Page 19 of Deadly Games
“I’m fine,” I said, realizing my voice was hoarse.
She snatched another bottle of water and offered it to me as the other parents of the newly awakened contestants came backstage to greet their children. I took a sip and found myself wishing it was vodka rather than water. I could use a drink if I was going to get through her visit without losing my mind.
“That was incredible,” she said in a tone of wonder. “I didn’t think there was even a chance, but when you made it to the final rounds…”
As she trailed off, I realized any pride I might once have felt as a result of her backhanded praise was moot. “Guess I’m full of surprises.”
She gave me a strange look and glanced across the room, her eyes lighting up as if she’d just remembered something. “Hades,” she breathed. “Are you going to introduce me?”
I looked over at him and his eyes met mine for a split second before he took off and disappeared down the corridor.
“Now’s…probably not a good time.”
“You must be tired,” she said in a sympathetic tone. “Why don’t you go back to your room and rest? We can talk in the morning, before the final ceremony.”
Going back to sleep was the last thing I wanted, but I forced a smile and nodded to get her to leave me. “I just want to check on my friend, then I’ll head back. You can go back to the hotel.”
“Well, alright,” she said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. With one last disbelieving look, she sighed blissfully and left. At least someone was enjoying my victory.
At first, I’d just wanted some space, but now that she was gone, I really did want to check on the others. Loki was out cold, but Dionysus looked like he was starting to stir, and Daphne was already lucid, sitting up on the edge of her cot.
“Hey,” I said, wandering over to her. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve got the third place curse,” she said wryly, giving me a tired smile. “Congratulations. If I couldn’t win, I’m glad it was you.”
“Thanks,” I said with a dry laugh. “Still doesn’t feel real.”
“I’m sure it will tomorrow, when you’re standing in front of the world of the gods to give your victory speech.”
I froze, realizing that I’d forgotten all about the reason I’d wanted to win the Games in the first place. “Yeah,” I said quietly, realizing that I needed to figure out what I was going to do, and fast. At one point, getting kicked out of the Academy after humiliating Odin had seemed like a perk, but now that my goal had shifted from personal vindication to something “greater,” as Ares put it, I wasn’t willing to take the risk.
Chapter 10
Dionysus
The moment my eyes opened, I felt like I’d just been pulled from a void. I had that heart-racing, ear-ringing adrenaline rush that always accompanied a harsh awakening form a particularly sordid nightmare.
It took me a few moments to remember where I was. The roar of the crowd behind the partition separating the backstage area, where our cots had all been moved, and the bright overhead lighting.
As I looked around, it was no surprise to discover that I was far from the first contestant to awaken. I found myself looking for Kore and spotted Loki first, still blissfully unconscious a few cots away.
I stood, faltering a bit as my head spun.
“Easy,” one of the medics chided. “Don’t sit up too fast or you’ll pass out. The serum still takes time to leave your system.”
Serum. That’s right. I was supposed to have a dream, or at least a harrowing trip into my subconscious. So why didn’t I remember a thing after I’d closed my eyes and gone to sleep?
Maybe that was just another effect of the serum. Short-term amnesia, like going under for an operation. The idea that I was unaware of how long had passed or what I’d spent that time doing was more unsettling than it should have been, considering that I did practically the same thing each night when I went to sleep.
Kore’s cot was empty, to my relief. So was Daphne’s. I shouldn’t have been surprised that they’d both beaten me to it, but I still wasn’t sure who the victor was.
When I caught sight of Kore speaking to another one of the contestants across the room, I knew it was her. If the golden crown of laurels atop her lavender hair wasn’t proof enough, the look of pride in her gaze would have sealed it.
I felt a surge of pride well up in my own chest as I pushed through the crowd to greet her. As soon as she laid eyes on me, she cried out and threw her arms around my neck.
“Dionysus!”
“Good to see you, too,” I laughed, returning her embrace. Her soft, floral scent made my already spinning head feel even lighter. “I see congratulations are in order.”
