7

Caleb regretted coming into this cave with Vanessa, heck he hadn't even agreed to go with her.

She was talking about what she used to do when she was on earth.

"...On Saturdays, my husband would always take us to the flea market-"

Caleb gritted his teeth. "I don't really want to listen to your life story. I'm trying to get us out of here, I need to focus."

"I sense. Anger." Vanessa whispered.

"Of course you do, I'm angry. Now shush."

Vanessa cocked her head. "This is not the reason for this anger, is it? I also sense jealousy." She placed a chilly hand on his shoulder. "You still love him, don't you?"

"Love who?" Caleb stutters. "I don't know who you're talking about."

Caleb held the torch high above his head and grabbed Vanessa's wrist pulling her deeper into the cave. "I think I see an opening up ahead. Come on."

Vanessa pulled her arm back and glared at him. "I'm trying to help you, Caleb."

"I-I don't need your help. I'm doing fine without you, now come on."

"Why'd you leave him?"

Caleb gaped at her. "How did you-"

"I can see your memories," Vanessa whispered. "Why didn't you ever tell him?"

"I didn't want to leave Mason, ok? He meant everything to me. It's just that my father…" he sighed. "Had other plans for me, and Mason was omitted. So he prevented me from going to the surface for two years."

Vanessa placed a hand on his shoulder. "And did you ever tell him that wasn't what you wanted?"

"He wouldn't have listened." Caleb snorted. "So father pushed me into an unconventional relationship, and when Mason found me…he looked so upset. I tried to tell him this was my father's idea. But he wanted nothing to do with me."

"I think Mason would forgive you if you told him what happened. It might not heal the romantic relationship you once had, but you'd become friends." Vanessa turned him toward her. "And you feel jealous. Why?"

When his relationship with Mason fell through, he'd built a wall around himself so that no one could hurt him anymore, not even his dad. He would keep all these secrets bottled up inside him, refusing to tell anyone, but Vanessa's wide eyes and soft voice made him want to tell her everything.

"I-We need to get moving Vanessa. Hurry. The other might be already waiting for us."

Caleb grabbed Vanessa by her wrist and dragged her toward the opening. What they saw made their jaws drop to the floor.

***

Emerson had reached the end of her cave, huffing from the effort. There didn't seem to be any creatures lurking about in the opening, blocking her path into the second cave.

She took the bow from her shoulder and stepped cautiously into the clearing.

Emerson heard nothing. No snarling, hissing. And that scared her.

Either the beast who was hidden knew she was coming or they were lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to let down her guard.

"I know you in here. Show yourself, coward."

Emerson likes being the daughter of Ares. But since she's the only daughter, her brothers all feel like they should be protecting her.

Emerson found this annoying since she could take care of herself.

"Hm. A child of Ares. How…interesting."

"Where are you?" Emerson growled, turning her weapon this way and that. The voices seemed to be coming from every dark corner. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

A beast stepped from the shadows in front of her and Emerson felt her breakfast swirl in her stomach.

"I am Typhon. Son of Gaia."

Instead of a human head, Typhon had hundreds of dragon heads and large muscular arms that held a silver bow. On his back were two large leathery wings, and instead of legs, he had the body of a snake.

Emerson raised her bow. "Take one step closer to me and I will not hesitate to shoot. What do you want?"

"I? I want a taste of freedom, child of Ares. And what are you doing so deep below the surface, hm?"

"Why should I tell you?" Emerson spat back. "Aren't you in league with Kronos?"

Typhon threw his heads back and laughed, a loud sound that shook the ground beneath Emerson.

"Oh, how funny, young one. No, I am not loyal to Kronos. Why would I be? He left me here to die when Zeus sentenced me here. Why would I help him?"

OK. That was not the answer that I was expecting.

"And you still haven't answered my question? What are you doing here?"

Emerson glowered at him. "I don't trust you."

"Hm. Would this help?" He took the bow in his hand and shrunk it down to human size and placed it in front of her.

"Wait, you're giving me your weapon?" Emerson laughed. "What happened to being powerful and scary?"

Typhon sighed, sending a cool breeze through the room. "It's not important, but I think I know this object you're looking for. I would like to be of assistance."

Emerson tossed her bow over her shoulder and picked up the silver one."It is important if you wish for me and my friends to trust you."

"After my battle with Zeus, I lost contact with my wife, Echidna. I got wind that Kronos had…"

"Had what? Killed her? Tortured her? Captured her?"

Typhon scowled down at her. "All the above."

"I'm confused, if he killed her, how can he torture her?"

Typhon pursed his lips. "You're right. Titans cannot be killed, but are temporarily incapacitated. I don't even know if Kronus spared my daughter's life."

"Your daughter's life?" Emerson blinked.

Typhon nodded. "My wife was pregnant when I was battling Zeus. I know it doesn't make up for all the trouble I caused years ago. All the lives I took. I wasn't thinking straight."

"Well, that much was clear," Emerson grumbled. "Fine, I will accept your help in exchange for your loyalty."

Typhon nodded all one hundred of his heads. "Of course."