DIVINE » l. valdez

vii

❝and all I need is one last chance

to prove I'm good enough for someone ❞

It took Jason, Leo, and Piper combined to hold Coach Hedge back, as Hina pushed herself from the wall to move towards the group. "Whoa, Coach!" Jason said. "Bring it down a few notches."

A young man charged into the room. He wore baggy pajama pants with a muscle shirt that had a picture of a cartoon corn. He held a large sword in his hands that could do a lot of damage to more than just animated corn. Massive muscles were hanging out of his shirt and his whole body was littered in scars. He must have been Lit, the man's son.

Hina had to admit, he would have been cute if not for the gruesome scars across his face.

Lit immediately zeroed in on Jason like he was the biggest threat, and stalked toward him, swinging his sword overhead. "Hold on!" Piper stepped forward, trying for her best calming voice. "This is just a misunderstanding! Everything's fine." Lit stopped in his tracks, but he still looked wary. It didn't help that Hedge was screaming, "I'll get them! Don't worry!"

"Coach!" Hina pleaded, stumbling to stand in front of the satyr.

"They may be friendly. Besides, we're trespassing in their house," Jason reasoned.

The old man beamed. "Thank you! Now, who are you, and why are you here?"

"Let's all put our weapons down," Piper said. "Coach, you first."

Hedge clenched his jaw. "Just one thwack?"

"No!" Hina and Piper frowned.

"What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologize."

"No!" Piper insisted.

"Meh." Coach Hedge lowered his club.

Piper gave Lit an apologetic smile and Hina could feel the jealousy radiating off of Jason. She bit back a grin, and turned to see Lit.

"You speak well, girl—fortunately for your friends, or I would've run them through."

"Appreciate it," Leo said. "I try not to get run through before lunchtime."

Everyone seemed to suppress a groan as Leo appeared to be feeling better after the loss of Festus.

The older man sighed, rolling the broken teapot over with his foot. 

"Well, since you're here. Please, sit down."

Lit frowned. "Your Majesty—"

"No, no, it's fine, Lit," the old man said. "New land, new customs. They may sit in my presence. After all, they've seen me in my nightclothes. No sense observing formalities." He did his best to smile, though it looked a little forced. "Welcome to my humble home. I am King Midas."

"Midas? Impossible," said Coach Hedge. "He died."

The group sat on the sofa, staring up at Midas who reclined on his throne in a bathrobe. Hina tried very hard to look anywhere but where the king sat, his legs tightly crossed. Lit stood behind the throne, both hands on his sword, glancing at Piper and flexing his muscular arms just to annoy Jason more.

Piper sat forward. "What our satyr friend means, Your Majesty, is that you're the second mortal we've met who should be—sorry—dead. King Midas lived thousands of years ago."

"Interesting," he mused, staring out the window at the the neatly organized building in Omaha.

"You know," the king said, "I think I was a bit dead for a while. It's strange. Seems like a dream, doesn't it, Lit?"

The way Midas described death, frightened Hina to the core. Leo took notice of the colour draining from Hina's face, and subtly placed his hand on top of hers.