My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess #3)

Them's Fightin' Words (Part 2)

Them seemed to be fighting words, because, with that, all hell broke loose. Festos didn't unleash his torrents of lava and fire. Kai didn't strike with his toxic, pointed black light.

I almost could have understood that.

This was a plain old brawl. Primal and visceral and way more "I want to kill you with my bare hands and enjoy it." The two of them lunged at each other and started pounding, landing brutal punches.

I ducked out of the way as Festos threw Kai about twenty feet, then barely scurried my butt to safety in a far corner as, with a roar, Kai raced back to deliver a roundhouse kick that should have shattered Fee's ribs.

"Stop it!" I screamed. And was completely ignored. I tried shooting my vines out to wrap around them, but they were moving too fast, a speeding blur. I wasn't quick enough to hold them.

Cement chips flew and concrete walls buckled.

It was terrifying. I'd shoved myself into a far corner, my back pressed as far as it could go against the wall, my arm shielding my eyes from flying debris. I hoped one of them wouldn't fire the other my way and end up decapitating me in the process.

Just when my fears turned to anger, when I was sure that they were going to collapse the building and kill us all, there was a piercing shriek from somewhere above us.

We all froze. Festos and Kai were red-faced with exertion, cut up, and bloody. There was going to be some pretty ugly bruising.

I glanced up at the ceiling. With a chill, I recognized the voice. "Hannah!" I gasped. I ran upstairs in record time, flung the apartment door open and skidded to a stop inside the threshold, with my chest heaving.

Hannah stood there in her pajamas, her hand covering her mouth, her expression horrified. Pierce was beside her in clothes that looked thrown on. The look of concern on his face chilled me to the bone.

I followed their gaze and couldn't believe what I saw. Cassie stood on the far side of the room, blood flowing from her eyes. She opened her mouth and, in a loud hollow voice, chanted, "Bring the fire, choke the spark, release the form."

Over and over again.

Theo ran in from the bathroom with washcloths to staunch her bleeding. Cassie didn't even blink as he touched her. Just continued her monotoned prophesying. "Bring the fire, choke the spark, release the form."

"Fix her!" Hannah demanded of me.

I was rooted to the spot, with no idea what to do.

Festos and Kai ran in behind me. Fee's eyes widened at the sight of Cassie's condition, but all he said was, "We need to sedate her."

He ran for his First Aid kit in the kitchen, but Kai knew where he kept it. Kai shot past Fee, got it first, ripped it open, and rifled through it as he raced to Theo. Kai pulled out a small vial and held it up questioningly.

Festos nodded.

Kai tugged out the rubber stopper and waved it under Cassie's nose. She fell into Kai's arms in a heap, unconscious.

Silence.

No one moved. It was as if we were in a movie where the frame had been frozen. Then, with a lurch, everyone sprang back into action.

"Bedroom," Festos said tersely, already leading the way. Theo and Pierce went with him, Kai in the rear with Cassie still unconscious in his arms.

Which left Hannah and me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"She lost it," Hannah threw up her hands and started pacing. "Luckily she was on the phone with Anil. He freaked out and called me. Pierce and I went to collect her. She was babbling that sentence over and over again." Hannah shook her head at me, radiating disappointment and worry.

I felt bad enough without Hannah's supreme disapproval. That just made me testy. I jutted my chin out and met her eyes. "What's with the look?"

"You know she's tied to you. Maybe if you hadn't been holed up here, maybe if you'd been paying a bit more attention—"

My rash flared into life. I ignored it, gritting my teeth and curling my fingers into my palms.

"Yeah, sorry," I said, all nonchalant. "Paying attention would have cut in to my vacation time." I gave in then, my nails tearing at what felt like fire ants biting their way up my forearms. "Are you kidding me?" I shouted. "What do you think I've been doing all this time?"

Hannah gave an infuriating shrug. "I have no idea."

My heart thudded, achy. "Maybe that's because you're so wrapped up in Pierce that you can't be bothered seeing what's going on in other people's lives."

Hannah looked wounded. Then she came out swinging. "You act like you have no power to make any choices, but that's all you have."

I stepped toward her, blazing. "One time when I've done that. Tell me one."

She came toward me, finger outstretched. "You let Felicia railroad you out of school."

"I let her?"

Hannah poked me in the chest hard, shoving me back a step. "Yes. You just conceded to whatever she wanted instead of stepping up for the sake of the bigger picture. Probably did it with Kai, too."

What does she know? For once, I was in agreement with my Persephone voice.

I knocked Hannah's finger away. "Big words coming from a girl who's biggest concern is who will adore her most today."

"You hypocrite," she screeched. "You're fine when it's all about you. But now that it's my turn? You can't stand not being in the spotlight. It's killing you to be happy for me, isn't it? Could you be any more selfish?"

Bethany stabbing me had hurt less.