Page 30 of The Cursed Chalice

That was a grim thought. Nonetheless…it was going to be a grand adventure.

ARIC

I spent the morning cooped up in my bedroom, and my stomach is currently grumbling. Mrs. Grady may be out, but she would have left me meals in the fridge. Hecate always told me I should get a private chef. But why would I when I have Grady at my side? I open the door of my office and hear music. It sounds like pop music.

“At least I can sayyyy,” the little voice echoes through the hallway. I forgot I had a preteen in my house.

I sigh, wanting to curse Hecate out. If I am hungry, I wonder if she is too.

I knock on the door with the name “Nisa” in pink and glitter foam.

The door opens, and Nisa’s deep brown doe-like eyes look up at me. She hides behind the door slightly. Of course she does. Men have never treated her with respect.

The TV catches my attention, and I see six girls dancing.

“Who are they?” I ask.

Nisa smiles. “That’s Katseye. They’re my favorite group.”

“Where are their clothes? Why are they so scantily dressed?” I want to push forward and take off the TV or maybe turn it to National Geographic or something.

“They have clothes on,” Nisa replies with a frown.

“Um, Hecate is coming back for you. I wanted to know if you were hungry,” I spoke softly, trying not to be intimidating.

She bites her lip and shakes her head. “No.”

“Okay.” I step back and nod. She needs to eat sometime.

As I walk further down the hall to the kitchen, I hear, “Mr. Monster? What kind of food is it?”

I stop in my tracks and turn. “My housekeeper made steak and lamb.”

“I don’t like eating from people,” she says.

What does that even mean?

I think it’s because she was drugged, Aric. Now she is being cautious. Smart girl.

Ares is right. I stuff my hands in my pockets and turn. “I can order pizza.”

She pokes her head out of the door. “I like pizza.”

“Okay, pepperoni?”

She shakes her head.

“Tell me what you want on it.”

The door closes, and for a second, I think she changes her mind. Then the door opens. “Can I have pineapple and mushroom on it?”

What the hell? “Is that what you want? Nothing else? That’s it?”

She nods enthusiastically.

If she wants the pineapple and fungi, get it for her, Aric.

“That combination is diabolical,” I mutter, strolling into the kitchen. I take out my phone and find the food app Deimos uses on my phone.