What had just happened? Why was Asher so cold? I mean, he looked and sounded like Asher again, now that he was away from Galindra, but … there was no warmth or love in his expression. At first I’d wondered if he’d forgotten me, but it wasn’t that at all.
“Maddison!” Connor yelled, and I realized he’d been talking to me and I hadn’t listened at all.
“What?” I said, turning toward him.
His scowl took over half his face. “Did you just say—” He took a deep breath. “Galindra?”
This gave me a moment’s pause, because I didn’t like the way he asked that question. “Yes,” I said slowly. “Why?”
Connor leaned in closer, and I tilted my head back because he was getting way too familiar with me. “Are you absolutely sure she said Galindra? Could you have misheard?”
I snorted. “My memory is great. It was definitely Galindra. And I repeat: why?”
Connor rubbed a hand across his face before pushing his hair back into spikes. “Because she’s one of the strongest gods in existence. She’s the biological daughter of the mother of all gods. The only one she ever bore in a physical body. I’ve never heard of her getting involved in supe situations like this.”
Of course she was. Asher’s mother would definitely be of the “most powerful ever” variety. “Looks like she’s involved now.” And had been for a long time. “I think she’s the one who sank Atlantis all of those years ago to stop whatever Lotus and Draconis had planned.”
I was so confused and angry and disheartened. I had no idea where my friends were … if they thought I was dead or not. All I knew: I was fucking destroyed.
“I need some sleep,” I muttered. “I’ll deal with this tomorrow.”
Denial, my old friend. I was back to pretending my life wasn’t a hot mess. I was back to pretending that Asher wasn’t dead but was still the love of my life.
Pretend, pretend, pretend.
Asher was long gone now, so I started to walk the same path that would lead to the commons. I had no idea what day it was. What month even. Everything could be dealt with tomorrow.
“It all makes sense now,” Connor said, and I didn’t bother to turn back. He didn’t stop talking though. “The reason why I could never figure out Asher’s god energy.”
Fuck!He knew that anything to do with Asher was going to get me, because I was apparently a masochist.
My feet stopped, and I sucked in a deep breath. “Spit it out,” I finally said.
I felt Connor’s energy as he came closer. Weaker than Asher’s and mine, but still strong.
“Asher is born of the mother of all. His power is beyond anything else because of her. That’s why they targeted him as the first of us to break.” He eyed me closely. “I have no idea why yours is stronger too, but I’ll figure it out.”
My head dropped, and I was staring at the cobbled path, its bright gray and blue stones intertwining. “And his father?”
“I’m pretty sure he has no father.”
My head jerked up. “What?”
Connor …grimacedmight be the accurate term. “The mother of all is pure creation. She is the … well, the mother of everything. Her offspring will have the same abilities, although she is a lot less powerful. Galindra could have brought Asher to life in the womb of the queen on her own.”
My brain felt like it was going to explode and leak out my ears at this point, so I just started walking again and didn’t stop. Connor followed but remained thankfully quiet. Maybe he knew I was at the end of my rope. When we reached the commons, I noted that the roof was up and in full effect to keep out a massive storm. It was also growing darker as more students arrived. It was dinnertime.
Connor remained on my tail like the worst kind of recurring rash. I hadn’t planned on eating; sleep was my priority, but the moment I smelled food I decided to eat first. By instinct, I headed straight for my table, but—
My teeth slammed together. Hard. I felt the jolt all the way through my body. Asher was already there, at the table, and he wasn’t alone. “Motherfucker.”
A few people at nearby tables jumped.
“Who are they?” Connor asked.
“Clovers,” I snapped. “Bitchy girls who think they run this school. What’s left of them anyway.”
I didn’t add that they’d been put in their place by me last year, and they’d faded even more when their leaders were taken to jail. Apparently Asher was bringing them right back to the top of the social hierarchy. Asher’s head snapped up, and we locked eyes. Mine no doubt blazing with anger, while his were once again unreadable.
