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“Easy, dear. Give the potions time to do their work.”
“What time is it?” I croaked. “What happened?”
“What happened is the culprit finally confessed. It took three days, but she finally admitted her part in this sorry affair.” She tutted. “One can understand the girl isn’t too fond of children of Hades after one killed her father, but to go this far—putting all of her comrades in danger for revenge—I’ve never witnessed anything so shameful.”
“She?” My head pounded. I tipped one of the vials into my mouth, hoping it would help. “Who was it?”
“Liza Pagonia.”
“Liza?” I cried. “The same girl who spends every night piled under books in the library? She wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“She confessed in full, child.” A deep frown further wrinkled her lined, powdery cheeks. “She wanted those Hades boys to be sentenced to hard labor or, better yet, death.” She patted my hand. “I’m only sorry all of you innocent trainees were forced to suffer for three long days. One should have just as much confidence owning up to the crime as they do committing it.”
Her chatter faded into the background. My mind spun with a thousand questions. Had Liza really been working for Selene the entire time? Why not? It’s not like I really knew the girl, but why did she sacrifice herself now, and why wait three damn days to do it?
My hands shook, rubbing my arms and the phantom stab wounds—physically healed but mentally... always there. How could it be legal to put teenagers through that torture? Most of them they knew were innocent. What sort of place had I come to?
“Lift your chin, girl. You did well. You didn’t break.”
I waited until Helena walked away to reply.
“Don’t praise me. I thought two years in the hospital was the worst thing I’d ever go through.” I swallowed hard. “I’d do another twenty years if it meant never spending one more second in thereflection room. How could you cause this? How could you do that to Sebastian?”
“Spare me your empty witterings. You care nothing for the Barba boy. You hate him by your own admission.”
“But I—!”
“Enough. You refused to see the boy dead. I found another way. If you disapprove of my nonlethal methods, I’ll take no issue with returning to my lethal ones. Is that what you would like, daughter of the Fates?”
I didn’t reply.
“Good.” The satisfaction in her voice sickened me. “Now cease your scolding and return to the matter at hand. Three suns and moons were wasted while that Liza girl dared to negotiate the terms of her surrender. I should hope you used that time wisely, because I tire of your delays.
“You now have seven moons to find and release me from my prison. Should you fail in that time, I shall kill your useless mother and find a hostage you do care about. Maybe the Damien boy? It has occurred to me that was his role all along. To die in aid of forcing you to break my chains.”
If she expected me to shout, scream, and argue, she didn’t get her wish.
“I’m telling you for the last time, stop threatening me,” I replied, tone measured. “There’s no need. As medieval and barbaric as it was, the reflection room achieved its goal. Thinking about Mom and saving her focused my thoughts and kept me awake.
“I know who the believer is.”
There was a pause. “Do you jest, girl? I warn you, I have no patience for your mortal jokes.”
“I’m not joking, and I fuck sure wouldn’t joke with you.” I made to stand and fell back hard, head spinning. “As soon as the potions kick in, we’re ending this.”
That took about another hour. Eventually, I said thank you and goodbye to Healer Helena and made my way to the atrium of the gods. They stood there, tall and imposing, daring me to reveal their secrets.
“It’s her,” I whispered. “Hestia. She’s the believer.”
“Goddess of the hearth? Why do you say this?”
“Goddess of the hearth and home. Goddess of family.” I touched the feet of her statue, gazing up. “The last three days of that hell, it was Mom I thought of to stay sane. Rememberingwhen I was safe and home with her in our apartment behind our flower shop. That’s where I felt safe.
“In the end, that’s where we all put our faith. It’s what we believe in. The families we’re given or the families we’ve made. Of course, it’s Hestia. I should’ve seen that sooner.”
She sniffed, but she didn’t argue with my conclusion. “You’re quick to congratulate yourself, but you’ve yet to solve the next part of that prophecy. In their eyes hold their lies. What does it mean?”
“I thought about that too. Movies and television make us think prophecies are impossible riddles meant to confuse and trick, but what if this one couldn’t be more straightforward?”
