Page 34 of Wild Hunt
“Dionysus,” I said, stepping up to block his way out. His eyes blazed and for a second, I could see why he and Kore were so close. They both had fire running through their veins.
“Why do you give a shit?” he demanded. “We were never anything, remember?”
Having my words thrown back at me took me off guard enough that I let him go through.
Why do you give a shit? The question stayed with me long after he’d left.
I wasn’t sure.
Chapter 18
Kore
Ever since I had gotten serious about winning the Games, I’d started using every spare moment I had to train. Eventually, my body had stopped punishing me so much. I was still sore when I went to bed and got up in the morning, but the exertion was getting easier and easier.
Deep down, I was just relieved for the reminder that I was alive. It had been a few weeks since Hades had brought me back, and so far, he was right. I hadn’t experienced any negative side effects, but I could only hope that remained true.
That evening, I was out for a run, hoping to clear my head. The Games were only three weeks away and it was impossible to believe how quickly this semester gone by. In some ways, I didn’t feel like anything had changed. Then, I looked around me and realized that just the fact that I had survived a full semester as the Rabbit was huge.
Although maybe “survived” wasn’t the right word…
The path winding around the Academy offered a splendid view of Atlantis. I didn’t dare venture back into the woods, considering that I hadn’t meant to reach the other side of them to begin with. I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something had lured me out there, long before the siren’s voice had called me into the water.
At least it had all given me something to think about other than Ares.
I turned up my music, determined to push myself into a higher heart rate zone that I usually went for before I headed back. The truth was, I wanted the excuse to come in late. Hopefully Dionysus would be asleep by the time I got in.
We were closer than ever now that we spent so much time training together, but that closeness came at a cost. I could no longer deny that I was starting have feelings for him, and I cared too much about him to risk fucking it up.
I knew he didn’t feel that way about me. I knew that saying anything would only make it worse, but I lived in fear that I would trip up somehow and reveal the truth.
Then there was what I done with Hades… I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t told Dionysus. We shared everything and it felt like kind of a betrayal not to tell him something that big. I wouldn’t have said I was ashamed, but the fact that Hades hadn’t said a word to me since was playing on my insecurities and making me wonder if I had reason to be.
We were just fooling around. I told myself it didn’t have to change anything. I still hated him and he still hated me.
Even so, I couldn’t help but be curious about what the Triad had been fighting about that day in the cafeteria. Even Daphne didn’t know anything. I hadn’t seen Fenrir and Hades together since, but whatever it was seemed to have distracted Hades from making my life a living hell.
I should have been happy. Why did I even care if those assholes were fighting anyway?
I was deep in thought as I jogged, but the sensation of being watched drew me back to the present. I stopped running and looked around. The grounds were quiet, and there was no one in sight, but I definitely felt a presence. I focused until my attention shifted to the shadows of the hedges surrounding the garden, and I subtly lifted a finger to coax them into doing my bidding. I heard a startled gasp as the greenery reached out to wrap around whoever was watching me.
“Loki?” I called as he became visible, struggling against the grip of the hedges.
“Call off your Chia Pet,” he growled, still thrashing against the plant.
I folded my arms and the greenery tightened around him. “Not until you tell me why you’re spying on me from the shadows like a creep.”
“Like a creep?” he echoed. “That implies that you don’t think I’m usually a creep. I’m flattered.”
I just glared at him, waiting for a serious answer.
He sighed in defeat and stopped struggling. “I needed to talk to you about something.”
“About what?” I demanded. I didn’t trust him any further than I could throw him, but I was admittedly curious as to why he’d sought me out.
Had Hades already told the others what had happened between us? I couldn’t help but wonder if that had something to do with the fight in the cafeteria, but I quickly dismissed the thought. It felt too narcissistic.
“It’s about Hades and Fenrir,” he answered, arousing my suspicion once more. “You saw them fight, and I’m sure you know things have been tense ever since.”
