Page 78 of The Hunger
His mood didn’t improve when I shook my head. He muscled his way through the people and made it up the stairs in record time. I abandoned my drink on a cocktail table and hurried after him with Fenris close behind me.
Opening Mom’s office door, I caught Mom’s explanation to Oanen.
“Megan will return to you, Oanen, wherever you are. I thought this might be a better location than the dance floor. You can certainly leave, but I understand you drove here. How is Megan’s skill at appearing in a moving car?”
He gave an aggrieved scowl then paced the room impatiently while Dad fussed over Mom, asking if she was sure she had enough to eat. I felt the same worry. She didn’t look like her usual self. But she looked far better than she had while passed out on the floor.
“I’m fine, my darling. I’ll be sure to eat again before we leave.”
“We can leave now,” he said.
“I’d rather wait to hear what Megan discovers. The Council may want to pretend that these quakes are nothing, but I’m not willing to take that chance.”
Fenris wrapped his arms around me and held me as we waited. It didn’t take long.
In a burst of flames and irritation, Megan appeared a few minutes later. Her gaze searched the room until she found Oanen.
“I’m sorry. It had to be done.”
“With me at your side, Megan,” he said.
“And let that snake touch you? No way.”
His eyes narrowed. “What did she do?”
“She told me what we needed to know after I threatened to put a new handprint on her table. One of the gods is awake, and he needs to be appeased before he’ll go back to sleep. Anyone know how to appease a god?”
Mom swore vehemently, and a sick feeling settled into my stomach.
“The Council needs to know, Megan. This isn’t something they can continue to ignore.”
“Agreed.” Megan looked at me. “Think Adira will answer my call now?”
“Probably not,” I said. “Call Mrs. Quill.”
Megan shook her head.
“It’ll be faster if I just hell gate there.”
“It may be faster,” Mom said, “But you’ll be the first one there. You have information they want. Call Mrs. Quill so she can assemble the Council. Then, use the excuse of driving back with Eliana as the reason for your late arrival. Make the Council wait for the information they want so they understand what clueless waiting feels like.”
“She has a valid point,” Fenris said. “Don’t report to them like some lackey or they’re going to think they can treat you like one.”
The fire flared in Megan’s eyes.
“I’d like to see them try.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The ride to the Quills’ was tensely silent. Oanen drove, and Megan took shotgun. I snuggled next to Fenris in the back. It terrified me that one of the gods was awake. They’d been absent from our world for so long that Mount Olympus was nothing more than a tourist attraction. What would it mean for the world if they returned? Nothing good based on how Mrs. Quill reacted to the news during her conversation with Megan.
“Can you please drive faster?” Megan asked.
“If he does, we’ll get there before the Council, and you’ll be back in the puppet seat,” Fenris said.
She turned to glare at him.
“You were more helpful when you needed me for hugs.”
