Page 1 of The Sirin Sisterhood (The Sons of Echidna #2)

Lucy

That day, Lucy understood why the gods had never answered her prayers—why they watched her suffer and why they left her to face the world alone.

She was a god herself, and all she could do was watch as her world burned down. That day, everyone’s faith in her was shaken. Without their faith, she was just a girl.

Bearing the heavy crown of remorse, Lucy watched the world outside turn into a blur of colors, tears smearing her vision. She didn’t know what was worse, shouldering the weight of the catastrophe, the responsibility for which clung to her like a shadow, or Lai’s driving.

The latter kept her blissfully distracted, although Lucy was starting to suspect that Death and Time had played a cruel trick on her and that she was, in fact, dead and in somekind ofhell.

A hell of never-ending near misses, blaring of horns, and the whooshing of trucks, as Lai overtook them with a reckless abandon that Lucy suspected might have been to punish her.

She noticed each passing truck made Aris flinch. The closeness of the traffic made him draw in away from the window. She watched as the man who had just lost everything slowly lost his nerve. Has he ever left Gaia? Was it the first time he was out in her world? Lucy had to assume so.

The car rattled as it bounced across the lanes.

Silence and despair filled the empty space between the tightly squeezed family members and the four dogs that had traveled with them instead of Al.

No one dared speak: What could be said to improve the situation?

Lai shifted the gears, and the car screeched, rearing back like a stubborn stallion.

The old hatchback needed some convincing to take the exit off the highway, but eventually, it obeyed.

Dread grew in Lucy’s chest as the high-rises of Houston sprouted from the horizon. She hugged both knees to her chest, plucking at stray shards of glass wedged into the leather of her boots.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered to break the suffocating silence.

Why was she sorry? She was kept there against her will, and these people were villains.

Or was she one? Lucy could pretend she was forced into a corner, but she knew her pride was the reason for the calamity.

She’d gotten drunk on power and, in the intoxicated state of ego, ruined everything.

Lai’s hand landed on her thigh in reassurance. He looked away from the road, seeking her eyes with his, but Lucy couldn’t bear to face him.

“We’ll figure it out, Luce.” He offered a smile.

“Wouldn’t be the first time we lost our home, right?

” He shifted his eyes to the rear mirror, but neither Aris nor Klein responded, each dwelling on their own thoughts.

Klein didn’t show much emotion. Lucy would’ve assumed he was taking another trip to the grocery store if she didn’t know better.

Aris, on the other hand, looked ...afraid?

She had never seen him scaredbefore, so she could only assume that was what the white knuckles, unfocused eyes, and tightly pressed lips meant.

If it was a new world that rattled the man, she couldn’t blame him.

Lucy had first-hand experience of that feeling just mere weeks ago.

Lucy hated the state her mind was in. Familiar doubts and insecurities wormed in, gnawing on her newly found confidence. Mere hours ago, she felt invincible, and now Lai’s ancient Toyota carried her back to obscurity.

A homeless goddess. How poetic.

She didn’t get to stay with her thoughts for long. Lai swerved wildly all over the road, taking each corner with a careless turn of the wheel, and the sound of horns from disgruntled drivers followed them all the way into town.

Shaken but alive, they finally pulled into an underground garage in an apartment building in a less-than-pleasant part of downtown.

Lucy could smell the air wafting through the partially open car window, and despite the unpleasant aroma, it was soothing.

She had spent countless nights walking home in that part of town; thanks to her late-night shifts, she’d mastered the craft of avoiding stumbling drunks and creeps, and her old apartment was only a block away.

She was back where she belonged, in the gutter.

Lucy could only assume it was Al’s place, and her assumption was soon confirmed by the bright flash of red paint in one of the parking spots. It was weird to think that she could have walked past him before, in a mall or supermarket or Walmart, without ever knowing anything about him.

Lai pulled into the empty spot next to the Mustang, his rival for Al’s affection, and a screeching sound accompanied the poorly executed parking job. The pristine red paint now spotted a deep gash across the side, but Lai seemed unbothered, pleased even.

Lucy swallowed hard, not daring to move, her face drained of blood.

Al was going to find out, and then he would murder them.

One by one. She didn’t know the man that well, but she was certain of one thing: everyone’s lives were now in danger.

