My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess #3)

First Impressions Aren't Always Correct (Part 4)

I hopped through the hole, staggering back as a wave of sheer despair overwhelmed me. This was way worse than wherever I'd met with Demeter.

I gritted my teeth. "Lovely."

Oizys ducked through the opening and let go of the fence. It snapped itself back into place with no sign that it had ever been disturbed.

"Impressive."

She gave me one of her flat stares and wiped her brow with her arm. Then she tromped past me toward a large boulder.

Awesome traveling companion. I gagged on a particularly vicious waft of sulphur, and an image of a burning pomegranate tree slammed up inside my head.

No way! I knew scent was a trigger but this was a terrible time to get hit. I hustled my butt to catch up with Oizys, keeping my mind on our task and trying to forget the putrid smell.

Oizys strode around the boulder. Without pausing or checking to see if I was still with her, she veered sharply left and entered a low cave.

I scowled at the blackness in front of me, just as the beam of a high-powered flashlight popped on inside.

"Figured you'd be afraid of the dark, Springtime."

I headed into the cave, making sure my voice was pure sweetness. "What dark? I was going to wrap you in my light vines and use you as a lantern. But a flashlight works too."

That shut her up.

I peered around as best I could. It didn't seem too bad. We were in a narrow tunnel made of craggy, black stone. A bit musty, and reeking of old rotten eggs, but at least it was dry.

Famous last words.

My next step went down. I stumbled, just managing to stop myself from falling into a puddle of warm, murky liquid. "Do I want to know?"

"The rivers converge to trickle through here."

"And you let me go in sandals? What if my feet melt?"

I could practically hear her indifferent shrug. "Next time, buy proper footwear."

"You're a real joy." I shuffled along behind her for a bit, trying not to think about what might live in the water to feast on my toes. I kept moving. There wasn't much more than a slight prickly heat. I didn't feel corrosive acid eating the flesh off of my bones. "Can you tell if ... well, if they're hurting him?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"They're leaving him alone. For the time being. But that means that my sense of him is fading. So pick up the pace."

That was the best I could hope for. A jog was more than a fair price to pay.

We continued in silence for a while. I tried not to think about how fast I'd be smushed if all this rock came crashing down on me. Or what was waiting at the other end of the cave. Mindless chatter seemed like the best plan.

"Are you going to Hades' masquerade ball?" I asked.

"Like I have a choice." Oizys sounded totally disgusted.

Best not to mention I'd inadvertently given him the idea. I picked my way gingerly along. The water had risen to just above ankle height, and there was a eye-watering stink of dead fish. "You got a costume yet?"

"I'm not wearing one."

"Way to take all the fun out of it."

Oizys stopped abruptly. I stumbled into her and whacked my head on her chin when she turned to face me. We both swore.

"There is nothing fun about one of Hades' parties," she said, shoving me back a step. "It's all backstabbing and plotting and secret agendas."

I rubbed my chin. "Which is different from any other day around here, how?"

"I keep to myself," she hissed, and she went on walking.

True. I'd noticed that. "Your anti-social tendencies trump your evil ones." I trailed my right hand against the stone wall to keep my bearings, since Oizys held the flashlight in a low beam that only helped her.

"I'm. Not. Evil."

She actually sounded hurt. "Sorry."

"Do you think Kyrillos is evil? Your boyfriend is heir to this kingdom, but I don't see that stopping you from jumping into bed with him."

I wasn't jumping into bed with anyone. But I got her point. And she was right. "I think many varied things about that boy," I muttered. "None of which have to do with his birthright."

"Then don't paint me with that brush." She whipped around, blinding me with the flashlight. "You Olympians. You're all so judgmental. So self-righteous."

"Like Underworlders aren't? You thought all I was good for was dancing among flowers."

"Poor baby," she mocked, adjusting the light so I could see the sneer on her face. "Someone thinks you're pretty and useless. Cry me a river. You don't have everyone automatically assuming you're evil."

With that, she stormed deeper into the tunnel.

I stood there, the fetid water swirling around my feet. Maybe, sometimes, I could be judgmental. Even if I was, weren't we all? Did that make it all right? If anyone had asked me, I would have said that Hades' gang was evil and Zeus', what? Good? Less evil? Opposite, somehow.

I took a few faltering steps forward. Oizys had sounded hurt. Like this actually mattered.

I guess it wasn't that black and white.

I sloshed along until I'd caught up with her again. "Is that why you like Prometheus? Because he doesn't judge you?"

"Isn't it why you like him, too?"

I didn't know about Prometheus, but Theo hadn't. Did we spare the people we loved? No, because I certainly laid a whopper of a judgement on Hannah. I squirmed, self-loathing and guilt rearing their ugly twin heads in a bitter knot in my stomach. I didn't want to have this conversation anymore. I sped up. "You need a costume for the ball."

"Maybe I'll borrow your clothes and go as you."

I snorted out my laughter. That was unexpected.

Oizys turned, balancing the light so she could see my expression. "You don't care?"

I put a hand on her shoulder, trying not to double over laughing. "Care? I think it's brilliant. Can I do your make up?"

Oizys stared at me like I was insane, but I distinctly heard an amused, "Maybe" before she disappeared around a corner and made what sounded like a smothered yelp.

My adrenaline spiked and I stupidly ran after her. I flew into the next section of tunnel, made it about three feet in, and dropped like a dead weight into nothingness.