My Life From Hell (8 page)

I’d tried so hard to keep a lid on my feelings. Keep everything going, and move forward with my eye on the prize. Ignore or deny whatever wasn’t working, and focus on taking down Zeus and Hades. I checked the wards, and practiced the ritual. Not to mention all the physical training Theo had me doing, and the constant meditation to keep me all zen.

I’d been stressed, I’d been angry, and while I had to admit my iron will hadn’t been all that strong given the rashes and headaches, I’d never felt the overwhelming panic that swamped me now. I started bawling. It was impressive. Giant snotty tears, body racking sobs, chest tightening anxiety, and through it all, Hannah hugged me tight, stroking my hair.

I cried out my fears that I would hurt Earth before I had a chance to save it, and that, when push came to shove, I didn’t have the stuff of heroes. I cried out my heartbreak, finally admitting that my lifelong dream of having a mom who loved me and wanted me, was dead.

I wept for Kai and me, having gone so wrong when we should have been so flush-with-new-love right. I mourned the fact that I’d somehow become that girl I’d always mocked; the girl that, six months ago, I would have smacked upside the head and told to get some pride and some backbone because she deserved better. I had settled because, in the face of everything else that had happened with my family, I was clinging to whatever love crumbs I could get.

And finally, I cried for my death. Which might sound weird, but was oddly freeing. Even if I went into this final battle with all the odds on my side, something could go wrong. Dying was a very real possibility. So I let myself feel that death. Grieve the end of my existence.

Once I’d done all that and still come out the other side, I felt better.

Plus, eventually, I ran out of salt water.

I snagged a tissue from my bedside table to blot my tears, then turned red, puffy eyes to Hannah. “Thanks.”

She shrugged off my gratitude and gently brushed away a lock of hair that had plastered itself to my forehead. Then she reached for the gold beaded evening bag that she’d thrown on my bed. She rummaged around for a moment before pulling out a small box in purple wrap, and tied with a gold bow. “Happy birthday, Soph.”

I unwrapped it, swiping at my still damp eyes with another tissue but eager to see the gift inside. Hannah and I had a tradition of giving each other cute jewelry for birthdays. “Whoa,” I said, as I lifted the cover of the box.

Nestled inside, against the black velvet lining was a wide silver wrist cuff made up of interlacing vines and leaves. “It’s gorgeous.” I pulled it out, staring at it in wonder.

She took the bracelet from me and fitted it onto my right wrist. The weight felt comforting. “It’s to remind you that you’re the kick-ass Goddess of Spring. But mostly you’re my best friend.”

Girly hormone central. Apparently, I did have more tears left. And Hannah had to catch up.

Festos tromped in, pushing between us. “Ew! I am not having my arm candy looking like allergy sufferers. We have a birthday fête to attend.” He pointed out the door. “Now get a hold of yourselves, go to the bathroom, and splash cold water on your faces. There is no crying in clubland.”

At which point Hannah and I sandwich hugged him, getting tears all over Festos, too. “Aw, man.” He complained, but his arms came around both of us, so we knew he didn’t really mean it.

The night picked up from there. The flood I’d let loose made me feel loads better. My Midol kicked in, too, and we managed to find a long-sleeved dress that really made me look good. Finally, it was on to finishing touches. I leaned back against the bathroom counter, holding still as Theo put smoky eye makeup on me. “Do I want to know why you’re so good at this?” I asked, as he expertly smudged the corners.

“Nope.”

“Thesi used to wear eyeliner all the time,” Festos said, watching the proceedings.

My mouth fell open and I jerked my head to Hannah, totally incredulous. She stared back at me from her seat on the edge of the tub, her expression identical.

“You lie,” Hannah accused Festos.

“Swear on the Styx,” Festos replied, giving the sacred oath of the gods.

“And you kept this from us?” Hannah asked Theo.

“I wasn’t going to wear eyeliner at Hope Park. Our school isn’t that progressive. And thanks for moving your head,” he groused. “Now I’ve got to do it over.”

“But I could have been watching you wear it since we’ve been at Fee’s,” I protested as he clasped my chin in his hand to keep me still so he could fix his work.

“You get enough pervy thrills voyeuring when Festos and me kiss. I’m not encouraging any other kinks of yours.”

Hannah cocked an eyebrow. “They been kissing much?”

Festos nodded enthusiastically before I could answer. “Tons.”

Theo let go of my chin, stepped back, and looked at me for a moment. “We’re good,” he said and checked me over again. “Nyx good.”

Fee squealed and turned me around to face the mirror. Staring back at me was a really hot stranger with whom I was quite willing to get more familiar. My eyes were huge and all mysterious. My royal blue dress was crazy scandalous. For me. The long sleeved top was loose and blousy, but it turned into an über-tight mini skirt at the hips. While the neckline in front was high, the back plunged down to my waist. There was no bra-wearing tonight.

Hannah had helped paint my nails and toes a matching blue, and I wore very low heeled silver sandals since I wanted to be able to dance. With all the running and weight training to amp my strength and stamina, my legs looked crazy sexy.

I wore my hair down, the loose curls tumbling to my shoulders in the best sultry bedhead imaginable. My only jewelry was Hannah’s silver cuff over the top of my right sleeve. And of course my sapphire pendent, which I never took off. I had the pendent tucked under my dress. Shimmery lip gloss completed my va-va-voomness.

“I love it!” I clapped my hands in delight and beamed at my friends. “Seriously, you guys. Thank you so much. For everything. I really did need this. Need all of you.”

