Page 108 of Hell On Earth
“It doesn’t. I think it would excite Eugene more. He likes when I look at him while I—”
“Hey, Zotera,” Fenris said loudly. “I bet I can find a picture of the basketball courts on my phone. Want to see how to make a hoop?”
“Sure,” she said cheerily. While she followed Fenris to the other side of the room, Eliana gave me a look.
“I know,” I said. “I’m going to need to talk to him.”
“I don’t think that’s advisable,” Megan said. “Father would not be happy with any part of that conversation. Oanen should talk to Eugene.”
Oanen gave Megan a sharp look.
“What?” she said. “Do you want me or Eliana talking to him about his sex life?”
He sighed. “I’ll deal with it. Explain to Hades why he owes me after I do.”
He walked away to give Zotera and Fenris pointers.
“Is it true?” Eliana asked. “Adira’s been watching you?”
“Haa– felt someone watching a few times, but I never saw anything. Maybe it was just Adira. Maybe it’s both of them. But Adira repeated things that I said here, in this house, when no one else was around.”
Eliana huffed out a breath. “I don’t like the idea of her watching you.”
“Same,” Megan said. She glanced at Zotera. “Hey, if you made it so they can’t get in, can’t you amp up the ward to keep them from watching too?”
Zotera thoughtfully considered the house.
“I think so.”
She crossed to the nearest wall. Power lightninged out from her fingers, spreading out in a web of blinding light. A deep rumble like thunder vibrated in the air, and my ears popped like I’d entered a vacuum. Eliana opened her mouth wide and made a face. Megan tugged at her ears. The light receded, taking the pressure in my head with it.
My ears rang, and I cleared my throat.
“Thank the gods,” Eliana said. “For a second there, I thought I’d gone deaf.”
Megan looked around.
“It is crazy quiet in here.”
“No one can hear or see inside, but we won’t be able to hear or see outside, either.”
“Meh,” Megan said with a shrug. “I’ll take it. Now, who’s playing skins? Me and Oanen or Fenris and Eliana?”
Oanen and Eliana were quick to say neither, and I learned that Oanen and Megan had no clue how to play. Fenris mostly fooled around. But Eliana knew all the moves and rules.
“Pfft. Don’t forget I spent my formative years outside of Uttira,” she said.
“Yeah, but basketball? How? You’re so little,” Megan said.
She shrugged lightly. “It was a lit playground, and the older boys didn’t mind that I watched.”
Fenris’ slow grin had her blushing.
“I can’t help what I am,” she said.
“And I don’t want you to. Come here for a hug, Chipmunk, and show me how good you are with this ball.”
Eliana was a great teacher, and once everyone knew what they were doing, the competition was fierce. As the only human, I was knocked down a few times, but each time, the friend who’d knocked me down was quick to pause and help me to my feet. And just as quick to keep playing.
