a fight with Hades this morning, what’s up with that?”
I sighed. I might as well tell them now. “So, I heard some news.”
“What kind of news?” Asher asked.
“Ordin’s dead,” I announced.
Everyone turned to me, stunned.
“What?” Isaac asked.
I leaned my elbows on the table. “The police think he’s missing, but Hades told me he was dead.”
Zeke held up his hand. “Hades told you he was dead?”
I nodded. “He said he killed him.”
The guys all shared a look.
Zeke dropped his hand. “Can we throw a parade?”
I scowled at him. “What? No!”
“I’ll make him dinner tonight,” Asher murmured to Zeke.
Zeke nodded. “Steak.”
“Guys, this isn’t funny,” I snapped, my stomach knotting. “He killed someone.”
“Yeah, Ordin,” Ethan said. “Someone who hurt you. I say we throw a party.”
“Yeah, he only killed a person who was locked in a psych ward. Yeah, we should celebrate.” Enough sarcasm dripped from my words that the guys all turned back to look at me.
“Ally, we’re not going to feel bad for this guy,” Asher said. “He hurt you.”
“No, it’s just …” I buried my face in my hands. “Complicated.”
“How do you feel about it?” Miles asked carefully.
I dropped my hands. “I’m pissed Hades killed—”
“No.” Miles’ emerald eyes were calculating as they met mine. “Not that. How do you feel about Ordin being dead, not about who killed him.”
“I … I don’t like that he’s dead.” I shrugged, not sure how to put what I was feeling into words. Everything was a jumble inside my stomach, swirling around until I was nauseous.
“Lexie.” Zeke’s voice brought my attention to him. “How do you feel about Ordin’s death?”
I looked down at the table and thought about it. Ordin was gone. He couldn’t hurt me again. He couldn’t stalk me. He couldn’t find me. Relief flooded me. Guilt ate at me. My stomach clenched and un-clenched as emotions rose and fell.
“You feel safer, don’t you?” Zeke asked using his gentle voice. I met his gaze to find a knowing look crossing his face. Yeah, if anyone could understand this, it would be Zeke.
I didn’t like myself for it, but I nodded.
“That’s a very standard human reaction,” Miles added, his timbre soft and soothing.
I dug my nails into my palm. “Then why do I feel bad for feeling better?”
“Because you’re a good person,” Zeke said as I turned my gaze back to his sky-blue eyes. “It’s perfectly normal to feel that way about someone who hurt you.”
I held Zeke’s gaze. “But it was Hades.”
“Did he say why he did it?” Isaac asked, frowning.
I drummed my fingers on the table. “He said that Ordin was going to come after me again.”
Dense silence fell over the table.
“Was there proof?” Isaac asked.
I shrugged. “I didn’t stay long enough to ask, but he can’t keep killing people.”
Miles sighed. “I agree with Lexie. It might be a matter of time before he kills an innocent person.”
“Mmm.” Asher shook his head as he set his water glass down. “His job is to protect Ally, no one else. Ordin hurt Ally. And if he was planning to hurt her again …”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache come on. There was the clink of a glass. The rustle of someone shifting in their seat.
“Where is he?” Zeke asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. He doesn’t tell me where he goes. Only, now I’m wondering if he’s out killing someone else.”
“I doubt he did it without a reason or proof,” Zeke said carefully. “If he said that Ordin was planning something again, then I’d bet money he was certain of it.”
I searched Zeke’s gaze. “Have you two been talking a lot?”
He tried for a nonchalant shrug, but I didn’t buy it. “Not a lot.”
“What do you guys talk about?” Isaac asked, leaning forward to look down the table at Zeke.
“Mostly he keeps me updated about how little Lexie is sleeping. Or if he ran into problems in town,” Zeke said.
That piqued my interest. I turned to the others. “Does he talk to anyone else?”
One by one the others shook their heads.
“Once in a while I’ll make him something to eat for dinner when he gets back late at night,” Asher admitted, suddenly finding his plate very fascinating.
“I’ve played some video games with him a couple of times,” Ethan said. “When I couldn’t sleep.”
I looked at each of them. “So, Zeke’s the only one he talks to.”
“And you,” Isaac reminded me.
I shook my head. “We don’t exactly talk.”
“You guys have been fighting a lot lately,” Ethan said.
I stared straight at him.