AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was only when I was safe and seated on my motorcycle that I realized my cheeks were damp with tears. I dug through my pockets for a tissue and wiped them away. I felt oddly exposed, as though I’d been cracked open and examined. It seemed like the type of torture one might experience in a circle of hell. At least I had a contact who could confirm or deny.
Kane hurried toward me. “Lorelei?”
I shook my head, unable to speak. “I can’t right now.”
He slowed to a halt. “Is there anything I can do?”
“I need a little space to process.” There’d be no shawarma. I hated to disappoint Addison, but I didn’t want to engage in small talk with anybody, not even a cashier. I needed to be alone with my thoughts.
I looked at Claude. “Would you mind riding back with Kane?”
The revenant climbed onto my shoulder and jumped to Kane’s.
“I’m here, whenever you want to talk,” Kane said.
I mustered a smile. “I appreciate that.”
My limbs felt as heavy as my heart. With great effort, I started my motorcycle and rode home.
CHAPTER 14
Iwas grateful for the stack of blueberry pancakes that greeted me on the kitchen table. My body felt hollow after last night’s experience, and that included my stomach.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Addison stood wedged in the corner of the countertops. She held up the coffee pot. “Want some? It’s fresh.”
“I think I will, thanks.”
“I have an ulterior motive. I’d like you fully awake and alert when you tell me about last night. Spare no detail.” She filled a mug with the true nectar of the gods and set it in front of me with a dramatic flourish.
“Let me eat a few bites first, before I ruin my appetite.”
Addison winced as she sat across from me. “That bad, huh?”
“It was a mixed bag.” I’d seen my parents, yes, but I’d expected to have a conversation. To tell them I missed them. To hug them. But I was unable to do any of those things. To add insult to injury, the family reunion was cut short by my ancient past. I was dumped into the underworld so that Melinoe could enjoy a reunion with her parents, who couldn’t even be bothered to show up. Even worse, there was now a very good chance The Corporation knew my identity.
“Nobody turned up to steal me away while you were gone, so you were right about that,” Addison said.
“And you were probably right that it was a trap.”
Her head snapped to attention. “Why? What happened?”
I shook my head.
The ends of her mouth curved downward. “You still don’t trust me.”
“It isn’t that… Okay, it’s partly that, but mainly it’s because I’m still processing.” It was hard to accept that only hours ago, I’d been in the same room as my parents until Melinoe interfered. The goddess within me had ruined my life yet again. If I’d anticipated that outcome, I wouldn’t have accepted the offer. No doubt The Corporation had anticipated it, which was the reason they’d extended the offer in the first place. My only hope was that they still believed I was an avatar. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than the alternative.
Addison snatched a blueberry from my plate. “These are nice and plump.”
I resisted the urge to stab her hand with my fork. “Didn’t Nana Pratt make you pancakes too?”
“She didn’t make them. I did.”
I glanced at the mess in the kitchen, which I’d failed to notice when I first entered in my groggy state. “That was kind of you.”
“I figured you’d need comfort food. The Corporation has that effect on people.”
“Thank you.”
