Imprisoned Gods - G. Bailey Page 0,72

before," I explain, and she nods with a scowl before looking up at Storm with a much nicer expression.

"Why don't you come over to mine tonight? It must be so difficult with a packed house," she practically purrs. I sniffle a chuckle at her suggestive comment and pull my eyes away as I don't need to hear Storm agree to go over.

"I like a busy house actually, Vivian. So no, I can't come over. Now, I promised Karma a tour, so I have to go," Storm replies, to my surprise. "See you around." I glance back as Storm comes to my side, only to see Vivian’s look of pure anger directed at me. I guess I will have to watch out for poisonous vines growing around my neck tonight. We walk further into the street that is sort of like a market, but I notice no one pays with money. Everyone is exchanging something for something else, or just giving things away.

"So, you and Vivian?" I find myself asking and wanting to shoot myself when I realise how it sounds. Storm seems oblivious though as he answers.

"She is my ex. We dated for a year or so, but after the lust wore off, there was nothing left between us. It wouldn't have ended well either way," he darkly states. "Enough about me though. This is the market, the main part of the prison, and you can get anything you need here. The people trade things they brought in with them or made. If you have nothing to trade, you can trade jobs instead, like cleaning, manual work or even babysitting." I leave all talk of Vivian in the past, because it really isn't anything to do with me. Nope, totally not thrilled that they’re through; doesn’t matter to me.

"I hate that people are born here when they did nothing wrong. Surely the higher gods should let them out into the world, they did nothing wrong," I point out.

"Don't you understand this place yet, Karma?" Storm stops to ask me. "No one in here has ever done anything wrong. We are all innocent, and the higher gods care nothing for the lives of the innocent or guilty. They only care about themselves."

"How do you know that?" I ask him.

"Secrets, my little Karma," he whispers to me, making it clear he isn't telling me anything more as he starts to walk off. What secrets could the higher gods have that Storm could possibly know?

23

"Hey, stranger," Jade says, making me almost jump out of my skin as she comes into the shower room where I am pulling on my clothes. "How was your day?" she asks as she starts stripping out of her clothes. Luckily, I'm not a shy person as she strips naked and runs, diving head first into the pool at the back of the cave. The room is steamy from the rising steam of the natural rock pool, which is warm and soothing to bathe in. At the front are seats carved directly out of the stone, with hooks for hanging towels on them. Whoever designed this place paid such attention to detail. It is incredible.

"Wait, don't you hate water?" I ask her.

"Cold water, yes; warm steam water that smells like lemons...nope," she replies. "Now how was your date with Storm?"

"It wasn’t a date, remember? Anyways, I met Storm's ex who I think now hates me, I saw the markets, the tree yard where they farm the most food. Then we went to the final level where it is like a big stone clearing where they have classes for the kids in the day on the one side, and on the other, they practice fighting. It's crazy down there," I reply, remembering the place quite vividly.

"Coxen told me they also do parties there. He showed me around today, it was fun," she kindly sighs.

"Coxen seems sweet," I remark, watching her expression closely as she pulls a neutral face.

"He is...maybe too sweet," she says, winking at me as she rests her head on her arms, floating in the water. "Now which one of the hunks we live with are you eyeing up? They are all sure looking at you at every moment they get."

"They don't—"

"Karma, I'm a cat with crazy extra senses. I can smell their desire and yours. Even Seth fancies you, who in my opinion is a dickhead so maybe don't choose him," she tells me, and my cheeks burn red as I take in what she just told