Imprisoned Gods - G. Bailey Page 0,74

I really have said sorry quite a few times about that night. If you hadn't disappeared, I would have gotten you a healer."

"I thought I'd cut my losses and fix myself on my own. I mean, that flying pig did knock you out and—"

"Maybe someone shouldn't have made a bet with a leprechaun that pigs couldn't fly," Seth remarks, but we both are smiling by this point, and I can't help but laugh, which sets him off as well.

"So, what is it that makes you hate me?" I ask, wanting to get to the bottom of this whole thing.

"You think I hate you?" he asks, looking confused.

"Well, yeah," I reply.

"I don't hate you. I liked you after that date, and I would have demanded a second chance at that date if you were human. I hoped you would have a good life, not a fucked up one like you now have. I hated when we were given your name," he tells me and takes a deep breath. “I hate how the people that locked us in here clearly wanted to get to you and make sure we never told a soul about you. Karma, I hate that you are trouble, but actually, you are alright.”

"Seth..." I reply, not having a clue what to say about that.

"Don't worry about replying, I really don't want to hear it. I'm not the nice guy you need in your life," Seth angrily comments, the moment we seemed to have just had instantly gone and replaced by his usual attitude. He walks to the door, and I almost regret the words that leave my lips.

"I liked our date. I never forgot it like every other date I’ve ever had. I wished you were human too." Seth pauses under the doorway to look back, and I can't process what the emotion is in his eyes. Without another word, he disappears, and I'm left wondering what exactly just happened between us. I wouldn’t say we are now friends, but we are a little less than strangers that had one date. I walk through the entrance hall and into the empty kitchen, seeing the study door behind is open. Even though I should know better, I walk to the study door and push it open a little more, seeing Storm reading a book on a chair.

“You can come in, little Karma,” Storm says, making me jump. I sheepishly grin as I step into the room, seeing the shelves on each side of the walls that have books on them. “These are all the books that people have brought in with them. Though I’ve read every one of them, and people borrow them from time to time. Any chance you brought a book in?”

“No, I didn’t,” I say with a sigh, knowing a book could make this place all the more interesting. I’ve never been a big reader, not like Mads is, but whenever I need cheering up or to get lost in another magical world, I’d ask Mads for a book recommendation. That’s when Mads’s nerdy side came out in full force as she found her Kindle.

“If you could have done, what book would you choose?” he asks. “I find this question very interesting. Your choice of book will tell me a lot about you.”

“Honestly?” I say, leaning against the door. “I’d find a book on magical prison break outs and how to successfully do them.” He laughs in surprise at my answer, and I grin.

“You are unexpected, little Karma. Like a breath of fresh air,” he tells me, and I’ve never cared much for simple compliments, but Storm makes them seem that much more.

“Thank you for taking me out today. This place, it is nothing like I ever imagined or heard about. Everyone out there thinks the prison is full of heartless monsters in cages,” I explain to him, straightening up as I lock my eyes with Storm’s. “This place…the only heartless thing is the walls. I wish everyone outside could know that.”

“Maybe one day…though I’ve given up hope I will ever see outside of here again,” he says, and for a second, I see the desperation in his eyes. The sadness. “Will you tell me everything you like the most about outside?”

“Sure,” I say, moving to sit on the chair Storm waves a hand at. I don’t know how many hours I sit in Storm’s office, telling him about the outside world the best I can. It feels like I’m reading him a book, ironically one