I’d taken Greek mythology in high school and actually paid attention to it. “Do the heads grow back too?” I asked.

“Not if you destroy them with fire,” she said.

“Do we need a flamethrower?” asked Neil.

Sydney held out her palm, and a ball of flame appeared. “No need.”

Rose’s eyes widened in wonder. “Whoa. Will blades still hurt this thing?”

“No,” said Sydney. “It has a magical hide that’ll protect it. I’m the only one who can really take this thing out. What you guys need to do is get Jill out of here while I distract it. Someone needs to sneak past it while it’s engaged. Fire’s the only way to destroy this thing, and I don’t want Jill trapped here if things literally go up in smoke.”

Once again, I was feeling useless. Sydney might be a pro at wielding fireballs, but that didn’t mean I wanted her taking on this hydra-demon-thing alone. “What should I do?”

“Nothing,” she said. “Get out of here.”

She thinks you’re incompetent! hissed Aunt Tatiana. She thinks you’ll be in the way.

“Sydney, let me help,” I insisted.

Sydney’s eyes weren’t even on me as she scrutinized the corridor, probably gauging the range of her fireballs and how flammable the whole thing was. “Adrian, there’s nothing you can do here. Stay safe in case Jill needs help when she gets out.”

Do you hear that? asked Aunt Tatiana. She doesn’t think you’re capable of anything!

My temper started to flare, and I nearly agreed with Aunt Tatiana until I took a moment to mentally replay what Sydney had said. No, she’s right, I told the phantom in my head. If Jill’s injured, I need to conserve my power. No repeats of Olive.

Aunt Tatiana disagreed. You don’t need to conserve! You can do it all!

Trying to shut out that internal voice, I kissed Sydney and drew her into a brief embrace. “Be careful,” I murmured. “And if you do need me, I’ll be close by.”

“Not too close,” she warned. “This thing spits acid. I can’t have you injured.”

“Understood,” I said, before Aunt Tatiana could raise a protest about how Sydney was coddling me.