The table rattled. Lucan's eyes widened, and the cup slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor. "I-Is this what I think it is?" he stammered, staring at the glowing crystals.
"Yes," Nolan said calmly. "It's a hydra."
For a moment Lucan just gaped, his face pale. Then he let out a shaky breath. "By the gods… I knew you were extraordinary, Nolan, but a hydra? I never doubted you were strong, but this… this is beyond even my imagination. You're truly something special."
But Nolan shook his head. "No. You're mistaken. I wasn't the one who defeated it."
Lucan blinked, lowering the newspaper he had forgotten he was holding. "…Then who?"
Nolan turned toward the two girls at his side. "It was Celia and Linda."
