared and fell to his knees. I didn’t hesitate. I knew where my friend would go if I killed him. I would just have to find a way to get him and every other monster that died in these pits out once I figured out how to beat Demeter.
I climbed up Porphyrion’s back and beheaded my good friend with both my swords.
“I’m sorry, old friend. I’ll find a way to free you when this is over,” I whispered.
The crowd booed. They always did when Tryphon, Demos, or I fought because we made it quick. Oh, they loved Pavlina because she usually trapped someone in her web and ate them in front of the crowd, but that was just how she killed.
They hated it when I didn’t preen or show off for them after I won too. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of celebrating killing my friends.
I stomped off as they threw things at me. I didn’t like killing my friends, but I wouldn’t mind killing every single person in the arena that threw rotting vegetables at me and betted on my life. They wanted to see monsters fight. Let’s see how they liked it up close.
I crossed through the doors to go back to my cell. What I wouldn’t give for a shower to wash the blood and rotted food off me. Sometimes, Tryphon let us soak in his pool after a fight. Sometimes, he was this cranky bastard who said we didn’t deserve his sacred pool unless he got to eat us because he was hungry again.
The guards grabbed my arms to escort me back to my cell. I really hoped baby bird wasn’t watching that.
Chapter 12
River
I
demanded to go back to the prison after the fight. Kimon wasn’t hurt, but they booed him and threw things at him. Did he know that giant? He didn’t have any injuries to treat, but did he need someone to talk to?
Hades was being a chatty bastard the entire walk back. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to run back to Kimon.
“I know you want to get back, River, but I brought you here for a reason. Do they need anything to make them more comfortable?”
“Kimon needs something to service his weapons. Pavlina wants some potted plants to help make a better web. Demos hates me, but he said when he’s reborn in darkness, it hurts. I thought you could get a tanning bed from my realm. It couldn’t hurt.”
“Tryphon wanted nothing?”
Oh god, was I seriously going to say this out loud to a God?
“Tryphon wants me to swim naked with him in his pool.”
Hades threw back his head and laughed.
“Has he written a poem about you yet?”
“Well, he doesn’t exactly have hands at the moment.”
“He’s a bit of a romantic, and when he falls, he falls hard.”
“The fucking Kraken is a romantic?”
“You haven’t figured that out yet? If he were in his human form and not in prison, he’d be sending you flowers every day and cooking your dinner every night.”
“I’m not talking about romance with a sea monster with you. I need to get back to Kimon.”
“Run along, River. I’ll get what you need. I’m guessing you’re stealing my dog again?”
“Cerberus, do you want to come with me or go with Hades?”
