My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess #3)

Not Quite Cinderella (Part 4)

Some of the guests had obviously gotten a jump start on their drunken festivities. Their costumes were already slightly askew. Masks were already tilted, eyes were too glittering, voices too loud, and too slurred. The buzz of conversation was loud, but from where I sat, just tolerable.

Hades held center court, dressed, just as I'd suspected, as Zeus, in a cream linen suit and matching fedora, that strained against his bloated frame. At first I wasn't sure how this made a mockery of his brother, until I realized that the suit wasn't some costume Hades had made for the occasion. It was Zeus' actual suit and fedora. His favorite outfit. Hades had stolen it somehow, and was wearing it with great pride and swagger. He just had to touch his brother's things, didn't he?

He plucked a goblet of wine from a passing minion's tray and slugged some back. Wine sloshed onto his lapel. I could just imagine his glee when he returned it dirty, ripped, and stained—to my anal retentive, metrosexual father.

An Infernorator glided over to Hades, Oizys in his wake.The minion presented her to his master and floated away.

I watched, curious, as Hades leaned in close to speak to her.

She stiffened, but Hades didn't notice, or didn't care. With a pat to her shoulder, he turned from her to get more wine.

I couldn't imagine what was going on, but whatever he'd said kept her close at his side.

And glowering. Her eyes sliced through the room. She looked ready to kill.

Maybe I was projecting that part, since her mask covered much of her face. But I didn't think so. I had a sinking feeling that her death rays were intended for me. I'd gotten her into whatever Hades was up to.

Well, I couldn't worry about it now. Everything, for better or worse, was in motion.

I watched them for a few more minutes, but nothing changed.

Nor did Kai appear.

Which begged the question of where he was.

I didn't see Festos either. I hoped he was off convincing Aletheia to show up. Gotta hand it to him, his chandelier was one of the most spectacular things I'd ever seen. The light hung high overhead, its candle holders and metal twists spanning a good ten feet.

It reminded me of dancing fountains, like they have in Vegas. Or rather, hundreds of tiny dancing fountains, all held in their own individual candle cups. They were made of lava and fire, and they syncopated in a gorgeous ballet of reds, oranges, and blues. Hundreds of teardrop crystals reflected all the color and heat into endless prisms of light.

It was mesmerizing.

I couldn't believe that nobody found it as entrancing as I did, but everyone else seemed too engrossed in being as loud and obnoxious in their Olympian impressions as possible.

Except for Oizys. Even from half a football field away, I could see how still she was. Looking for me. For a second, I thought she'd found me. Her gaze seemed to hold on my area of the room.

I pressed myself farther behind the marble leaves and into the shadowy corner. I held my breath. I don't know what would have happened if she'd had even one more second to glower my way, but a sudden blare of trumpets made everyone turn toward Hades.

"Friends and honored guests," Hades boomed out, his voice reaching even this far corner, "Welcome to my ball."

His words were drowned in a cacophony of catcalls, whistles, and stomping feet.

He held up a hand for silence. "On this eve of the spring equinox, we celebrate the union of light and dark. And what better way to start the evening's entertainment than a first dance between the Prince of the Underworld and a Princess of Olympus?"