“I don’t know what you’re hoping to do, but you need to stop before it ends in your death. We don’t want to lose you again, but you are leaving us little choice.”
“He did this to you too, didn’t he?” I ask while I grasp the hourglass tightly. “He took a piece of you and tore you apart.”
She stops walking and stares at me. “You really remember nothing? You are a shell of your former self, aren’t you? I fear your magic will kill you before any god seeking vengeance on you gets a chance again. You are not so weak, so why did you let them kill you?”
“Why do all of you speak in fucking riddles? If you want me to understand something, then talk to me. Tell me why you’re doing this. Why are you destroying so many lives? Is this all for some selfish reason?”
Famine laughs. “You are the selfish one.”
“Me? I’m selfish while saving lives and mopping up the messes from my brothers and sister who are homicidal maniacs?”
“You really wish to know?” she asks. “You want to knowwhywe’ve been reduced to this?”
She gasps and grabs her chest then quickly turns her head before I see the god walking up the steps behind her. He sets a hand on her head, fingers digging into her white hair as I suddenly feel the desire to protect her, but why the hell would I protect that monster?
“Outsiders are not welcome here. You know that,” he says as he looks over at me. “If you don’t stop meddling, I will take everything from you.”
“If you could, I believe you already would have,” I retort. “Yet you hide behind them.”
“Do you really want to test my patience?” he snaps, lunging forward a moment before I’m slammed back, hitting down on my ass on the hospital floor. Vero stands over me, hand held high as my cheek stings.
“Ow, what the fuck?” I demand.
“I told you he didn’t need medical attention,” Vero says, looking like he’s contemplating another smack for good measure.
I feel shaky while I rise and nod at Vero. “Thank you. That was not going to be good at all. Fuck.”
“What happened?” Mickey asks. “You kind of just… stopped. You stopped moving, stopped doing anything. It was really creepy. I was like, ‘Is this actually a horror movie?’ and then Vero just rushed over like it was his time to shine and smacked you with a smile on his face. It’s the happiest I’ve seen him.”
“Nothing good. I want to get back to Torin,” I say, feeling especially anxious, which isn’t helped by being so far from Torin. “I don’t like leaving him in that world alone with Famine floating around. She just… I don’t know how, but she just… drew me over to their world… where the god was. I don’t know who I can trust?—”
Vero grabs my shoulder and jerks me around to face him. “You can trust none of them.”
“I… I know I can’t?—”
He looks irritated, but when doesn’t he? “See? You’re already dying to jump over to their side.”
“I’m not. I would never do that. I just… I don’t know why they’re doing this.”
“Because they’re assholes who need to die,” Vero growls.
The nurse looks confused but I wave her off. “We’re with the Magical Interference Unit. It’s fine,” I assure her.
She isn’t reassured.
The ride back to the Door is rather uneventful. I try to insist that Mickey should go to Torin’s palace to recover and I promise him that Vinny could stay with him, but he refuses. He appears very on edge and doesn’t seem interested in separating from me at all.
So when we return, I usher him right over to Lark and Story’s house and make him climb into bed. He tries to insist on following me, but Story arrives just in time. He drags a chair over to the bed and begins chatting with Mickey while I slip the walkie-talkie in Mickey’s hand and hurry out to find Torin.
“He’s probably off frolicking with those women who led him off to their store,” Vero says.
“Is this your ploy to seduce me and irritate Torin?” I ask. “All because he tore your blanket?”
“He also threw feathers in my face.”
“Oh nooooo! How horrible! And you killed the love of his life,” I say.
Vero hesitates before clearing his throat. “Mine is significantly worse.”
