Dionysus (Hades Series #1.5)

Chapter Twelve - Kenzie

Chapter Twelve

"Mamma, why are we here?"

I ignore the look Spencer shoots me at Jasmine's first word and bend down to pick her up. "Spencer was very nice and offered us a place to stay for a while, okay Jassy?"

"But I wanna sleep in my bed." She whines, her lip wobbling for what feels like the millionth time in the last hour. "And play with my toys. I miss Raggers."

"I can buy you some toys." Spencer offers unhelpfully from the kitchen. I shoot him a deadly glare, and he holds his hands up in the air, mouthing, "what?".

"I know you miss Raggers sweetheart." I brush her hair out of her face. "But fires are greedy and steal everything that they can."

"So the fire stole Raggers?" Jasmine asks in a wavering voice. I nod, unable to say anything without being worried that my voice will crack. "And all my other toys?"

"It did, I'm sorry sweetheart. But it won't take anything else, okay? I promise." I kiss her on the forehead.

Jasmine stays silent for a few seconds, fiddling with the ends of my hair. "Did the fire take Gracie and Grandpa?"

I stiffen, my heart lodging in my throat and tears pricking the corners of my eyes. "I..."

"Hey Jasmine!" Spencer steps forward, asking me silent questions with his eyes. I nod and hand her off to him. "Do you like watching tv?"

"Yes!" Jasmine cheers, immediately forgetting about the question she asked me. "Do you have Tangled? That's Mamma's and my mostest favourite movie!"

"I don't just have Tangled, I have Hercules, and Aladdin, and..."

Spencer's voice trails out into a quiet murmur as he leads her into the lounge, letting her jump onto the big maroon couch splayed in front of his massive television. As soon as they disappear around the corner I turn away from them, pressing my fist against my mouth so neither of them can hear the choking sob that escapes me.

How in the world am I going to make Jasmine accept that my dad and sister are dead when I haven't even begun to process the fact that they both burnt to death in a fire myself?

Another sob breaks through, and I stagger against Spencer's dining table.

My family is dead.

I'm never going to see them again.

My family is dead.

"Kenzie?"

I flinch at the sound of Spencer's voice, but stubbornly refuse to turn around, in the hopes that he'll take the hint and leave me alone. But unfortunately he's just as stubborn as I am, so when I finally look up from the table he's still standing in front of me, a worried look on his face.

I clear my throat, hurriedly wiping my cheeks with the back of my hand. "Ye-yeah?"

He watches me for a few seconds, his gaze intense. "You okay?"

What a loaded question. I decide to throw a question back at him. "Why?"

Spencer studies me, not looking at all convinced with my pathetic attempt at a cover up. "Well, we never did finish our conversation from this morning, and that seems as good a distraction as anything right now."

This morning? That was today? I fall down on a chair, rubbing my face. God, that seemed like so long ago. "You're bringing this up now?"