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

It takes two to tangle (Part 3)

We entered the counseling room. Other than your run-of-the mill office furniture, affirmative posters, and a couch for students to cry on, it was empty.

"That was anti-climatic," I said.

"Are you stupid, or just insane?" Kai had arrived to the party and was glaring at me like I'd plummeted to new lows in his estimation.

"I didn't do it," I replied, heading toward Theo and Hannah to make my escape.

"No kidding." Kai blocked me. "I meant going there in the first place." He glanced at the chain around my neck. Quickly, he tugged the pendant out.

I slapped his hand away and placed the stone back against my chest.

"You couldn't pull off poisoning a god," he said.

I batted my eyelashes at him sweetly. "You're right. Silly little me would have no clue. But you would."

"Sophie," Theo hissed in warning. "Shut up."

"And here's an interesting fact," I said. "Right before Hades choked, I smelled this distinct aroma. Similar to bitter coffee? Funny enough, I smelled the same thing when I was murdered. Who would use an identical poison on both Hades and me? Maybe a guy who hates his dad and flirts with other girls when his girlfriend comes back from the dead?" I shoved Kai out of the way.

"You're not my girlfriend," he replied.

"No kidding. Since I'm breaking up with you on behalf of Persephone. There. Now you're my ex."

Theo shook his head. "Here we go again."

Kai stepped in close to me. "You think because you have her powers, you're her?" He laughed, mirthlessly. "You don't have the faintest clue."

"Fact. I don't need my memories back to know how much I dislike you. Some things are just bone deep," I shot back.

"Fact," Kai mimicked, "if I'd murdered you, I'd have stuck around to make sure I did the job properly the first time. Although practice makes perfect."

"You guys are better than cable," Hannah exclaimed, entranced.

"I'm outta here," I announced.

"God, no. Me first, please," Theo begged, trying to get ahead of me in my flight to the door.

Kai got to the door before I could, slammed it shut and leaned against it. "No one is going anywhere until we get a few things straight."

"That would be 'straight' according to your agenda, would it?" asked Theo.

"You really wanna go there, Prometheus, then let's do this. Why don't you tell Persephone—"

"Sophie" I interjected.

"Who summoned her to the gold chamber that day?"

I looked at Theo, confused. "What's he talking about?"

"He's off his head," Theo retorted.

"I heard you," Kai insisted. "You told her to meet you there."

I turned hurt eyes to Theo. I couldn't believe it.

"It wasn't me," Theo vowed. "Not the attack."

"Why were you the one who found me? Don't tell me it was coincidence." I wasn't going to let this go.

Hannah was seated on Ms. Keeper's desk, following the whole exchange, rapt.

Theo stayed mum.

"Tell me," I demanded.

"I was supposed to meet Demeter. I wanted you to see her. But she didn't show and there you were."

That was about the last thing I expected to hear. Kai too, from the stunned look on his face.

"No way," he refuted. "She couldn't have gotten into the Underworld back then. With Hades all freaked that Persephone would be stolen back? He had that place on lockdown. No ally of Zeus' would have been able to enter."

"She was pretty convinced she'd be able to. I figured she had inside help."

"Don't look at me," Kai retorted. "She's the last person I'd have wanted down there."

"Oh, I believe you, bro," Theo replied. "Can't imagine you wanted a face-to-face with Demeter after stealing her kid."

"Could you have been the one helping Demeter?" This from Hannah. Three pairs of eyes swung my way. "She is your mom."

"I don't know."

"Convenient little amnesia scam you've got going," Kai muttered.

"Aw. You figured it out. One dash of no freaking clue who I am, add stupid guys I can't trust and presto. Super evil scam to take over the world. Gonna need a lair though."

"The kitchen," Hannah suggested cheerfully. "Definitely an evil vibe there."

"Hey!" Theo was still stuck on my "stupid guys" remark. "You can trust me."

Kai snorted.

"Jerk," Theo scoffed. "If you hadn't cocked this all up because you couldn't keep it in your pants, we wouldn't be in this trouble."

"Exactly," I echoed.

Kai turned on me. "Poor little human. Stolen kiss in the moonlight. Pretty exciting for you, huh?"

"I am willing to break all kinds of immortality laws to take this dickhead out," Hannah said to me.

"He's right, Soph," Theo said. "You can't compare. Kai's a real god. Banging everything in sight these past sixteen years. Just like his dad."

Kai swung around with a look of surprise. Theo smirked. "Yeah, even I heard about your exploits. Doing the old man proud, are we?"

"Take it back," Kai said in a low voice.

"Make me," Theo challenged.