Chapter 11

*Thoth's POV*

First I checked at Yui's dorm, hoping she'd somehow made it there safely by herself. But her little housekeeper, Melissa, was scampering around the house in a fit, saying he hadn't seen her since dawn.

I ran through the flowerbeds to the fountain where I last saw her, but she wasn't there either. She must have gotten lost trying to find her way home. Zeus's storms are notorious for disorienting people.

Then it hits me—this is my fault. Because I've fallen in love with Yui, a forbidden act in Zeus's eyes, he is trying to punish me by harming her. To Zeus, she's just another worthless human, one of billions. He can't harm me physically, since we are both gods of nearly equal power, but he certainly knows what would ruin my life. Once I realize this, I know I don't have much time to save her. I do my best to ignore my new-found emotions and decide to systematically search the grounds for her.

On the fourth lap of a spiral around the park, I see a human form curled against a massive tree root. It's soaked and splotched with mud, and its leg is twisted at a painful angle. It's Yui.

I bend down. "Kusanagi? I'm sorry about today. I'm not going to hurt you, and I won't bother you any more. Please just let me take you back to the school."

Yui turns to face me. Her lips are blue and her eyes are puffy from crying, but I'm so happy to see her—this person who has completely upset my life. "Thoth-sama?" she croaks. Am I imagining the little smile that settles on her mouth? "You don't know anything about how I feel, do you?" she breathes. Then she loses consciousness.

I wrap her in my coat and pick her up as softly as I can, trying not to bring more pain to her leg. But as I'm starting towards the dormitories, the lightning begins.

A blinding crack of light splits the air in front of me, and Yui falls from my arms, hitting her head on a large, jagged rock. How much more injury can she take?

Zeus will make it as hard as he can for Yui to survive. If he's going to play unfairly, then so will I. I hold Yui tightly as I throw my head back and transform into a god.

*Yui's POV*

Wings are beating around me, folding in and out as I spiral through cold gray clouds. I'm dying. I know this because my leg doesn't hurt anymore…in fact, nothing hurts anymore. I can't feel a thing except for extreme exhaustion, and total safety. I realize later that I'm surrounded by a ring of shifting colors—gold, red, maroon, lavender, aqua, and black—and this vaguely reassures me before I slip into nothingness.

"Kutanagi! Kutanagi! Rise and shine!"

It's hard for me to focus on the yellow and pink splotches bobbing in front of my face. Someone used to call me Kutanagi when I was alive…the abstract memory makes me smile a little. Now something's tugging at my eyelids, forcing them to open all the way.

"…Melissa…?"

"Kutanagi, how do you feel?" asks the little brightly-patched doll, who's perched on my chest.

"I feel…all right," I say, noting, however, that most of my pain has returned. I try moving my leg, but find that it's in a cast from the middle of my thigh to my calf. And my head is so sore.

"You need to stop making me worry so much! Why didn't you just come home and talk to me? Next time you have a problem, don't be so dramatic and stay out in a bad storm! I had no idea what to do! And now you have a concussion and a broken leg on top of it!" Melissa shrieks, making me smile. Everything seems to be fine…what's this problem he's talking about? My mind clouds over.

Oh. Thoth. I sigh heavily, making my head throb, as I return to reality.

Meanwhile, Melissa has scurried out of the infirmary. He now returns with some news. "Your friends want to see you…may I let them in, Kutanagi?"

I muster a smile. "There's no one I'd rather see," I manage. Does Melissa shoot me a look before he lets them in?

Dionysus, Balder, Hades, Takeru, Loki, Tsukito, Thor, and Apollo all file in. They stand by my bed awkwardly, looking as if they think I'm about to evaporate. I can't help but wonder, how much do they know? I notice that Apollon's cheeks are red, and he's hiding his face from me.

Loki, relaxing against the head of the bed, breaks the silence. "Little human, you're adorable enough without getting lost in the woods. Stop trying to get our attention in such extreme ways." And he smacks his hand onto the top of my head. The other gods glare at him, but I'm thankful for his humor, and make an effort to smile wryly at my mischievous friend. Dionysus pulls out a bottle of "grape juice" and passes it around. I even take a little, feeling like I need it to keep my lower lip from trembling. Hades promises to take me stargazing in a few days when I'm able to go outside, and Tsukito lets me cuddle Usamaro. Although I'm far from being okay, my friends are already making me feel a little happier. When they leave a few hours later, loneliness quickly sets in. Then Hades returns.

"Kusanagi, I want you to know…that I told Apollon to ask you on a date."

What is this? I have no response.

"My nephew likes you a lot," Hades continues. "Anyone can see that. But you like someone else, right?"

I'm suddenly glad to have someone I can talk to. "Yes. I mean, I like Apollon too…but only as a friend. But this…other person I like…I don't think he likes me at all. I've acted so stupid around him." Tears simmer in the corners of my eyes.

Hades kneels by the bed so he is at eye level. "I'll tell you what I told Apollon. It may seem easier, and even better, to keep your feelings a secret from this person. But in the end, hiding like this will only destroy you and it can hurt the other person, too. Even if he doesn't return your feelings, he will be a happier person for knowing that someone like you likes him." He gets up, leaving me speechless. "Please think about what I've said, Yui. We all want to see you happy."

He walks through the door but then quickly reappears. "There's someone else here to see you…can I send him in?"

I nod, my heart in my mouth.