“Explosions don’t happen,” Daddy says. “You won’t repeat it.”He turns his frown on River and Asch. “You’ll ensure it won’t be repeated.”
“It won’t be repeated,” Asch says immediately.
“Unless your papa gets involved,” River mutters.
Asch elbows him in the side.
Uncle Slayer glowers at them. “No. More. Explosions.”
I throw my arms up. “Why don’t you ban fires, too, while you’re at it!” I wink at Uncle Slayer to show that I’m joking, but for some reason, that doesn’t relieve the tension.
Uncle Slayer’s glare levels on me instead. “I should,” he says. “Ares and Kratos already have that covered. I don’t need you setting anyone on fire, too.”
I could set plenty of people on fire even without them.
Daddy gets up then, and wraps his arms around me. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he says.
I want to remain stoic, but I end up returning the awkward hug. “Yeah. Sorry I worried you. I swear, it was supposed to all go down quietly and without any explosions or anyone even hearing about it.”
“We still would’ve heard about it,” Uncle Slayer says. He stands as well, and he’s next in line to give me a fierce hug. “But at least you’re leaning on someone.” He glowers at Asch and River. “Even if those are two of the ones you’re leaning on. You could do better.”
“No way! They’re perfect!” I return Uncle Slayer’s hug.
When he pulls away, I ask, “So, um, where’s Papa?”
Daddy sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “He said he was going to have a talk with ‘Baby Bouchard.’ The hospital probably turned him away though.”
Asch’s hands clench into fists at his sides. “They’d better have,” he says darkly. “I’m going to get dressed and head that way. Pandora, do you want to come?”
Do I want to look at Blaze’s face, and see it marred because of me?
No.
But I can’t let him face Papa on his own, either.
These are the consequences of my actions. I have to live with them—though not as much as Blaze will.
“Yeah. Yeah, I need to kiss his face better,” I say with fake cheer. “He’s going to be so pissy about the eye thing.”
I rush upstairs before anyone can get on my case for making light of the situation. I find a pair of jeans in River’s bedroom.
Before we head out, I make sure to grab the business card Papa left me, too.
I might actually need it.
33
BLAZE
I’m numb all over.
That’s the first thing I notice when I wake up. My mouth is dry, my arms heavy.
The world looks strangely narrow. Ceiling. Light. Curtain. Bed.
My hands, my body.
The tubes stuck into my arm. An IV. I must be in the hospital.
