Page 36 of Dark Gods
I winced. When she called me Persephone, I knew I wasreallyin trouble. All I could do was sit and take it.
"Do you know what they do to people who sell these?" she asked. The tone of her voice gave away the fact that it was a rhetorical question, not one she expected me to answer. "You're damn lucky I found you and not the OSTF! You're eighteen now, they'd lock you away in the aether and have every right to do it!"
She was beingslightlydramatic. Being a goddess with name recognition, let alone Hades' betrothed, would mandate a slap on the wrist at worst, but I was loathed to drop his name, whatever the benefit. Hell, I'd take a chamber in the aether before I'd happily walk down the aisle with him.
Even so, the OSTF had always been enough of a threat to whip me into shape when I was little and my gut reaction proved that hadn't changed. Everyone knew about the independent task force the gods had created to keep themselves in line and execute impartial investigations--and judgment, when the occasion called for it. Each member was a living crystal, identifiable by the eyes that told their stone of origin. They were the only beings in the known universe capable of killing Cronus himself, thanks to the power held within their scythes.
If there was one being in this universe I'd rather have been caught red handed by less than my mother, it was a Stone.
* * *
Present Day
As I satin the Headmaster's office listening to Kunzite recount the facts that had brought me to an oversized leather chair under the watchful eye of Odin, my head was spinning badly enough that I had to grip the wooden armrests just to feel like I wasn't going to fly off the surface of the earth.
Nothing she was saying made sense. Nothing had after those three impossible words.
"Phrixus isdead?"
"That's right," Odin said in a grave tone, watching me carefully. "And according to several witnesses, you were one of the last people to see him."
"Witnesses?" I echoed, unable to hide my agitation. "The onlywitnesswas Hades, and in case he didn't fill you in on all the pertinent details, he threatened Phrixus right in front of me, so if you should be questioning anyone, it's him."
"We already have," Kunzite said in an impartial tone. "We're questioning everyone with any connection to the evening in question."
It took me a second to collect myself, and I still wasn't sure if that's what I'd done so much as stuffing down everything I couldn't bring myself to deal with right now. "Who found him?" My voice sounded shaky, but better on the second try. "His body, I mean."
"That would be my son," Odin answered, his hands folded in front of him with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Given Loki's nature, I'm afraid it took a while to get anyone to take his report seriously."
Of course it was Loki. He was everywhere. For all I knew, he was the one who'd killed Phrixus, but Hades was the most obvious suspect, so it was a shock he'd reported the body at all.
"How did it happen?" I asked hoarsely. Odin offered me a glass of water and I took it gratefully, wishing it was something stronger. Then again, I was already a murder suspect and the last thing I needed was an underage drinking charge on my rap sheet.
"We believe he was pushed, given the nature of the damage and the way he fell," Kunzite answered.
I couldn't help but grimace.
"You said Hades threatened Phrixus," Kunzite pressed, her pen on her paper, ready to write down everything I said--and use it against me, I was sure. "Why is that?"
"He didn't tell you?" I asked bitterly. My confidence faded when I glanced back at Odin and realized I was going to have to get into the embarrassing details in front of him. As if his impression of me could get any worse. "He walked in on me and Phrixus having an...intimate moment."
Odin cleared his throat. "So we heard. As far as this threat goes, I'm sure it was nothing more than banter between classmates. They had a bit of a rivalry."
"Tell that to the dead guy!" I cried.
Kunzite fell silent and Odin gave me a withering glare. "Ms. Ademone, I understand that you're upset, but try to control yourself. We've had quite enough of your spirited outbursts."
Kunzite was listening curiously, and I knew the tables were turning against me. I wasn't about to let that silver-haired douchebag make me out to be the villain in all this. Maybe the Triad thought they ran the Academy, and maybe they were right, but there were laws in this world, and as many of them as I'd bent, I'd never committed murder. Even they had to answer to someone and this was my chance--my only chance--to see to it that they did.
I owed Phrixus that, at least.
"Hades is a pompous ass and I'd slap him again if I had the chance," I snapped. "He's been harassing me ever since. Him and his stupid Wild Hunt. When he saw me with Phrixus, he told me I'd made a mistake and that there would be consequences. How much more do you need?"
"That's quite enough, Ms. Ademone," Odin said in a deep, growling tone that made me shiver in spite of myself. He turned to Kunzite, his demeanor shifting instantly. "Agent, is that all you need for now?"
"Yes, but the Task Force will require further access to the school and its students as the investigation continues," she answered, closing her notebook.
"And you shall have it," Odin said, standing to walk her to the door. "Thank you for getting here so quickly, and please, give me some time to contact the boy's parents. His twin is quite beside herself at the moment, as I'm sure you'd expect."
