Page 5

“No, you aren’t,” he says forcefully. “Iwishyou were.”

Kimi starts to step forward again, and Ben moves to block him. He’s intently focused on Kimi.

I forgot that Ben witnessed those nightmares with me. He is two seconds away from finding out if he can eat gold.

“You can’t eat him. He’s innocent,” I protest, grabbing his arm.

“I don’t care,” his voice gains that dual tone, and Mal winces back.

The dragon man recovers and bares his teeth threateningly. His wings snap in some kind of animal warning sign that’s cute. I won’t say that part out loud.

He’s suddenly glaring at me as if I did say it out loud. Level four scowl detected.

Red alert. He’ll figure out I’m crazy. Distract.

“We have to care, or we’ll turn intoher,” I begin to panic as I think that through. The seesaw struggles to rise. “I don’t want that, Ben. Please?”

Ben turns to watch my meltdown and places his hands on my shoulders. The touch brings me back to the present instead of murky nightmares.

“What was I talking about?” The seesaw begins to rise as he croons softly to me.

“She’s lost her mind,” Mal whispers, and I nod helplessly.

“She’s talking about the Goddess,” Kimi frowns as he watches me. “You aren’t her yet?”

“No, no, no,” I clutch my head in my hands.

It’s weird that I understand Kimi more now. He’s speaking to me on a wavelength he and I understand. Somewhere deep inside, I’m still trapped in that bitch’s body, watching horrors unfold around me that I can’t stop.

“Is this that stupid Goddess bullshit again?” Mal asks in exasperation. “That’s all in your head, you idiot.”

“And now it’s in hers too,” Kimi laughs and juggles the tape.

The seesaw goes up in a confusing wobble. They don’t believe him. They aren’t a part of Kimi’s plan to kill me at all. Where does that leave me?

Mal and Mitri look at me as I slowly begin backing away from them all. I keep them in my peripherals and Kimi in my main sight. Ben hops backward and keeps pace, covering me as I try to reach the fence.

“Are youkiddingme?” Mal is at a level five scowl now. “How much more shit will be thrown our way before we get a break?”

I feel that in spades, dragon man.

“Delegate Tremaine,” Mitri interrupts the drama with a flat tone. “Is she a problem?”

His calm voice snaps me back into my right mind as he brings another problem into focus.

Ben stops and tilts his head back towards me, not taking his eyes off any of them. The faeries from earlier are subtly approaching as well. Forming a line spreading out behind Mitri and Kimi, weapons drawn.

“She mentally manipulated Ben to try and force him to have sex with her,” I answer him sadly. The seesaw dips. “We can’t let anyone else kill her, or Ben’s Mom will get mad.”

“Yeah, I’d say that’s a problem,” Mal swipes his hand through his hair and shakes his head. “What’s happening here?”

“The confusion will pass,” Mitri tilts his head and frowns as he watches our retreat. “We, too, have been mentally manipulated for years to be more subdued.”

“What?” Mal snaps in surprise.

Kimi gives a theatrical gasp and says, “Nuh-uh! Not me!”

“I have a ring for you as well,” Mitri informs Kimi, and he smiles as he looks over at him. I stop in surprise at the emotion.