Chapter 22 #2
“I’m not saying no more sex. That’d make a shitty life shittier. No more love.” Not that there’d ever been any, not truly. Not like that anyway. Only for my brother. No other man was worth that level of devotion.
Marina slid the shrine to rest on one hip. Her eyes watered. “Oh, Sora … Teo wouldn’t want that for you.”
“Well, Teo’s not around to say one way or the other, now is he? If we’re gonna pray, let’s pray. I’m ready to leave for the castle.”
Her eyes were too intent, attempting to see too much. “I thought we were waiting till the cover of nightfall.”
“Changed my mind. And only I’m going. You’re staying on the mainland.”
Her brow furrowed. “What? Why?”
Because if Alobaz hurt her, I might level the entire Opalese.
“I need you on lookout,” I said. “In case anyone comes looking for me.”
She frowned. “No one knows you’re here. By the Ethers, no one even knows you’re alive.”
“Cosette does.”
“You’d leave me behind because of Cosette? For all we know she’s dead.”
“I hope she is. But we can’t be too careful.” With my emotions riding me hard, I wasn’t being close to careful enough. “Who are we praying to?”
“Hmmph.” She glared up at me. “Who do you want to pray to?”
To no one and everyone. Mostly I wanted to curse out the demigods’ whole twisted family tree.
“How about to Hope?” she said.
“How about to Death? Or Fury? Or Justice?”
“To whoever will help us most, then?”
“Okay.”
Her arm still threaded through mine, she lit the final two candles and hovered the shrine between us. She bowed her head.
I really didn’t want to, but when she kicked my ankle, snagging my skirt with a claw, I dipped my head too.
“Demigods,” she said, “half in the Ethers, half in the Opalese, fully in our hearts…”
I pressed my lips together to keep from muttering. Heartbreak, the scorching cunt, had no place in my heart.
“…we call upon you today because we’re in need of your aid. Please receive the water of the oceans, flowers of the land, flames of fire, and light as of the stars as a humble token of our thanks. We ask that you help us as we seek justice.”
“Vengeance,” I said.
Her head jerked up, shook no.
“Against Alobaz Hawxley,” I said. “He took what he had no right to take.”
“Sora,” Marina hissed. “That’s not how this works.”
“Will you help me execute my vendetta?” I asked the demigods.
A localized wind whistled suddenly, blowing my braids around so they pelted my back and bare shoulders and cleavage. My skirts—my stupidly long skirts—tangled around my legs. Marina’s loose hair whipped in every direction, lashing her face.
Just as suddenly, the wind settled. Stopped. Passersby on the street beyond the alleyway ambled on as if nothing were amiss.
Marina and I peered within the shrine.
Every flame but the one to the east was blown out, thin tendrils of smoke rising then pooling along the miniature roof.
The vial was empty. The flower petals, both of the lotus and olandry, glowed as if with its light.
“What the scorch does that mean?” I asked.
“I-I think it means the demigods heard us, and that they’re going to help.”
“They are?”
“Well, just the one, I think. Maybe. I don’t really know.
They’ve never answered me like this before.
I’ve only ever felt them, believed they were there, but I’ve never been sure.
” With wide eyes, she gazed up at me. Bit her bottom lip with those sharp teeth to hold back a grin. “I really think they were here.”
Her enthusiasm was contagious. Maybe I didn’t have to take on every asshole in the empire on my own.
“Which demigod do you think it was?” I said.
“Um…” She unthreaded her arm from mine and began packing up her portable shrine, securing its pieces. She tucked it back within her pocket—large but nowhere large enough to hold a shrine, no matter its size—without saying more.
“Mina?”
She looked up. “Hm, what?”
“Why are you playing stupid?”
“I’m doing no such thing.”
“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms, prepared to wait her out.
She scoffed. “I’m not playing stupid. I just don’t want to have to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Which demigod showed up.”
“So who did?”
“I just told you, I don’t want to say.”
“But you’re still going to, right?”
She patted down her frock as if to ensure everything was in its right place. Pointed one dragon-foot, then the other. Scratched her big nose.
“Mina…”
“Fine. Love, that’s who showed up. Okay? Happy now?”
My mouth dropped open. “Wha-what? Why would she show up?”
“I have no idea.”
“Ah.” The tension in my shoulders eased.
“I know why. I’m gonna looooove killing Alobaz.
I’ll also grow to love to hate him. Up until I kill him, of course, which means not for long.
I’ll take him down. Then I’ll love to see him dead.
Dead, dead, super fucking dead. Love and hate are closely linked, after all. ”
Love and Hate were, indeed, sisters. Two of the most feared demigods.
The voices and rustling from the street surged in volume. A boy shouted to someone, “He’s coming.”
I peeked my head around the corner. Marina poked out behind me.
And there he was.
There he fucking was.
Alobaz Hawxley, sauntering down the street from the east as if he himself were a god. As if he didn’t have a care in the world. As if he actually believed he owned the whole wide world.
A gaggle of women dressed much like I was followed him, their awe and adoration for the man beaming through bright makeup.
My eyes narrowed.
I patted myself down, tapping every hiding spot that held a blade or vial of poison or an amulet, confirming everything was in place. I wouldn’t have to case the castle. The end I’d been working toward since discovering Teo was dead had arrived.
Here was my prey.