“I don’t regret it,” I said. “Even knowing that people are dying because I went there and woke a god, I don’t regret it. There were moments when it felt like I actually lived. It was scary and—” I shook my head, not sure how to describe it.
“Exhilarating,” Eliana said, studying me. “You care about Hades, don’t you.”
That dull ache flared in my chest, and she looked a little surprised.
“You care about him a lot,” she said. “I can feel it.”
I let out a breath and nodded. “Stupid, right? I know what he is. I know that every moment he was with me, obsessing over me, it wasn’t really me he wanted. It was Persephone. But the attention he gave me still got to me.” I gave a sad laugh. “I broke almost every rule when I was with him.”
Eliana wrapped me in a hug, and all the anguish I felt disappeared.
“Please stop beating yourself up for what happened,” I whispered to her before pulling away. “I had a measure of freedom in Hell that I never had here, and it was great.”
She returned my smile and nodded. “No more regret then.”
We continued toward Mr. Quill’s study and heard Megan’s voice from the hallway before we even reached the door.
“Hold up. Let me check the sky. Maybe a fuck will fall from the heavens so I have one to give you.”
Eliana hurried forward and tugged open the door.
Megan spun to look at us. The flames flickering in her gaze completely vanished between one blink and the next.
“I was only gone a few minutes,” Eliana said. “What happened?”
Megan gestured to the phone on the desk.
“I’m glad you’re there, Eliana,” Adira said, her voice coming from the device. “Megan needs to see reason.”
I glanced at Megan and saw a spark ignited in her gaze, but it died quickly.
“Reason about what?” Eliana asked calmly.
“That searching the seven realms for the answers we need takes priority over a council meeting regarding a single human life. The council is responsible for every person in Uttira.”
“Am I not a person in Uttira?” I asked.
The line was silent.
“So because I’m human, I don’t matter. Let me guess. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or, in this case, the one,” I said.
“Exactly,” Adira said.
Megan smiled and turned to the phone. “Bullshit. If that were the case, you wouldn’t have been laser-focused on Eliana’s sex life when the earthquakes were going on. Get your giant, frost ass here now so I can verify your intentions myself.”
A tingle of fear rippled through me at the sound of Megan’s fury voice, and I edged closer to Zotera.
“As I’ve said, I cannot,” Adira said.
Eliana crossed the room and hung up the call.
“If she doesn’t want to attend, then she doesn’t need to know the outcome of this meeting,” she said, looking at the other adults in the room.
I glanced at Raiden and the Quills, surprised to see all three incline their heads toward Eliana.
Mr. Quill met my gaze. “How are you feeling, Ashlyn?”
“Better. Thank you.” I looked at Mrs. Quill when I said it, and she smiled.
