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“Hello?” she says. “This is your Aunt Di…”
Eros shoulders me out of the way, entering the room. Penny looks up at me, her face falling when she sees the state of me.
“Hades!” she protests.
“I’m all right,” I say.
“So am I, not that anyone asked,” says Eros, his tone hurt.
Magda comes bustling out of the back hallway, holding a box of clean towels. She walks up to the two of us and holds it out.
“Here.”
I exchange a glance with Eros before picking up a towel and quickly rubbing it over my face. Magda looks at the two of us and then nods to herself.
She motions to Eros. “Right then. That head laceration looks nasty. Let’s get ye cleaned up first.”
I fold my towel over and glare at Eros as he heads to the back hallway, led by Magda. Dabbing at the cut over my eye, I wince. Penny hurries over to me, looking me over.
“Sit down, for chrissake.”
She draws up a chair and I ease into it, groaning very softly. I cast a glance over at Diana, who smiles sunnily and waves at me.
“Hello! Big fan. Ma’s told me all about you. Also I think I’m in love with your girlfriend.”
I can’t think of a single appropriate response, so I just mutter wordlessly.
“Look at me,” Penny says, taking the towel from me. “That cut will probably need stitches.”
Diana bounces to her feet. “I’ll go let Ma know that she should set up a suture tray for you.”
Penny touches a gash in my right forearm, and I suck in a breath. “Oooh.”
“Yeah. If it’s this bad right now, just think of the inflammation. You are going to feel so horrible for the next few days.”
Magda peeks out of the back room and beckons to me. “I’m ready for ye now.”
Getting to my feet is a slow exercise. Penny shakes her head and follows me as I lumber back to the same small room we were in last time. I sink into the chair and Magda tuts, casting a glance at Penny.
“Would ye like a chair as well, dear?”
Penny flashes her a tight smile. “No thanks. I can stand. I may be pregnant, but I’m still months away from my due date. Actually, if it’s okay with you guys, I’m going to raid the refrigerator. It’s been at least an hour since I’ve eaten.”
She rolls her eyes, turning toward the door. Magda nods, briefly placing a hand on Persephone’s forearm as she heads out of the cramped exam room. Then my mother turns to me, sucking her teeth.
“Well, ye look a mess.” She starts cleaning my wounds from the top down, plying every cut with rubbing alcohol and iodine. “Eros looks worse. I don’t even want to think about how terrible Ares’ wounds are.”
I shrug a shoulder, wincing as she cleans the deep gash above my eye. “They came here looking for me. They’ve known me all their lives. Neither one could’ve expected my reaction to be any different.”
Magda gives me a long look, her eyes narrowing very slightly on my face.
“Well?” she asks.
“Well what?”
“Do ye feel any better now that ye’ve fought with your brothers and showed us all that ye are still the winner?”
I scowl at her. “What do ye mean, still the winner?”
