I dressed too, donning my own fireproof pants and shirt, and man, did it feel good to be fully out of Hell. To wear clothes that actually fit…that didn’t smell like rotten eggs.
We headed to the living room, where Shade and Patrice snored softly on their respective sofas. Miles sat in a chair, his gaze watchful, mostly on Shade.
“I’m sorry about Ginger. I know you two were close.” I patted his shoulder on my way to the kitchen.
“Thanks,” he said, his gaze never straying from his sleeping friend.
Discord followed me, stopping in the center of the kitchen and turning a circle. “Their bodies will require sustenance.”
“Coffee first.” I filled the machine with grounds and poured in the water. “Check the fridge and see what we have.”
He opened the door and peered inside. “You have things in packages, but nothing fresh.”
“We’ve been busy.” Miles joined us in the kitchen. “I’ll make sandwiches.” He busied himself with the bread and deli meat, and footsteps emanated from the hallway.
Ash emerged, her hair brushed, the color back in her cheeks, with Chaos a few steps behind her. I hurried through the living room, reaching her in four long strides, and threw my arms around her.
“I’m so sorry.” A sob bubbled from my chest. “I should’ve done something sooner. I should have helped you.”
She hugged me in return, squeezing me so hard my back popped. “There was nothing else you could have done.”
I pulled back and clutched her face in my hands. “I could have told you what was happening. You and Ember.”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “That’s true. It would’ve made this whole ordeal a tiny bit easier.”
“It couldn’t have happened any other way.” Mayhem strode into the living room with Ember by his side.
“I promise.” I grasped both my sisters’ hands. “No more acting alone. We’re better together.”
“My girls.” Mom padded toward us and pulled us all into a group hug. “I’m so proud of you.”
Another sob rolled up from my chest, but I squelched it. Hopefully, there’d be time for our tearful reunion later. Right now, we needed to caffeinate, eat, and kick some ass. Preferably in that order.
Shade snorted and shot upright, his gaze locking on the empty chair. An expression of alarm flashed across his features before he looked into the kitchen, where Miles was putting the finishing touches on our lunch. Or was it breakfast? I couldn’t remember the last time I ate.
“Soup’s on,” Miles said, and my stomach growled on cue.
Patrice sat up, her uncertain gaze flicking between us, and I sighed. Dealing with her would have to be a tomorrow problem too.
If we made it that far.
“What’s the plan?” Miles lined up the sandwiches on the counter and took his plate to the table. “Did Hecate give you any instructions on how to mend the veil?”
“I know what to do.” I grabbed a ham and cheese and sat next to him. “I helped Mom hold it together for a minute in the Underworld.”
Everyone gathered around the table, and I bit into the most delicious meal I had ever tasted. Whole grain bread, ham, cheddar, and mayonnaise melded on my tongue, making my mouth water. No tears of the tormented. No skunk cabbage with essence of shame.
Just plain, earthly, mundane food.
I chugged a glass of water like I hadn’t had a drink in weeks and headed to the sink for a refill.
“There’s filtered water in the fridge,” Ash said as she carried her paper plate to the trash. “That’ll taste like chlorine.”
I laughed. “After all the sulfur water I choked down in Hell, I’d drink straight from a swimming pool here.”
“Shit.” Ember typed on her phone before looking at me. “Two of ours took out an ogre as soon as the sun came up.”
“We better get a move on.” Ash picked up the others’ empty plates and tossed them in the trash.
