Julia heard Brody gasp loudly beside her.
But she didn't take her eyes off the snakes slithering toward Heracles from every direction.
All of them had the triangular heads of venomous serpents.
If she didn't do something, the fastest snake would reach Heracles within seconds!
Julia glanced around the room. A few feet away she spied a barrel with several javelins.
She grabbed a javelin and leaped forward.
"Be careful!" Brody cried.
Julia used the javelin to flick the fastest snake to the side.
The creature hissed, and then lunged toward the end of the javelin.
"Quick!" Julia called to Markos and Brody.
"Grab a javelin! Call Iphicles to help us!"
Markos dashed to the door, almost colliding with Iphicles, who was just walking in.
"Hurry!" Markos exclaimed. "The serpents are threatening your brother!"
"What?" Iphicles' jaw dropped. He froze in the doorway, staring at the sleeping Heracles.
"Grab a javelin!" Brody said. "If you guys can hold back the snakes, I'll drag Heracles outside."
Markos rushed over to the javelin barrel.
Julia glanced at Iphicles, but he was still standing there, as if he didn't know what to do. "Help us!" she exclaimed.
"Never mind him," Markos said. "I think he's stunned."
He leaped forward and flicked away the largest snake. "Got one!"
Julia forgot about Iphicles and knocked a smaller snake off to the side.
Working together, she and Markos soon cleared a path for Brody.
"Cover me—I'm going in!" Brody said.
He put his head down, charged toward Heracles, and grabbed the sleeping champion by his muscular shoulders.
Brody grunted as he dragged Heracles slowly toward the door.
Heracles mumbled and moved his hands, but he didn't wake up.
"Hurry!" Julia cried, flicking away a speedy little viper.
"I think we're making them angrier! They're coming back toward us!"
"Look out!" Markos yelled. "Behind you, Brody!"
Julia gasped when she saw a snake preparing to strike at Brody.
"That one must have been hidden behind Heracles!" she exclaimed. "Watch out, Brody!"
As the snake struck, Brody dodged to one side, almost dropping Heracles.
The snake missed, and Brody managed to kick it away.
"Whoa, that was close," he said. "I guess all that training Hermes is making me do is coming in handy!"
His voice sounded a little shaky. Julia didn't blame him. The snake had nearly bitten him.
At last Brody managed to drag Heracles to the door.
"Excuse me, dude," he said, shouldering his way past Iphicles.
Heracles' brother was still standing in the doorway.
As Brody dragged Heracles past his brother, Iphicles finally seemed to wake up.
He turned to Julia. "Where did all those snakes come from?" he asked.
"Where do you think?" Julia said grimly. Wasn't the answer obvious?
"The gods are still after your brother."
She hurried outside after the other boys.
Markos was already fetching water, which he then splashed in Heracles' face.
"Ugh," Heracles mumbled, one eye opening halfway. "Is it raining?"
"Wake up, brother!" Iphicles said loudly, leaning over and slapping Heracles on both cheeks.
"You picked a bad spot to take a nap."
"I'm sure it wasn't his idea," Julia said.
"We heard Hypnos was seen plotting with Ares."
"Ares?" Heracles mumbled. With a groan, he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Yes, I was just talking to Ares. Where did he go?"
"What were you and Ares talking about?" Markos asked.
Heracles rubbed his face sleepily. "I . . . I don't remember."
His face stretched into a wide yawn.
"Ares approached me—another god was with him, I think."
Julia traded looks with Markos and Brody. "Was it Hypnos?" she asked.
"Hypnos!" Heracles nodded. "Yes, that's who it was.
The two of them said they were searching for someone. Or was it something?
I remember Hypnos touching my arm, and the next thing I know, I'm here with all of you."
Julia traded another look with the others. "They tricked you," she told Heracles.
With help from the boys, she told Heracles what had happened.
Heracles looked more awake by the end of the story.
"I suppose that's why Zeus warned me never to go anywhere alone," he said.
"You'd better take his advice from now on, dude," Brody said.
"Yes," Julia agreed. "Otherwise you might not survive until the Games!"
"Come, brother," Iphicles said suddenly. "Zeus will wonder what's keeping you."
Heracles smiled at Julia and the others.
"It seems I owe you my life," he said.
"Then we're even," Brody said. "You saved our lives when that bull automaton was chasing us, remember?"
Heracles nodded. "Still, I offer you many thanks."
"You're welcome," Julia said. She shivered, thinking about all those snakes again.
"I'm just glad we found you in time."
Heracles hurried off with his brother. Markos looked troubled.
"I didn't want to say this in front of those two," he said.
"But perhaps it would be better if Heracles doesn't survive until the Games."
"What?" Julia exclaimed.
"Dude!" Brody added, sounding horrified.
"No, listen," Markos said. "If he dies now, Heracles will go to the underworld like anyone else. But if he makes it to the Games . . ."
"Oh," Julia said, catching on. "If he competes and loses, he might end up in Tartarus instead."
"Is this Tartarus place really that bad?" Brody asked.
"I mean, I know you guys said it was terrible, but being dead sounds pretty terrible too."
Markos shuddered. "Tartarus is said to be a deep pit of pure torment.
The most evil people who ever lived are said to be there, where they are eternally punished for their wicked deeds."
"Wow," Brody said. "Okay, that does sound bad." He shrugged.
"But how can we keep Heracles from ending up there? I mean, there's not much the three of us can do, is there?"
Julia didn't have an answer for Brody's questions.
She was glad when Hermes interrupted and dragged Brody off to prepare for the banquet.