“Then you’ll bring danger to other students in the dorm,” Zak had offered. “And one of them is your friend. Do you want anything bad to happen to your friend?”
I’d opened my mouth and then shut it. That was a low blow, but I’d lost the argument.
So, I’d moved into Héctor’s house temporarily. The other demigods also moved in, despite Héctor’s displeasure. But it was a big place.
After I’d fed from Axel and Héctor, the demigods and I had shared the same bed, except for Paxton. The sea demigod took the couch in the living room without making a fuss, unlike his usual self.
Even though I hadn’t slept in my bunk bed—the last thing I wanted was to bring danger to my friends—I wouldn’t compromise my bonding time with them. I insisted on having breakfast with them every morning. It was unlikely demons would come for me then as they were most active at night.
The demigods were right, however, that Loki would come for me again, though only Paxton knew what the demon prince wanted from me. When it happened, I didn’t want my friends to get caught in the crossfire.
I briefly explained to Yelena and Nat about my current situation. I couldn’t tell them everything, for their and my own safety. And they informed me that One-eighth and her clique had been locked up in a cell for further investigation. If they were found guilty of working with the demons to breach the Academy, like their friend Brittney, they’d suffer grave consequences, such as losing their heads.
The Dominions were merciless when it came to traitors.
My demigods hadn’t said anything about the investigation, but then everything had all happened so fast and we had bigger problems.
“My world is better without One-eighth and her goons,” Yelena said, inhaling the crisp air deep into her lungs.
“Have you girls heard about the new rule?” Nat asked.
“What new rule?” I asked, squirming. “Why do they need more? They have over a thousand fucking codes already!”
I’d missed out on a lot of what was going on in the Academy while I’d been whisked here and there by different forces, mostly evil ones.
“Lower your voice while you curse like a sailor,” Yelena shushed me.
“They obliterated the rule of separation between the two academies,” Nat said, giving me a meaningful look. “You can go visit your old coven as often as you want now. You can go to their café for lunch, and they can come to ours. I think your demigods did it for you. You’re a good influence on them.”
Nat was all happy with this new rule. I think he had a crush on Jasper. He’d wanted to hang out with the shifters the last time we had the mix and mingle dinner, but I’d dragged him and Yelena away, afraid that Zak and Paxton would drop in on me and make a scene after both Axel and Héctor had blatantly staked their claims on me in public.
The demigods made the rules. They reigned over their half of Earth with Ares. They usually didn’t interfere with the affairs of the academies, but they’d changed this rule for me so I could go see Jasper and Circe any time I wanted. Warmth swelled in my heart.
I grinned. “I’m always a good influence.”
Yelena arched an eyebrow at me. “Depending on whom you’re influencing.”
“Mostly Héctor,” I confided. “He’s the sweetest guy. I wonder why people are terrified of him. I don’t get it.”
“Of course,” Nat chuckled. “He’s my favorite demigod, too.”
“You said the Demigod of Death was the most brutal one and that he was even worse than the Demigod of Sea not long ago,” Yelena snorted and snapped her fingers. “You change your opinions faster than this.”
“Hey,” Nat said, giving his childhood friend a dirty look. “Demigod Héctor honored me. He declared in the Hall of Bridgewater,“‘This Nat should be encouraged.’Didn’t you hear that? Everyone did.”He pounded his chest. “‘This Nat’ he talked about is me!”
Héctor had indeed said that after I’d awkwardly told him that Nat insisted on us eating more vegetables.
Yelena rolled her gray eyes. “Oh, please.”
I chuckled. “You two are like an old married couple.”
We soon passed by a pink, two-story sorority building, built by a donation from Demetra’s old family money. So naturally, Demetra and her clique were all included in the elite club. Rumor had it that Demetra was actively campaigning to be the next president of the Sorority. Likethatwould get her into the demigod’s pants.
But I knew she’d never give up trying.
She was locked up now. I’d check with Axel on the interrogation process. He’d be more inclined to reveal the classified information to me since he was a hothead and easier to manipulate. And he was around my age.
Three blocks from the brick house that had the mark of Demetra’s family’s filthy money was a low-rise, mauve structure, where our training room was.