The Curse in Her Blood

Chapter 10

Robin

It is with one big huge screaming gasp that I come to. Throwing myself into a sitting position and gasp for precious air. Then, after some painful gasping, I take stock of all my pieces and my surroundings.

I'm on what is probably a pallet I have no blanket and I'm cold but I'm not wet. In front of me, squatting at the end of the pallet by my feet is Set. He's wearing a different face, this one isn't a celebrity I know but I also know it's not his own.

I scowl at him. "That was terrible."

"Well... I did say..."

"No, you said it wouldn't hurt."

"No. I said it probably wouldn't hurt," he reminds me, a sort of smile on his face that just makes my scowl deepen.

"You're enjoying this... aren't you?"

"Of course," he says happily. "It worked. I got you here. And you have a mortal body to return to..."

"Wait... there was a distinct possibility that I wouldn't have survived?" I thunder and he just shrugs. I hit him, my hand slapping his bare shoulder. "What a dick move!"

He's staring at me now. Shocked. No doubt people didn't hit gods, and I'm realizing that now that I might have crossed a line there. But I just scowl at him and wait for him to say something but he doesn't.

"If you're done asking me stupid questions, it's time we left. I have to present you to the court," he tells me standing up so I can't hit him again. I must be staring at him in horror because he adds: "It's standard practice here. If you are to stay in the kingdom, if you are to go through the tests to be made worthy for ascension, I must first present you to the court.

"Kay... so like... you never said I had to meet other gods!"

He scowls at me from where he's standing his eyes flashing like lightning in the night sky. "I grow tired of your impertinence."

I don't know what comes over me but: "That's a lie you love it," comes out of me before I realize I'm speaking. The look on his face alone tells me that he wasn't expecting that from me. To be fair, I hadn't expected it either.

"How dare you! You need to start showing me the proper respect..."

"Okay, and you need to stop talking to me like I'm your slave..."

"I did as you asked. I saved your friend and now it's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain."

"And I have no problem doing that, but you picked a socially awkward girl to introduce to people, very important godly people, and I need time to mentally prepare for something as important as meeting a host of gods who are going to test me."

"Socially awkward?"

"Yes. I don't do well meeting new people, I get anxious and worried and I say the wrong things," I snap to him and he frowns as he takes that in.

After a moment of silent contemplation where his dark brown eyes bore into me he asks: "How do you function in society?"

"Quite awkwardly."

"Great. Wonderful. A lot of good you're going to be to me then, aren't you?"

"Hey!" I cry standing up. "This is not my fault. You didn't make the terms clear to me. I could have told you from the get go that this would be a disaster if you expected me to be able to walk into some Royal court and know what I'm doing. You said I had to pass tests, to me that's a written or oral exam. Answer some questions and go."