My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #1)

It takes two to tangle (Part 2)

"I thought this ground was protected," I said, as we made our way back across the grass. "How did Cerberus get through?"

"We had the gateway open. Your boulder trick must have shut it down."

"What's to prevent our enemies from coming through the gateway again?"

"Still warded. They can't open it so long as they intend to harm us. Us giving them an opening? Different story."

"Let's not do that anymore, then," I muttered, as we continued on our weary way. I got up the courage to ask what I'd been wondering about for a while now. I turned bleak eyes on him. "What did I look like? When I was ... attacked."

"You don't want to know."

"I do."

Theo sighed. "Whatever they'd used to stab you had been enchanted, because the wounds bled out very slowly. For maximum pain. It was horrible. You couldn't move. Just stared blankly up at the chandelier as your life force drained out of you. I barely transferred you out of your body in time."

I shuddered, feeling that lethal limbo all over again. But I wouldn't let it swallow me. Again. "I'm going to figure out who did it and kill them, Theo."

We came into view of the school. It appeared fine. No visible damage. Inside, everything was calm. Too calm.

"Where is everyone?" I wondered.

"Yeah. You'd think there'd be a few hissy fits after the quake," Theo agreed.

"Theo, Sophie," Principal Doucette loomed up before us as he stepped out from the cafeteria. "Do I even want to know what you've been up to?"

"The earthquake," I said. "Didn't you feel it?"

He took a good look at us and frowned. "No. Where were you?"

"Out by the creek," Theo replied.

Principal Doucette shook his head. "We felt nothing here. Get changed and dry, then get yourselves to Nurse Hamata's office. Then Sophie, Ms. Keeper wants to see you. Something about an assignment you didn't turn in." He focused on Theo. "And you have a class to get to."

"That truth exercise," I said to Theo as we headed for the nurse's office after a quick detour to change into dry clothes. I never wanted to see those jeans again.

I threaded the pendant on a silver chain and hung it around my neck, hiding the priceless sapphire under my shirt. I felt more confident with it on and I knew that I'd never remove it while alive again.

"You have to come with me to see Ms. Keeper," I instructed Theo. "No way am I letting a potential psychopath get me alone."

The school nurse, a plump Japanese woman with a constantly bright smile, patched us up in no time. "Nurse Hamata," I asked, "is Cassie all right? Did she go home?"

"Who?"

"Cassandra Jones."

"The ginger," Theo added helpfully.

Nurse Hamata was blank. "Is she new?"

Theo and I exchanged worried looks. "No, ma'am."

Nurse Hamata blinked. "I can't help you. I don't know this student." She patted my arm cheerfully. "Off you two go. All better."

Theo waited until we were out in the hallway to speak. "That was beyond weird."

"Definitely," I agreed. "How could she forget Cassie? Was she hypnotized or something?"

"Pretty powerful something."

A Hannah squeal pierced my ears. "Ohmigod, what happened to you guys? You look awful!"

"Theo made me do a little tour of Hades. It got bumpy."

"Whoa. Seriously? Why?"

I showed her the pendant while I filled her in about Theo's hope that it would retrieve my memories.

Hannah considered this. "Did it help?"

"Nope." I decided not to mention the whole Hades poisoning incident. It would just freak her out.

"Sorry, kiddo," she consoled. "You going to be all right? I've gotta hit the library."

"One sec," Theo said, "you remember Cassandra, right?"

"Sure," she replied.

We gave a sigh of relief.

"The Greek Oracle."

"No. The student."

Hannah crinkled her brow. "Is she new?"

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Hannah! Cassie. Went missing? Maybe Kai stole her? You were really worried about her a couple of hours ago?"

She shrugged, clueless.

"We're off to find Ms. Keeper," I said. "Hannah, stay with us."

"I've got this assignment."

"Humor me. I don't want you fading from memory while my back is turned."

"Twenty minutes. Then you follow me into the stacks."

Along the way, we passed Veronica, all flounced up and striding down the hall like a girl on a mission.

"Guess Bethany resurfaced," I called out, since she didn't look like someone who'd literally lost her best friend.

"Who?"

I huffed in frustration. "You've got to be kidding."

"Whatever," she smirked, curling the end of her ponytail around her finger. "I'm off to meet Kai."

"Yeah, and twenty other kids. Class isn't a date, Veronica," Hannah pointed out.

"It is if you do it right." She pushed past us sashaying off down the hallway.

"No Bethany? Ding dong, the witch is gone," Theo cheered. "Champagne anyone?"

I sighed in disappointment. "I can't celebrate. We have to find her."

"'With great power comes great responsibility, Spiderman,'" Theo replied.

"Yeah. I hate that. Three days ago I'd have been thrilled she was gone. Now, I feel all responsible."

"That whole taking care of humanity thing," Hannah pointed out as we made our way to Ms. Keeper's office. "We're your duty."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"It's good for you. Now, who's Bethany?"

This was insane. How could Hannah not remember? "What happened when we were in Hades?"

Theo shook his head, a worried expression on his face. "The only thing I can think of is that someone put a giant memory spell on everyone."

"Keeper, maybe? But why?"

"No pesky questions asked if you can't remember a person is missing?" Theo guessed. "Or two specific ones so far. The Oracle—"

"And Bethany. But she's nothing special. So why her?" I wondered.

Theo shrugged. "Maybe she was just an expendable bystander? I don't know."

"And we remember Cassie and Bethany why?"

"My Prometheus knowledge transferred and your Persephone identity has been awakened. Bet Kai remembers, too."

We reached Ms. Keeper's office and I knocked. "Stay with me at all times," I admonished.

"Got it," Hannah said. "She still after you?"

"Probably just one of those balmy serial killers burying kids under the floorboards," Theo said.

"So it's not about Sophie," she replied. "And yet potentially more dangerous to the rest of us."

"Yeah. Pretty much," he agreed.