I waited for the blow to come. And waited. And waited.
Peeling my eyes open, I jerked at the hate-filled, murderous glare filling my vision. The dryad glared at me, but she didn’t move. She didn’t drop her stone.
“Are you okay?” Gentle hands grasped me, helping me to my feet. My captors just rolled off me, making no move to stop me as they hit the ground and stayed there. “Gods, what did you do to provoke a dryad attack? I’ve never seen them do that before.”
“I...” I glanced up, and the words died on my tongue.
Hazel orbs blinked at me, squinting in true concern as he brushed my forehead and came away tacky with blood. He hadn’t stunned me because he was handsome—though he was that. Thick brown, almost black eyebrows crowned his hooded eyes, drawing your attention there, though what you wanted to stare at was his high, sculpted cheekbones and pronounced cleft chin. That water droplets were dripping down said cheekbones and chin only heightened their seductive power.
But no, what shocked me into silence was that I already knew this face. He was one of the guys laughing and joking with Alexander in the stadium.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I replied, shaking myself. “What did you do to them? Why aren’t they moving?”
“I froze them in time. Son of Kronos.” He dropped this like one said they would mend a tear in their pant leg. It was no big production. “You’re lucky I was on my way back and heard you. Another second and I would’ve frozen the moment your skull cracked open.”
“I can’t believe it, but luck did smile on me.” I peeled away from him and poked my head in the brush. A horde of frozen nymphs held the child, his mouth open in a silent cry. “And you.”
I faced our rescuer.
“Fuck! Where did that come from?”
“Someone must’ve abandoned him in the woods. The dryads adopted him and didn’t take too well to me carrying him away.”
With a snap of his fingers, he unfroze the baby and only the baby. I’d never seen such power, let alone witnessed it wielded with such control.
The babe resumed his crying immediately.
“That explains what set them off.” He tossed his wet hair, flicking droplets on the murderous dryads. “I’m Galen, by the way.”
“I’m—”
“Aella Galanis.” An odd smile twisted his lips. “I’ve heard of you.”
“I—”
“Thieves! Murderers!” A rock struck the ground beside me.
“There are more coming,” I cried.
“We need to go!”
We raced toward the steps, staying ahead of thatrustle, rustle, rustling.
“You first,” Galen ordered, propelling me up the stairs. I chanced a peek back, my awe a living thing as he froze wave after wave of dryads pouring through the forest. They just kept coming.
“Shit!” Galen gave up and bounded after me. They couldn’t get to us from behind those doors.
I was first to reach them. Falling on the entrance, I strained to move the marble inch by agonizing inch.
“Hurry! Get through!”
Dryads bit at his heels, pelting him as they did me. Galen hit on the last step and collapsed through the gap. He kicked the door, swinging it shut. Dozens of screeching deities wailed on the other side.
Chest heaving, Galen dropped his head on the marble. “Is it always like this with you, Aella Galanis?”
I bounced the baby, settling him. The helpless thing needed a bath and changing right away. He smelled terrible.