Page 42 of The Goddess is Awakened
West and Church snapped into action at dinner when West put the word out I was having a bad day. They roped Oscar and Ren into it, too. Oscar slipped me a drawing of me as an anime girl kicking West’s ass. I giggled when I saw it. I was so conjuring a frame for this when we got back to our dorm and hanging it on my wall. Ren picked me flowers from the border of Shrieking Woods and handed me a necklace I was pretty sure he stole.
West came bounding out when we were finishing dinner with a fucking birthday cake. It had candles on it and everything. He set it in front of me and made everyone sing me Happy Birthday. Matilda just went with it and sang along. Mags howled in solidarity.
Michael came over with Dexter tucked under his wing and looked at everyone at my table.
“I happen to know it’s not my baby sister’s birthday, but cake always cheers her up.”
“Shut up and sit down,” Matilda said. “You only came over for cake.”
“Where did the cake come from, anyway?” I asked.
“The academy kitchen. The head chef is this ancient, horny kitchen witch. She agreed to bake a cake if I let her take a picture of me without my shirt on. I don’t want to know what she’s doing with it later, but I’m willing to capitalize on how good I look without my shirt if it cheers you up,” West said.
Dexter leaned in.
“Don’t stare. Is it the old witch drooling at you from the corner?”
West was as subtle as a bag of bricks. He dramatically whirled around and gave her a double thumbs up. The witch started blushing, considering she asked West for a topless photo.
“The cake is beautiful, Edna. I love you!” West called.
We all waved and agreed. We embarrassed her, and she went scurrying back into the kitchen. Kaylee came stomping over to my table.
“Iknowit’s not your birthday. I’m going to tell my mom you’re wasting academy food and abusing the kitchen staff.”
“Me with my shirt offis notabuse. If I take it off again, will you go away?”
I let out a possessive little growl. I was okay with West taking his shirt off for everyone but Kaylee. West was this glorious golden bundle of muscles without his clothes and she wasn’t worthy. West picked up on that right away.
“Sorry. My witch has spoken. No topless lions for you.”
“Why are you here?” Ren drolled. “You haven’t even figured out how to remove the Medusa Hex and that’s George going easy on you. Do youreallywant to start shit with the rest of us here?”
My brother broke into this evil grin.
“My old roommate Todd was always a follower. He was fun for a while, but he never did have a single original idea. I happen to know he had a stupid idea that joining your coven would make up for the fact that he’s an idiot because of your mom. I have a few bones to pick with you and your mom for how you treated Dexter, but if I find out Todd assaulted my boyfriend on your orders, my revenge will be epic.”
My brother was starting to glow with a brilliant, gold light. Kaylee and her mom might be dumb enough to disrespect gods, but it looked like Kaylee drew the line at avenging angels. I’d never seen my idiot brother fuck someone up over a boy, but one time when we were kids, he tried to fly me over the balcony and drop me several stories because he thought I disrespected one of his toys. He wouldn’t have hurt me, but he was trying to make a point. He was five, and I was four. His wings weren’t strong enough yet, but they were now.
Kaylee noped out of there in a hurry.
“And leave my fucking sister alone!” Michael hollered.
Michael gave me a pointed look.
“You’re welcome, but you could easily handle her,” Michael said. “Consider that an early birthday present.”
“Oh, fuck no,” Matilda said. “You’re totally getting us the appropriate gifts on our birthday, you dick. You know the drill. Mine had better be pink and sparkly.”
“Spoiled, both of you,” Michael huffed, walking away.
Birthdays were like Yule at our house. The gifts were personal and epic. Michael wouldn’t fuck that up.
“I think we need to know when your real birthdays are now if they are supposed to be a big deal,” Ren said.
“June the fourteenth. I know you’re all into my sister, but as her twin, I expect to be consulted on the festivities so you get it right.”
“Gemini Twins. Figures,” Oscar said. “You could be doing alotworse to that stupid girl.”