They shrugged it off in varying degrees of modesty, except for Fee who announced, “D’uh. That’s why I suggested it.”

I flung my arm around his neck. “Okay hot bunch, let’s dance, drink, and be merry for tomorrow—”

Theo cut me off with a shake of his head. “Don’t even finish that bad paraphrase.” He left the room.

We waited with Festos in the living room while Theo got dressed. Festos rocked a kind of retro 80s London vibe. He wore dark green slightly baggy pants that were a bit long through the crotch and rolled up at the ankle, revealing black wool socks and matte shoes. His shirt was the same green as his pants, topped with a short fitted charcoal jacket, and matching scarf.

He’d rolled the cuffs of both his shirt and jacket back in a jaunty “couldn’t care less” kind of way and topped his blue hair with a fedora that matched the color and fabric of his jacket.

“Admire me all you like, kiddies,” he encouraged from his sprawled out pose on the low red leather love seat.

We did, until we saw Festos bolt up, and turned to see what he was gawking at. My breath caught. “Hannah, I’m feeling wrong feelings.”

“Indeed,” she murmured.

Even the eye roll Theo shot us could not detract from the uncomfortable reality of how amazingly GQ incredible he looked.

He sported a black skinny suit thrown on over a black striped tone-on-tone T-shirt. He’d lost his glasses for the night and slicked down his usually dark spiky hair. Very
Mad Men
.

I’d seen Theo in suits before. Most recently at our school’s Winter Formal. And he’d looked very handsome. But more “good boy for cleaning up so nicely and even buttoning up your collar.” Nothing like this. Looking at Theo right now, so sleek and tailored, I realized this was the first time I’d seen him with some confident swagger.

I’d seen many sides of my friend; snarky, annoyed, loyal, and sadly—lately—far too serious. But Theo had never given off that vibe of supreme conviction that I was used to from other gods. An arrogant sense of self. Which made me wonder what he’d been like as Prometheus. And how much he’d tempered his personality to better fit in as a human. Being around Festos, maybe Theo was showing his true colors.

And those colors ran the full spectrum of man-candy edible.

I swallowed hard. Twice. And continued to stare dumbly at him.

“You never looked like this for us,” Hannah sputtered.

By this point, Festos had limped over to Theo. He smoothed a lapel down and gazed at his boyfriend. “This one’s all mine.”

Hannah cocked her head toward the handsome couple. “Real hardship living with that,” she said to me.

“I despair,” Theo said as he grinned across the room at us. He took Festos’ hand. Hannah and I took that cue to also link ourselves to Festos, and in the blink of an eye, we’d left Seattle behind as he transported us away.

Almost immediately, we found ourselves outside, under a starless night sky. Before us lay a black infinity pool full of flat rocks that pulsed with a gentle light. The rocks marked a path toward, well, even more darkness.

“You’re sure this is the right place?” I asked.

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Festos said. “Come.”

Festos jumped from rock to rock across the pond with surprising agility, given his twisted foot and the fact that he’d left his cane at home.

The stones didn’t sway at all but I was still glad I’d worn low heels as I made my way across. I yelped as I saw something slither in the water, rippling the still surface.

Theo glanced down. “A little something for unwanted guests.”

Even though I was apparently worthy of attending Nyx, I reached the ground on the far side with a sigh of relief. Now that I was up close, I realized I’d been completely mistaken about the darkness ahead. There wasn’t just night before me. More like an absence of everything, woven into a pulsating barrier.

“Yeah, so that’s creepy.” I craned my neck up, attempting—and failing—to see where the barrier ended. I looked down and scanned the section in front of me. There didn’t seem to be a door or a gate. “How do we get in?”

I poked gingerly at the barrier, felt the energy pouring off whatever it was, and decided I really didn’t want to be touching it after all. I tried to pull my hand away.

But I was stuck fast.

And that’s when the barrier pulsated outwards and slithered over my arm.

Five

I shrieked, trying to tug myself free with all my might.

Festos sighed and placed his palm against the barrier.

I shivered involuntarily but it didn’t rip his hand off. Instead, threadlike strands of fiery purple and orange seemed to swim up from the depths of the barrier and wriggle their way toward Festos. The strands merged to form a glowing “N” under his palm.

I was able suddenly to pull my hand away.

Hannah gasped.

“Such theatrics,” Theo said.

“I know,” said Festos with a saucy grin, choosing
not
to interpret Theo’s comment as a slight. Part of the wall slid noiselessly away to admit us, and just like that we were through.

The space beyond was filled with people. I stepped inside, bouncing on my toes in wonder.

“I get to say ‘I told you so’ now, right?” Festos sounded smug.

“I’ll give you this one,” I replied, half-turning, unsure of where to ogle first. “Membership does indeed have its privileges.”

I’d expected some kind of posh building. But no, we stood on the top level of a colosseum. Very much like the one found in Rome, including, I guessed, its size. The one obvious difference was that this space was set down into the earth, rather than sitting on top of it. So while I was on the fourth floor of the ringed arena, I was on ground level. I could see all the floors below me, sloping down and away, since the inner walls were only about waist high and topped with railings.

And this colosseum had a roof. The outside wall on the top tier curved up into a ceiling with a tiled pattern—thousands of white, dark purple, and lavender tiles, all seemingly lit from within. As I stared up, some tiles got brighter while others dimmed. I found myself getting lost in the trippiness of it all.