Back at the manor during their wild dash for safety, Al had worried about the leather seats.

Not his sister, whom he adored, not Lai.

His car. And they had just injured his beloved.

“Are you okay? Oh, come on, my driving isn’t that bad. Just, no one tell Al I scratched his girlfriend.” Lai grinned at her with mischievous delight.

Lucy wouldn’t tell, but might kill her not to. It wasn’t the keeping of the secret. It was the guilt. It wasn’t even hers to bear. Lai did it, but Lucy got involved, covering up for him.

Lai’s car bore the evidence like a cheating lover with red lipstick smeared over their throat.

“How did you get a license?” She asked, fingers refusing to unclench around the handle above the door.

“I didn’t. There was a written test, so I failed.” Lai exited the car, forcing the door shut with a kick.

“Next time you park, leave me a can opener.” Lucy took a moment to catch her breath and got out, barely squeezing through the gap, hoping to avoid further damage to Al’s ride.

The real world again.

She thought about booking it, but then what? Would anyone try to catch her? Probably not. Where would she go, and how far would she get? Maybe back out of the parking garage before she got a stitch in her side. Then what? Wander the streets until Xim found her?

She fantasized that Aris might catch her. Force her to stay.

Probably not, though.

It wasn’t like they had anywhere to keep her now. The city was her territory; this time, they were the unfortunate guests, homeless and broke.

To be fair, so was she.

“Guess we don’t need extra help anymore.” Klein sighed, leaning on the car and trying to light a smoke with shaking hands. “Nor can we keep you like a prisoner. Not that, well.” He blushed. “Not that I ever considered you one.”

Lucy glanced at Aris. “So, I’m free again?”

He scowled. A lord without a castle. “Unemployed,” he corrected her, turning away.

“Thinking of ditching us already?” Lai sighed. “I thought we were friends. Well, the ‘held against your will’ thing aside.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Of course we’re friends, but put yourself in my shoes. I wasn’t exactly given the liberties friends deserve.”

“Oh, I think you took plenty of liberties,” Lai grinned, his eyes darting to his father.

Lucy didn’t answer, her mind not ready to process everything just yet. She pulled out her phone, frowning at the dead brick in her hand. “I’ll see if Al has a charger so I can call Xim. She might be able to help.”

“Come on, then,” Lai answered coolly, surprising Lucy with the ice in his voice.

He led everyone to the elevator, punching the pin pad’s numbers with practiced ease.

The group stood in long, awkward silence as they waited for the lift; when it arrived, the space inside was quickly cramped by the hounds that rushed ahead.

Aris hesitated outside it, reluctant to get in, but he followed Lucy when she pushed ahead.

“Maybe Xim will have a few odd jobs available that we can do to tide us over,” Lucy said with a shrug.

“Us?” Aris raised an eyebrow.

“Although the last job the Farrowatchers recommended led me to some pretty weird people.” She chanced a smirk. “I dunno if you’d pass the security screenings...”

“Yes. We pose a great risk toyoursecrets.” Klein smiled.

“All jokes aside, Lucille.” Aris tapped his fingers against his thigh.

“I understand you might refuse to cooperate from now on, but what you’ve learned.

..You can’t disclose anything, for your safety and ours.

Some peopleout herehave made it their business to eliminate families like ours.

There aren’t many of us left, so we have to be careful. Hunters could be anywhere.”

Lucy frowned, her face showing her displeasure. How dare he think so low of her? After all they had been through, believing she would just give them up? Yes, they were a bunch of selfish bastards, but she was one of them. Her ego was the reason for their downfall.

“You’re an ass-” She opened her mouth to scold him, but he pressed a finger to her lips, instantly taking the wind out of her sails.

“We are not safe. Not here. Not outside of Gaia.”

Lucy frowned, a little surprised by his paranoia. “No one knows you’re here. Besides, do you really think I would put any of you in danger? Don’t you trust me?”

Aris shook his head. “Not you. Not anyone. I don’t trust myself here,” he whispered as they stood uncomfortably close in the cramped, poorly lit box with half the buttons burned out and unreadable graffiti all over, four large hellhounds whining their displeasure around them.

“You can trust me.” She insisted firmly. Her next words were interrupted by the ding of the elevator announcing their arrival.