My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

Shafted but good (Part 4)

Theo came out to find me. Festos smiled at him. Theo's response was to pull me off to the side.

"That wasn't very nice, ignoring Festos," I said, freeing myself from his grasp.

"You're gonna talk to me about nice?" he demanded, glancing past me at Festos, then quickly away again. "How could you bring him here?"

"You sent me to him."

"One of many mistakes I've made where you're concerned."

"Really? That's where you're gonna go?" At Theo's glowering nod, I took a new approach. "Look, I realize you're still upset about the past but you have to get over it."

Theo crossed his arms. "Like you did with Kai?"

"Festos didn't act like a giant douche," I shot back.

Theo raised an eyebrow.

"Technically, Zeus was the one who ... with the eagle eating your ..." This wasn't helping my case. "Kai is making me nuts. I hate him."

"Yeah?" Theo replied. "Well, double that for the artificial redhead. Much as I wish otherwise, we actually need Kai."

"Astoundingly reassuring." I smiled tightly.

Festos cleared his throat and stepped forward. "It would seem you need me too." He blinked innocently at Theo.

Theo shook his head. "Can't imagine how."

"Well," Festos rocked back on his Keds. "Once young Sophie can recall everything, you're going to need help warding up the ritual location."

Theo stared him down. "Not a problem."

Festos didn't let it faze him. "Depending on how big an area it is, it might be. Not to mention it has to withstand everything. And I do mean everything." He scratched his cheek, all casual. "You might be in need of one of my little creations. Say, a bonding and amplification device?"

I looked between them. "He's right. We need all the help we can get. And he is good."

"What's the catch?" Theo glowered.

I punched him. "I'm sure there's no—"

"A date."

"Fee," I scolded.

Festos shrugged, unapologetic. "You and me, Thesi. You can pick the place."

Theo ignored that, asking me instead, "Fee?"

Festos grinned and cut in before I could answer. He looped an arm through mine. "We're at nickname stage now."

Theo opened his mouth, shut it again, sent me a steely-eyed glare of death, and left.

Interesting.

"That went well," Festos said as we headed back to my room.

We reached Hannah's and my bedroom and let ourselves in. Life would have been so much easier if I'd never met Kai. Although, given the prophecy of the two of us working to save the universe, I guess that wasn't an option. "Being sixteen and involved with a god really sucks."

"So it would seem," Hannah agreed, typing furiously on her laptop. No doubt drawing up data charts.

"Amen, sister," Festos said as he shut our door. Hannah and I looked at him. "All right. Not sixteen but so there on the rest."

We decided his statement could stand.

Festos waved his cane at our closets. "You're certainly not going to pay your respects to the Goddess of Love dressed like that, darlings. Full-on ninja wear or bust."