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Guess I should play my part.
“I’m too tired for this,” I announce, and suddenly, Asher, Hades, Professor North, and the Notorious Worm are falling back with the release of my hold.
“Ow,” Asher groans. “Sweet Cruella. I’m too precious for rough handling.”
I look over at him while catching my breath.
“Precious my…” I trail off because I’m seeing two Ashers.
Or three.
“Fuck. Catch her,” Hades prompts as my body leans forward. I knew I was ready to play along, but allowing the wave of exhaustion to take over my body was a stupid mistake.
Arms catch me in seconds, and I’m wrapped in the comforting warmth of Professor North’s arms. His cologne taunts my nostrils, just like his magic, which feels as if it’s a blanket along my flesh.
“Shit, Ophelia,” Asher’s worried voice comes from my right.
“She’s okay,” Professor North admits. “What you three pulled off back there was impressive.”
“What us three…” Asher trails off.
“Well, this was about us surviving,” Hades comments. “That’s exactly what we did,” he stresses. “Only we should get bonus points for making it seem like Guinevere was doing all the work.”
The clap of hands draws my curiosity, but I’m trying to catch my breath while waiting for the world to stop spinning.
“That’s the most unique way of teamwork I’ve ever witnessed!” Professor Blackbird announces.
Why can I imagine him just floating in the air or something?
“Are you eating popcorn?” Hades sounds disappointed.
“I get hungry easily. Besides, it’s a good food to chew on when watching death and misery unfold before your eyes. Easier on the stomach, surprisingly enough,” he announces. “Guess I should deliver one of those bonuses on Miss Guinevere’s behalf.”
The sound of fingers snapping invites a wave of warmth that rushes through me from my head to my toes. Within seconds, my eyes are snapping open, and I’m able to sit up with ease.
“What the…” I begin and notice the others who were once unconscious are waking up.
“Huh?” Blair lifts her head, her blonde hair more like a bird’s nest of frenzy madness. “Where…wait. Are we in Nephilim?”
“Why does it feel like I was asleep for a week?” Azrael ponders.
“You woke them up?” Hades questions before he reaches out for my left hand and inspects my wrist. “No, wait. You healed us.”
“Healed us?” I question and notice the injury I had on my wrist is gone. “Wait. He did.”
“Where’s Kali?” Blair inquires as she looks at our circle of people. “And what is that creature?”
“Larshae!” The Notorious Worm raises its trident at Blair, making her shriek, but golden scales quickly wrap around the shadowed creature and stop it from attacking.
“Ophira?” Azrael questions as we all look up to acknowledge the serpent in her bigger form. She opens her mouth and gags. A flow of acid-like liquid comes out before a soaked Kali falls out and drops to the ground.
“Hot!” he screams the moment he lands on the ground with an ‘oomph.’ “Hot! Ah!” He’s running in circles as if he’s on fire.
“Hold on!” Blair instructs and manages to get up to chase after the running-in-circles teammate. She ends up having to tackle him to get him to stop, but he’s fighting her to get his clothes off, which are burning from the acid.
I don’t know why all eyes fall on me, but even Professor North and Professor Blackbird are looking for an answer to this predicament.
“Honestly, in the beginning, it made valid sense to hide him in the depths of Ophira’s stomach,” I voice honestly. “He can survive poison, and most venoms are acidic and poisonous, so he’ll be just fine,” I whine. “Just didn’t think about the clothes part, but what’s wrong with a guy being naked versus dead?”
