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“You could just go back to your life and us to ours,” I suggested. “It’s a party. No need to fight.”
She snapped her fingers. “I have a better idea. Cora, tell them their hair is poison and they’ve got to rip it all out by the rootnow, or they’ll die. Let’s see if bleeding, bald scalps teach them respect for their betters.”
My eyes bugged as Cora stepped forward, grinning. “With pleasure.”
“Wait—!”
“Stop.” Theron shoved between us. “Relax, Sirena. Cora, don’t even think about it.”
Sirena bared her teeth. “Step aside, Zervas. You should know better. Didn’t Mommy teach you what to do when peasants get too big a head?”
“Did my mother teach me to react like a twisted, violent psychopath? No,” he drew out, getting another laugh from the crowd and thinning lips from Sirena. “But she did teach me that all problems can be settled with a round of Penalty or Punishment.”
“Yeah,” chimed someone in the crowd.
“Penalty or Punishment.”
“Go on, Sirena,” Penelope said. “Put her in her place.”
“What’s going on?” I demanded, peering around Theron. “What’s Penalty or Punishment?”
“It’s a game soldiers play,” Ionna explained, “to prepare them if they’re ever taken prisoner. But a more popular version is played by everyone—usually with a lot of drink.”
So it’s a drinking game. How fitting for the equivalent of a college party.
“Fine,” I spoke up, cutting off Sirena’s refusal. “I’m down for a drinking game. How do you play and how do I know when I’ve won?”
“I don’t need a stupid fucking game to teach this useless a lesson or permission from any of you to do it. Now move aside, Sisyphean!” She reared back, readying to punch Theron with the fist of an animal that I couldn’t begin to guess.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Theron said lightly. “Children of Ares are only placed in Sisyphean until they prove they’re filled with enough hatred to use their power at will.”
That was the most horrible thing I’d ever heard.
Theron bore into her eyes. “You and I both know I am.”
Sirena didn’t hit him. She didn’t drop her fist... but she didn’t hit him.
“Did someone say Penalty or Punishment?”
Sirena’s hand dropped back to her side. She spun around, beaming smile returning as Alex loped over.
“Are you playing, Rena?” he asked. “Awesome. I’ll cheer your win or cheer you up if you lose.”
She giggled, shooting my brows up my head. The transformation from evil witch to blushing princess happened so fast, I somehow missed it even though I was watching. “Like I’d lose, Xander. Hate to deny you a chance to wrap your arms around me, but you and everyone else will be cheering me on.
“These loud, smelly Sisypheans were bothering everyone and making fools of themselves, so I suggested a game of Penalty or Punishment to return the peace.”
Theron, Ionna, Daciana, and I exchanged incredulous looks.
“If I win, they get on their knees, apologize”—she threw me a nasty smile—“and say they’re nothing but useless trash with assholes for mouths that spout nothing but cerberus shit. They also agree to leave and take all their Sisyphean friends with them.”
“But if I win,” I snapped, “you get on your knees, apologize to Daciana, and agree to keep your nose out of other people’s business. If Daciana wants to make clothes for the girls, that’s got nothing to do with you.”
She shrugged. “Since I won’t be losing, I’ll say yes.”
Those were the magic words. I stood by in a whirlwind as the lake was abandoned, novices rushed into their clothes, stoneseats and a table erupted from the ground, and mug after mug of ale was placed in front of both of us.
Through the chaos, I shared a silent communication with Alex. It was clear to me what he’d done. He prompted Theron into suggesting the drinking game, so no one would question why he was rushing to a Sisyphean’s rescue. He defused the fight without directly getting involved.
